afterwards Bishop of San Juan. An illustrious patriot, Don Ignacio de fa Rosa, who, in conjunction with San Martin, prepared the expedition to aid Chili, and who scattered through his country the seeds of the equality of classes promised by the Revolution, was also a citizen of San Juan; as were a minister of the government of Rivadavia, Dr. Carril; a minister of the Argentine Legation, Don Domingo Oro, whose diplomatic talents are yet insufficiently appreciated; a deputy to the Congress of 1826, the enlightened priest Vera; a deputy to the convention of Santa Fé, in the presbyter Oro, an orator of note; one to that of Cordova, Don Rudecindo Rojo, as eminent for his talents and genius for industrial pursuits as for his great learning; and, among others, General Rojo, a soldier in the army, who saved two provinces by suppressing conspiracies, which he did solely by his quiet determination of character, and of whom General Paz, a competent judge of such matters, said, that he bade fair to be one of the first generals of the Republic. San Juan then possessed a theatre and a permanent company of actors.
There are still in existence the remains of six or seven private libraries, which comprised the most valuable books of the eighteenth century, and translations of the best Greek and Latin works. I had no other instruction up to 1836 than that afforded me by these rich, though partially destroyed libraries. San Juan had so many illustrious men in 1825 that the House of Representatives contained six noted orators. Let the wretched peasants who now[1] disgrace the House of Representatives of San Juan, within which have been
- ↑ 1845
