286 



ROYAL AUDIENCES. 



of course. South America was always virtually 

 governed by the ministers of Spain. 



The country was divided into viceroyalties, 

 captain-generalships, intendencies, and various 

 other subdivisions. Each separate government 

 was independent of the others, but all were im- 

 mediately under the King and the Council of the 

 Indies. 



Without going into minute details, it is suffi- 

 cient to state, that the principle on which the co- 

 lonial government rested was, that no single de- 

 partment should be allowed to act without being 

 checked by some other : a principle weak and 

 ruinous, as it demonstrated a total want of confi- 

 dence in the executive officers ; and by virtually 

 depriving them of responsibility, yet still exacting 

 obedience, took away the highest and most effect- 

 ive motive to the performance of their duty. The 

 Viceroy was nominally controlled by a body call- 

 ed the Audiencia, the members of which were Eu- 

 ropean Spaniards, who were not allowed to hold 

 lands, or to marry in the country. The Audi- 

 encia had the privilege of remonstrating with the 

 Viceroy, and of corresponding directly with the 



