"For a short time previous to this I had been living at Toboty, a few leagues from Assumption, and at that place was my clothing, tools, and every thing; yet I was so apprehensive of a countermand to my passport, that I hastened to the mole, and learned that a schooner was about starting for San Fernando. I presented my passport to the officer of the guard, whom I well knew, but he was more astonished, if possible, than I had been, and actually questioned the authenticity of the paper.

"This cannot be,' said he. 'I am afraid you have been forging.'

"Forging! Do you think I would present a forged passport under the very nose of the governor ? Let me pass, or I will report you to his Excellenza this moment.'

"More words passed between us, but he refused to let me pass. So I took the passport, and returned to Francia with my complaint. The governor was perfectly furious, and immediately ordered the officer to be sent for; but that did not take long, as the fellow had followed me all the way, and was then in the ante-room. In compliance with the summons he presented himself, and as he met the frown of Francia, who held the passport in his hand, he trembled like a culprit. Holding up the paper before the officer, and pointing at it with his finger, the governor said, sternly, as his keen eye shot glances of fire

"Do you know that signature, señor?'

66 6

Pardon, your Excellenza,' said the officer, turning his eyes upon the ground, with the utmost humility, as he spoke. "This is your first offence, señor, it shall therefore be pardoned; but, mark me, when you again deny my signature it shall not be well for you. Return to your duty, and be more respectful hereafter.'

"The abashed officer slunk away. I received my passport again, and that night we set out on our journey down the Rio Paraguay. My trip to San Fernando was comfortable

enough, but from that place to Buenos Ayres I have been obliged to get along as I best could, and have walked most This accounts for the plight in which you

of the way. now see me."

I thanked Crasey for his hasty narrative, but promised myself a more full account at a future time; and, as we had been about half an hour together, I told him of my company in waiting, and asked him to call on me next day, when I would take effectual measures to relieve his necessities, and, if he desired it, furnish him the means to return to his own country. We then parted with mutual kind feelings, but from some cause, I never saw him again; and I subsequently felt a considerable regret that I had suffered him to go from my house, notwithstanding he had received from me every thing necessary for his immediate comfort.

<Some time previous to this, Rosas had established a species of treasury-note system, in order to supply an artificial means of sustaining his ill-gotten and ill-directed power. This, on the first emission, created little sensation, because it was evident that the amount was' redeemable by the treasury, and the notes thus issued soon became equivalent to a legal tender. Soon, however, a second emission of several millions was made, and by the depreciation of the notes, which almost immediately took place, specie became only an article of merchandise, and was bought and sold at prices varying according to the value of the paper. The merchants, and especially dealers in foreign produce, began to feel the embarrassment incidental to a fluctuating paper currency; for, as the entire trade was necessarily conducted on that unstable basis, and as, at each emission, (several of which followed,) the depreciation became more and more, until it reached, at length, the point of about eighty per cent., no man knew what calculations to make, and an almost total suspension of foreign business followed. Numerous English and other houses, having large quantities of foreign goods in their pos

session, curtailed their business, refusing to sell under a currency upon which not a moment's dependence could be placed. So long as the value of the paper stood at a given point, no matter how low it might be, all was well enough; but no sooner would a merchant sell on time, when the paper was at a depreciation of say fifty per cent., than a new emission of a few millions would be made, and it would sink, perhaps, to sixty or seventy-five per cent., thus robbing him of from ten to fifteen per cent. upon his sale.

Complaints, murmurs, and dissatisfaction, pervaded the city; and the dictator, finding that the whole trade of the province was becoming rapidly paralyzed, announced his determination to issue no more scrip, as the only means of restoring it to animation. Under the guarrantee thus solemnly and officially made, trade revived again; the merchants, with reassured confidence, threw open their warehouses, which, from the recent stagnation of business, were speedily. emptied; new orders for importations were made, and every thing in the commercial and mercantile world wore the aspect of prosperity; but no sooner was this accomplished, and the foreign goods fairly afloat in the market, than, in the very face of his most solemn assurance, a new emission of scrip was put forth by Rosas; a proportionate depreciation followed, and the ruin of hundreds was the result.

The French government, as before stated, had, through its minister, protested against the interference of Rosas with the affairs of the Banda Oriental. This protest had been disregarded, and France, true to her guarantee, determined by compulsion to bring the dictator to a sense of his position; besides, the merchants of that country had suffered severely by spoliations upon their internal trade, and French residents had been murdered, and their property destroyed and confiscated. England had for some time held certain advantages under treaty, also, which France had not obtained, and which were essential for her commerce. For the reparation of these wrongs, therefore,

and for the establishment of her trade on an equal footing with England, France now made a formal demand.

I have said that French residents were murdered, and their property despoiled; and as I am desirous of making no assertions that are not susceptible of immediate proof, I will here cite one or two instances.

The first is that of a Frenchman, who followed his calling as a gunsmith, in the Calle de las torres. This man had served under Napoleon, and in the open boldness of his character, did not hesitate to express his opinion in opposition to the oppressive course of the dictator. He said that such things as were there constantly witnessed, could not occur and continue in France; and that if such a despot should rise up, the people of France would make a revolution and hurl him from his power. For uttering sentiments like

these, he soon attracted the attention of the Massorca, a band of whom entered his house, and murdered him, in the presence of his family. His goods being declared confiscate, were sold, and his family turned helpless upon the world. Subsequently I purchased two muskets from his stock in trade, one of which is still in my possession.

Another instance which I will name, was that of a Frenchman, who was the proprietor of an extensive saladero, or salthouse, where hides and beef are prepared for exportation. This man's establishment was entirely broken up by the soldiers of Rosas, but the proprietor managed to escape with his life. The demands for indemnification, &c., were received by Rosas with the same contemptuous disregard as was the protest against his interference with the Montevideans whereupon the government of France proceeded forthwith to place the port of Buenos Ayres under a rigid blockade. One of the first movements of the blockading squadron, was to take possession of the island San Martin Garcia, lying in the river Plata. This island, about two miles in length, was fortified, and garrisoned by the troops of

spy; and having drawn him from his nauseous retreat, and rinsed his garments, he was conducted by two men, each of whom held him by the collar, to the quartel, or guard-house, in the coral of which the numerous executions of the time were now performed.

I saw the little fellow on his way, conducted as I have described. A child but twelve years old, arrested as a spy! Arrested! Would that the worst were said, in saying that; but, reader, (can it be believed?) before the sun had set, that child was, by Rosas' order, SHOT as a spy, in the coral, or yard of the quartel

It is needless to dwell upon scenes like these, or to give voice to the reflections which they naturally produce in the mind; it is sufficient to declare that the deed, horrible as it may seem, was performed, and that the then residents of Buenos Ayres can attest the fact. The entire property of Boque was confiscated, and distributed among the Mas

sorcas.

As before stated, confiscation of the property of the Unitarians was the order of the day; but in order to give color to his oppression, a fictitious public sale of the confiscated effects was sometimes made. These sales were attended by the members of the Massorca, who arranged among themselves the apportionment of the articles or property, (whatever it might be ;) and by bidding, secured possession, except so far as their master might require for his own purposes. None dared to bid against them, and in this manner these creatures enriched themselves upon the noble estates of the most ancient and worthy families of the country. Their band had now become the terror of the people; and so bold had they grown, that in order more effectually to designate and accomplish their object, they at length wore upon the lappel of their coats a large badge of red silk, upon which were printed the words

"LIFE TO THE FEDERALS, DEATH TO THE UNITARIANS."