240 HISTORICAL SKETCH. 



dom, they became gradually warped and 

 corrupted, so as to leave only names in the 

 place of realities ; but still, though tyranny 

 was thus placed at the apex of the pyramid, 

 and extended far along its sides, it did not 

 reach the base ; the higher and the middle 

 classes were alternately the agents and the 

 victims of tyranny ; but the lower ranks en- 

 joyed a considerable portion of actual liberty. 

 The Hispano-Americans could only effect 

 the independence of their country by means 

 of representative constitutions ; but for this 

 purpose, the machinery was to be created; 

 and to such a system many of them were 

 decidedly averse; others wished to establish 

 a sort of half independence, carrying on 

 their own government, but acknowledging 

 the sovereignty of the King of Spain. 



In this state of difficulty, and with opi- 

 nions clashing, sometimes not very ami- 

 cably, the mother-country was looked to 



