A LOS HABITANTES DE LAS INDIAS, EL MINISTRO UNIVERSAL DE ELLAS [caption title]

Lardizábal y Uribe, Miguel de

Verlag: [N.p., but likely Mexico City, 1815

[3]pp. Printed on a single bifolium, the two leaves now separated. Scattered staining, worming to left margin and several wormholes throughout text, not impacting legibility. Still very good. An impassioned and ultimately fruitless plea from the influential Miguel de Lardizábal y Uribe, acting as Ministerio Universal de las Indias, asking for the Mexican independence movement to lay down their arms and embrace the Spanish monarchy. Lardizábal, born in San Juan de Molino, Mexico, was a prolific and occasionally controversial Spanish politician and firm supporter of the crown who held numerous powerful positions over the course of nearly half a century. Beginning in 1787, he worked for the Secretary of State and was one of Spain's foreign ministers at Versailles, developing a close relationship with Thomas Jefferson (in fact acting as his agent in Madrid to purchase "Spanish books on the subject of America") and communicating with many other American luminaries. Returning to Spain after witnessing the early days of the French Revolution, he renewed his support of the monarchy and denounced ideas of popular sovereignty, becoming a close ally of King Ferdinand VII both before and after his deposition by Napoleon. After Ferdinand VII was reinstated in 1814, the King rewarded his ally by reestablishing the position of Ministerio Universal de Indias for him, where Lardizábal did his best to quell unrest in the land of his birth, promoted the appointment of native-born subjects to public office, and treated former insurgents with clemency. He soon fell out of favor with the King for reasons arcane even to himself, and was relieved of his position in 1816. In the present circular, Lardizábal addresses the people of New Spain in an attempt to quiet the ongoing war for independence, which had begun in 1810. He pleads with them to be patient, no doubt recalling his firsthand experience of the French Revolution, and urges them to use him as their legal outlet for reform. Lardizábal writes [in translation]: "I will not deceive you: it is true that at various times you have been neglected, and you have suffered grievances from despotic chiefs, who have abused the power and trust of Kings; but the same has happened in Spain; and that time has passed. You have in Madrid our much-loved Sovereign, Sr. Fernando VII.I, your countryman, am the conduit through which your complaints, grievances and requests will promptly and faithfully reach the King.End this destructive war against yourselves: know that independence is an impracticable chimera, and that trying it can only produce your own ruin. Let there not be among you that fatal rivalry of being born in Spain or in America: do not be ungrateful to your parents, which is the most scandalous monstrosity.Be true and honest Spaniards if you want to deserve the name of good Americans. If you are, you can surely count on the King, and secondly on his Minister, your faithful and affectionate countryman." The text is dated at Madrid on July 20, 1814, and signed in type by Lardizábal. It is unclear whether it was printed in Madrid, Mexico City, or both - Medina includes this in his bibliography of Mexican printing, noting that it was "subscribed in Madrid on July 20, 1814, and authorized in Mexico [City] on February 2, 1815." In any event, it is quite a rare piece. At the time of cataloging, OCLC records copies at only four institutions: Texas A&M in the United States, the Biblioteca Nacional de España, and in Chile at the Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural and Biblioteca Nacional. A scarce and noteworthy piece in the history of Mexican independence. MEDINA, MEXICO 11067. OCLC 819586740, 740404429, 1318146285. Elena Legorburu Fau, "Miguel de Lardízabal y Uribe" in Diccionario Biográfico électronico (online). Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers WRCAM62734

Bibliografische Details

Titel: A LOS HABITANTES DE LAS INDIAS, EL MINISTRO ...
Verlag: [N.p., but likely Mexico City
Erscheinungsdatum: 1815