their violation sanctioned by the organ of government; and who behold the yet reeking ruins of their burnt towns and ravaged plains, can place confidence in their oppressors, trust to their offers, or receive terms, unless through the mediation of a third power? During the crisis of so great a political spasm, as that which now convulses the Spanish American people, how can it be expected, that social order can be restored, by those hands which are so deeply tinged in blood; or how can this people be made contented and happy, unless it is, by firm and efficient laws, being secured and guaranteed to them? And in the actual posture of affairs, can this be effected by Spain alone?

Although, in the course of this exposé, general allusion has been made, to the cruel and inhuman war now prosecuted by the agents of Spain, against the inhabitants of Spanish America, little idea can be, nevertheless, entertained, by the British public, to whom this appeal is made, of its extent, and of the complicated calamities, with which that unfortunate country overflows. Under the plea of reducing insurgents, every species of excess is committed; and particularly in New Spain, it nearly amounts to a war of extermination, one, that in the annals of history, is unequalled in cruelty and wanton havoc. Yet the Spaniards begin to find, that opinions, deeprooted as they are in the minds of the people, cannot be extracted by the sword, or overawed by scaffolds and persecutions. This is a war of brigandage, worse than occurred in St. Domingo, and with the exception of blood hounds, bears every feature of the cruelties the French exercised there, against the coloured natives, of which, they afterwards felt the dreadful retaliation Fire

and the sword are alternately, applied; parents are murdered by their children, and brothers by the hands of brothers. It were, here, possible to paint scenes, at which human nature would recoil. Alas! of what crimes is not man capable, when the torch of civil discord is once lighted up, and all the endearing and social ties which sweeten life, are made to yield to phrenzy and political fury! A respectable letter, dated Mexico, February 18, 1811, observes," the unheard of cruelties are such, that posterity will suppose them fabulous."

Great, however as are the horrors, and immense the surrounding ruin that has been occasioned, their details seldom or ever meet the eye of the British public, from our prints containing only partial extracts from those of Cadiz, in which, for the most part, the occurrences of Spanish America, are mutilated or misrepresented. — These horrors, are, nevertheless, confessed in the Mexico gazettes, in private correspondence from that city, and frequently, the most horrid butcheries, constitute the boasts of Spanish chiefs, in their despatches to the viceroy. It would not be possible, here, to detail the numerous and extensive cruelties committed by the Spaniards, since this inhuman war commenced, or to enumerate the scenes of devastation. But I have conceived it my duty, to subjoin a variety of facts, that may at least explain the nature of this warfare, and evince in what manner it is carrying on. Those relating to Mexico, are taken from government gazettes, printed in that city, and indeed all are substantiated by corresponding documents, principally obtained through Spanish channels.

In examining the grounds on which so many cruelties have been committed in Mexico, the proclamation of

Viceroy Venegas, deserves the first place. The following are extracted articles:

1st. "All rebels who have resisted the king's troops, are criminals, and subject to a military jurisdiction.

6th. "All insurgent chiefs, in whatever number they may be, are to be shot, without allowing them more time, than to prepare for death in a christian inanner."

10th. "Ecclesiastics taken with arms in their hands, to be executed in the same manner.

Article 2, authorises the division or detachment making prisoners, to execute these orders. The scenes which this and similar orders have given rise to, in such a country as the one to which I allude, are such as would disgrace the annals of a Tiberius.

Da Ignacio Garcia Revollo, in his despatch to the viceroy, dated Querétaro, November 23, 1811, recommends Serjeant Francisco Montes, " as deserving the grade of an officer, for amongst other gallant actions, he killed one of his own nephews, who making himself known to him, received for answer, that he knew no nephew amongst insurgents."

Commandant Bustamante, in his despatch to the viceroy, dated Zitaquaro, October 23, 1811, recommends Mariano Ochoa, a dragoon, "who in pursuing the insurgents, had a brother who knelt to him to beg his life, which he took, with his own hand."

When two such acts as these, become the boast of a despatch to a viceroy, I leave my reader to judge of the other atrocities; but of these, history has no parallel.

General Truxillo, in a similar despatch, boasts, that he admitted a flag of truce from Hidalgo, composed of

various persons, in front of his line that was drawn up, and having received from them a banner of the Virgin Mary, "he ordered his soldiers to fire on the bearers, by which means, he expected not to be troubled any more with them." The persons composing the flag of truce, were thus, all murdered. Even the Cadiz papers, cried out against this atrocity.

General Calleja, informs the viceroy, that in the affair of Aculco, he had one man killed and two wounded; but that he put to the sword, 5000 seduced Indians, and that their total loss amounted to 10,000. The most of these The same general

were Indians, kneeling for mercy! entered Goanaxoato, with fire and sword, where 14,000 old men, women, and children, perished, and this, because the insurgent army had taken up its quarters there, and, by a timely retreat, had escaped his fury. In his despatch, he adds, “To-morrow and the following days, I intend to shoot a quantity of the criminals who have been taken of the insurgent army, of all grades, even up to a brigadier." This measure, was afterwards approved by the viceroy himself. Calleja soon after, received from the Cadiz Regency, the grade of mariscal de campo, and the viceroy the cross of Charles III. as remunerations for this distinguished service.

In the action of Zamora, all the prisoners were, also, put to the sword.

Feliu, deputy in the Cortes for Lima, speaking therein on the proposed mediation of England, observes," that in order to prove the tyranny with which the inhabitants of Mexico, are treated, it would suffice to present some of the measures, daily taken by the governors in that country." He adds, "I will here only mention the 2d

and 11th articles of the proclamation, issued by Brigadier D" Joze de la Cruz, on the 23d February, 1811. Article 2, imposes the punishment of death, on all persons of every class and condition, who within twenty-four hours, do not deliver up all the arms of which they may be possessed, including axes and knives. To forbid any one to carry on their persons, even a small knife, has been before seen; but to deprive people of knives for their domestic use, under the penalty of death, is what even Murat did not do in Madrid, or has been before heard of. Article 11, orders, that a tenth of all the inhabitants shall be shot, of whatever town or city; that may be known to have given provisions to an insurgent, or where any intercourse has been had with them, even between a father and his son:" and, "if thus," subjoins the deputy,

a faithful father, attempts to bring back a wandering son, is he, on this account, to die? Well and good; but is it not the extreme of barbarity, that for this same reason, the tenth of a whole town is to be shot?" These were the arguments, the American deputies brought forward to urge a mediation, whilst England, with all her weight of influence and services, was merely asking a favour.

Had these been threats only consigned to paper, had they been the hasty breathings of revenge, but barren in deeds, they might, perhaps, have been overlooked by the politician, who considers the highly increased degree of acrimony, which had been infused into the dispute, and the general character of the nation from whom they issued. But when we see the terrible terms and latitude of such decrees, carried into full and frequent effect; when we see threats, horrid in their wording,