DEPENDENCE ON SPAIN. 250 



in other documents ; but whatever might 

 be their obvious meaning, they were always 

 interpreted in such a manner, by the Spa- 

 nish authorities, as might enforce the abject 

 submission of the natives of Spanish Ameri- 

 ca to the will of the government of Spain, 

 whether signified by its own acts, or those 

 of its agents. 



Something, indeed, was occasionally con- 

 ceded, but frequently more in name than 

 in reality ; and whatever was done, care 

 was always taken closely to adhere to that 

 most illiberal, but not the less unvarying, 

 line of policy, which so absurdly led the 

 government of Spain, in spite of whatever 

 circumstances, to render the Spanish Ame- 

 ricans dependent for every thing upon the 

 mother-country ; even almost for the neces- 

 saries of life, under which description are 

 comprehended several articles which they 



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