Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-10-14

nave sishailztu tncSe tive unfortunate cxredi-
.ionsh we cannot conceive how they could
have taken the course they are pursuing, with
respect 10 America. win experience then be
always thrown away upon mankind ? But in
addition to all this, Spain has not even the
means of continuing the war against America;
anu on the other hand, the longer America
nights, the more she acquires the means of
resistance.
Spain would no more be able to preserve
America after the conquest, than she is able
To conquer II, or has interest in doing SO.
According to the principles which are esta-
e',shed with regard TO the comparative Iopu-
iaisop, OF the mother country and the cs,Inies
aud with regard To the nature and effects of ex-
elusive trade, we are led to conclude that the
conquest OF America would be only Temporal
ry, and that nj more or less distant period,
Spain would again find herself; in the situation
she rs al present: TO second conquest it
would be necessary 10 add third, 90 a third L
fourth. and SO on until the mother country
should be overcome fer ever; which would be
the inevitable consequence ofrepeated col,iSi.
ons, The America of the present time is 10
the America OF an hundred or two or three
hundred years TO GENE, what America at tue
time of its discovery is to America AT the pre-.
sent time. The progress il has made in tie
hrst period. and that which il will make in the
second, are the cause OF this. The Sp3niards
settled IN America III very small numbers sand
now, al TIE enu OF Tie three cRnturi' :, they a
mount to many millions Of inhabitants they
increase their own population by an important
on OF men, who, in their turn, multiply them
serves IN every aranch OF colonial population
SneS INK Win the natives, and after a very
snort iarSSo Of time, they surpass the populate
Oh OF Tie mother country, in spite OF all the
losses which they suffer by attacks OF the CHI
mate, the eXhalatcns from the marshv lads
ana ny living in a country and among men that
they are ignorant OF, without the aid or any of
the preservers which knowledge and time have
pointed out; and, nevertheless, their numbers
already amountto nearly 20 millions. What
VIII II amount 20 then, starting from the point
which they have reached, aud having for the
root OF their future population that which now
exists, and which is tainiliariZed TO all the pro-
perties of the soil which it inhabits, enjoying
every advantage that favors the increase in
mare rapid proportion than that OF the United
States has done, because il has much more
room, and because 10 seas more extensive and
less Doisterous, TO rivers much larger, and TO
ports numerous and secure, ii Joins a land inf
nltely more fruitful, and yielding more abun-
dant means of subsistence, which every where
regulates population? Spanish America, as
wen as being more extensive than the United
States, tends also 10 an increase Of population
superior TO that which the United States are
able 10 reach. When we consider that in Mex
leo few years have been sufficient to form
towns like GnanaXatao, containing SO, 900 souls,
the very names of which have hardly reached
Europe, we can have an idea of the population
which X Is destined 10 possess. The mother
country is Infinitely short OF being susceptible
OF the same increase. Spain will never con-
tain twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty million souls;
IN word. population 10 whic!, we are not a.
bic to assign any bounds, as America cannot
help doing. The colony has begun by inferio-
rity to the mother country; il has arrived at e.
quality: II will attain in short time ap iI:-
comparable superiority. But how then will
Spain be able To contend with her colonies If
her inferiority is manifest even in the present
state of the population of her colony, what will
II be when this shall be still more numerous
Let them shew ifthey can, the means by which
fifteen millions OF Spaniards can rule over forty
millions of Americans living two or three hun.
dred leagues from them what means will the
former take to keep the latter in subjection!
Spain, then, evidently, would he too feeble
TO preserve America after second conquest:
she would be IS much the more unable TO do
1T, as she would find that the disposition OF the
colonies towards the very Independence which
she wished to stitie would be always increas-
ing.
Liberty, especially to large colonies, is so O.
Vldent good, that when they have once known
II, they can never cease endeavorng to obtain
ii.
The exclusive trade will also necessarily oc-
casion desire for Independence. America
has taken UP arms still more against this than
against the dominion ofSpain-if she fought to
obtain it before she had tasted its advantages,
in what manner will sic not fight to procure
them again, especially when monopoly should
be re-estabhshed in all its vigor, as Spain has
already attempted, and will do if she remains
the mistress'