Therefore, San Martin offered to lay down the sword of supreme command of his forces in Peru, and serve as an ordinary officer under Bolivar.
This Bolivar refused.
San Martin was pushed to the wall. There was left only one of two things for him to do—either to return to Peru and wage an unequal and possibly losing warfare against the Spaniards without the help of Bolivar,—or to withdraw.
He withdrew in silence.
But why in silence? Why did he not explain so that people might understand and not misjudge him?
In a letter that he wrote from Peru to Bolivar, giving his reasons for retiring, he told why he was silent:—
“The sentiments which this letter contains will remain buried in the most profound silence. If they were to become public, our enemies might profit by them and injure the cause of Liberty; while ambitious and intriguing people might use them to foment discord.”
Again he said, “It shall not be San Martin who will give a day’s delight to the enemy.”
And on leaving Peru, he said in his farewell to the People, “My countrymen, as in most affairs, will be divided in opinion—their children will give a true verdict.”
. . . . . . . . . .