62 



SPANISH THIRST FOR GOLD. 



jealous and cruel system, upon which the 



. Spaniards proceeded in all that related to the 



: wants of the colonists, for whom they never, for a 



\ single instant, seem to have had the slightest 



consideration. 



The sole purpose for which the Americans ex- 

 isted, was held to be that of collecting together 

 the precious metals for the Spaniards ; and if the 

 wild horses and cattle, which overrun the country, 

 could have been trained to perform this office, the 

 inhabitants might have been altogether dispensed 

 with, and the colonial system would then have 

 been perfect. Unfortunately, however, for that 

 system, the South Americans, notwithstanding the 

 1 net-work of chains by which they were enveloped, 

 had still some sparks of humanity left, and, in 

 spite of all their degradation, longed earnestly for 

 the enjoyments suitable to their nature ; and find- 

 ing that the Spaniards neither could nor would 

 furnish them with an adequate supply, they in- 

 vited the assistance of other nations. To this call 

 the other nations were not slow to listen ; and, in 

 process of time, there was established one of the 

 most extraordinary systems of organised smuggling 

 which the world ever saw. This was known 

 under the name of the contraband or forced trade, 

 and was carried on in armed vessels, well manned, 

 and prepared to fight their way to the coast, and 

 to resist, as they often did with effect, the guarda 

 costas, or coast blockades of Spain. This singular 

 system of warlike commerce was conducted by the 

 Dutch, Portuguese, French, English, and latterly 

 by the North Americans. In this way, goods to 

 an immense value were distributed over South 

 America, and although the prices were necessarily 

 high, and the supply precarious, that taste for the 

 comforts and luxuries of European invention was 

 first encouraged, which afterwards operated so 

 powerfully in giving a steady and intelligible mo- 

 tive to the efforts of the Patriots, in their struggles 

 with the mother-country. Along with the goods 

 which the contraband trade forced into the colonies, 

 no small portion of knowledge found entrance, in 

 spite of the increased exertions of the Inquisition, 

 and church influence, aided by the redoubled vigi- 

 lance of government, who enforced every penalty 

 with the utmost rigour. Many foreigners, too, 

 by means of bribes and other arts, succeeded in 

 getting into the country, so that the progress of 

 intelligence was gradually encouraged, to the utter 

 despair of the Spaniards, who knew no other me- 

 thod of governing the colonies but that of mere 

 brute force, unsupported by the least shadow of 

 opinion or of good-will. 



How long it might have been before this slow 

 importation of knowledge, and this confined degree 

 of intercourse with foreigners, if unaided by other 

 causes, would have stimulated the Americans to 

 assert their birthright, it is very difficult to say. 

 Unforeseen circumstances, however, brought about 

 that revolution, in some parts of the country per- 

 haps premature, which has recently broken their 

 chains, and enabled them, by a display of energy 

 altogether unlooked for, even by themselves, to 

 give the lie to those cruel aspersions cast on their 

 national character by their former rulers. 

 The operation of unrestricted trade is certainly 



the most conspicuous and striking result that has 



followed upon tin- 04 -w order of things. But the 

 action of a free press, or of a press comparatively 



free, is not much less remarkable. It displays 

 itself chiefly in the form of newspapers, which 

 start up in every corner where the ancient autho- 

 rity has been removed. These papers treat not 

 only of the news, and of the political discussions 

 of the day, but their columns are often filled with 

 translations from French and English works, here- 

 tofore rigorously prohibited. A vast number of 

 pamphlets also are scattered over the country ; 

 many of which, it is true, consist of local and 

 transitory topics; but there are many others 

 which contribute essentially, by means of original 

 essays, as well as translations from foreign works 

 of acknowledged excellence, to enlighten the minds 

 of the people. Occasional abuses of this liberty 

 have occurred ; but, upon the whole, it is truly 

 surprising to see how discreetly this formidable 

 weapon has been handled by persons quite un- 

 trained to its use. 



It was originally my intention to have related, 

 at this place, some circumstances within my own 

 knowledge, illustrative of the effect which a per- 

 version of the Roman Catholic religion has had 

 upon the society ; and I was the more inclined to 

 take this course, from a strong persuasion that 

 both the principles and the manners of the South 

 Americans have received their deepest stain from 

 this source. 



In preparing the materials, however, for this 

 exposition, the task proved at once revolting and 

 ungracious ; and, after some hesitation, I decided 

 to abandon it. I felt, indeed, unwilling to incur 

 the risk of shocking the feelings of many who may 

 agree with me in thinking, that it is scarcely pos- 

 sible to treat such a subject in detail — and by 

 details alone can it be done effectually — without a 

 painful and needless degree of indelicacy. It is 

 sufficient to mention, that in the practice of the 

 Catholic religion, all its dignity, and much of its 

 utility, have been lost — the minds of those sub- 

 jected to its perverted institutions, and disgusting 

 forms, have been debased beyond all example — 

 and moral principles, also, and domestic manners, 

 have been in consequence scandalously outraged 

 in practice. Fortunately, however, the real 

 character and dispositions of the Americans, are 

 rational and docile ; and there is every reason to 

 expect, hi consequence of all that has resulted 

 from the revolution, that the eyes of the great 

 mass of the population are now fully opened to a 

 due perception of these abuses, which not only 

 limited their own social happiness, but by degrad- 

 ing them in their own opinion, rendered the work 

 of oppression a task of comparative ease and cer- 

 tainty. 



I have said nothing of the treatment of the In- 

 dians, because I cannot speak from personal 

 observation of their present state, compared with 

 the past. In every instance, however, the new 

 governments have abolished the oppressive poll- 

 tax, and all forced services. Decrees have been 

 published in all the new states, formally including 

 the Indians among the number of free citizens, 

 and repealing the laws by which they were ren- 

 dered ineligible to offices of trust, or to appear as 

 witnesses in a court of justice. 



Now that all classes of men are allowed to settle 

 where they phase, the population will spread itself 

 over the country and rapidly increase ; and the 

 Indians will soon find it their interest to connect 



