emselves incurred by bringing the
navy to ruin, and causing the seamen to abandon it, by withholding
their pay, and even the provisions necessary for their subsistence.
As for the rest, my remonstrances against such conduct were treated
in Chili just as my representations have been treated here. Like
causes will ever produce similar effects; but as there was no hostile
or Spanish party in the Chilian state, four years elapsed before
the mischiefs could be accomplished, which, by the machinations of
the Portuguese faction, have been here effected in the short space
of four months.

Truths are often disagreeable to those who are not in the habit
of hearing them, and doubly offensive after long experience of the
homage of blind obedience and subserviency. I have, nevertheless,
always felt it my duty to the Governments under which I have
served, not to abstain from uttering truths under any dread of
offence, because I have ever been impressed with the conviction
that speaking truth is not only the most honourable mode of
proceeding, but that the time seldom fails to arrive when those who
are warned of a wrong line of conduct feel grateful to the man--who
at the risk of personal inconvenience, or even punishment--dared
to apprise them of their danger.

In England--where mischiefs were heaped upon me for _opposing a
ministerial vote of parliamentary thanks to an undeserving
officer_--the people at once saw the propriety of my conduct, and the
Government has since virtually admitted its justice. In Chili, the
ministers who hated me, because they knew me to be aware of their
deceitful and dishonest acts, were succeeded by others who have
solicited my return. And the worthy and excellent Supreme Director
(O'Higgins, whom those ministers, by their wickedness and folly,
brought to ruin) found at last, and acknowledged--but too late to
attend to my warnings--that I had acted towards him, in all cases,
with honour and fidelity.

The error and fate of the excellent and eminent person whom I
have just named--affords a proof of the folly and danger of the
notion--that ministers who have forfeited the confidence of the
public by breach of faith and evil acts, can be upheld by military
force against public opinion, especially in Governments recently
constituted. The people respected their Supreme Director; but
when he mar