words about his mission. Facundo then stretched out his hand, received the paper containing the Constitution, and wrote in the corner in scarcely legible characters, "Despachado" and there was an end of the matter.[1]
In Mendoza the result was no better. The agent from Congress pathetically expatiated upon the evils existing in the Republic, conjured all patriots to unite under a constitution which would insure universal order and harmony of government; but there was a threefold ambition to satisfy, so he made his touching speech with tears in his eyes in vain, and returned without having accomplished anything. The Constitution met with the same reception everywhere; not from the people, who were allowed no voice in the matter, but from the Caudilos, who desired to retain for themselyes entire liberty of action. The Constitution would have restrained them, whereas they required an open field for their ambitions, and pretexts for war,—religion, confederation,—anything to disguise the universal ambition. Thus the national government fell, and the celebrated Dorrego assumed the government of Buenos Ayres. The old Unitarios could not understand that Dorrego, with all his ambition and his intrigues, was nevertheless the only person who might have organized the Republic under a parliamentary form, and prevented it from being brought by Rosas under the rule of a cruel despotism which was to destroy all civilization and prosperity. Dorrego owed
- ↑ Subsequent information makes it certain that this scene was but a myth of the time, the only fact being that Facundo thus disposed of the Constitution sent to him.
