441 



almost unknown. They would no doubt pre- 

 fer a national govern men t, and complete liberty 

 of commerce, to the ancient state of the colo- 

 nies ; but this desire does not sufficiently sub- 

 due the love of ease, and the habits of an indo- 

 lent life, to impel them to long and painful sa- 

 crifices. 



In characterizing these different tendencies of 

 political opinion in the colonies, from the va- 

 rious intercourse I have had with all classes of 

 the inhabitants, I have developped the causes 

 of the long and peaceful dominion of the mo- 

 ther country over America. The calm has 

 been the result of habit, of the preponderance 

 of a few leading families, and above all of the 

 equilibrium established between the hostile 

 forces. But security founded on disunion must 

 be shaken, whenever a large body of men, for- 

 getting their individual animosities, shall be 

 united by a sentiment of common interest ; 

 when that sentiment, once awakened, is strength- 

 ened by resistance ; and when the progress of 

 knowledge, and change of manners, shall 

 diminish the influence of habit and ancient 

 ideas. 



We have seen above, that the Indian popu- 

 lation in the united provinces of Venezuela is 

 not considerable, is recently civilized, and 

 that all the towns have been founded by the 

 Spanish conquerors. These could not follow, 



