[clxvii. 104]

1821 March 26

Rid Yourselves

'.10 Anti-constitutional evil

10. Consumption of Cortes time

Demands for time. 1. Complaints of the distribution of time, as between Spain and Ultramaria. 2. as between province & province in Ultramaria. 3. Recourse to Spain for redress and improvement in Ultramaria

' Anti-constitutional evil the fourth. Consumption of the time of the Cortes, otherwise insufficient for their duties Addition to the consumption of the otherwise insufficient time of the Cortes. Consumption of Cortes' time.

Ultramaria out of the question, especially while now when the form of government is new, and affairs of all kinds remain to be settled - the whole field of legislature laid out and covered all the months in the year /in which of the time contained in the year/ would not have been too large an allowance. For what reason passes any conjecture of the quantum of time thus demanded /in demand/ The founder of your Constitutional Code /Penner of that Code of yours immutable/ /unamendable/ have left but one fourth part or at most but one third. This sad mistake I have already had recourse to hold up to view. Scarce had I /I had but just/ finished my exposition /expression/ of the unavoidable ill /evil/ consequences of this double shortsightedness when they began to be severly felt. Precluded from the open exercise of its authority condemned if not to sleep to the appearance of it the sovereign body continued awake as it were by stealth, sitting incognito, sleeping in the place as in one of our mock tragedies sleeping dog-sleep.

Determined upon doing that which was not in its power determining to encrease trade by prohibitions and restriction it cut matters short and for want of time to take a view of them before hard gave looks to that train of disastrous consequences which while this pen is moving are so severely felt.