ing infant (here her voice trembled), which will perhaps have no mother to-morrow, and what is there then to shield it from starvation ?" "I have never refused to support it," said Dobbs. "You have never given a thought upon the subject," was Ynez's bold reply. "Nay more, you would have refused it even the protection of a father, if I had not got possession of this correspondence." Ynez here allowed Blunt to see a little packet of letters, tied with a pink ribbon, which she drew from her bosom. Dobbs half rose from the table, and stretched out his arm to wrest the letters out of Ynez's hand; but O'Flaherty, who sat between them, arrested his arm, and forced him to sit down. "The lady," said O'Flaherty, "has demanded our protection, and shall have it. Continue, Miss; we are attentive listeners." "These letters," resumed Ynez, "are from Dobbs's new mistress-a married lady, moving in good society." Dobbs's countenance wore the expression of the damned. 66 "If I sent these letters," she proceeded, to that lady's husband, a deadly duel would be the consequence. This result I should deeply deplore; but the letters are therefore of immense value. They place in my hands the honour of a most respectable family. Well! I demand that each of these letters be reckoned of the value of a bank-note, and that Mr. Dobbs shall acknowledge before you as witnesses that he owes-not to me, I ask nothing for myself-but to his daughter, as many hundred pound notes as there are letters in this packet." These latter words were joyfully received by Dobbs. Miss Candy's fortune would smooth away every difficulty. But he was cunning enough not to permit his joy to be seen on his countenance, lest Blunt's suspicions should be awakened. "How many letters are there?" inquired the latter. "Ten." "A thousand pounds!" cried Blunt, turning towards Dobbs. "Well, what is your intention? The bargain appears to me to be rather a hard one; and, if the husband is not a dead shot, it strikes me that you had better risk the duel." "No," said Dobbs, with much apparent calmness. “For the matter of the duel I do not care. (This was a lie, for like most foplings he was an arrant coward.) But, here, there is the reputation of a lady to be saved. Besides, the thousand pounds are destined for the maintenance of my child, and this is an additional motive to induce me to accept the proposition." "Well said," remarked Blunt, "but really (turning to Ynez) you value these letters too highly." "Judge for yourself," said Ynez, "whether I have set too high a value upon them;" and undoing the ribbon, she presented one to Blunt. "There is no necessity," interrupted Dobbs, putting back her hand, “I consent. "In that case," said Ynez, "you will have no objection to write your promise to pay upon this stamp, which I have procured for the purpose, and which Mr. Blunt will probably be good enough to indorse. You may specify, if you please, that this sum will be applicable only to your daughter's use, and that, in the event of her death, it shall return to you," and she drew forth the stamp. O'Flaherty and Blunt both laughed at her savoir faire; and Davie gaped in open-mouthed astonishment. You surely do not think me wrong in being on my guard," said Ynez. "To suffer one's-self to be deceived once is only a sign of goodness of heart; to suffer it a second time, is downright folly." "No more of this," said Dobbs, who proceeded to write upon the stamp his promise to pay the sum of £1000, which done, Blunt indorsed it. "Now," said Dobbs, presenting the document to Ynez, "I hope you will give me up the letters. Here; give them." "Pardon me; I forgot to include in the conditions," said Ynez, "that these letters shall never return into your possession.” A cold sweat covered Dobbs's Blunt, as these characters met his countenance. eye, "I'd lay a hundred that this hand is not unknown to me." Pooh, nonsense," said Dobbs, with a great effort at calmness; "besides, you know, that now-a-days all females write alike." O'Flaherty had his secret notion, but prudently abstained from making any observation. 66 B-b-but," stammered forth Narcissus, "is there no reason to f-ffear-" "That Mr. Blunt should see the writing," pursued Ynez. "But they are folded with so much care, that no eye shall be able to pierce through their mystery.' "Good," said Blunt, stretching forth his hand; "Dobbs, I perceive your scruples, and shall respect them. Now, Miss, I am at your service." Ynez presented him with a letter. Blunt took it delicately between the tips of his fingers, applied it to the candle, and set fire to it. "So much for No. 1," he exclaimed, laughing. Several others shared the same fate in an instant. Dobbs all the time stood behind Blunt's chair, following all his movements with an anxious eye; and, as the flames consumed each new letter, his breathing became less painful, his complexion less ghastly in its pallor. A new letter was handed to Blunt, "What a delicious perfume it exhales," he exclaimed, "and how elegantly it is folded. A very distinguished lady, doubtless. Bravo, Narcissus. Is she a countess ?" "N-n-nonsense," stammered Narcissus in reply. All of a sudden, a horrible fear took possession of Dobbs, and made his blood rush from every extremity to the heart. The last but one of the letters was handed to Blunt_by Ynez, and upon the outer part of it some words were written. "Isn't it devilish droll?" said Right! right!" said Blunt," and so true is what you have just said, that if a husband were told to hunt out a billet-doux of his wife's amongst others of the same kind written by her school-fellows, I'd lay a cool fifty that he never would be able to distinguish." "N-n-n-ever!" said Narcissus, greatly relieved. "And a great blessing it is," said Ynez, with a secret look at Narcissus, whose anxiety had now arrived at the highest pitch of nervous excitement. "At length," said Blunt, "the last of them is burnt. Upon my word a very pretty packet. Any thing else that I can do for you, Miss?" EPIGRAM. QUOTH Kate to Tom with tender leer, R. STATEMENT OF FACTS WITH REFERENCE TO THE BLOCKADE OF BUENOS AYRES. THE following is an authentic history of the blockade of Buenos Ayres by the French, collected from an extensive communication with gentlemen resident both at that port and at Monte Video, for many years. These facts are now submitted for the first time in their integrity to the British public, who will form their own judgment of the transaction. The dispute originated between the French consul M. Roger (who was merely consul, ad interim), and Don Filipi Arana, the minister for foreign affairs, or rather General Rosas, who had previously been elected governor, with unlimited authority (poderes extrordinarias) for five years, from March, 1835. The consul claimed indemnification for some French subjects, who on a portion of the frontier had been forced into the militia on the same footing as the natives. The men in question had been long resident in the country, and pursued the same avocations as the common "gauchos," from whom they in no respect differed. No one suspected that their identity was not complete, until they themselves (there being in all only ten of them) recollected that they were French. The English residents in the Argentine Republic are, by a special treaty with Buenos Ayres, exempt from all military service. This treaty, concluded by Sir Woodbine Parish, which till recently has been so beneficial to our merchants, was given to us in return for the many acts of grace which Buenos Ayres had received at our hands. Amongst others we may mention that England recognized the independence of that country the moment she declared herself free from the yoke of Spain, and that at that period a loan of some 500,000l. was lent her by this country-which she has never been pressed for in payment either of interest or principal. We have always had a respectable minister or ambassador resident at Buenos Ayres; and our trade VOL. II. has been of the greatest importance to that country. On the other hand, although France has occasionally had ministers there, yet they were of such a character, and paid such "flying visits" as to inspire no respect. When the ad interim consul, Roger, wrote to the minister of foreign affairs (after some previous reclamations), the latter very properly replied, that if his government desired exemption for their subjects from military service and redress of other alleged grievances, they must send out some minister or ambassador properly authorized to make such treaty, and that they would be glad to negotiate with him for that purpose. The young Frenchman took fire at this, and exhibiting a list of complaints (among which was the non-reversion of a judge's just and fair decision against a French subject for something like 10,000l.), demanded instant redress, and, in the event of its being refused, threatened to send for the admiral. Upon this threat, the Buenos Ayrean government instantly ceased any thing like diplomatic correspondence with this consul ad interim, and the admiral (Le Blanc) was brought down from Rio accordingly. He never landed, but recapitulated the demands of the consul, which, after a short correspondence, would probably have led to an amicable result, had the admiral not inserted in his demands that until a treaty between the two countries was made, France was to enjoy all the privileges of the most favoured nation or nations. In fact, with such a document the French might demand any thing under heaven, and still enjoy the same advantages as any or every nation on the face of the globe, no matter what she gave in return. This arrogant pretension was of course resisted by the Buenos Ayreans; and the blockade was commenced on the 28th March, 1837. Governor Rosas never objected to enter into a fair treaty, but required that a properly authorized person C should be sent out by France to effect it. The acquiescence of an admiral or a consul ad interim, would not have been binding on the part of the French, while Buenos Ayres could never have retracted. For some three or four months the French were very lenient in enforcing this blockade. In fact, they doubted their own right to make any seizures under the circumstances; for every craft they caught they only detained a short time, and then set at liberty, thereby encouraging extensive mercantile operations in dispatching small vessels up the Plate with goods from Monte Video. When these operations had reached a considerable height, the French suddenly pounced, four months after the blockade was instituted, upon all these small traders, without giving the slightest previous intimation of their intention, and declared every thing seized by them on the Buenos Ayrean coast a good prize. Those that were of little or no value they let go, but such as were worth any thing considerable they brought to Monte Video, and advertised for sale, without any previous trial or condemnation ! The government of Monte Video, which had all along been witnessing the bullying treatment which Buenos Ayres was receiving from France, and was dreading the arrival of the moment when it might be practised on themselves, had, notwithstanding, resolution enough to refuse to allow any such vessels or cargoes to be sold in any of her ports. This and several other acts of the Monte Videans annoyed the French to such a degree, that they determined on upsetting the Monte Videan government, and for this purpose sent out a force to take possession of the island of Martin Garcia, belonging to the Argentine Republic, but most favourably situated for operations against the Monte Videans. This they effected, though not till after a most gallant resistance by a few Buenos Ayrean troops, who were eventually overwhelmed by numbers. From this point they proceeded to foster a revolution against the legal and recognized government of Monte Video. General Reveira, who was previously in arms against this government, and whom the French took by the hand, was assisted in every possible way to upset the Monte Videan government; they even supplied him openly with arms and money. From that time General Reveira began to triumph and gain ground in the Banda Oriental; and General Orribe, the legal president, together with the heads of his government, was eventually obliged to fly to Buenos Ayres. This result was almost entirely brought about by the French agents in the River Plate, and in the space of about nine months from the first day of the blockade. During all this period the French have exercised uninterrupted and despotic sway in the River Plate, for General Reveira is now a mere tool in their hands; the resident English authorities, when applied to, invariably state that they have no authority to act against the French. The conduct of the Americans has been much more spirited, as they have demanded and received back two vessels which the French had seized outside of the River Plate. They also brought a small schooner out of the Salado, which the French were attempting to blockade at the time, and dared them to action! Whether the French have any ulterior design on Monte Video still remains to be seen; but it seems very singular, that, soon after their puppet, General Reveira, had come into power, a minister (General Ellouri) should have been dispatched to Paris, duly authorized in the name of the Monte Videan government, to offer that country to France, if she chose to accept of it, or desiring to be placed by France on the same footing upon which the Ionian Islands stand in relation to Great Britain. We do not know what answer (if any) has been given to this proposition; but it is a point which most materially affects the interests of British commerce. It was rumoured at Monte Video some two or three years ago, during General Orribe's administration, that a similar offer was then made to England, through our consul, Mr. Hood, but this gentleman never received any reply from Lord Palmerston on the subject. The reason assigned by the Monte Videans was, that as they could not quietly govern themselves, and had great respect and confidence in us, they were favourable to such an arrangement. Soon after Reveira got into power, the French made him declare war against Buenos Ayres, and hostilities commenced by land and sea. General Rosas, although greatly crippled in funds, owing to the blockade which had then continued a year, mustered what forces he could, and sent them under the command of General Echague, the governor of Entre Rios (the province which lies next to Monte Video). This force consisted of about 5000 men. Reveira could only muster between 3500 and 4000 men; and although Echague penetrated to within a few leagues of Monte Video, and so cut off all communication with the interior as to almost besiege the town, yet Reveira evaded giving battle for near four months, and used every expedient to weaken his enemy, by bribery and every other means of demoralization. But there can be very little doubt but he would have been defeated, had not his good friends the French landed all their disposable troops, and strengthened him with arms, money, and men. It is indisputably to them that Reveira's triumph is mainly owing; for Monte Video was for several months garrisoned by French troops, and entirely in their possession. These have since been withdrawn, as Reveira has now no enemy nearer than Buenos Ayres. When the French troops were in possession of Monte Video, the English merchants here petitioned Lord Palmerston to afford the British residents at Monte Video some protection, of which they had literally none, and solicited his lordship to use his influence with France, and oblige her to come to some settlement with Buenos Ayres. But this petition his lordship treated with his usual indifference, with plenty of "glozing words," but no substantial assistance. The French have hitherto acted in a most cowardly and disgraceful way towards Buenos Ayres. Seldom, without being forced to it, have they come to a fair fight with their South American adversaries. The taking of the island of Martin Garcia was a very paltry addition to their "glory;" wherever the Buenos Ayreans have met them, they have not hesitated to attack the French; and in every man-to-man affair on shore, they have been as successful as the haters of tyranny could desire. The French say that they are not at war with Buenos Ayres, because they have as yet made no direct attack upon that republic; and, on the 25th of May, 1838, the day of celebrating the independence of Buenos Ayres, the Buenos Ayrean flag was hoisted at the fore, and, (incredible to relate!) saluted with 21 guns by the squadron blockading the town. Yet, cat-like, they still continue to look out for all the small boats they can catch with lading, to or from Buenos Ayres. These are carried to Monte Video, where the owner, if he chooses, can have them back again, by paying three-fourths of their value down in cash into the French consul's hands! For this they give you a receipt, stating, that after you shall have made your claim in Paris, before the Court of Admiralty there, should it be decided in your favour, the money will be returned. Some of these receipts we could produce, if required; but it would be extravagant, indeed, to look for justice from a French Admiralty Court under such circumstances, and we have advised the holders of these documents to part with them for a very small proportion of what they represent. The French authorities at the Plate River dispense with all form of trial or condemnation, and if the owner is unwilling to redeem his property, it is unceremoniously put up to auction at Monte Video. This may in part account for the long continuance of the blockade, but it is surely a mean way of profiting by such an occurrence, and alike unjust and cruel towards Buenos Ayres. The answer which Lord Palmerston gave to the deputation that presented the memorial to which we alluded a short time since, was very |