thousand men; while, in the mean time, the organization of another force, not less than four thousand, is going rapidly forward in Buenos Ayres. When the nation is re-united, to these regular forces will be added from about a thousand to fifteen hundred men, who are now in Entre Rios, Corrientes, and Santa Fé; a thousand in Cordova; as many more between Santiago and Tucuman; besides those who can be withdrawn from the quarter of the Andes, as that district abounds with men well fitted and avail in able for war. If that be not sufficient, without including the co-operation of Chile, Peru, and Colombia, more men will be collected; because my country every man is a soldier, when the question between Spain and America comes to be agitated; which opinion is not invalidated by what the Ministry of Madrid have lately been graciously pleased to say with regard to the dispositions entertained in its favour on the part of those whom it calls sensible Americans. the population, independent of the regular troops, are subject to active military duties, trained to arms, and possessed of a spirit of prowess which on all trying occasions they eminently exhibit, and which never fails to be increased in the field of battle. All I have now finished; and sincerely hope you may find in this sketch all that is requisite to satisfy your wishes: that is, indeed, my principal object; but I hope also that your Government, finding some foundation to support the principles which it has now adopted in regard to us, will be persuaded of the accuracy of this Memoir. If Buenos Ayres, after the short lapse of three years of peace, has cancelled the opprobrious epithets of incapacity and disposition to anarchy, which were affixed to her by Spain and the continental powers of Europe, a real peace, which should give to that so considerable portion of the globe a political recognised existence, would very soon cause it to deserve the consideration of the world. It appears to me, Sir, that if Europe would but renounce the idea of thwarting the spirit of the revolution in America, and save us from the expenditure of more time, blood, and treasure in war, I might fearlessly guarantee the security that soon, very soon, the New World would cease to be in a situation embarrassing to herself, or even prejudicial to the interests of the nations of the Old. I salute you with the same affectionate consideration, and with the same interest, with which I have always felt myself honoured in calling myself, Sir, Your obedient Servant, YGNACIO NUÑEZ. |