it so great when not performed as a task, and the laborer is allowed to withdraw at the first signal of approaching disease. The Indians are besides, liable to a great many personal services, not so unhealthy but equally oppressive. The revolution has uniformly relieved them from all of these: one of the first steps on the part of the patriots being to publish by proclamation, the entire liberation of the Indians from every species of thraldrom, and placing him upon the same footing as to political and civil rights with all other citizens. 1 have in my possession curious specimens of these decrees printed in the three principal native languages of La Plata, the Guarany, Aymara, and Quechu. Every change in these devoted countries cannot but be for the better.

merce.

The outline I have sketched of the Spanish colonial policy, would be incomplete without some account of the course pursued with respect to its comThe first years of the discovery of America, were almost exclusively taken up in a restless search after the precious metals, while sober and regular industry was dispersed. Immense sums were extorted from the Mexicans and the Peruvians, while the richest mines of the universe were laid open to the avarice of the conquerors. With the exception of Mexico and Peru, and the fabled eldorado, America was neglected. It was natural for the Spaniards to sup-pose, that the exhaustless treasures of the new world, would enable them to dispense with those arts, which other nations, less fortunate, were compelled to pursue as the means of obtaining that which their discoveries and conquests had enabled them at once to possess: ignorant of the principles now so firmly established

in political economy by the experience of mankind, that labor and industry alone constitute real wealth, and that the nations most excelling in these, will always have the precious metals at their command. It is a singular fact, now universally acknowledged, that of all the nations of Europe, Spain has been the least really and substantially benefitted by the discovery of the wonderful treasures of America; because they have induced her to neglect those arts without which every nation must be poor.

It is impossible that any nation can be prosperous where agriculture, commerce, and manufactures do not flourish. These arts so essential to national prosperity, were contemned by the Spanish colonial system. A jealous exclusion of all foreigners from these regions, where like the cavern of Aladin, the wealth of the universe was thought to be deposited, was considered necessary; and with this design, commerce was incompatible. At the same time, with a view to secure to the metropolis all the precious metals of America, the Spanish government conceived the visionary project, of making the colonies, or rather conquests, dependent for all the necessaries and luxuries of life. The policy was to confine the colonies to the search of the precious metals, and the preparation of a few valuable products peculiar to the new world; and these were to centre in the metropolis. Agriculture and manufactures were therefore prohibited, excepting where it was absolutely impossible to dispense with them. It has already been remarked as a singular circumstance, that the Spaniards in America for nearly two centuries after its discovery, did little more than occupy the ancient seats of the half civi

lized aborigines, in the interior of the continent, and along the sides of the Andes. They were thus placed partly for the same reasons; there was little or nothing to attract them to the sea board, as would have been the case, if a free and constant intercourse had been kept up with the other parts of the globe. Those portions of America, where the precious metals were not abundant, as in Venezuela and La Plata, were extremely late in obtaining any importance, because the numerous restrictions imposed on commerce, rendered their agricultural products of little or no value.* It was not until the example presented by the colonies of other nations, forced itself upon the attention of Spain, together with other circumstances if possible still more potent, that she reluctantly relaxed somewhat of her policy, although the state of things which existed when it was first adopted, had entirely changed. The expulsion of the Moors, the loss of the Netherlands and of the Italian possessions, rendered it no longer possible to supply America with articles of European manufacture, or to carry her products to profitable markets. An incapacity which increased with her growth, for she grew in spite of a polcy, the most vexatious and oppressive that can be imagined.

* Dr. Moreno states that wheat had been used for the purpose of filling the mud holes in the streets of Buenos Ayres! Humboldt tells us that but a small portion of the products of New Spain can be carried to market-the remainder perishes. In Caraccas and Buenos Ayres, immense quantities of hides and other produce, previous to the temporary opening of trade to neutrals in 1798, were stored in the magazines for want of vent. In this state of things, what encouragement to the cultivation of the earth? See Dr. Moreno's pamphlet on the subject of free trade.

For more than a century, the whole commerce of Spanish America centered in the city of Seville. No vessel was permitted to sail for America, without first being examined at this port, to which she was in like manner compelled to return. A policy originating in the jealousy of all intercourse with the Spanish Indies. Fortunately that jealousy could not counteract the laws of nature, however it might cramp and embarrass their operations. The wants of the Indies came to be supplied by those very foreigners whom Spain was so studious of excluding from any participation in their trade. It gave rise to that most extraordinary practice of smuggling, whose effect was to place Spain in a worse situation in respect to her colonies, than every other nation which thought proper to take advantage of her folly. Before the contraband system had been completely organized, the products of America, with the exception of her gold and silver, were worth absolutely nothing; because of the total want of competition between the different ports of Spain, as well as between the different nations of Europe; while European manufactures bore such enormous prices, that none but those who were engaged in robbing the Indians of their gold, or in compelling them to dig for it in the mines, could afford to purchase. The temptations which were therefore held out to commercial men of all nations, was such as to justify almost every risk.

So deeply was the interest of the Americans enlisted in favor of the contraband, that it became a matter of honor to render it every assistance in their power. It was in vain that religion was brought in to aid its suppression, or that smuggling was denounced as a mortal sin, and the clergy forbidden to

give absolution to any one who should be guilty of this offence. "There is no time worse employed," says Depons, "than that which the priest spends in making this publication; there is no act in the whole ecclesiastic liturgy which makes less impression on the Spaniard." It was no less the interest of the whole swarm of officers, from the viceroy down to the meanest centinel, whose object was to make the most of their situations, to assist in the pious work of practising these frauds (if they deserve that name) upon the king; and probably the king himself, was ultimately more benefitted in the breach of his laws than in their observance, if we take into view the increase and advancement of his American possessions. But kings are apt to be short sighted, and to look only to their own immediate advantage, whatever may be thought by those who are fond of them; and the reason of this is given by Miribeau, in one short sentence, "kings perish, but the people are immortal.”

Bribery and corruption, became by this means intimately interwoven with every thing relating to colonial transactions, and contributed much to mitigate the rigor of the system, which if enforced, would have completely checked the progress of the Spanish settlements.* It is natural to expect, that when com

* But this mitigation was far from producing in all respects the effects of regular commerce; it is observed by a Spanish writer, Filangieri: "in this case the exclusive commerce must become injurious to the merchants of the metropolis, as well as ruinous to the colonies; for a clandestine commerce is only beneficial to a few bold and avaricious contrabandists, who taking advantage of the existing laws, rob both the metropolis and the colonies."