167_133.xml

Title: [[clxvii. 133] 1820. July 28.]

Description: [clxvii. 133]

1820. July 28.

Rid yourselves of Ultramaria

'.6. Representative no security to Creoles

nothing about the matter?- So much for intellectual aptitude. now as to appropriate probity - appropriate moral aptitude. The constitutional honey moon at an end,- the warmth of social sympathy evaporated, and self regard with its calculations left,- what, with reference to the members of the Executive, will the Spanish American Members of the Cortes be? Instead of vigilant inspectors, they will have become creatures and instruments.

Enter into the Cortes - now at the present time, July 1820 - a company of men, styling themselves representatives of the several Spanish American Provinces, received as such, probably, by the representatives of the Spanish Provinces, received as such, at any rate, by the Members of the Executive Government: of the Junta by which they were got together. But, in point of fact, by whom have they been chosen? By the people of the several provinces of which they are stiled Representatives? no: not so much as in a single instance. By whom then? In the instance of each seat, and of each Election, by some, or at least by all, those natives of the province in question who, at the time, happened to be present on the spot:- on the spot - not in any instance any where in Spanish Aperica; but in every instance somewhere or other in Spain. Thus much as to the description of the Constituents. Then as to freedom. In those several instances was the Election free? That it was so, it can scarcely, on any sufficient grounds, be easy for any to say, even in Spain: here in England it is impossible. Thus much, however, may be said,- and said in any part of the world,- and with incontestable truth:- that in no instance, in which the votes were given in any other than the secret mode, is it possible that the Election should have been free. Be this as it may, in what state of mind is it that they will have entered the chamber of the Cortes? If not of direct promises, brim full of hopes and fears imbibed from the two constituted authorities: from the members of the Junta to which they owe their title to be received; from their Spanish colleagues, to whom they owe their being actually received.

I could not know exactly, in what way the [...?] Representative was got up: And what is sufficient, it can not have ben got up as presented in the Constitution:

No wonder if, by a Cortes so composed, the voice of the Royal Proclamation to the american Subjects should be echoed. "Subjects" (they will be told) they must continue: subjects to the dMonarch of Spain, and to every Monarch of Spain - not forgetting his advisers present or late: subjects, who, in case of disobedience are to "feel all those terrible effects, to be expected from national indignation, and a justly offended government". Echoed? Good: so much for command. But obedience - will it follow: no: unless, in Spanish America the state of human feelings is directly opposite ot what it is in Spain. If

averse

JB_167_257.xml

Title: [[clxvii. 257] 1821 March 20]

Description: [clxvii. 257]

1821 March 20

Rid Yourselves

Part I

To Ultramarians share in

Spanish Cortes worthless

Lett Representation no security

Five if in a Preface. In regard to matters of fact the nature of my situation can not but have led me into error to an amount more or less considerable. Your evidence will make such allowance as shall be found due.

'. Representation no security. By no share that is or can be given to them in the composition of a body of representatives of the people sitting in Spain, can the Ultramarians be brought to a willing and permanent submission to the dominion.

Spaniards!

By the Constitution, as it stands, an effectual security is given to the Ultramarians against the being taxed for money to be sent to Spain to contribute to the opulence or force of the peninsular, or to bestow it upon Spaniards sent from thence. This, I flatter myself I have rendered sufficiently manifest to you: an effectual security, namely that under the Constitution, unless the latent despotism has to be deduced from it, be considered as a part of it, no pecuniary contribution can be received from them without their own free consent: This /which/ consent, no adequate inducement being before them, they will not continue, any of them, if ever they begin, to give.

But having already in their hands this security, and this so effectual one, against all taxation, no security which by a share in the composition of the Spanish Cortes is, or could be given to them, would be of any value in the eye of an uninterested observer, still less would it be in their eyes.

167_124.xml

Title: [[clxvii. 124] Removed 6 Aug. 1821]

Description: [clxvii. 124]

Removed 6 Aug. 1821

1820

Rid yourselves of Ultramaria

Lett. 19 Aversion Causes and New Lights

Under the former government the "object" or "end" of Government was the happiness of one man in the nation: an object in the securing of which more than a fourth part of the whole of the expenditure of government as we have seen to be employed. Under the new Constitution (Art 13) this "object" or "end" is the "happiness of the nation"; that is "of all individuals of which it is composed": consequently, in so far as the greatest happiness of any one portion is incompatible with the greatest happiness of any other, the object is - the greatest happiness of the greatest number. But, as compared with Spaniards, Spanish Americans (you will see) are the greatest number: or if not yet, can not fail soon to be.

Unless, then, these laws are a dead letter, every man who, in these several territories, regards himself as aggrieved, by any one of the arrangements made for the purpose of giving advantage to Spain at the expense of Spanish America or any part of it, will under Article 371, take every opportunity of declaring and making known as much to every other, and, moreover, if it be worthwhile, (under Article 373) to the King or to the Cortes. But, as you have seen, every man in Spanish America will really have been aggrieved: aggrieved not only by taxes, and all other such arrangements, as have in view the affording to Spain, at the expense of all the inhabitants of the country of which he is inhabitant, advantage, in this or that determinate and assignable shape, but by other arrangements in abundance, not having, any of them, in view any such determinate and particular advantage: that is to say, not having in view any advantage more particular than that which will be regarded as compassed by the several arrangements which have for their object that all - comprehensive one, consisting in the maintenance of that same dominion, the indispensable source of every particular advantage, which, under and by virtue of it, can, at any time, be endeavoured to be reaped.

 Insert here or postpone?

With such real, such ample, such universally applying cause of discontent, pervading the whole of Spanish America,- with such cause of discontent, and at the same time such unprecedented and uncontroulable means of expressing and propogating it, think whether it would be long, ere, through the several stages of disaffection and disobedience, the discontent would have ripened into revolt.

Think, accordingly, whether, with such a prospect before their eyes, your rulers, consistently either with personal interest or even with public prudence, could, by any demonstration of submission and attachment manifested at the outset, by Spanish America, even supposing those demonstrations not only universal, but, at the moment, even universally sincere,