The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-07-11 00:00:00

volonies a repreaentive system, not having establish-
ed it in her European possessions. Sim did not
cuticeite herself required to do more for her colonies
than to acknowledge them as integral parts of the
nation, giving them a code of laws as mild as they
there protecting, proper for securing their ham&
beim mid for procuring them advantages which
Oren those observed in European Spain could not
offer them.

Nn wode►n nation undoubtedly will beast of
basing been more Kew-rows. more jest. more moderate
in its colonial system Om Spain kits bten. Iu
praise of the Indian code, it is sofficieut to lay,
that the most judicious of the Insurgents are un-
willing to adopt in their civil letslation other laws
than those which existed befllcre the insurrection.
The European Spaniard was Diver considered more
free in the eye of the 6w ilau the American Spa-
niard. If a private whirideal in Spain possesses
110 influence over the (mining of lawny he enjnya
at least a greater personal liberty than moat tither
nations. This species of liberty was even more
extrusive iu America. Never have the Ame-
ricans, like the Europeans, been 'object to mi-
litary service, never have they been compelled to
serve at sea, with the exception of vsgrauts and some
malefactors condemned by the laws. The bystem
of fiefs and oresmieradate, so justly censured, was
established by the piety of the Kings in favour of
the.lndient, but time has discovered ifs abuses, and
ft has been abolished. The rutdiewees were insti-
tuted in America in favour of the Indians, on ac-
count of the dntertee of the Viceroys sea's. and
although some despotic decrees May he cited, it is
no less certain that they were habitually the organs
of justice. The tribute so much condemned, which
the Indians paid, was really less burdensome than
the impost. paid by the other classes of the State.
Ica name, indeed, rendered it odious, therefore the
Government abolished it. together with the inhu-
man system of tulles, or statute work. The Indian
Noble is as favourably treated as the Spanish. What
more could be expected from the munificence of
Kings ? Egotism exclaims. • The Governors have
evaded the lams, their administration has been ar-
bitrary, the natives have been oppressed.' But in
what colony has not this happened ? Have Kings
always the power to prevent oppression
•` If we cast our eyes on the distinctions created
by the Kings to reward virtue and merit. we shall
find thus they have been lavished upon the natives.
On them have been conferred employments and
charges of the highest importance; we see Ame-
ricans Viceroy., Captains General r: Provinces,
Counsellors, Ministers, and Ambassadors to the
most important Courts. This deference has been
pushed so far, that almost all the Ame►icans who
frequented the Court were covered with favours,
even those who were not distinguished by their per-
sonal merit.

With regard to commerce, sines it forms the
most specious pretext fur the rebels, policy, before
it forms an opinion, should consider the constant
tendency of other tuitions to frustrate Spain in the
peaceable enjoyment of a species of conquest which
all have regarded as the fruitful source of the pros.
'verity of European nations. Whoever weighs this
motive will be forced to acknowledge, that Spain
could not act as the abstract philanthopy of her
blustering censors would have dictated!.
•• It is certain that the Spanish Government,
giving more Latitude to its principle*, would have
imposed fewer restraints upon the progress of
American' industry, but never at any time was the
prohibitive system with which it has been reproach-
ed extended to every branch of agriculture and in-
dainty, but only to a sitisll number of determined
objects, of which even the greater part were exempt-
ed Cum duties iu halter tidies.

The Havannah. Porta-111W, and Sint Do•
bingo, have obtained the liberty of commerce te-
quired by their position. But the great tontinental
provinces are not in the same situation. They art
sufficient for their own maiutenanct; and should
not de►ire to have any commerce with foreign tui-
tions beyond what would be sufficient fur the vessels
of the national marine. Prudence and the trim in-
terests of Spain require, if she would grant a direct
communication with foreign ports to the inhabitants
of the American Continent, that it should be on
principles calculated to secure her own prosperity
and that of the colonies. to establish fur the future
a just equilibrium, and to maintain the honour and
integrity of the nation. It would be as unjust as
impolitic to pretend to decide upon interests so im-
portant with the levity and thoughtlessness of those
who have nothing to love ; dnd Spain, of all the
mations possessing colonies, would giit the first ex-
ample of a disinterestedness fatal td her owd con-
stitution.

There are some people who ptetedd that id
America the salad was prepared for Seim!Aron,
mud that a favourable oppoitanity was glow warding
ft,r it to burst forth.

" Our author assures as that this assertion is alto.
gether false. Politics, religion, a►►d nature suite
to prevent America from separating herself from
Spain, with so much precipitation mud violence as
the Chiefs of the insurgents have displa)ell in their
.undoes. The influence of religion is all power.
tot lu tiust port of the world. The America► would
koliCriVie it a crime to separate from the Spanish
Church. The clergy, who are numerous, raid in
gene's' faithful to Sp.tin, exert themselves to insiii.
Loin thew ui,it►ioas, auJ have succeeded almost
t very !where.
" Among the oversights committed by-tlie insure

gents of Venetnele, the *mils copyists of the
French }leenlittinn, tint ore has been so impolitic
or e.t fool to their come es the liberty of worship
granted to a people who regard with horror every
thing th di is not Catholic.
'l' At Mexico the revolution aOMP success
*mots t the populace, not only from the live of
pillage, but from the insinuations of the Curate
Hidalgo, who contrived to clothe his revolt in the
semblance of • religion% war. Chul per-
suaded the populace that their religion ran great
danger iu the event of Spain ceding to Napoleon
her American colonies.

" At Buenos Apes the people were disgusted
with the persecutions exercised by the Chiefs upon
the Bishops. and every honest sod considerate man
of the country foresaw that the want of communica-
tion with Spain and the Holy See would cause an
explosion of popular discontent.
The Throne of Siarin still finds a firm support in
the Nobility. the holders of ulfire. the merchants.
and proprietors of America, whose interests are all
affected by the revolution. 1 hits is it very rara
that an individual. distinguished by his rook or
merit. Wks ail active part in those affairs; and
should they be drawn by circumstances. or in-

duced by the levity of character to enter into them,
they are 'melon in testifying their ►egret and in res
turning to themselves.. 111 general the insurgent
Chiefrore daring adventurers, who pursue that fur.
tune and power which such wars naturally offer, ur
sonic individuals of the lowest Orders of the Clergy,
who from the same motives are desirous of with-
draiving from the authority of thrir superior..
4' If the city of Mexico was reels with only 4,000
troops chase from its territory the numeroui army
of Hidalgo, who was already exulting in his easy
conquest, it war because the upper clakses of
soc.ely and the great proprietors bad united, and
by their ninolser, tesourcer, and courage, were
enabled to overt-ogee the audacity of the populace.
" If we cart our eyes on the city of Litivi, we
shill see her firm as. a reek, encounter by the some
means es Mexico all the efFistr of the inaltrgesits,
and drive them from her frontiers. Ilueutis Ayres
approached more to a derithcrucy. It carried on a
very rich commerce, but it wanted nobler, great
proprietors, and cupitalirts; thus the unquiet
spirits, Men who to taleuts united an ill-tegalated
ambition, found the means of engaging in public
affairs, sod of overturning the racial edifice.
*, Venezuela, which in various respects may be
compared to Buenos Ayres. lid particular motives
to drive it to revolt. Its communicationi with the

Antilles, its population partly of African
its proximity to the Uwited States. the adventure's
who flock to it—all these causes have. Concurred to
seduce the inhabitants, mild to bind them obsti-
nately to the car of Revolution. Not wit listanding
all these facilities. the traitors have not succeeded
in the execution of their designs so promptly as
might hove been expected.
" The inhabitants have generally preserved •
Spanish heart. We have seen the checks which
the iusurgents have successively experienced, and
the necessity they were under of reducing to a
forced independence some people who had remain-
ed faithful. Corot, Puerto Calello. Santa-Marta,
have constantly braved dinar efforts. It may be
easily imagined that these provinces would have
been reduced to °Witmer, were it not that the
Spanish troops had to contend against the ohstacles
opposed to them by the avidity of forrigia
turns, who had arrived to renew the bands of the
iiisnrgetits. The Governments of Europe ought
to prevent this disorder, by adopting in.asoires cal-
culated In inert the artifices of alt esuigr.t:•ot whirl'
compromises the honour of nations, and the very
principle of legitimate order.

" r But how,' it will be asked, could a resit-
tOtion be effected in the lst of a people who did
not desire it, and who even oo idea of it ?'
This is eiplaintal by our American.

" When Bonaparte ►esalved to subjugate Spain,
the nalsub then dl organised, and having uo sup-
port but its despair, adopted the 'student course
of creating Prolducial Juntas, for the purpose of
for centres of resistance. This measure, as
wise as it was necessary, in the situation of the
Peuiusula at that period, furnished a pretest to
the discontented A melicans for a•sertiug that
similir measure was necessary among them : and
it was thus that they surprised the good faith of a
number of persons, who not being on their guard
against the perfidy of these intliguants, agreed iii
the formation of Juntas. These assemblies, al-
though composed for the greater part of the better
classes, became the f. cos of the Revolution.
Mexico, the Harannali, Lima, and se►eral other
tities that lefused to adopt s:, hazardous a measure,
have temained faithful to their monarch, and have
preserved their ioternal traisqlsillity.
" The leaders of these Juntas avoided announcing
the project of a separation from the mother. coati-
try. They were not ignorant that they would have
to combat the opinions of the powerful classes, and
the fidelity of a people sincerely attached to their
Sovereign. They dissembled tltei► real object, iu
speaking only of the Metre of their country against
the French. It was thus that, louder the name of
Ferdinand VII. and by memos of his a.utho►ity, they
succeeded in successively overturning all the an-
cient ivatitatioa■, and in platen% the colonies in
opposition to the Coles of Spaiu. It was also in
the name of Ferdinand VII. that they proclaimed
their sew constitution•, all of which sere, iu the