Page:Mexico (1829) Volumes 1 and 2.djvu/558

 518 4.PPENDIX. the Americans ; and witnessing, every hour, the danger with which tlhe country was threatened by the effects of an ill-timed liberty, and a mom- strous rebellion ; — I leave it to your Excellency to imagine what muist have been the anguish which I have often endured. Happily I now see some end to the evils which have afflicted us : ;all will cease as soon as His Majesty deigns to turn his eyes to this muich wounded portion of his kingdom. My unshaken loyalty has long sighted for the day, which has at length arrived, and henceforward no one shiall venture with impunity to refuse obedience, while I am at the head of this Government, to the orders of the Sovereign of Spain, Ferdinaind the desired ! But the disaffected are all in favour of the Constitution ; not that thiey ever really and sincerely intend to adopt it, or to submit to the Mother- country on any terms, but because it affords them the means of attaim- ing what they desire without risk, and with more facility than they couild expect , On this account they will doubtless be active on the present occasion, in fomenting discord, and encouraging rebellion, under the mask of liberty and patriotism, or of hatred to despotism and tyranny ; wor(ds, of which a use has been made, of late, too dangerous to be tolerated any longer. Some even of the Europeans have wrong views upon this subject, amd will not see the danger to which they expose themselves by lending threir countenance to ideas which can only lead from disaffection to rebellio)n : and it is the more necessary on this account to ascertain the depth to which the roots of the new system have struck, and to take advantatge of this critical moment, in order to fix for ever the authority of His Majesty in this country, by changing the alimentary system altogether, and employing tonics, and actual cautery, to exterminate the cancer, by which the patient is consumed. The insurrection is so deeply impressed and rooted in the heart of every American, that nothing but the most energetic measures, suppotrt- ed by an imposing force, can ever eradicate it ; for it is to be observed, that even if the arms of the rebels prove unsuccessful, and their plots fruitless, still misery, and a growing consumption, will do that, which neither force nor intrigue may be able to effect. It is to be hoped that with the troops which I command, the Insur- gents will be beaten, as they have been till now, in whatever numlber they may present themselves ; but it is no less certain, that tliis is mot sufficient to put an end to the rebellion, but rather tends to prolong its fatal effects. — It acts against us in two ways, by open force, and by in- creasing distress : the first will be always repelled, the second will reduce us gradually to death's door. The military force now at my disposal is but just suflicient to garrison the capitals of the Provinces, and to cover the large towns : but, in the