340 



SPANISH AMERICA. 



fatuation was at a higher temperature in 

 Spain than it was in America ; for not 

 only did the Regency of Spain approve of 

 the measures adopted by Monteverde, but 

 it thought they did not go far enough; 

 and Don Juan O'Donoju, Minister of War, 

 in his report to the Cortes on the situation 

 of the Spanish Colonies, made the 2d of 

 October 1813, actually complained of 

 the indulgence that had been shewn to the 

 insurgents at Caraccas !" 



Thus the opportunity afforded by the 

 operations or convulsions of nature was 

 completely thrown away ; the barbarity of 

 the Spaniards counteracted the effect of 

 the exhortations and influence of the 

 clergy ; the spirit of the patriots revived 

 with a tenfold exasperation of rage ; and 

 wherever circumstances were in the least 

 favourable, they flew to arms, to repel that 

 inhuman oppression which left them no 



