rve under any command but my
own; this step on their part being fraught with the greatest danger to
the equipment of the contemplated expedition.

The Senate just noticed was an anomaly in state government. It consisted
of five members, whose functions were to remain only during the first
struggles of the country for independence; but this body had now assumed
a permanent right to dictatorial control, whilst there was no appeal
from their arbitrary conduct, except to themselves. They arrogated the
title of "Most Excellent," whilst the Supreme Director was simply "His
Excellency;" his position, though nominally head of the executive,
being really that of mouth-piece to the Senate, which, assuming all
power, deprived the Executive Government of its legitimate influence, so
that no armament could be equipped, no public work undertaken, no troops
raised, and no taxes levied, except by the consent of this irresponsible
body. For such a clique, the plain, simple good sense, and thorough good
feeling of the Supreme Director was no match; as, being himself above
meanness, he was led to rely on the honesty of others from the
uprightness of his own motives. Though in every way disposed to believe,
with Burke, that "what is morally wrong can never be politically right,"
he was led to believe that a crooked policy was a necessary evil of
Government; and as such a policy was adverse to his own nature, he was
the more easily induced to surrender its administration to others who
were free from his conscientious principles.

Of these the most unscrupulous was Zenteno, who, previous to the
revolution, had been an attorney at Conception, and was a _protege_ of
General San Martin--carrying with him into State Administration the
practical cunning of his profession, with more than its usual proportion
of chicanery. As he was my bitter opponent, obstructing my plans for the
interests of Chili in every possible way, it might ill become me to
speak of him as I then felt, and to this day feel. I will therefore
adduce the opinion of Mrs. Graham, the first historian of the Republic,
as to the estimation in which he was generally held:--"Zenteno has read
more than usual among his countrymen, and thinks that little much. Like
San Martin, he dignifies scepticism in religion, laxity of morals, and
coldness of heart, if not cruelty, with the name of philosophy; and
while he could shew creditable sensibility for the fate of a worm, would
think the dea