ther of Hydraulic Engineers, who direct the public works which you see arising, and which, ere long, will render my country worthy the attention of strangers. In the Department of the Posts important changes have taken place: and I conceive myself authorised to remind you of the progress daily making by the societies of the liberal arts; and, above all, to draw your attention to the happy results promised by the nationalization of the clergy, since they have been regulated on a uniform principle, subsequently to the suppression of the convents; a work which you are better qualified to appreciate than I am; and which, to the honour of my country, I am bound to declare, was every where effected without the slightest inconvenience.

DEPARTMENT OF WAR.

During the three last years, what appertains to this Department has been immediately connected with that of foreign affairs, which will be treated of hereafter; but, not to deviate from my plan, I will now consider it separately. The events of the year 1820, although they did not prevent the arms of the provinces of Rio de la Plata from passing the Andes, and traversing Chile, and thus carrying independence to Peru, that is to say, to the only portion of America which remained wholly in the power of the Spaniards, nevertheless

occasioned a complete dislocation of the army which remained in that territory. The force which carried on operations in Upper Peru, stationed in Tucuman, three hundred leagues from Buenos Ayres, broke up into fractional parts, and distributed itself in the provinces where its influence was predominant; and that of the capital was completely cashiered, as an unavoidable consequence of the powerful interference which it exercised in the domestic dissensions. Under this aspect the military department presented itself, when the Government which rules over us was first organized. That Government introduced the principle, which was unanimously admitted, that the war had terminated, as far as Buenos Ayres was concerned; not so much on account of the difficulties which such a state of things presented to the reestablishment of military subordination, or of the dangers to which the recovery of that spirit might have exposed public order and the new institutions, but principally by reason of the following considerations:

1st. Because Spain had long renounced the war with her own arms and resources, inasmuch as she was in a state of incapability to supply them for that purpose.

2dly. Because the remains of the armed bodies, which were still kept up in America under the Spanish colours, were principally composed of

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natives, and maintained by the country herself, without any dependence on the mother-country.

3dly. Because these bodies did not possess a numerical strength sufficient to make it necessary that whole provinces should concur for their destruction.

4thly. Because Chile, being free, and the revolution introduced into Peru, it was to be hoped that those states, and particularly the second, which had recently been engaged in the contest, would complete a work so long undertaken without aid from the provinces of Rio de la Plata.

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5thly. Because, independently of all that was occurring, as well in the interior as on the part of Spain, in guarantee of the public security, that same guarantee obtained more strength by the reestablishment of the new government in the Peninsula in 1820, and the credit which the cause of independence had universally acquired.

And, 6thly.-Because it appeared, on the whole, so very easy to put a period to the war by a negotiation, which method was evidently the preferable one, in order to spare the residue of the lives and fortunes which had been sacrificed by both parties, without Spain being a loser in any thing.

I repeat, Sir, that newly formed Government, considering all these points, and many more which I omit, to avoid being diffuse, having in

troduced that principle, which was unanimously admitted, declared, in consequence, that, if an army were necessary, its character ought to be that of a preserver, solely employed to guard the territory of the nation against the barbarous inhabitants of the frontiers, who have likewise annoyed us greatly. Under this idea a commencement was made, by abolishing maritime privateering, which at the same time went a great way in re-establishing the credit of my country among foreign and neutral nations. Eventually a law was issued, in virtue of which the great body of officers and chiefs, whom the revolution had created, were withdrawn from the service; their services, however, being recompensed by what we denominate Military Reward, on which I shall hereafter dilate, when I come to discuss the Department of Finance. Other laws were afterwards made for the organization of what by us is denominated the Permanent Army; which, although its object is still incomplete, has in a great measure fulfilled its intention, and presented, for the first time in my country, a continued example of respect to the public authorities. You will perceive, that what hitherto had been the exclusive affair of the sword, became the principal business of the Cabinet: a principle which was in fact acted upon, as will be pointed out to you in what follows.

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

The principle being once adopted that the war of independence had ceased, and that the ceremony of finally closing it might be the result of a diplomatic negotiation; it was but natural that what really happened should take place, which was this: the administration that had formed this view of the case, and proclaimed the principle, conceived itself bound to proceed, and accordingly it did proceed, in maintaining the rights and privileges of an independent state. This it was, which gave a beginning to the establishment of that general basis towards the end of 1821 That the authority of the country would give no diplomatic or commercial explanations to any negotiator who should present himself at the head of an armed force, or without the formalities required by the law of nations. A writer in Buenos Ayres, at the commencement of 1823, analysing that act, said, what doubtless you will be pleased to hear: "We perceive that the principle which has given rise to that resolution is of so elevated a nature, that its observance is anterior to the principle even of European diplomacy, which produced the agreements that form, at this moment, the conventional law of nations; since, even in the ages in which the ruin of the Roman Empire, and the irruption of the