nation are so
sensible of this, that they consider an early separation inevitable.
There is an implacable hatred between the Brazilians and Portuguese;
to reconcile which, a former minister adopted the policy of letting
the Brazilians into a participation of public offices; but subsequent
administrations have reverted to the ancient policy of keeping the
administrations in the hands of native Portuguese. There is a mixture
of natives, of the old appointments, still remaining in office. If Spain
should invade them on their southern extremities, these are so distant
from the body of their settlements, that they could not penetrate
thence; and Spanish enterprise is not formidable. The _mines d'or_ are
among mountains, inaccessible to any army; and Rio Janeiro is considered
the strongest port in the world after Gibraltar. In case of a successful
revolution, a republican government in a single body would probably be
established.'

I took care to impress on him, through the whole of our conversation,
that I had neither instructions nor authority to say a word to any
body on this subject, and that I could only give him my own ideas, as
a single individual: which were, that we were not in a condition at
present to meddle nationally in any war; that we wished particularly to
cultivate the friendship of Portugal, with whom we have an advantageous
commerce. That yet, a successful revolution in Brazil could not be
uninteresting to us. That prospects of lucre might possibly draw numbers
of individuals to their aid, and purer motives our officers, among whom
are many excellent. That our citizens being free to leave their own
country individually, without the consent of their governments, are
equally free to go to any other.

A little before I received the first letter of the Brazilian, a
gentleman informed me there was a Mexican in Paris, who wished to have
some conversation with me. He accordingly called on me. The substance of
the information I drew from him, was as follows. He is himself a native
of Mexico, where his relations are, principally. He left it about
seventeen years of age, and seems now to be about thirty-three or
thirty-four. He classes and characterizes the inhabitants of that
country, as follows. 1. The natives of Old Spain, possessed of most of
the offices of government, and firmly attached to it. 2. The clergy,
equally attached to the government. 3. The natives of Mexico, generally
disposed to revolt, but witho