298 SPANISH AMERICA. 



of Spain, and of regard for the mother- 

 country, existed amongst the inhabitants 

 of Caraccas. The same may be said of 

 the other sections of Spanish America; and 

 had the governing and legislative authori- 

 ties of Spain adopted, and acted upon, a 

 liberal system of policy towards the then 

 colonies, it is impossible to say, whether 

 they might not have enlisted on their side 

 so large a proportion of the population of 

 Spanish America, that those who desired, 

 at all events, to render their country inde- 

 pendent, would have been unable to accom- 

 plish their object. 



On the contrary, however, nothing was 

 done for the colonies, except in words : it 

 is true that a share in the representation 

 was conceded to them ; but to the Spanish 

 Americans this proved a mere vain and 

 useless toy : their representatives in the 

 Cortes, forming, as they did, a minority. 



