Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-01-10
a}aisfGllanf0n5.
BOLIY VAR.
By JAMES PARTON

The reader, perhaps, has sometimes ask
ed himself why the fertile countries OF
South America advance so slowly in wealth
aud population In all that continent,
which Is considerably larger than North
America, there are but seventeen millions
OF inhabitants. while North America con
tains almost exactly twice that number.
Brazil, for example, which Is about as large
a. the United States, and was settled soon
er, contains but seven millions of people,
and nowhere exhibits anything ike the
prosperity which has marked every period
of our own history.
The principle reasons OF This difference
are three 10 number 10 the first place,
nature herself in South America interposes
mighty obstacles to the purposes OF man.
Vast plains exist, which, ~ the rainy sea-
son. are covered with luxurlant verdure,
aud 10 the dry season assume the appear
ance Of a desert The forests, owing tc the
fertility Of the soil under tropical sun, are
20 dense and tangled oS almost to battle the
efforts of the pioneer 20 remove them. ne
principal rivers, which are the iaTGest IN the
world. are more Ike flowing seas than navl-
gable streams Tue Plata. for example, is
one hundred aud thirty miles wide at its
mouth, and Is fall OF strong, irregular cur
rents. The AmazoH. TOO, Which Is four
thousand miles in length, and navlgabie Tor
one halt that Distance, i, in manv places, 50
wide that the navigator has TO saH by the
compass. The mountains also are precip
irous and dific Iit Of access, and contain
thirty active voleauos An nature, in fact,
Is on a prodigi0uS scale, and the very rich
ness Of the soil Is frequently and injury rath-
er than a help 70 man.
la the next place, the Spanish and Por-
tuguesp, who settled this continent, drawn
thither by the lust of gold, we're little calcu-
lated 10 wrestle with the obstacles which
nature placed in their paths. Lastly the
Spanish and Portuguese governments, mar
row bigoted, ignorant and tyraunieaL for
three centuries cramped the energies OF the
people aud oppressed them BY merclless ex-
actions
Three hundred years ago, SAID Henry
Clay, in his great speech upon the enamel
nation Of South Amcrica, upon the RUNS
Of the thrones of Montezuma and the lncas
OF Peru. Spain erected the most stupend0us
system of colonial despotism hat the world
/ has ever seen-Ihe most vigorous, the most
| exclusive. The great principle aud object
I of this system has been 10 rsuder one Ot the
/ largest portions Of the world exclusively
! sulseTvieut, in all its faculties, To the inter
1 psts Of an incUnsiderable spot 10 Europe.
/ To efFectuate thi. aim OF her policy, she
/ locked up Spanish America from al the rest
Of the world. aud pro- ibltea, under thC
1 Severest penalties any foreigner from enter
! ing auv part of is TO keep the native,
/ themselves ignorant OF eacfather, and o
/ the strength and resources Of the severa
( parts OF her Americau possessions she mex
I prohibited the inhabitants OF one vice-roy
I atty or government flom visiting those o
/ another: so that the inhabitants OF Mexico
| for example, wrr, not allowed to enter tn,
I vice ROYALTY Of New Granada The agrlCul
I ture Of thn7s vast regions was so regulatee
and restrained a. TO prevent all collision viii
/ the agriculture Of the peninsula. her
{ nature. by the character and composition 0
the soil. had commended, the aboulnabi'
z system uf Spain has forbidden, the groEtl
OF certain articles. Thus the olive and tht
vine, tn which Spanish America Is 50 wei
/ adauted. are prohibited, wherever their cul
ture can interfere with the olive and th
T vine Of the peninsula. The commerce 0
the country, IN the direction and objects 0
| the exports aud imports, j. also subjected &
the barrow aud selfish views OF Spain, an'
iertered by The odious spirit OF monopoly
She has sought by scattering discoTd anon
the several castles OF her Amerteau popula
non, and by debasiug course Of adHcatlon
10 perpeJuatc her oppression. Whaleve
concerns public law uT the science OF gov
ernuent oil writings upon political econo
nav. or that tend o. give vigor. and freedom
aRd expansion. to the intellect. are prohIb
lied. 4 main feature IN her policy Is tia
which constantly elevateS he European an
dcpresses the American character. Out O
Of seven hundred and fitty vicerJys and cap
t,ins general whom she has appointed sine
the conquest of America- about eightee
only have been from the body Of the Amer
can population.
4 Ii ans realar supposes that the orato
exaggerated, | point him to the Island q
Cuba, which Spain still oppresses, and wher
almost every feature Of the Odious tyrann