Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/547

 APPENDIX. 507 the elections ^oultl be determined by the love of their country* In lieu of this, a love of Independence and anarchy has prevailed ; and on this account the Ayuntamiento is composed of vile creatures, either posi- tively committed in the rebellioii, or at least, undistinguished by any pretensions to patriotism. 193. — It is with deep concern that the undersigned American members of the tribunal observe, that out of 652 appointments made by the people in Mexico in different elections, not one has fallen upon an European ! 194-. — In like manner the European Oidores declare, that not one of the many Americans of known virtues and patriotism, who are the ho- nour of this capital, was thought worthy of one of these appointments. 198. — The establishment of the Provincial Juntas only serves to im- pede the measures, which, in the present state of things. Government must often take ; and, in common with all others, the election of the individuals who are to compose them, must be attended with the four following serious inconveniences :— First, the extreme difficulty of legally qualifying a real citizen. — Second, the more than probability that all Americans of real merit, and all Europeans, will be excluded.— Third, the well-founded fear that the choice of the people will fall upon men of suspicious character, or decided enemies to their country ; and Fourth, the extreme and unavoidable danger of general meetings of the in- habitants. 211.. — The change in the administration of justice has not been less disadvantageous. Since the establishment of the Jueces de Letras, in lieu of the old Alcaldes de Corte, y de Barrio, — all the impeachments on suspicion of treason, or disaffection, which the comniittee of public secu- rity so often brought before the Viceroy, or the criminal court, have ceased. 215. — This would be a happy event, if there were no delinquents; but, unfortunately, the activity of our magistrates has been paralyzed at the very moment when there are more traitors than ever. The sentinels in Mexico are fired at in the very centre of the town, nor can a soldier leave the gates without being lassoed. 232. — The sum of all that has been stated here is, that an error in policy, and the misfortunes of the Mother-country, first caused the idea of Independence to be conceived here : That this idea began to develope itself in 1808, in the claim preferred by the Ayuntamiento of Mexico, and countenanced by certain individuals, — to exercise sovereign autho- rity ; That this claim was preferred, and could be preferred, with no other object as is confessed by the rebels in their official papers: — That the Europeans checked the progress of these machinations, by deposing that writes, and consequently that the words " patriotism, and love of their country," mean love of the Peninsula, and not of Mexico.
 * I must again observe, that it is a body composed entirely of old Spaniards