New-York daily tribune., 1844-05-29

features every where worn by Established
Churches The Curatcs were generally kind,
charitable and bencvoicnt-tho true shepherds
OF their focks, and beloved by thci! pensioners;
while the Princes Of the Church werc arrogant
and oyerbearing. Tho Inquisi;ion exe.led its
terrible influence over every grade, and by fre-
quent Autos de Fe, spread dsmay among TIC
simple and gentle Indians, and removed all
doubts from the minds of the Christians relative
to the po:rer OF their temporal and spiritual Lords.
The subjects Of Spain in America, strange as
the assertion may seem, were net heavily taxed.
The country abounded in the Precious Metals,
which wetc more highly estimated IN Spain
lian in Peru, and which were demanded at tho
European valuation. The few other taxes which
were levied were like those Spain; and even the
Moorish or Arabic titles were retained. These
however, fell generally upon the Wealthy and
Mercantile Glasses, who were able 10 discharge
them. The principal were the Aimgar!JazgO,
or Impost on Goods the 1icabalo, on Transfers
of Real Property and The MiEioaes, or tax upon
Neccssaries Of Life. There were some Monopo.
lies allowed, viz OF Tobacco, Brandy, &c.
The absolute property of the Mines lay in the
Sovereign, by whom they were granted to ind.
viduas upon condition Of the payment OF stated
proportion OF the produce.
Commerce and Agriculture must decay be-
meath the influence of such tax as the Alco5Qla,
and they could have been kept up only to furnish
provision for the greedy Spanisrds 'vio crowded
TO the New World
The Church, too, levied its tithcs and raised
large sums by the sale of Dispensatons, which
Jovclanos charactcrizcs as Periodicals printed
on bad paper, which every body purchased, few
read, and none could understand"
Suc!. was the Govcrnmen.-and we think VIC
have impartially described both lis good and bad
features ;-snd well might the Spanish American
say, as he witnessed wrong after wrong perpotra-
ted, in the words of the old Spanish Provcrb-
=. Gcd is on high, and the King far of,"-Thus
showing that ho considered his sutitrings almost
hopeless
Spain had acquired possession OF Louisiana in
1864 by cesson from France The French
in 1901, acquired it again; and on the 30th o.
April, 1903 it was cedcd 10 the United States, as
the Spanish Government has before and since
stated, in direct cont.avention Of an express
promise that this should not take place, made by
France at the time of the retrocession by Spain
The injury suffered by Spain in the loss Of her
Territory was trifiug, and therefore she was vii
ling that France should hold Louisiana; but she
had never contemplated without terror the possl-
BILE iuxtapostion of the enterprise Of the United
States to the crrmblng system of decay existing
in her own Colonies. And 10 this ccsson may
be attributed all the subsequent mischanccs o.:
the Spaniards in Mexico; for, no sooner had
this ccss;on taken place '''@n :" ii"'' was ioi''e'
..-i III the United States for overthrow
mo the Spanish Power. The evcntful and ex.
citing story of this attempt is well known. Great
Britain had witnessed the d;smcmberment OF the
Spanish Power in America with jealousy, and, to
secure the lions share, encouraged Miranda al
first in his aspirations. But this officer, true
patriot, based all his plans upon Rcpubcanisnl, TO
which, of course, the party of Nh Pitt could grant
no aid and, therefore, the attempt, which with
, such inadequate resources he made from Baltl.
more, was yentured on He failed; and Repub
, canis,n was for a while frustrated IN the United
States.
During the turmoil which existed in Spain in
i, the years of the French Invasion, the Americas
continued faithful. Tho imprisonment of the
King filled them with horror and Indignation
and the spirit Which barncd in the sierras OF
Castillo and the mountains OF Gallicia was not
less warm beneath the Andes and on the plains
OF La Plata.
Mexico, however, did not partake OF this feel
ing. The Vice. King, iturrigaray, proclaimed the
imprisonment of the King, and his intention to
maintain The Royal prcgogative The establish
ment of the Central junia was made known ~
the same way, and the People required 10 submit
10 It, This Iturrigaray was disposed 10 do, but
the Aguatantiento OF the country, composed OF
Mexicans, refused to acquicsce; and, alter some
debate, the Vice King was arrested in his Palace
by the Audicncia, and The Archbishop Of Mexico
Installed in his duties. The Audiencia now be-
=, gan a system of persecution against the members
and par,isans of the Ayuptdmicnto which gradu-
ally preparcd Tie People for an open rupture with
Spain.
After the dissolution of the Central ,Innta III
Spain, and the invitation Of the American States
10 send Delegates to 1t, by an act which declared
them integral parts Of the Empire, the course OF
Mexican Independence could not be arrested
Into tie minds of the Mexican Audicncia this
invitation carried terror and dsmay, for, to the
class of persons who had always composed that
Tribunal, it had invariably been a maxim that,
"Wcrc only one Spanard alive, he would have
a night to govern the Mcxcans.''
, But as the difficulties of Government in Spain
increased, the Mexicans felt their hopes become
greater, in spite OF the first unsuccessful attempt
of the Ayuntamenfo. Just when the disasters
OF the Spanish forces became known in Mexico,
Vanegss, who had been appointed Vice. King by