INTRODUCTION. ll 
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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