VENEZUELA.
318
Spanish rule, that
is
it
doubtful whether she would ever
have rebelled but for the successful example of the United
As
States of North America.
was, the rebellion began
and the struggle was long protracted, owing to
feebly,
many
it
causes, such as the dispersion of the population, the
of castes,
division
difficulty
of communication, the igno-
rance of the people, their long habits of obedience, the
want of experienced Creole
officers,
the general ignorance
of war, and the influence of Spanish officials.
things retarded the mdependence
the longer they fought the more embittered
became
;
— hence the rancour
it
has
All these
of the Columbians, and
the
strife
left.
After dwelling on the great struggle between Spain and
her colonies, the mind
the result of the victory.
mate
will find it
an
natm-ally led to inquire and esti-
is
evil
On
the one hand,
it
must be
was
colonies
odiously
selfish,
despotic,
but the worst possible government
better than chronic
civil
war and a
restless
is
and
perhaps
appetite for
change, wliich grows with every fresh revolution.
and
freely
government of Spain over her South
admitted that the
unjust;
impartial examination
hard to determine whether the end attained was
or a good.
American
An
Slavery
the inquisition are monstrous evils, but rebellion and
scepticism are as bad,
if
not worse.
to dispute this statement,
let
If any one is disposed
him hear the testimony
of
Ducoudray Holstein, who, himself a French republican and chief of the staff to the president Hberator, was not likely to be too favourable to despotism.
After speaking of the
material prosperity of Columbia while under Spain, he says:
" All
tliis
wealth, comfort, and agreeable society have
disappeared.
The
now
greater part of the distinguished families