ove-mentioned defeat of the Peruvian army by
Canterac, San Martin had been compelled to withdraw
his forces from Truxillo, on which Sucre, the
next in command to Bolivar, advanced to Guayaquil
and took possession of it. At this time, as was afterwards
well known, the Limenos were privately
soliciting Bolivar to give them his assistance in
liberating Peru, _both from the Protector_ and the
Spaniards!

Ignorant of this, the Protector, having delegated
the supreme authority to the Marquis of Torre Tagle,
and appointed General Alvarado Commander-in-Chief
in his absence, departed for Guayaquil, for the
purpose of the proposed interview.

No sooner had San Martin turned his back, than a
public meeting of the Limenos took place in the
Plaza, and insisted on the reconstitution of the _Cabildo_,
which assembly had been put down by the Protector
immediately after the declaration of independence.
The members having complied, it was decided that
"the Minister Monteagudo should be deposed, tried,
and subjected to the severity of the law," a note
being despatched to this effect to the Supreme
Delegate, Torre Tagle. The Council of State met,
and informed Monteagudo of what had taken place,
when he was induced to resign; the Supreme
Delegate politely informing the _Cabildo_ that the
ex-Minister should be made to answer to the Council
of State for the acts of his administration.

This note not satisfying the municipality, the
_Cabildo_ requested that Monteagudo should at once
be placed in arrest till called upon for his defence,
which was immediately complied with; but the step
was disapproved by the Limenos, who feared that
some crafty subterfuge might again place him in
authority. The _Cabildo_, therefore, in order to satisfy
the people and get rid of the ex-Minister,
requested of the Government that he might be put
on board ship, and exiled for ever from Peru. This
was also acceded to; and, on the anniversary of his
arrival in Lima, Monteagudo was sent under escort
to Callao, and forthwith taken to sea.

Torre Tagle was unable to cope with the returning
spirit of the Limenos, nor did he attempt it, as the
army was as much disgusted as were the inhabitants,
and would not have raised a hand against them. The
liberty of the press returned, and the first use of it
was the following pic