Lima, 1st September, 1823.[1]
I mentioned in a former letter,[2] that the members of the Congress who were in Lima had united and re-installed this assembly. Their number daily increased, by the arrival of those who had fled to various quarters upon the arrival of the Spaniards. Riva Agüero was left in Truxillo with a very few only of those he had chosen for his senate. The public opinion in favour of the Congress, is very strong, and all seem to rejoice in its restoration.
Several accounts have reached us of advantages gained by the patriot troops in the south, but the good effects of these upon us are greatly lessened by the continual dread we are in of the operations of Riva Agüero, who has got collected together about 3000 men. Fulminations by the Congress have been issued against him, calling him tyrant, &c. &c. and exhorting every good patriot to use his endeavours to bring him to this city, dead or alive.
This commencement of internal war is looked upon by all who feel an interest in the independence of the country, as a very unfortunate circumstance. A powerful enemy is at hand, and ready to seize every opportunity which such divisions may occasion, in order to subject the country to its former state. In fact we were, about a fortnight ago, in great alarm for some days, from a rumour of the return of the Spanish army. A happy circumstance, however, has this day taken place, which will, I trust, unite all parties in one. This fortunate circumstance is the safe arrival of Bolivar. He landed this morning in Callao, and entered Lima this afternoon, to the very great satisfaction of all. He has brought with him upwards of 2,000 men, and more it is said are to follow. The general aspect of the war is now greatly in our favour, and I think the Spanish army is rather critically placed. Some letters have been intercepted from one of the Spanish Generals to La Serna, giving rather a sad account of his situation, and mentioning some of his officers of whose loyalty he had not great confidence. From all these circumstances, I trust the time is not far distant when this unhappy and destructive war will give way to peace and to liberty.
When in Truxillo, I made some arrangements for the circulation of the Scriptures in that quarter. There is a medical gentleman there, a native of Ireland, of the name of O'Donovan. He is of the Roman Catholic religion, but he has none of those prejudices against the Bible which many of the Catholics have. So far is he from being prejudiced upon this point, that he takes a very great interest in its circulation, and recommends it strongly to all his friends. This is a very happy circumstance, and I hope the results will be truly beneficial. Being a Roman Catholic himself, what he says upon this subject has more weight than the same things would have from a Protestant. Since my return to Lima, I have sent him 50 Spanish New Testaments, and a number of Spanish tracts, which I got some time ago. He mentioned to me the effects produced by some tracts which he formerly had. He said he gave a few of them to his neighbours, and some time after inquired how they liked them. Some of them told him plainly that they did not like them at all, and that these tracts were not the Gospel, because there was nothing said about the Sacraments in them. You would not, he replied, have the Sacraments spoken of everywhere, and nothing but the Sacraments? Let me read, continued he, a chapter of one of the Gospels to you. He then took his New Testament, and read to them accordingly a chapter from one of the Gospels. Now, said he, is there anything about the Sacraments in what I have just read to you? They said there was not. And is not this the Gospel, said he? They agreed that it was. Well then, he continued, may not these tracts be Gospel too, although there is nothing of the Sacraments in them? I trust the Lord will bless the exertions of this worthy individual to circulate the knowledge of God around him.
[1] James Thomson. Letters on the Moral and Religious State of South America. (London: James Nisbet, 1827), pp. 97-99.
[2] 8th August 1823.