COMMISSIONS FROM MEXICO, &C. 279 



urged objections, which led to further cor- 

 respondence and consultation ; but ulti- 

 mately the project was relinquished. 



It was for a considerable period after- 

 wards little thought of in Europe, though 

 it is evident, from the proclamation of S^r 

 Thomas Picton, that it had seriously occu- 

 pied the attention of the British Cabinet. 

 In the mean time, however, the spirit of in- 

 dependence had taken deep root in Spanish 

 America; and in the year 1797, Miranda 

 was met at Paris by deputies and commis- 

 sioners from Mexico, and the other prin- 

 cipal provinces of Spanish America, who 

 had been sent to Europe for the purpose 

 of concerting with him the measures to be 

 adopted for accomplishing the independ- 

 ence of their country. 



At this meeting it was decided that Mi- 

 randa should again repair to England, and, 



