ADDRESS TO THE PEllUVIANS. 257 



present a complete chaos of anarchy ; and if, in- 

 stead of their present constitution, the English 

 were to be subjected to the charter of Louis 

 XVIII.5 they would consider themselves enslav- 

 ed. It is right that the governments of South 

 America be free ; but it is necessary they should 

 be so in the proportion stated : the greatest tri- 

 umph of our enemies would be to see us depart 

 from that measure. 



In every branch of the public welfare, even 

 in that of domestic economy, great reforms are ne- 

 cessary. It may be said generally, without risk 

 of error, although the expression may look like 

 prejudice, that it is essential to strip our institu- 

 tions and customs of all that is Spanish; and, ac- 

 cording to the expression of the great Lord Chat- 

 ham, on another occasion, ' to infuse such a por- 

 tion of new health into the constitution, as may 

 enable it to bear its infirmities.*" To make these 

 reforms abruptly, and without discreet reflection, 

 would be also a Spanish error; and one into which 

 the Cortes have at this moment (1821) fallen^ 

 by too precipitately changing the religious and 

 political state of the Peninsula. We, on the other 



VOL. I. R 



