time, of the reasons which induced it to oppose, at all hazards, the dangerous Juntas which were celebrated here on the 9th and 31st of August,—1st and 9th of September.
31.—It was in these days that a pamphlet was published by Fray Melchor de Talamantes (of Lima)—entitled "The National Congress of the Kingdom of New Spain,"—dedicated to the Ayuntamiento of Mexico, in which the Viceroy was solicited to assemble the Mexican Cortes, in spite of the opposition of the Audiencia, which might be neutralized by the opinion of the Ayuntamiento, and of twelve respectable lawyers.
33.—The project is avowed in the Insurgent paper, entitled, El Ilustrador Nacional, published in Sultepec, the 18th of April, 1812, in which, referring to the origin of the Civil War, it is said, "What could America do in order to check the progress of these evils, including the chance of seeing, by some intrigue or caprice of the Spanish Mandarins, this beautiful portion of the monarchy, subjected to the dominion of France?"—"To declare its Independence was its only resource; and to create a National Congress, wise, just, disinterested, and calculated to inspire the people with confidence in its measures:—this project was submitted to the Viceroy, Don José Iturrigaray, on conditions as reasonable, as they were advantageous to the Peninsula; but it was discovered by some evil-intentioned Gachupines,[1] who, in violation of all laws and justice, forestalled the measure, by seizing the person of the Viceroy, and imprisoning all those who had been privy to his plans."
34.—It was on this account that Don Carlos Bustamante, editor of the Juguetillo, who, after publishing this seditious paper in the capital, while the liberty of the press was established, has now joined the Insurgents,—calls the night of the 15th September,—"Noche infausta," "an unpropitious night!" and such it was to men like him, whose schemes of Independence it deranged.
35.—But these projects were soon revived under the government of a Viceroy, whose authority, although afterwards con-
- ↑ Malos, necios, y atolondrados Gachupines. Evil-intentioned, ignorant, and perverse Gachupines
