ATTACHMENT TO SPAIN. 307 



quiet ; but which evidently shewed, that 

 he wished to pay court to Napoleon, in 

 the hope of maintaining himself in power. 

 Don Xavier Elio, who was then Governor 

 of Monte Video, and who was a personal 

 enemy of Liniers, availed himself of the op- 

 portunity to accuse the latter of disloyalty ; 

 and succeeded in detaching Monte Video 

 from his authority, forming a Junta there 

 in imitation of those in Spain. 



Intelligence of the general rising in Spain 

 reached Mexico on the 29th of July 1808. 

 Such was the enthusiasm produced by this 

 announcement, and such the general feel- 

 ing in favour of the mother-country, that on 

 the arrival of two deputies from the Junta 

 of Seville, to claim the sovereignty of Spa- 

 nish America, it is by no means improbable 

 that the demand would have been acceded 

 to ; had it not happened, that, during the 

 discussion which took place at a meeting 



X 2 



