land undergone a change as to the emancipation of these countries from Spain? That she can have no hope of obtaining any direct dominion over them, is certain; but, can Spain give any thing like an equivalent to what England would gain by the emancipation of the colonies? Wherever the standard of revolution is raised, Englishmen are crowding in, and introducing their manufactures; and they calculate on obtaining in this way, almost as strong a hold upon them, as the Spaniards. Thousands of English families will emigrate to South America and become connected with the natives, by this means introducing English habits and predilections. The hope of accomplishing this, is a permanent advantage of too much importance to be slighted. I must confess, I cannot see that any thing has occurred to change their policy, although it may now be necessary to conceal it with a deeper dissimulation.

Some apparent confusion exists in the political divisions of the United Provinces; a few explanatory remarks, may not be unnecessary. This confusion arises from the mistake of confounding some of the smaller subdivisions or jurisdictions, with those which properly come under the denomination of provinces, and considered members of the union, governed in the manner prescribed by the provisional statute. It must be borne in mind, that the viceroyalty was divided into two audiencias, four intendencies included in each; four in the lower country, and the like number in Upper Peru. Each of the eight intendencies, had their subordinate jurisdictions, with lieutenantgovernors and sub-delegadoes.

In the audiencia of Buenos Ayres, the term, in

tendency, is no longer used, that of province, having taken its place; and at the same time, the number of provinces were increased in 1814, after the capture of Monte Video, by the division of some of the intendencies. For instance, Cuyo and Tucuman were taken from Cordova; Santa Fee, Monte Video and Corrientes, were taken from Buenos Ayres.

Five new provinces were therefore laid off; making the present number nine, (including Paraguay,) instead of four. They are Salta, Tucuman, Cordova, Cuyo, Buenos Ayres, Paraguay, Santa Fee, Corrientes, and Monte Video.

They are called free provinces, because the Spanish authorities have ceased to exist, although, during the contest, Salta and Tucuman were, for a short time, the seats of war; but for the last three or four years, the Spanish arms have been confined to Upper Peru.

The Portuguese, in their war with Artigas, have taken possession of part of the province of Monte Video, but with the avowed intention of refraining from hostilities against those provinces which are at present united.

Of the nine provinces, all are united except Paraguay, Santa Fee, Corrientes, and Monte Video. The first entered into an amicable arrangement with Buenos Ayres, at the commencement of the revolution, but has since resolved to keep aloof from all parties; and is, therefore, to be regarded as a neutral, excepting so far as respects Spain. Since Santa Fee has withdrawn itself, the town and immediate vicinity, only, have been free from the jurisdiction of Buenos Ayres, as all the rest of the province has been subjected to the control of the general government. Part of the

Entre Rios was under the jurisdiction of Corrientes, and part of Santa Fee. The people however, of

Santa Fee, Entre Rios, Monte Video, are in favor of joining the confederacy, when they can do it on such terms as they think to their interests, whatever may be the intentions of Artigas, who at present governs them. What may be the ultimate wish of Paraguay, is not known.

Confusion has been occasioned, by the circumstance of some of the subordinate districts being entitled to one or more representatives in congress, and, on that account, considered as provinces, by persons not acquainted with the nature of these divisions. They are, for all the purposes of municipal government, dependent on some province, or member of the union. Thus Catamarca and Jujuy are subordinate jurisdictions of Salta, and San Juan and San Fernando, subordinate to Cuyo.

The comparative importance of the provinces, in point of number and extent of territory, which compose the union, with those not included, may be seen by the following table; but the difference in point of information, public spirit, wealth, commerce, agriculture, and whatever contributes to the respectability of a people, is still greater in favor of the provinces of the union.

With respect to Paraguay, the estimate only includes those coming under the denomination of Spaniards; the Indians civilized or uncivilized, are excluded in this instance, as well as in the others.

The five provinces of the union contain four hundred and fifty thousand souls, exclusive of Indians, and about six hundred thousand square miles; little short of the whole extent of our old thirteen states.

Those not of the union, but friendly, one hundred and forty thousand souls, and seventy-five thousand square miles.

Those not of the union, and unfriendly, fifty thousand souls, and one hundred thousand square miles; parts of the territory and population, under the Portuguese.

It is necessary to observe that, with respect to the population, as no census has ever been properly taken, the estimates differ exceedingly. From the imperfect data on which these estimates are founded, in all the Spanish colonies, nothing else could be expected; both Depons and Humboldt, have lamented this defect,

and both seem to agree, that the population is, invariably, underrated.

It is also to be remarked, that, in the ordinary estimates, the civilized Indians are frequently omitted, and the uncivilized never noticed at all. Of those who are counted as Spaniards, there is a considerable proportion of the mixed race, as by the laws of the Indies, after the fifth remove, they are enrolled in the class before-mentioned; but in their features, complexion, and habits of life, there is little or no difference between them and the immediate descendants of European Spaniards: unless it be, that they generally display more genius and native energy of character. These circumstances produce considerable shades of difference. In Paraguay, for instance, the Guarany language may be said to predominate. "Throughout the Spanish settlements in Paraguay, Guarany is the language which children learn from their mothers and their nursss; and which, owing to the great mixture of native blood, and the number of Indians in slavery, or in service, is almost exclusively used. Even in the city of Assumption, sermons were better understood in Guarany than in Spanish; and many women of Spanish name and Spanish extraction, did not understand the language of their fathers." This was written nearly a century ago, but, according to Azara, the change has not been great. "Those who inhabit the province of Buenos Ayres, are more properly composed of continual accessions from Europe, than from a mixture with the Indians; who, in this part of the country; never were numerous; it is on this account they speak Spanish. On the contrary, the Spaniards of Paraguay, and