1822 April 30 th

Rid yourselves

Part II Lett. 3. Appeals unendurable

In this case - nay in almost all cases - distance suffices

of itself to render anything better than despotism and misrule impossible.

Suppose in any province, a functionary sent by your rulers to act in the character

of Governor: supposing him capable of maintaining himself in that character and

maintaining himself accordingly be he who he may, abuse in the opposite shape can not

fail to be abundant: abuse, to the injury of the inhabitants; and abuse to the injury

of your government: to the injury of its dominion - of the pretended expectation of

profit from it, to you in the shape of pecuniary

contributions: to the injury of its dominion, always supposing the existence of it.

Here then is injury. Well then. Against depredation or oppression in any other shape,

shall complaint be made? complaint produces irritation; irritation, vengeance, fresh

cause of complaint, and so on without end. Contrary to all probability, at the end of

half a year, a whole year, or two years, at the hands of the Gobierno through the

medium of the Cortes and the Monarch, suppose an order for redress issued and

received. An individual had been thrown into prison: an order has arrived for his

relaease. For his release? but when? some few months after the day on which Death

without waiting for signature and counter-signature had effected it. Meantime fresh

oppressions have been exercised: oppressions destined or not destined to be followed

by orders for relief. Unfortunately, between the pace of oppression and that of

relief the difference is considerable. Oppression follows oppression at the distance

of a day. Relief follows oppression at the distance of 365 days: oppression is a

dromedary: Relief a tortoise.

As it is with the inhabitants of Ultramaria, so is it with the Government in Europe:

against the Governor in Ultramaria - the Governor who, if there be any limitation to

his power might as well have none, both are equally powerless: destitute of all

effectual

{Note in pencil}

JB. to W.E L. These two supplemental pages are sent without having been confronted

with the four original pages the contents of which were not remembered when these

were written. Should there be any repetition or inconsistency I must trust to you for

the correction of it.