The Bishop of _Buenos Ayres_, who happened to be at that time at _Asuncion_, was now elected governor; but he was a mere instrument in the hands of the _junta_, and was compelled to sign sweeping acts of confiscation against the Jesuits and the Royalists. Realizing his false position, he thought fit to embark for _Buenos Ayres_ to resume his episcopal duties. The rebels in _Paraguay_ had again to deal with Zavala, who had recently been appointed President of the Audience of _Charcas_, and who now blockaded _Paraguay_ on all sides. Taking with him six thousand trained troops from the missions, he advanced to the _Tebicuri_, and, meeting with no opposition, proceeded to _Asuncion_, where he was received with acclamations. As Zavala’s rapid success had been gained by means of the Jesuits’ troops, it was but natural that the Fathers should follow in their wake. They were now more powerful and arrogant than ever, and it became pretty clear that it was their intention to reduce _Asuncion_ and all _Paraguay_ to the same state of blind obedience to their sway in which they held their missions. To contend against them so long as they retained the ear of the King was hopeless; and the Spanish colonists now undertook to enlighten their sovereign by exposing the false pretensions of the Fathers. The Jesuits were accused of a design of founding an empire, and they were shown to have created in South America a more absolute despotism than Europe had ever known. The reign of the Jesuits, however, was then drawing to its close. Their expulsion from the Portuguese dominions has already been recorded, and it was not long before the Jesuits of Spain shared the fate which had befallen their brethren of Portugal and of France. We have here to review the circumstances of their expulsion from South America. Zeballas had been recalled from his high post on account of his sympathies with the devoted order. [Sidenote: 1767.] However strong may have been the reasons for the expulsion of the Jesuits from Spain, their suppression in South America, although it may have been a necessary sequence of the first measure, had certainly an air of gross ingratitude, and seemed likely considerably to diminish the Spanish power in its colonies. The Jesuits had been the means of greatly extending the Spanish territories in the interior, and had thereby prevented the Portuguese from securing to themselves a still larger portion of the centre of the continent. They had raised many thousands of native troops who had often done good service in _Paraguay_, and who had fought successfully against the Portuguese both on the _Guaypore_ and at _Colonia_. They had likewise delivered the Spaniards of _La Plata_, _Paraguay_, and _Tucuman_ from their formidable native enemies, whom they had been able to conciliate. The very latest Spanish successes in _Rio Grande_ had been due in a great measure to their assistance.