62 



INTRODUCTION* 



considerable cities surrounded by vast deserts. This 

 distribution has produced serious obstacles to the pro- 

 gress of the revolution, as well on account of the fa- 

 cilities afforded to the enemy, as from the clashing 

 interests and feelings of a number of petty independent 

 communities, with narrow local views of policy, 

 springing up immediately after throwing off the Span- 

 ish yoke. 



The municipal governments, exhibited an impor- 

 tant exception (o the general despotic character of 

 the colonial system. The cabildos, which are popular 

 assemblies, were intrusted with the minutiae of the in- 

 ternal government, with the police, the administration 

 of justice in ordinary cases, and with other powers 

 more various and important than those of our corpora- 

 tions. The persons who composed the deliberative 

 part of this body were called regidors, a term corres- 

 ponding in some measure with that of aldermen; the 

 alcades, and other officers attached to this body, con- 

 stitute the cabildo,ayuntamiento, or corporation. Those 

 places which possessed cabildos, had in their local 

 governments some considerable advantages over the 

 cities of Spain, which were allowed to make amends 

 for their distance from the metropolis, and their pos- 

 sessing no apoderados^ or authorised agents to repre- 

 sent them in the council of the Indies, as the cities of 

 Spain were represented in the council of Castile. This 

 municipal institution was borrowed, however, from 

 those of Spain. Their history is well known; they 

 were established in that country, for the same reasons 

 that Louis le Gros introduced the communes into 

 France, and the English monarchs extended the 

 powers of parliament; in order to form a counterpoise 



