Undeceived in their impression that Spain was the first empire of the world, and that the other powers of Europe were tributary to her, they became indignant at the deception, and soon learned to despise a power they had hitherto blindly reverenced.
New opinions like these soon displayed themselves, and although the hand of power smothered the flame, it could not extinguish the internal fire, which stole along, enlarging its boundaries on every side, until it had formed no inconsiderable mass of combustible matter, ready for ignition. But hitherto there had been little ground of complaint. Tyrannical as was the colonial system of Spain, its administration was generally mild, and at so great a distance from the seat of power, the most disagreeable edicts were easily evaded. The wealthier families, some of whom had purchased patents of nobility, assumed the title of noblesse, and by their attentions and flatteries gained the ear of the Viceroys, through whom they governed in their own way, without fear of control. These engrossed every office, from the highest to the lowest. Nothing was too high to escape their grasp, or too low to be beneath their notice. About the time of the revolution, a list was published of the sixty-four offices to which salaries were annexed
