Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/105

Rh in New Spain for twenty millions of pesos. This demand was published in Mexico on the 9th. of August following, at the very time when three millions were being so cheerfully contributed to meet the order presented by Cochrane. The colonists were disgusted at old Spain's avarice. This incessant drainage of specie was crippling commerce and impoverishing the people. They were neither able nor willing to respond. A second attempt to raise this amount made in 1810 by Viceroy Venegas was equally unsuccessful.

In addition to the discontent thus created, and naturally tending to independent thought and action, the defeats sustained by the Spanish forces at the close of 1809 still further influenced the colonists, who now regarded the cause of the mother country as lost. The news of these disasters was received at Vera Cruz on the 25th of April, 1810; and so fully convinced were the viceroy and oidores of the irretrievable prostration of Spain by France, that in secret sessions they discussed their future course of action, and had already decided to invite the infanta Doña Carlota Joaquina, previously mentioned, to assume the government as regent of her brother Fernando, when intelligence of the installation of the regency caused them to abandon their intention.

But the administration of Lizana was drawing to a close. The commercial class, thoroughly conservative in principles, and unyielding opponents of the creoles, was disgusted with his conciliatory system; and informed the junta of Cádiz, composed of