Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/548

 508 APPEN DIX. the Viceroy, who protected them, from whence proceeded the infernal hatred conceived by the rebels against them, — a hatred, of which they have given evidence, by the murders, and other atrocities, committed in the very outset of the rebellion, and which admit of no other explana- tion. That the second great error, was the not sending out instantly a Viceroy of energy, activity, and experience ; in lieu of which, a weak and unjust Government was allowed to exhaust the remains of that moral force, which had, till then, maintained the tranquillity of the country; and thus to afford room for the revival of the former projects : — That if the wisdom of the first Regency gave to Mexico a Viceroy of a very dif- ferent character, it was no longer time to prevent an explosion, although it rendered its consequences less fatal : — That, as a necessaiy consequence, the rebels were forced to seek impunity for their crimes in a Revolution, the cause of which has constantly been the ambition of the few, and the immorality of the many: — That the Clergy have turned agaipst the State that propensity to disorder, which has always characterised these natives, and have done so with impunity : — That a rebellion, fouijded upon such principles, and favoured bj' such powerful assistance, could not fail to make great pi'ogress, and must continue to do so, until re- course is had to the only measures capable of correcting it : — That gene- rosity and mildness will rather increase than diminish the evil ; because they will be attributed to fear, or to weakness, on which account perma- nent Indultos, and forgetfulness of offences, have rather fed than quenched the flame : — That the most liberal institutions are thrown away upon such men as these ; and that, as a necessary consequence of the above, the sacred Constitution itself is so likewise, it not being possible to execute some of its articles, while others have been ne- cessarily infringed. 234. — In the capital itself, the Viceroy has been forced to take pre- cautions against revolt, and to fortify himself against the public spirit of the day, which has not only caused insurrections, but may repeat them, and consequently renders the presence of a considerable number of troops indispensable. 237-8. — -By leaving crime unpunished, all moral force is lost, and society thrown into a state of disorganization : The general wish of the country fo- ments, or openly protects the projects of the Independent party : The au- gust assembly of the Cortes is not only not recognized by the rebels, but its most beneficent acts are turned into ridicule by the malevolent colour- ing which is given to them ; while its views are defeated by others, who assist the schemes of the Insurgents, by an apparent submission to the decrees of the Congress, in as far as this-can be reconciled with their com- mon object. The old system is abolished ; the new one not yet established ; (en el aire) : the Constitution sometimes an object of ridicule, sometimes used as an instrument, — all elective employments, the prey of factious, ambitious, and faithless men: — the government without consideration.