practically, the Portuguese were in the exclusive possession of that
commerce which my expulsion of the fleet and army of the mother country
unreservedly threw open to British enterprise. The same, even in a
higher degree, may be said with regard to Chili and Peru.

Yet, scarcely had my mission to Chili become known, than the influence
of Spain induced the British Ministry to pass a "Foreign Enlistment
Act," the penal clauses of which were evidently aimed at me, for
having entered into the service of unacknowledged governments without
permission--though I had shortly before been most unjustly driven from
the service of my native country.

In blind animosity towards me, my former English persecutors failed to
perceive the advantage to British commerce, of freeing both sides of
South America from lingering war and internal dissension. An amusing
instance of this occurred on my return to England. Having occasion to
wait upon the then Attorney-General relative to a patent which I had in
hand, he brusquely inquired "_whether I was not afraid to appear before
him?_" On my replying that "I was not aware of having reason to fear
appearing in the presence of any man," he told me the question had been
officially put to him, whether I could be punished under the "Foreign
Enlistment Act," for the part I had taken in the liberation of Chili,
Peru, and Brazil? To this I replied, that "if Government was indiscreet
enough further to persecute me for having thrown open to British
commerce the largest field for enterprise of modern times, they could
take what steps they chose, for that I, having accepted service in South
America before the passing of the Act, was not afraid of the
consequences of having infringed its provisions." It is almost needless
to say that no such prosecution was instituted, though the will was
good, despite the national benefits conferred.

I will not enter farther into the subject in a preface to volumes which
themselves form only a summary of events in which I was a principal
actor, but at the same time, one, which I hope will prove satisfactory
and decisive. It would have been easy to have dilated the narrative, but
my object is solely to leave behind me a faithful record of events which
must one day become history, and there is no history like documentary
history.

To those high personages who have advocated my cause with other nations,
the present volume will give satisfaction, as affording additional pro