folly has practised to excite our enmity; to the whole world we are becoming each day more useful, and even necessary.

If our independence was an event of such magnitude, so universally interesting, how important must the independence of the whole continent-the whole of the new world appear! In us the birth of a nation was hailed, by the rest of mankind, with enthusiastic joy; we are now about to behold the birth of empires. Eighteen millions of souls are now struggling to be free; unable to act conjointly, yet all concurring in their efforts to shake off the European yoke. We behold the inhabitants of regions, which for centuries have furnished wealth to stimulate the industry not only of Europe and America, but even of Asia, about to take their mighty destinies into their own hands-about to give a full developement to their resources-to establish governments, and most probably on the best and wisest models-to form a chain of confederacies, united by a thousand communities, not of family, but of wise and useful intercourse; in fine, to prepare the way for the most splendid revolution that has ever been witnessed on the earth. Mighty must be the revolution which will be effected by nearly half the habitable world, when suffered without restraint to unfold its resources and augment its population. Nations are no more formed for solitary existence than men ; it is the continued intercourse and commerce with different countries which civilises mankind, and lays open the career of enterprise and industry. What nation is there that could be blotted out from the map without injury to all that should remain? This intercourse gave bread to thousands, nay, gave life to thousands who would never have been called into existence. How interesting then to all nations the birth of the American Empires, whose commerce will soon add incalculably to the fund upon which the industry of the world may draw! A scene more magnificent never "burst on the eye of philosophy." Past events have sufficiently proved, that under the government of Spain this great work can never be accomplished; like a decrepit and worthless hag, she has been an incubus on South America. With one of the finest countries in Europe, if deprived of the colonies and compelled merely to use those advanages in her future intercourse with them in the way Great Britain has done with the United States, she may yet be regenerated, and become more wealthy and respectable than she would be with all the gold and silver of America, bestowed upon her idleness and sloth. The discovery of America has already produced wonderful effects; but when we compare these effects with what must ultimately take place, they seem but as the first dawn of a glorious day. No one can contemplate the future state of America without having his mind filled with the most magnificent ideas and the

most sublime anticipations, Hitherto it has been a discovery locked up.

The separation of the American colonies has been regarded by men of foresight as an event that in the course of time would happen, in spite of every precaution to prevent it. There is nothing more natural than to suppose, that when the vast tracts of country on this side of the Atlantic should attain a population proportioned to their extent, this must so far surpass that of the colonising state, that this last would become the mere satellite. The colonies could not be persuaded to remain the subordinate and inferior, when the old state had fallen into comparative insignificance. Suppose all the rest of Europe removed to the distance of three thousand miles from Spain should be found in a colonial subjection to this power. The very suggestion of the idea exhibits its absurdity. When James I, united the crown of Scotland to that of England, some expressed an apprehension that England would become a province; 'the very reverse of which, was the natural consequence. In politics, as in astronomy, it is a law of Nature that the smaller bodies revolve around the larger. The moment, the colony exceeded the ancient state in numbers, and at the same time was not greatly inferior in spirit and intelligence, the ancient state must necessarily. take the place before occupied by the colony, or a separation ensue. There is another reason for this tendency to separation :-the colony and the ancient state must in time become distinct nations; the difference of character and occupations, arising from the difference of climate and from the nature of the countries, which they occupy; considerable changes in the language and manners in both, owing to the want of frequent intercourse, would soon produce essential distinctions. Added to this, the offensive arrogance of the European, who fancies himself a superior being, as coming immediately from the original and purer fountain of the race, looking down with contempt and despising the degenerate natives, who, in turn, would naturally feel indignation at the self-sufficiency and insolence of the stranger. Of this we had no little experience in our own country; before the revolutionary war, every Englishman thought himself entitled to allegiance from every American, and the natural deviation from English manners was considered a proof of degeneracy. This very readily accounts for much of that unfriendly feeling which has existed between this country and England, and which to superficial observers appears unnatural. If the mere circumstance of living in a distant country, and adopting different habits, will in a few years bring about so great a diversity, this must be still greater where there is an actual difference of race. In the United States, we have numbers from all the different nations

of Europe; in South America, it is true, the colonists were more generally from the colonising state; but the difference was more than made up by the numbers of the civilised Indians, who still formed a great proportion of the population of many parts; and these in time became intermixed with the European Spaniards and their descendants, thus forming a distinct people. The natives of the country could without difficulty intermingle, and have common feelings with these their countrymen ; while the Europeans, who could not form any great proportion of the whole, would be looked upon as strangers, as foreigners, at least, until they had been long settled in the colony; had families, and had become identified or amalgamated in the mass. The more the colony increased its numbers, and the longer it continued a colony, the farther would it be removed, in point of feeling, from the ancient state; the weaker therefore, the ties to that state, and the greater the difficulty of retaining it in subjection. When the habit, the charm, or magic, of dependence was once broken, the ancient state would be regarded in the same light as any other foreign power, and its attempts to bring back the colonies to subjection considered in the same light as the invasion of any other enemy. Hence it is, that the natives of -North and South America have become patriots, defenders of their 'native soil; while Spain is acting the part of an invader, and amuses -herself with the belief that she is endeavouring to quell the insurrection of a neighboring province, in which there still remains the -latent feelings of affection, like those of a disobedient child toward its parent. Spain is not engaged in reducing the revolt of Valencia or Catalonia, but she is carrying on a war against a distant nation, or nutions, with the greatest possible disadvantage. Nothing can exceed the folly of such an attempt. For even if she should -be successful for the present, can she produce a change in their *minds? She might as well think of making war on the elements. The time is not very distant, when in the course of nature they -must be independent.

It is very evident that the Spanish colonies had long ago become a very different people from the European Spaniards; and as the natural consequence, mutual dislikes and jealousies would be cherished. They must have long since felt that they were a people held in subjection. They could naturally ask, "how long does Spain mean to consider us as appendages to her monarchy, as slaves fastened to the wheels of her chariot to swell her vanity and pomp? -Are we to be colonies for ever? Must we renounce all hope of being able to claim some of the honors of our beloved native soil of being permitted to improve and ornament the birth place of our ancestors, our own homes, the only country" which possesses our -affections, the residence of our friends and relations? Are we to be

restricted in all our enterprises by strangers, who come to us as it were from another planet, who have no ties amongst us, and are indifferent to the prosperity and improvement of our country? Shall we tamely submit to these task-masters who will not permit us to use what is our own, and who carry away the fruits of our industry we know not whither ?" The only answer that could be made by the oppressor, would be short and simple, “I have the power." This is denied. The madness, the pride, the obstinacy of Spain, is not yet satisfied, but the world is satisfied that a people who can defend themselves for ten years, will be able to defend themselves for ever.

The

The policy of Spain necessarily tended to create and to increase this deep-rooted enmity. Its government would soon be considered as an odious usurpation. The most pleasing subject of the thoughts and conversation of the colonists, would be-their liberation from this political bondage. They would look to the day which would bring about this so much desired event, with something like religious devotion. There is nothing more natural than the prevalence of such wishes. Even in extensive monarchies, which have the advantage of contiguity, or which have but slight separations, there is a constant tendency to fall by their own weight. In Cicero's orations against Verres, we have a fine picture of the thousand impositions to which the remote provinces must necessarily be subject; the vexations practised by the almost irresponsible viceroys, governors, and sub-agents, sent to govern, or rather rob, are without end. Nothing can remedy the want of a centre of power, an original fountain of authority of their own. A country thus separated, without a government of its own, is a world without a sun. distance from the metropolis renders it impossible to have feelings in common with it, or but few. No empire, therefore, of extensive territory, and particularly when separated by oceans, can be of long duration, unless divided into separate states, each possessing its own centre of power, to which the sympathy, passions, and interests of the people are attracted. Besides being in this manner removed from the metropolis, which rendered it impossible for the people of America to have this community of feeling with the Europeans, and which enabled the imported governors and dignitaries to practise their abuses with impunity, they were separated by an ocean of a thousand leagues. By placing the Americans at such a distance from Europe, nature seems to have forbidden their becoming dependencies, plantations, or appendages of petty European states. The king of Brazils acted a wise part in transporting his court and government to his American possessions, and converting the ancient seat of empire into a province; his American possessions had grown too considerable to remain as a distinct co

lony; and although his form of government is not such as we should prefer to see generally prevail in America, it is yet much better than if he had attempted to retain them in the colonial state. He must, however, hasten to identify his interests with those of America-he must cease to be European-he must escape from the trammels of European politics, or he will find his position an uneasy one. I should be glad to see the breach between him and Spain still further widened, and at the same time a good healthy rejection of the interference of the allies in the affairs of America. The royal family of Spain would have acted wisely for its own interests in transporting itself to Mexico; and even George the Third might have retained his American colonies, and by this time have been master of the new world, had he transferred his crown from the island of Great Britain to the American continent.

Spain has been well aware of this disposition or tendency to separation on the part of the colonies, and to establish governments of their own. She knew that the colonial state was a forced one, and too unnatural to last for ever. She had had, everywhere, - frequent indications of the dispositions of the people which she could not mistake. They were gradually becoming ripe for a sepa ration, in spite of all the precautions she could devise to retard this so much dreaded state. An event, however, in which she took some share (actuated no doubt by the desire of being freed from her ambitious neighbors the English) served, contrary to her expectations, to hasten this maturity. This was the successful emancipation of the United States. To avoid one evil she encouraged another even more pernicious. Her colonies could not behold without uneasiness, the full enjoyment of the blessings of self-government and a free constitution in adjoining colonies. The imprisoned are tormented by the desire to escape, as much by the natural love of liberty, as by the sight of others in the enjoyment of it. The precautions of Spain for the preservation of her colonies were in consequence increased; and their dissatisfaction increased in the same proportion. All the pains which were taken to prevent the introduction of liberal principles into her colonies were in vain; the importation of goods may be prohibited, but thoughts will find their way like the rays of light; it is as vain to forbid the spreading of knowledge as to forbid the sun to shine. The true principles of liberty, which have at last escaped abroad, can never be consigned to the tomb of secresy. The art of printing will, in time, effect the liberty of the press; and wherever this liberty prevails, despotism is at an end. These principles shook Europe to its centre; and, although restrained at length, in some measure they are still silently working their way. They found their way at last to the more natural clime of Southern America; and we have