Page:Vol 4 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/36

20 While the proclivities of the people were thus becoming daily more dangerous, their anger was still further aroused by one of those acts of tyranny which Spain periodically committed in order to raise money in the colonies to meet home expenses. I refer to the sequestration of the funds of the benevolent institutions, a measure which seriously affected the welfare of almost every land owner in the country. As the particulars of this proceeding will be given later, it is only necessary to state here that numbers of families were ruined or impoverished by its operation. Thus Spain kept on using the goad. It is, however, a question how long the Creoles would have suffered had not political affairs in Spain, as we have seen, afforded an exceptional opportunity for throwing off the yoke. For nearly two centuries the watchfulness of the government had prevented serious outbreak; even during the war of succession the tranquillity of New Spain was undisturbed. The majesty of the king was so deeply impressed upon the masses that it is probable, had it not been for the occupation of Spain by Napoleon, a few salutary reforms would have secured the loyalty of Mexico. But when two Spanish monarchs in succession, Cárlos IV. and Fernando VII., were compelled to lay aside their crowns, the one in obedience to the will of a mob and the other at the dictation of a foreign parvenu, the glory of the Spanish throne had departed, and the awe with which the greatest earthly potentate had been venerated by his transatlantic subjects was seriously lessened.

Nevertheless, when in 1808 the Spaniards rose against the French invaders, the demonstrations of feeling throughout New Spain showed patriotism on the part of the Creoles, though perhaps as much by