MS 



APPENDIX. 



of the population of each province, as they may serve to give some 

 general information on that point. The most immediate difficulty 

 felt by the government whilst we were in the country, seemed to 

 arise from the want of money; for although the debt was small, 

 their credit was low. It had not been found practicable to adopt 

 a system of finance adequate to the exigencies of the times, though 

 it would seem, from the statement given to us, that the revenue of 

 the last year exceeded the expenses. The important events of the 

 present year in Chili, of which you are informed, will doubtless, 

 have the effect to raise the credit of the country, and to lessen the 

 pressure upon it at least for a time; and will probably leave the 

 government more at leisure to attend to its internal affairs. 



When we came away, it was understood that a committee of the 

 congress was engaged in drafting a new constitution; the power of 

 forming and adopting it, being exclusively vested in the congress. 

 Whether it will assume a federal or national character is some- 

 what doubtful, as there are evidently two parties in the country, 

 whose views in this respect are very different, and it is believed 

 that they are both represented in the congress. The one party is 

 in favor of a consolidated, or national government — the other 

 wishes for a federal government, somewhat upon the principle of 

 that of the llnited States. The probability seems to be, that al- 

 though there might be a majority of the people in the provinces, 

 generally in favor of the federal system, that it would not be adopt- 

 ed, upon the ground that it was not so well calculated as a na- 

 tional government, to provide for the common defence, the great 

 object now in view. The same general reason may be urged per- 

 haps, for giving to the latter, should it be adopted, less of a repub- 

 lican character than probably would have been given to it, in more 

 quiet and peaceful times. There is danger too, as the power of 

 forming and adopting the constitution is placed in the hands of a 

 few, that the rights and privileges of the people may not be so well 

 understood, or attended to, as they should have been, had the peo- 

 ple themselves had a more immediate agency in the affair. It is 

 not to be doubted, however, that it will at least have a republican 

 form, and be bottomed upon the principles of independence, 

 which is contended for by all descriptions of politicians in the 

 country, who have taken part in the revolution, and will, it is be- 

 lieved, be supported by them in any event, to the last extremity. 



The means of defence of which they are fully aware, are in pro- 



