476 



conceal them carefully. Aristocracy in the Spa- 

 nish colonies has a counterpoise of another kind, 

 and of which the action becomes every day more 

 powerful. A sentiment of equality among the 

 Whites has penetrated every bosom. Wherever 

 men of colour are either considered as slaves, 

 or as having been enfranchised, what constitutes 

 nobility is hereditary liberty, is the proud boast 

 of having never reckoned among ancestors any 

 but freemen. In the colonies, the colour of the 

 skin is the real badge of nobility. In Mexico, 

 as well as Peru, at Caraccas as in the island of 

 Cuba, a barefooted fellow is often heard exclaim- 

 ing : " Does that rich white man think himself 

 whiter than I am?*' The population which 

 Europe pours into America being very consider- 

 able, it may easily be supposed, that the axiom, 

 every white man is noble, todo bianco es cabal- 

 lero, must singularly wound the pretensions of 

 a great number of ancient and illustrious 

 European families. But we may observe far- 

 ther, that the truth of this axiom has long since 

 been recognized in Spain, among a people justly 

 celebrated for probity, industry, and national 

 spirit. Every Biscayan calls himself noble ; and 

 there being a greater number of Biscayans in 

 America and the Philippine Islands, than in the 

 peninsula, the Whites of this race have contri- 

 buted in no small degree, to propagate in the 

 colonies the system of equality among all men, 



