Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/198

162 MEXICO. less account. Suspicions were no longer admitted as sufficient ground for depriving an accused Creole of his liberty. Proofs were required by the Constitutional Alcaldes, whose jurisdic- tion replaced, in most cases, that of the Audiencia ; and these proofs were most critically weighed, by men, who had, in ge- neral, been recommended, by their known predilection for the cause of the Revolution, to fill those offices, which entitled them to judge of the inclinations and loyalty, of others. Thus, under the safeguard of the new institutions, disaffec- tion became every day more prevalent ; and, neither the suc- cesses of the Royal army in the field, nor the exertions of two Viceroys, who undoubtedly possessed very superior talents, could give to Spain any prospect of permanently suppressing the Revolution. The assiduity of Don Carlos Bustamante, whom I have had occasion to mention frequently as the historian of the Revolution, has rescued from oblivion two most interesting State papers, which were found in the archives of the Vice- royalty. The one, is a representation addressed by the Au- diencia of Mexico to the Cortes, on the 18th of November, 1813; and the other, a confidential letter of the Viceroy Cal- leja, (who succeeded V enegas, on the 4th of March, 1813,) to the King, on His release from captivity, dated a year later, but referring to the same period, and passing in review nearly the same events. Of the genuineness of these documents no doubt cati be entertained ; and they present so striking a pic- ture of the effect produced by a little relaxation of those bonds, by which the Colonies had been previously kept in subjection, that I must recommend them most particularly to my readers, who will find a translation of both, annexed to the Appendix.* They are worthy of attention, not merely as disclosing the secret springs of the Revolution, but, as proving that, for many years before any intercourse with the Colonies, on the part of Foreign powers, was attempted, the Vide Appendix^ Letters C and D.