8019. SOUTH AMERICA, Revolt in.—
I enter into all your doubts as to the event
of the revolution of South America. They
will succeed against Spain. But the dangerous
enemy is within their own breasts. Ignorance
and superstition will chain their minds and
bodies under religious and military despotism.
I do believe it would be better for them to obtain
freedom by degrees only; because that
would by degrees bring on light and information,
and qualify them to take charge of themselves
understandingly; with more certainty, if
in the meantime, under so much control as May
keep them at peace with one another. Surely,
it is our duty to wish them independence and
self-government, because they wish it themselves,
and they have the right, and we none,
to choose for themselves; and I wish, moreover,
that our ideas may be erroneous and
theirs prove well-founded. But these are
speculations which we may as well deliver over
to those who are to see their development.—
To John Adams. Washington ed. vii, 104.
Ford ed., x, 108.
(M.
1818)
See Spanish America.
