1820. Sept. 6

Emancipation Spanish

'. 10. Amendment impossible

Such is the impossibility of timely correction of any abuse of the delgated power

[...?] in those distant regions . Now for an example /a conception/ of the

consequences

A recent incident comes to my aid. A Minister of the King A Secretary /One of the

Secretaries of/ State and dispatch - the Secretary at War sends to Cadiz an order for

the disbanding of the Army - of the /that/ Army by which the first declaration in

favour of the Constitution was made. The Cortes is sitting: the order is revoked: the

Minister displaced. Now suppose no Cortes sitting: the time chosen for the order,

that on which the sitting having but just terminated, anarchy so far as depends on

the vacation of /absence of/ the Cortes has the longest range. For the maintenance of

the Constitution, the further continuance of that Army, for a longer or shorter

portion of time seens to have been regarded as necessary. Suppose it so: the Army

disbanded what more would you have seen or Constitution or Cortes? The Constitution

could have been burnt by the hands of the hangman, and, the Members of this second

Cortes would have been dealt with as those of the first were.

Now suppose [...?] governed /Buenos Ayres kept in subjection/ by a Spanish army, and

an order /a [...?]/ sent from Madrid to disband it. Sent by a Minister, but, no

matter by what motive in the giving to the province independence, or transferring it

to other hands: to the Brasilian Government for instance. Responsible to the Cortes

responsible by Art. was the Minister by whom this order was sent. of This

responsibility what could

be the effect.

Blaquiere's Letter 26 Aug 1820

Art. 222