Page:Mexico in 1827 Vol 2.djvu/71

Rh ores. The poor ores were allowed to accumulate untouched.

This was the real evil of the Revolution. It was not the destruction of the matériel of the mines, however severe the loss, that could have prevented them from recovering the shock, as soon as the first fury of the Civil War had subsided: but the want of confidence, and the constant risk to which capitals were exposed, which, from being in so very tangible a shape, were peculiarly objects of attraction to all parties,—led to the gradual dissolution of a system, which it had required three centuries to bring to the state of perfection in which it existed at the commencement of the War of Independence. I do not believe that I am guilty of any exaggeration in stating, that there never was a greater spirit of enterprise, more liberality, or, in general, better faith, displayed in any part of the world, than amongst the Miners of Mexico before the year 1810. Unexampled prosperity was their reward; and had freedom of commerce then existed, there is no doubt that the country would have derived the greatest permanent benefit from their exertions. As it was, riches easily acquired, were as lightly dissipated;—but little was done towards national improvement;—no fund was provided for future emergencies;—and, after the great convulsions of 1810, 1811, and 1812, nothing remained to denote, amidst the general wreck, the epoch of splendour which had so immediately preceded it.