INTRODUCTION. | J 



arising from their offices. Chile was then under the viceroyalty of 

 Peru, and the captains-general often, if not always, nominated by the 

 viceroys ; so that the same system of extortion went on, in order to 

 furnish means for the same system of bribery, in a subordinate 

 degree, at the vice-court of Lima, as pervaded the council of the 

 Indies at Madrid. 



The feeble monarchs of the house of Bourbon in Spain, were too 

 much harassed by their continual domestic struggles with their 

 people, who never heartily loved or respected the French dynasty, 

 and by the share they took in all European wars, and in that between 

 England and her North American colonies, to have either leisure or 

 power to ameliorate the condition of the western kingdoms. Indeed 

 after the provincial edicts of 1718, drawn up with ability, and well 

 adapted to the circumstances of the country, it does not appear 

 that any considerable effort was made in Europe in favour of the 

 colonists. Some of the captains-general, and viceroys, it is true, earned 

 the name of fathers of the people over whom they presided ; and 

 Chile, in particular, has reason to be grateful to Don Ambrosio 

 O'Higgins, an Irish soldier, who, having served in the Spanish 

 armies, afterwards commanded the troops on the frontier of Chile, 

 and having repulsed the Indians, who had once more begun to 

 threaten the tranquillity of that state, he put many of the fron- 

 tier towns and forts in a state of proper defence, discovered the 

 ruins of Osorno, which he rebuilt, and made an excellent road from 

 Valdivia to that city, thereby facilitating the intercourse with Chiloe. 

 These services were rewarded with the title of Marquis of Osorno, 

 and the office of captain-general of Chile. He continued his bene- 

 ficent and splendid works on his removal to the capital. He built 

 bridges, he formed the present road by the Cumbre pass across the 

 Andes from Santiago to Mendoza, on which he caused rest-houses 

 to be built for the accommodation of travellers, and he caused the 

 broad carriage-road from Valparaiso to the capital to be constructed 

 in such a manner, that, though it has not since been repaired, it 

 has resisted the rains and earthquakes so often destructive in Chile. 



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