POLITICAL CHANQEI. 



neighbouring monarchies the provinces that adjoin each 

 other present those striking demarcations which are the 

 effect of great centralization of power- in. federal repub- 

 lics, states situated at the extremities of each system are 

 some time before they acquire a stable equilibrium. It 

 would be almost a matter of indifference to the provinces 

 between Arkansas and the Rio del Norte, whether they 

 send their deputies to Mexico or to Washington. Were 

 Spanish America one day to shew a more uniform tendency 

 towards the spirit of federalism, which the example of the 

 United States has created on several points, there would 

 result from the contact of so many systems, or groups 

 of states, confederations variously graduated. I here only 

 touch on the relations that arise from this assemblage of 

 colonies on an uninterrupted line of 1600 leagues in length. 

 We have seen, in North America, one of the old Atlantic 

 states divided into two, and each having a different re- 

 presentation. The separation of Maine and Massachu- 

 sets, in 1820, was effected in the most peaceable manner. 

 Schisms of this kind will, it may be feared, render such 

 changes turbulent. It may also be observed, that the im- 

 portance of the geographical divisions of Spanish America, 

 founded at the same time on the relations of local position 

 and the habits of several centuries, have prevented the 

 mother-country from retarding the separation of the colonies 

 by attempting to establish Spanish princes in the New 

 World. In order to rule such vast possessions it would 

 have been requisite to form six or seven centres of govern- 

 ment ; and that multiplicity of centres was hostile to the 

 'lishment of new dynasties, at the period when they 

 might still have been salutary to the mother country. 



Bacon somewhere observes, that it would be happy if 



>ns would always follow the example of time, 'the 



i test of all innovators, but who acts calmly, and almost 



without being perceived. This happiness does not belong 



lonies when they reach the critical juncture of eman- 



i ion ; and least of all to Spanish America, engaged in 



-truggle at first, not to obtain complete independence, 



to escape from a foreign yoke. May these party 



itions be succeeded by a lasting tranquillity ! May the 



i of civil discord, disseminated during three centuriei 



VOL. in. L 



