The achievements of General Santa Cruz in the course of these
campaigns were rewarded by the dignity of Grand Marshal of Peru,
and the government of the departments of Chuquisaca and La Paz. His
sagacious administration in his latter capacity marked him out as the
fittest Governor of Peru, to which high post he was quickly nominated
by his admirer and friend General Bolivar. The national records of
this period bear ample testimony to the enlightened policy and the
systematic prudence with which General Santa Cruz presided over the
destinies of Peru. He retired from his post in 1827, in consequence
of the defection of part of the army from his staunch friend Bolivar,
and accepted the comparatively insignificant appointment of Minister
Plenipotentiary to the Governments of Chili and Buenos Ayres. In 1829,
a serious rebellion, that threatened irretrievable disasters, having
broken out in the Republic of Bolivia, the friends of order appealed
to their old friend General Santa Cruz as being the only man capable
of re-establishing public tranquillity. His firmness and mercy had the
rapid effect of calming the excited spirits of the rebels; and as soon
as public confidence was restored, he placed the financial affairs
of the country on a firm footing, and in conjunction with wise
counselors, drew up the civil and penal codes, which were published
within the period of his discretional government. In 1831, the
National Congress elected him Constitutional President of Bolivia and
Captain-General of the national forces; and, moreover, confirmed the
clause in the will of General Bolivar, which bequeathed the medal of
honor to him. His occupation of the Presidential chair, to which he
was reelected in 1835, was marked by unusual commercial and financial
prosperity, and the yearly revenue always exceeded the annual
expenditure. He paid great attention, also, to the diffusion of
knowledge.