ce from any rival power, combined
with the intrinsic strength of a free representative government,
would guarantee their safety and glory; their intermediate situation,
between Asia and the American continent, their proximity to China,
Japan, Borneo, the Molucca and Sunda Islands, the Malay peninsula,
Cochin China, Tonquin, Siam, and the European possessions in the East,
would insure them an unbounded commerce, consequently great wealth and
power; and their happiness would be secured by religious toleration
and liberal views of civil liberty in the government. It must be
confessed, however, that the national character of the Spaniards is
not suitable to produce and enjoy in perfection this most desirable
state of affairs; it is to be feared that their bigotry would preclude
religious toleration, their indolence continue the present system of
slavery, so degrading in a particular manner to a republic, their
want of energy paralyze the operations of enterprising foreigners
among them. No change, however, can be for the worse, and if all
the advantage, cannot be reaped by them, which the citizens of our
republic would secure, it will be better for them to seize and enjoy
such as their genius and talents will enable them to."

[Health.] [280]" * * * The health of the city and suburbs is
proverbial, and the profession of a physician is, perhaps, of all
others the least lucrative. A worthy and intelligent Scotch doctor,
who had come to Manila, while I was there, to exercise his profession,
and who lodged in the same house with me, was greatly annnoyed at
the want of practice which he experienced there, although he had his
full share of patronage, and often jocosely declared that the "dom
climate" would starve him; in fact he did not long remain there;
I afterwards met him in the Isle of France, where he was still in
pursuit of practice."

[A barbarous execution.] [281]" * * * Impelled by a very common and,
perhaps, excusable curiosity, I rode out with some friends one day
to witness the execution of a mestizo soldier for murder. The parade
ground of Bagumbayan was the theater of this tragic comedy, for such
it may be trully called, and never did I experience such a revulsion
of feeling as upon this occasion. The place was crowded with people
of all descriptions, and a strong guard of soldiers, three deep,
surrounded the gallows, forming a circle, the area of which was about
two hundred feet in diameter. The hangman was ha