266 



SPANISH AMERICA. 



1st, The arbitrary power exercised by the 

 viceroys and captains-general, who very 

 frequently evaded the laws, and even the 

 orders which they received from the King. 

 2nd. That the audiencias were composed 

 solely of Europeans, who interpreted the 

 laws as they pleased. 3rd. That under the 

 authority of the audiencias, clandestine de- 

 crees in causes were often meide ; nocturnal 

 arrests took place; persons were banished 

 without previous trial, and numerous other 

 acts of injustice were committed. 4th. That 

 they (the native Spanish Americans) were 

 treated with distrust by the government, 

 notwithstanding the loyalty and courage 

 which, upon several occasions, they had 

 manifested in defence of the rights of the 

 Crown of Spain. 5th. That they were 

 obliged to bear insults from the meanest of 

 the Spaniards, who, merely upon account 

 of their European birth, considered them- 

 selves superior to, and as it were the mas- 



