322 



SPANISH AMERICA. 



advantage ; the acts of treachery and cru- 

 elty which they either committed, autho- 

 rized, or sanctioned, being alike detested 

 by all parties amongst the Independents. 

 In fact, after the spirit of independence 

 had thus taken deep root, and spread itself 

 through the whole of Spanish America, the 

 efforts of Spain to re-conquer the country, 

 although they might be, and were, parti- 

 ally successful, were altogether vain and 

 useless. Her only chance of again acquir- 

 ing a supremacy, was by means of con- 

 ciliation ; and this resource the Spanish 

 authorities considered beneath them to 

 avail themselves of : they relied upon the 

 sword,*and upon terror ; and their want of 

 humanity and of good faith recoiled upon 

 themselves. Unhappily, however, many 

 thousand lives were sacrificed, in conse- 

 quence of their obstinate perseverance in 

 a hopeless contest. 



