rOIjITICAI, INSTITUTIONS. ll‘J 
The mothei’-country lias several times regained possession of 
**ome districts; but as revolntiona are always renewed with 
'iwre violence when the evils that jiroduee them can no 
longer be remedied, these conquests have been transitory. 
To facilitate and give greater energy to the defence of this 
country, the governments have been concentrated, and a 
'^ast state has been formed, extending from the mouth of the 
Orinoco to the other side of the Andes of liiobamba, and 
^0 banks of the Amazon. The Capitania-General of 
Caracas has been united to the A"ice-royalty of ISfew Gre- 
jjada, from which it was only separated entirely in 1777. 
This union, which will always’ bo indispensable for external 
safety, this centralization of powers in a country six times 
l^cger than Spain, has been prompted by political views. 
The tranquil progi'css of the new government has justified 
l-he wisdom of those views, and the Congress will find still 
fewer obstacles in the execution of its beneficent projects 
for national industry and civilization, in proportion as it can 
Scant increased liberty to the provinces, must render the 
people sensible to the advantages of institutions which they 
have purchased at the price of their blood. In every form of 
government, in rejiublics as well as in limited monarchies, 
’niprovements, to bo salutary, must bo progressive. Now 
■Andalusia, Caracas, Cundinamarca, Popayau, and Quito, 
'^re not' confederate stales like Pennsylvania, lurginia, and 
rylaud. Without juntas, or provincial legislatures, all 
fhose countries are directly subject to tho congress and 
Soveiinnent of Columbia. In conformity with tho consti- 
fritional act, the intendants and governors of the depart- 
*oents and provinces arc nominated by tho president ol tho 
*'®Publie. It may be iiatiu-ally supiibsed that such depen- 
dence has not always been deemed favourable to tho liberty 
?f the communes, which love to discuss their own local 
interests. The ancient kingdom of Quito, for instance, is 
pounected by the habits and language of its mountainous 
d^habitants, with Peru and New Grenada. If there were a 
provincial junta, if tho congress alone determined the taxes 
jrecessary for the defence and general welfare of Columbia, 
' 'e feeling of an individual political existence would render 
do inhabitants less interested in the choice of the spot 
''^wch is the seat of the central government. Tlie same 
