485
PAPERS 01'' MIRABEAU BUONAPARTE L,HfAR
an inferior race of people-insulted by the Gachupins-robbed by the Priests and persecuted by the authorities of the country. They were not even allowed to visit the Peninsula, except by special permission, lest they should learn what slaves should never know-their own degra- dation. As a further check upon their dreaded acquision of wealth and power, the public officers-composed exclusively of European Span- iar[d] s-were selected with special reference to their prejudice and hatred towards this unfortunate class. The slightest manifestation of simpathy for their wrongs or interest in their welfare, was a fatal bar- rier to promotion. These, in conjunction, with other causes, necessarily engendered a deep-rooted j_ealousy and hatred between the two classes, which was fomented and encouraged by the government to such extent that friendship for the Creole was almost considered as treason to the King, and a rapacious temper, the best recommendation to royal con- fidence. In addition to these sources of complaint, the Mexicans or Creoles were impoverished by enormous taxation for the support of two great appendages to the government designed for their physical subjection and their mental debasement. We mean the regular army, and the Roman church. Silent obedience, was secured by the former; while it was the special provence of the latter to pour into the benighted in- tellect the "leprous distilment" of bigotry, Idolatry and superstition. The duty thus assigned the ecclesiastical power was performed too well. Its uncontradicted teachings, from generation to generation, for whole centuries, could hardly fail to produce the intended effect. It made the :Mexicans what the government desired them to be-a blind, servile and superstitious people, insensible to their degraded condition, and incapable of asserting their rights. They were taught to believe that the King of Spain could do no wrong-that he ruled by divine author- ity-and that a connection with a Monarchy so great and glorious as that of Castile and Aragon, upon whose dominions the sun never set, was an honor and distinction that more than compensated the sacri- fises which they were called upon to make. These, and the like con- taminating lessons of a wicked priesthood, kept their minds and their consiences in a state of thraldom, the more deplorable, because it was· more difficult to dissolve, than that political and judicial despotism which was robbing them of almost every means of subsistence. The chains with which tiranny binds the physical man may be easily broken. Give but a blow and the links are shivered.- But how shall we sever the admantine fetters which a false religion throws around the uncul- tivated intellect!- Such, however, was not the condition of the entire creole population. The Cimmerian darkness had been penetrated by a few straggling rays of light, as we have already shown, during the War of Succession. Light also found its way into the country at a later period, by the general diffusion of letters; by the example of the North-American Col- onies; as well as through the numerous writings which were poured' forth during the French Revolution. In the progress of time schools were also established in Mexico; and although the sciences and Classics only were allowed to be taught, to the total exclusion of those branches of knowledge, which were calculated to enlighten the people upon the subject of their rights, or to inspire them with the love of liberty, yet
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