permission, and married women cannot obtain it, except in company with their husbands. This system, as appears, is entirely opposite to that of other countries, who leave their colonies so unreservedly open to all who wish to go to them, that these establishments have been regarded rather as the foul receptacles of all the impurities of the mother country, than objects of deliberate predilection. About thirty years ago, if a young man discovered any alarming symptoms of depravity in his conduct, he was threatened by his parents with being sent off to the colonies; and the common mode of proceeding was to apply to the public authority, in order to be able to execute the threat. We have seen decrees passed in France to commute corporal punishments for transportation to the colonies. Even in our own days it is a fact of very recent occurrence, that members of the legislative body and directory, victims of the faction then ruling, have been transported to Cayenne, as an equivalent for the punishment of death, which it would have been extremely dangerous for their enemies to inflict. From this view the reflection will naturally arise, that if the French colonies are not become the domain of immorality, it is because the persons, who were supposed to be depraved, were not so, or that their number being absorbed in the great mass of laborious, upright and loyal men, with whom they were incorporated, and yielding to the reforming influence of a more virtuous society, changed the habit of vice for that of industry, and the practice of knavery for that of probity.

Spain, more just or more tender towards her colonies, although without any pretensions to superior happiness in her domestic concerns, has always directed, and still continues to direct, her whole attention to preserve the purity of their morals, and prevent them from receiving the taint of European corruption. From the 7th of August, 1584, no person has been permitted to go to the West-Indies, unless he could present authentic information with respect to his morals and good behaviour.

Nay, it is not very long, since a person who had his passport for a particular province, was obliged to repair to it directly; and could not, without a new permission from the king, go to a province subject to another government. The Europeans who take their departure from Spain for the province of Venezuela, are prohibited by different laws, from proceeding to the new kingdom of Grenada, without a new permission directly and expressly given by the king.The same is the case in going from St. Fe to Peru, from Peru to Chili, &c. These arrangements, without being ever rescinded, are, however, fallen into disuse. A more liberal policy has superseded their operation.

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The legislator thought it his duty to testify his reverence for religion by denying every person access to Spanish America, who had the misfortune to be impeached before the tribunal of the inquisition, whatever might have been the decision pronounced upon his case. Heretics, the children and grand-children of the victims of the Autodafe, or of those who put on the sanbenito, were likewise debarred.

The difficulties which Strangers experience are greater.

The difficulties which the Spaniards themselves experience before they are admitted into their colonies, sufficiently evince those which must be surmounted by foreigners, who wish to obtain a legal introduction. Till now, the first requisite for procuring a passport, was to prove a Spanish origin.The impossibility of giving satisfaction on this point rendered all solicitations, and all proceedings abortive. But time, at length, and the exigencies of the state, more than any change of system, has presented another order of things, which seems to open to all the world free access to the Spanish settlements, on condition of paying the tax fixed by government.

A royal order of the 3d August, 1801, intitled Tarif of Graces, says Art. 55: "For the permissions "which are granted to foreigners to pass into the In

dies, the tax shall be fixed by the chamber (of the "Indies) according to the importance of the object and "circumstances." The following article taxes the permission of residing in the Indies, at 8,200 reals of vellon, which are equal to 400 milled dollars, or 2,100 franks, and Art. 57 fixes at the same sum of 8,200 reals, the tax for the naturalization of those who have the requisite qualifications, of which the principal one is to be a catholic.

Trials which Foreigners undergo, who settle in the Spanish Colonies.

The great difficulty of getting settled in the Spanish colonies naturally excites, in the breast of a foreigner, who is in pursuit of fortune, a desire of making a permanent establishment there. Some have fallen, and daily do fall, on the means of eluding the law, either by cunning address, or by the indulgence of the governors or commanders of the places to which they resort. If they are totally inactive, if they lead a life of indigence, intemperance, or what would most recommend them, of abject beggary, they may remain without molestation, under the humiliating protection of Spanish contempt. If they practise some trade or profession, they are liable to be denounced, persecuted, and treated as enemies by all the Spaniards of the same trade or profession; they must lend their money to any person who chuses to apply for it; and as soon as their generosity ceases, persecution begins. If they have any acquaintance above the common they are always suspected; for it is the general opinion of the Spaniards that every well informed foreigner must be an enemy to the laws of the country. No direct inquiry is ever made with respect to religion, unless the impiety of the individual is become notorious; they never have recourse to this measure, except when revenge has no other means of gratification, and then, nothing is more easy than to prove the irreligion of a foreigner, who had always before passed for a good christian. Witnesses then swear that he has spoken irreverently of.

the holy mysteries; that he only goes to church in order to be guilty of indecencies; that he has treated the ceremonies of religion with derision, &c. &c. It is however true that the tribunals, divested of the prejudices of ancient times, do not apply the rigor of the law to this sort of delinquency; but people frequently get clear by some years' imprisonment, by paying the expenses of prosecution, or by suffering banishment.

Hardly any emigration from Spain to Terra Firma.

From the number of Europeans scattered over the Captain-generalship of Caraccas, one would be apt to think that a considerable emigration takes place from Spain. A slight examination will easily prove the contrary. If we except the official characters sent by government, and perhaps even including these, not more than a hundred annually emigrate from the mother country to the Captain-generalship of Caraccas. It is also true, that fewer still return to Europe. The Spaniards being of a grave character, and sedentary habit, are extremely loath to change their situation. Once arrived in America, none of them entertain the smallest desire to visit their household gods. They create for themselves new ones, wherever fortune has cast their lot. Nay, they frequently get themselves wives and beget children before they have provided for their own subsistence. They are only the Biscayans and Catalonians, whose love of country is not so easily extinguished.