themselves bowed beneath the cruel yoke of despotic governors, who are often sent out to oppress them.
The disturbances and commotions which have now commenced will not cease until the motives for discontent are removed. It would be acting contrary to nature to endeavour to put a stop to effects, while the causes which necessarily produce them are still in existence.
The flame might be extinguished in some of the Provinces, but it would appear in another; and while the remedy is applied to one, it would return to the other. It would not be sufficient even to destroy all the inhabitants of America, and convey a new population there, because the sons of those who must necessarily be born there, (it being impossible to send all the women to be confined in Europe,) would love their native soil, and be equally indignant at the oppression to which they would find themselves subjected.
Why is not this to be remedied, when your Majesty can do it with such trifling sacrifices, as we have shown? Is it possible that the wish to continue to regard the Americas as colonies, although the name has been abolished, should prevail against the philanthropy, the liberality, and knowledge of the National Congress?
This would be to act in such a way that the blame must fall upon the nation, which, till now, has been imputed only to the Government.Cadiz, 1st August, 1811.
(Signed) Vicente Meraleo,
B. (2.)
REPRESENTATION ADDRESSED TO THE CORTES BY THE AUDIENCIA OF MEXICO.—DATED 18TH NOVEMBER, 1813.
This exposé, which consists of 270 paragraphs, is one of the most valuable of the state papers which the assiduity of Don Carlos Bustamante has rescued from oblivion. It is too long, and contains too many details of merely local interest, to be
