1827.] Death of Castlereagh to Cannings Premiership. 177 subjection which they had thrown off. Here again Canning was firm. Early in the negotiations he had denied the right of European monarchs to decide under what form of government the Americans should live ; and, whilst recog- nizing the right of Spain to preserve her hold upon the colonies if she could, he refused to acknowledge the transfer of that right to the foreign power which for a time was dominant in her territory. He said, " We will not inter- fere with Spain in any attempt she may make to reconquer what were once her colonies, but we will not permit any third power to attack them or to reconquer them for her." A further and more decisive step was taken in August, 1823. An application had been made by merchants that commercial agents should be appointed to protect British interests in South America. On the 22nd of August an answer was sent by direction of Canning, which stated that the subject was under consideration ; and shortly afterwards consuls and consuls-general were appointed to the principal stations in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chili, and Buenos Ayres,* and this was the first step towards the recognition of inde- pendence. What is most interesting to us is to learn that in all these resolutions in favour of national liberty, Canning had to meet the determined and persistent opposition of Eldon, Sidmouth, and their friends. Harriet Martineau, speaking of Canning's trials at this time, says, " He met with almost as much resistance at home as abroad ; he was twice on the verge of retiring from office, before he finally achieved the recognition of South American independence. Up to this time Lord Sidmouth had retained a seat in the Cabinet without office ; he now resigned it, partly because he could not agree with those of his colleagues who advocated the immediate recognition by his Majesty of the independence of Buenos Ayres." f Thus was the old party of resistance to Liberalism shaken internally, and rendered unable to meet
- " Annnal Register," 1823, p. 146.
t "History of the Thirty Years' Peace," vol. i. p. 299. N
