638 SPANISH AMERICA. 



Cumana and Barcelona, in consequence 

 of this capitulation, acknowledged the au- 

 thority of Monteverde. The patriot expe- 

 dition against Angostura completely failed ; 

 whilst, about the same time, the royalists 

 of Maracaybo invaded and took possession 

 of the departments of Merida and Truxillo, 

 after several times defeating, in the valley 

 of Cucuta, the patriot forces commanded 

 by Don J. A. Paredes. 



The authority of the Spanish Government 

 was thus completely restored in Venezuela, 

 but disgraced and dishonoured by the most 

 shameless breaches of faith. Still, how- 

 ever, a propitious moment had occurred ; 

 and had the Spanish authorities known how, 

 or chosen to take advantage of it, they 

 might have secured the offspring of new- 

 born liberty, sprung from Spanish Ameri- 

 can revolution, and strangled it in its birth. 

 But conciliation had no place in the Spanish 



