Page:A history of Chile.djvu/152

136 A HISTORY OF CHILE single individual, to be called the supreme-director, thinking that this might strengthen the central gov- ernment. This office was conferred upon Posadas. Dissensions followed, and San Martin alone, by adopt- ing a guerrilla mode of warfare in Upper Peru, pre- vented the armies of the viceroy of Peru from follow- ing up their victories. Trouble occurred between the supreme-director of Buenos Ayres and Artigas, a gen- eral of Montevideo. Montevideo was a province at- tached originally to the viceroyalty of Buenos Ayres. Brazil had tried to overrun and take it, but was driven out by Buenos Ayres and Montevideo acting together. Having won Montevideo for the patriot cause, General Artigas now claimed it as his own especial property, independent of Buenos Ayres, which disputed his dic- tatorial claims. This caused dissensions. Posadas resigned. Alvear, his successor, was compelled to re- sign. The municipality of Buenos Ayres established a new junta de observacion, whose chief duty was to watch the supreme director. Rondeau and Alvarez were subsequently elected directors but were soon removed. Balcarce succeeded, but remained not long in office and the government was placed finally in the hands of a com- mittee. Then a new congress assembled in Tucuman and appointed Pueyredon supreme-director. This se- lection was more fortunate, and the friends of liberty thenceforth became more hopeful. On the gth of July, 1816, congress met, announced the independence of the United Provinces of Buenos Ayres and published a manifesto. But dissension did not cease with this, and it became apparent that Buenos Ayres could not single-handed maintain her independence against in- triguers, royalists, and continued attacks from the Por- tuguese province of Brazil, which was determined to extend the limits of Brazil to the river La Plata. They