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grounded hopes have we, of crowning our united cause with success; and how can we fulfill to the outraged Ferdinand, our guarantee, of the integrity of his crown?

In what light, soever, we consider the inhabitants of the new world, whether we view them with the eye of philosophy, or found ourselves on the ancient legislation of Spain; we shall find them in social rank, and in political rights, equal with those of the provinces of the Peninsula; consequently, the claims of absolute sovereignty, over the sections of America, arrogated to themselves by the irregular governments of the former, are equally as absurd, as if the provisional governments of the latter, had attempted to exercise despotic control, over the Central Junta, the Regency, or the succeeding Cortes. Supposing, for a moment, that these were legal and constitutional forms of government for the Peninsula, (and even with regard to the Cortes, in this particnlar, my reader shall, hereafter, be enabled to judge for himself) they could not be so, for Spanish America; unless constituted in a regular and correct manner, with the concurrence of the latter, in compliance with the general principles and laws of the realm, and in strict accord with equality, equity, and justice. There is a just and moral principle, which, equally, belongs to every individual member, as well as to every individual province, of an extended empire. This principle was, then, equally, the birthright of American Spaniards; and to divest them of it, by the acts of an illegal government, and then to persist in the support of that same injustice; is not, only, opening the road to discontent, oppression, and consequent civil war, but it is, also, authorizing them to seek justice by the extreme means of hostility, as the only alternative, left within their reach. The laws and

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rights of the whole monarchy, ought to have been maintained, in undisturbed authority, and equal exercise, in American, as well as European Spain; and the political order of the state, by no departure from its most fundamental principles, being suffered, ought, then, in like manner, to have been preserved. To deviate from this principle, is to level to the ground, the boundaries of order and the safeguards of civil freedom; and, to authorize the inhabitants of one half of a monarchy, to tyrannize over those of the other, is to lay the foundations of anarchy, and eventual ruin, to the whole state..

The great mistake of the British government, seems, to have been, that, it considered Spanish America, as insulated from all the laws and principles of the rest of the monarchy; and its natives, as detatched from the European ranks of the state. Had not this been the case, how could the ministers of England, have, silently, beheld a declaration of war, made against 17 millions of people, bound to her by ancient promises, and now linked to her interests, by a fresh alliance? Had Spanish America been in the wrong, and had she committed crimes so great and flagrant, as to deserve the utmost rigour, in the eye of justice, this criminality ought to have been previously proved; and the grounds thereof, ought to have, been, incontrovertibly, established. Before Spain declared an expensive and unjust war, it was her duty to have discussed the rights of the ultramarine provinces, in a fair and adequate manner; their complaints ought to have been heard; and if this was omitted, her conduct has been unwarrantable and arbitrary; and, when the narrow policy of the day, is gone by, the British government itself will be the first to confess it. But, then,

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alas, shall we be in time, to prevent the fatal consequences intailed on ourselves?

That the Central Junta was an unfair and unconstitutional government, is confessed, not only by Spaniards, but, also, by the whole world. Jovellanos said it was illegal; because its powers and representation, were neither complete, nor constitutional. Yet it was this form of government, which, as before shewn, constituted the Regency into a Sovereign, by merely transferring and deputing its own powers: which, if illegal in the whole, must, consequently, have been so, in part. Arguelles, confessed the first Regency was not legitimate †, and this has, also, been the public avowal of the Cortes. How, then, can a war proclaimed by such á government, be legal; or how can its improvident conduct, be justified? The silence of the people of Spanish America, with regard to the Central Junta, arose out of a hope, that its acts would promote the welfare and defence of the realm; but when its conduct, and that of the succeeding Regency, became manifest, they protested against those of its enactments which related to themselves, on the very basis of this flagrant want of legality.

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§ In explaining to my reader, these various causes, which first led to an unfortunate rupture, between European and American Spain; my object is, not only, to manifest the sentiments and peculiar situation of the latter, but, also, to lay before him, the accompanying sentiments and pointed charges of the former. For the want of better reasons, the defenders of Spanish injustice, go so far as to allege, the vague and indefinite rights, which they * Dictamen de Jovellanos, Oct. 7, 1805.

+ Discurso contra Lardizabal en las Cortes.

suppose to be derived, from the relations, arising out of a common origin. The denomination of mother country," which, as a wise writer observes, has produced numerous mistakes and false reasonings, in all questions, relating to European settlements abroad; in the Peninsular papers, has been an inexhaustible source of bitter invec tive, against those of the ultramarine provinces, which have considered the transformation of their local governments, necessary. Crimes, of a variety of kinds, are charged against them; particularly that of ingratitude, an allegation founded on no other grounds, than this chimerical filiation. This term, besides, being abused, has been brought forward, as an imaginary metropolitan right, and as if it were founded on law, and established by actual compact. These are denominations, which, if applicable to the case in question, ought merely to be confined to the expression of affection, and as referring to an affinity of mutual origin, existing between the vàrious members of one entire monarchy, and as exciting those sentiments of fraternity, natural in two great families, derived from one common stock. Thence, however, to deduce a positive ground of dependence and subordination, were to introduce a new maxim of policy; as well as an axiom, not only unknown, but also, extravagant and unjust. Each nation, in that case, would be obliged to acknowledge the sovereignty of its primitive stock; and the rights of the people, would have to be traced to their tables of genealogy.

The proper manner to have used the strong claims, and endearing ties of mother-country, would have been, to have redressed their wrongs, and not to have declared war against them; to have adopted some equit

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able plan of conciliation, and not to have insulted their judgment and feelings by refusing a hearing; to have viewed the hardships of their case, impartially, and not to have proscribed, men and measures, which only had for object, the safety and reform of their country; and, in a particular manner, not to have declared and treated those persons as rebels, who stepped forward in the exercise of their own rights, in order not to be delivered over to the French. The tender ties, and sacred claims of mother country, ought, at least, to have secured to her offspring, a fair, unbiassed, and fundamental discussion of their rights; and an unprejudiced hearing of the appeals, in which, they stated their wrongs. When Charles V., as severe a monarch as ever lived, was desirous of allaying the disturbances, which during his reign, took place in Peru; instead of armies, threats, and executions, he sent out Licenciado Gasca, as a pacificator, and with full powers; under the impression, that if the complaints were just, they ought to be redressed; but that mildness, conciliation, and good words, would be more effectual than force, which, would only add fuel to the flame. These disturbances, were, nevertheless, of a serious nature; and nearly threatened the sovereignty of the king, both in Peru and Mexico. Yet Charles, though the proudest and most powerful of the Spanish monarchs, instead of applying insulting stigmas, merely called them dissentions; and said they must be looked into, and remedied; because this was not only just, but, because unwarrantable and harsh measures, might endanger those his distant kingdoms, then so valuable and so interesting, from being the great sources of all his wealth, which rendered him

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