day repent their conduct. The
commotions to which that conduct will inevitably give rise will shake,
not only this House, but the whole framework of Government and society
to its foundations. I have been actuated by the wish to prevent this,
and I have had no other intention.

"I shall not trespass longer on your time," he continued, in a few
broken sentences, uttered painfully and with agitation that aroused
much sympathy in the House. "The situation I have held for
eleven years in this House I owe to the favour of the electors of
Westminster. The feelings of my heart are gratified by the manner
in which they have acted towards me. They have rescued me from a
desperate and wicked conspiracy which has nearly involved me in total
ruin. I forgive those who have so done; and I hope when they depart to
their graves they will be equally able to forgive themselves. All
this is foreign to the subject before the House, but I trust you will
forgive me. I shall not trespass on your time longer now--perhaps
never again on any subject. I hope his Majesty's ministers will take
into their serious consideration what I now say. I do not utter it
with any feelings of hostility--such feelings have now left me--but
I trust they will take my warning, and save the country by abandoning
the present system before it is too late."

CHAPTER VI.

THE ANTECEDENTS OF LORD COCHRANE'S EMPLOYMENTS IN AMERICA.--THE WAR
OF INDEPENDENCE IN THE SPANISH COLONIES.--MEXICO.--VENEZUELA.
--COLOMBIA.--CHILI.--THE FIRST CHILIAN INSURRECTION.--THE CARRERAS
AND O'HIGGINS.--THE BATTLE OF BANCAGUA.--O'HIGGINS'S SUCCESSES.--THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHILIAN REPUBLIC.--LORD COCHRANE INVITED TO ENTER
THE CHILIAN SERVICE.

(1810--1817.)

To an understanding of Lord Cochrane's share in the South American
wars of independence a brief recapitulation of their antecedents, and
of the state of affairs at the time of his first connection with them,
is necessary.

The Spanish possessions in both North and South America, which had
reached nearly their full dimensions before the close of the sixteenth
century, had been retained, with little opposition from without,
and with still less from within, down to the close of the eighteenth
century. These possessions, including Mexico and Central America, New
Granada, Venezuela, Peru, La Plata, and Chili, covered an area larger
than that of Europe, more than twice as large as that of the present
United States. Through h