From the difficulty of procuring permission to emigrate to any of the Spanish colonies, and the scrupulous care of government to ascertain the moral purity and sound orthodoxy of those to venom the permission is granted, we might naturally think that the inhabitants of Caraccas must be particularly exemplary in their character, and attached to the government. But the indolence and in difference natural to the Spaniards, seem to be so much increased by the heat of the torrid zone, as to form al most the only features in the character of the European as well as the Creole inhabitants of the captain-general ship of Caraccas. The moment a Spaniard is transport ed to South America, he ;t:ems to forget that he has a native country, and loss all desire to return. In the Creole, attacianent to the parent country becomes, of course, more feeble. To obtain some public employ ment, which might distinguish him among his American countrymen, is the only motive which can induce him to visit the land of his forefathers ; and to be adorned with the badge of office, is the only connection he desires with a government, to wnich, in other respects, he may he perfectly indifferent. However deeply, therefore, the Spanish government may seem to have laid the pillars of its sovereignty iu Caraccas, and its other American co lonies, we may expect to sec the mighty fabric very speedily and general ly subverted.
To become independent of Europe, was a wish very naturally inspired by the oppressive load of taxes neces sary to support the government ofa European monarch, and by the restrictions necessarily imposed on commerce a monopoly which government patronised. This wish was confirmed, and increased in ardour, by the ex ample of the British colonies in America ; and, so early as the year 1797, the flame had nearly broke forth with a destructive violence. In that year, three state prisoners in Spain had been condemned to perpetual confinement in the casemates of Guayra. These men, who represented themselves as the martyrs of freedom, and the victims of despotism, had the art to form a very extensive conspi racy against government ; and had the wish for indepen dence been seconded by the activity of the people, there is reason to believe that the conspiracy might even then have been successful. It was prematurely discovered, and crushed. But liberty had now exerted among the people the magic of her name ; and had kindled through out the district of Caraccas a spark of discontent, which, however dull the materials on which it had to operate, was not likely to be extinguished till the fabric of the old government was violently shaken, if not entirely consum ed.
Such was the state of the public mind when Miranda landed with an armed force on the shores of Caraccas, and unfurled the standard of revolt and independence.
Round that standard the patriots were at first prevented from rallying, by the immediate danger of rebellion, and by the inherent indolence and timidity of their dispo sitions. But when the attention of government was with drawn from the colonies to the distresses which began to multiply at home ; when Spain was perfidiously invaded by the oppressor of Europe, robbed of her monarch, and her territory overrun by hostile armies ; then insurrection began to appear more openly in Caraccas ; and while the mother country was sunk in the lowest misery, her co lonies were distracted by a fierce civil war.
From the very commencement of this insurrection, there appears to have been a strong faction in all parts of South America, determined to establish the absolute in dependence of the colonies. The professions of attach ment to Ferdinand VII., and the sentiments of loyalty which pervaded their early proclamations, were intended to deceive those who were more moderate in their views ; while severe invectives against the old govern ment were mixed up with those loyal professions, in or der to influence the passions of the lower orders. After thus preparing the mind of the public for sonic great change, the congress of Venezuela assembled on the 1st of July 1811, and resolved to renounce all allegiance to the Spanish king, and to declare their provinces inde pendent of every foreign power.
In consequence of this resolution, which was not pro mulgated till some days after it was formed, many indi viduals, who held public situations, resigned their offices, others retired from the country, while the Spaniards and Canary Islanders formed conspiracies against the new government. Upon the discovery of these plots, many of the ring-leaders were executed in Caraccas, while others were confined in unhealthy prisons, and denied all com munication with their friends. These examples of cru elty alarmed the peaceable inhabitants, numbers of whom sold their property, and fled to the United States, or to some ()Utile neighbouring islands.
The junta of the Caraccas, Avhich had been formed merely for temporary purposes, perceived the necessity of assembling a general congress ; and the first act of this assembly was to place the legislative and executive powers in the hands of three individuals, who appeared qualified for this high trust by their abilities and their moderate views. The measures of the government were now carried on with great actit ity and zeal, hut It ere sometimes interrupted by the interference of an assem bly, called the Patriotic Society,• who met regularly to discuss political subjects, and \vim appear to have been influenced by the greatest hostility to the British govern ment.