CORNELIO DE SAAVEDRA.

117

Martin de Alzaga, and one or two of his intimates, were the main-springs of these sinister attempts against the authority of the Junta.

But the energies of this latter body were about to be paralyzed, during the remainder of its existence, by intrigues which led to the adoption of a very singular course at the end of the first and eventful year of the revolution.

Saavedra, as president of the Junta, like all other presidents and chairmen, was not only very jealous of his supremacy, but he used constant endeavours to widen his prerogatives, and render more and more absolute his authority. The other members of the Junta at first remonstrated in private; but at last, on the 6th of December, we find them issuing a well-written" Order of the day," which is followed by a decree enacting that, "from this day forward there shall be absolute, perfect, and identical equality between the President and the other members of the Junta without further difference than the numerical and gradual order of the seats;" and neither President nor members were to have any public representation, escort, guard, or other distinction beyond that of the citizens at large. The document states that the President's "moderation was very much morti

fied" by the honours at first decreed to his station; and that his "probity had been offended" by his health having been publicly drunk as that of "Our emperor." But we run little risk in saying, that the statements of the order of the day and the feelings of General Saavedra ran in two distinct and opposite currents.

The President and his patrician friends finding themselves thus assailed by the pure republican party, Dr. Moreno being at the head of it, they determined to embarrass the Junta in an extraordinary way. Deputies from the provinces were beginning to arrive, having been convoked by the Junta, to form the foundation of a general congress; and thirteen members had been elected in all. Saavedra put it into the heads of these doctores that the Junta had invited them to form part of the executive, and not to restrict them to mere legislative functions. The doctores very much relished the new reading of their powers. A solemn meeting of them all and of the Junta was held; and, by a great plurality of votes, the motion was carried, "That the members of congress be incorporated with, and do form a part of, the executive government."

* See Appendix.

DOCTOR MORENO'S DEATH.

119

Supposing that this resolution did not spring from an intrigue, (and Saavedra and his party loudly denied that it did,) of all absurdities ever committed, surely this was the greatest,—to form an executive head of two-and-twenty members! Dr. Moreno voted against the enormity; and, seeing a cabal against himself in the measure, he indignantly resigned his secretaryship, and would not, although pressed to do so, resume his seat at the board.

He was named Minister Plenipotentiary to the British court; an honourable banishment, which he accepted in the hope of benefiting his country abroad, since he was not permitted to do so at home. But his suffering was so dreadful at sea, from excessive sickness, that his strength and con stitution gave way; and a very excessive dose of tartaric acid having been most incautiously administered to him, his weak frame sunk under the effects of it, and he breathed his last on board the Fame, in his thirty-third year, in March, 1811. Wrapped in an English Union Jack, his body was consigned to the waves the following day. When the news of his premature death reached Buenos Ayres, it was deplored as a national ca

lamity; and it must be confessed that, as he was the earliest, so he was certainly one of the best of the patriots who have flourished during the South American revolution.

When Moreno's death and his burial in the sea were communicated to Saavedra, he coldly said, "So much water was necessary to quench so much fire."

We are, &c.,

THE AUTHORS.

LETTER XXXI.

The AUTHORS to GENERAL MILLER.

General Belgrano goes to Paraguay-His Despatches-Decree in favour of the Indians of Paraguay-Elio appointed ViceroyBelgrano's Defeat-General Velasco, Governor of Paraguay— The Junta of Paraguay—Expedition from Paraguay to Corrientes-War in the Banda Oriental-Buenos Ayres CongressThe Portuguese-The Prince Regent of Brazil-Captain Elliot, of the sloop-of-war Mutine-A new Junta in Buenos Ayres— Belgrano, Rondeau, and Artigas, on the Banda Oriental-Elio shut up.

London, 1842.

AMONG the events which characterized the stirring commencement of the second year of the River Plate revolution, was the equipment by Buenos Ayres of a small force destined, as already mentioned, under the command of General Belgrano, not for the conquest of the Paraguayans, but for their liberation from the Spanish yoke. Belgrano's force consisted of 800 men; and in order to convey an idea of the grandiloquent style in which his first operations were communicated, and commemorated

VOL. II.

G