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APPENDIX. 



With the history of the conquest of the Spanish possessions in 

 America, you must be familiar. They were principally, if not ex- 

 clusively, achieved by private adventures. When completed, a 

 most oppressive system of government, or rather despotism, was 

 established by the parent country. 



These extensive regions, were originally, swayed by two vice- 

 roys. The dominions of Spain in North America, were under the 

 government of the viceroy of Mexico, and all her possessions in 

 South America, were to the control of the viceroy of Peru. 



The remoteness of some parts of the country from the residence 

 of the viceroy at Lima, occasioned, in 1718, the establishment of 

 another viceroyalty at Santa Fee de Bogota, in the kingdom of 

 New Grenada. In 1731, New Grenada was divided, and a num- 

 ber of the provinces composing that kingdom, were separated 

 from it. These were put under the j urisdiction of a captain-gen- 

 eral and president, whose seat of government was at Caraccas. 



In 1568, Chili was erected into a separate captain-generalship; 

 in 1778, a new viceroyalty was established at Buenos Ayres, com- 

 prehending all the Spanish possessions to the east of the western 

 Cordilleras and to the south of the river Maranon. 



This immense empire seems, according to the laws of the Indies^ 

 to have been considered a distinct kingdom of itself, though united 

 to Spain, and annexed to the crown of Castile. In this light, it is 

 viewed by baron Humboldt, in his essay on New Spain. 



With some slight shades of difference in the regulations esta- 

 blished in these governments, the prominent features of their po- 

 litical institutions, exhibit a striking resemblance, as the general 

 system was the same. 



Their commerce was confined to the parent country, and to 

 Spanish vessels exclusively. They were prohibited, under the 

 penality of death, to trade with foreigners. The natives of old 

 Spain, composed, the body of their merchants. Though this part 

 of the system, had, previously to the revolution, been relaxed, in , 

 some degree, particularly by the statute of free commerce, as it i^ 

 styled, the relief was partial, and the restrictions continued se- 

 vere and oppressive. 



All access to the Spanish settlements was closed to foreigners, 

 and even the inhabitants of the different provinces, were prohibi- 

 ted from intercourse with one another, unless under the strictest 

 regulations. 



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