Star. — London, England, 1811-10-01 00:00:00

- AMERICA. INDEPENDENCE OF THE CARACCAS. IN THE NAME OF TIDE MOST HIGH. " We, the representatives of the federal provinces Caraccas, Cumana, Barinas, Margalta, Barce• lova, Merida, and Truxillo, constituting the confede ration of Venezuela, on the Southern Continent of America, in Congress assembled ; considering that rte have been in the full entire possession of our na tal al rights since the 19th of April, 1810, whieh we re-assumed in consequence of the transaction at Bay oane, the abdication of the Spanish throne, by the' conquest of Spain, and the accession of a new dya nasty, established without our consent—while we avail ourselves of the rights of men, which have been with. held from us by force for more than three centuries, and to which we are restored by the political revolu tions in human affairs, think it becoming to state to the world the reasons by which we are called to the lice exercise of the sovereign authority. We deem it unnecessary to insist upon the un questionable right which every conquered country Ilds to restore itself to liberty and independence— we pass over in a generous silence, the long series of a filictions, oppressions and privations, in which the f atal law of conquest has indiscriminately involved the discoverers, conquerors, and settlers, of these countries—whose condition has been made wretched by the very means which should have promoted their felicity—throwing a veil over three centuries of Spa nish dominion in America, we shall confine ourselves to the narration ofrecent and Well-known facts, which prove how much we have been afflicted ; and that we not be involved in the commotions, diserderi, inai conquests which have divided Spain. i d The disorders in Europe had increased the evils under which we before suffered, by obstructing Com i• Writs, and frustrating the means of redress ; by au thorising the Governors placed over us by Spain, to insult and oppress us with impunity, leaving us with out the protection or support of the laws. di It is contrary to the order of nature, impracti- 1 cable in relation to the Government of Spain, and has been most afflicting to America, that the terri tories so much more extensive, and a population in comparably more numerous, should he subjected and dependent on a peninsular corner of the European Continent. 4 , The cession and abdication made at Bayonne, the transactions at the Escurial and at Aranjuez, and the orders issued by the Imperial Lieuteliant, the Marshal Duke of Berg, to America, authorised the 'exercise of those rights, which till. that period the Americans had sacrificed to the preservation and in t: grity of the Spanish nation. ~ The people of Venezuela were the first who ge nerally acknowledged, and who preferred that inte gi ity ; never forsaking the interests of their European arethren, while there remained the least prospect of salvation. ~ America has acquired a new existence ; she was able and was bound to take charge of her own safety and prosperity— she was at liberty to acknowledge or to rejact the authority of a King who was so little de. aarving of that power as to regard his personal safety snore than that of the nation over which he had been I,l•Accd. • • All the Bourbons who concurred, in the futile cl i nu toinns of Bayonne, having withdrawn from the Spanish territory contrary to toe will or the people, abrogated, dishonoured, and trampled upon all the sacred obligations which they had contracted with the 'Spaniards sit both worlds, who with their blood and treasures had placed them on the throne, in opposition to the efforts of the house of Austria—such conduct LAS rendered them unfit to . rule over a free people, whom they disposed of like a gang of slaves. • The intrusive government, which have arrogated to themselves the authority which belongs only to the national representation, treacherously availed them selves of the- known good faith, the distance, and el fs•cts which ignorance and oppression had produced among the Americans, to direct their passions against • the new dynasty which had been imposed upon Spain —and, in opposition to their own principles, kept up the illusion amongst us in favour of Ferdinand, but in o rder to baffle our national hopes, and to snake us sith greater impunity their prey—fficy held forth to us promises of liberty, equality, and fro. . ternity, in pompous discourses, the most effectually Ito conceal the snare which they were insidiously lay. ing for us by an inefficient and degrading chew of re presentation. " As soon as the various forms of the Spanish' go vtrnment were overthrown, and Others had been suc cessively substituted, and imperious neeps.:ity had taught Venezuela to look to her own-safety, in order ta support the King, and afford an. asylum to their European brethren against the calamities by which . they were men iced, all their former se'r'vices were dis regarded, new measures were adopted against us, al..' fr.e very steps taken for the presertration - Of the Spa 4 nish Government were branded with the titles of in; stirrection, perfidy, and ingsatimdebtOdhly the door w:as closed against a mondtpdlyi.Of which they expected to perpetuate in, the,.ntune of a King, whose dominion was imagina'ry. " Notwithstanding our moderation, vi generosity and the purity of our intentions, and Opposition to the wishes of our brethren in Europe, we were declared to the world in a state of blockade—hostilities were commenced against us—agents sent.among us to ex cite revolt, and arm us against each other—whilst oil- national character was traduced, and foreign ria ti.nis excited to make war upon us. " Deaf to oursemonstrances, without submitting our reasons to the impartial judgment of mankind, and deprived of every other arbitrament but that of our enemies, tee were prohibited front all intercourse with our brethren ; and adding contempt to calumny, 4 they undertook - to appoint delegates for us ; and, without our consent, who were to assist at their Cor ti:6, the more effectually to dispose of our persons and property, and render us subject to the poser of our enemies. In order to defeat the wholesome measures of our national representation, when' obliged to receg nize it, they undertook to reduce the ratio of our po p,,i i ti,.n s ubmitting the forms of election to servile -Committees, acting at the disposal of arbitrary rulers; thus insulting our inexperience and good faith, and iv' -My regardless of our political importance or our epolf are. . 0 The Spanish Gcreentrucnt, ever deaf to the dq kb- _ ~.,s of justice, undertook to frustrate all onr legi .mate rights, by condemning as criminals and dews .ing to the infamy of the gibbet, or to confiscation and banishment, those Americans who at different pe riods had employed their talents and services for the happiness of their country. " Such were tile causes which at length have im-. pelled us to look to our own security, and to avert those disorders and horrible calamities which we could perceive were otherwise inevitable, and from which we shall ever keep aloof ; by their felt policy, they have rendered our brethren insensible to our misfortunes, and have armed them against us ; they have effaced from their hearts the tender impressions of love and consanguinity, and conver ted into enemies many members of our great family. When, faithful to our promises, we were sacrificing our peace and dignity to support the cause of Ferdi pand of Bourbon, we saw that to the bonds of power by which he united his fate to that of the Emperor ,olthe French, he added the sacrifice of kindred and Mends • and that on this account the ex i s ti ng Spa nish rulers themselves have already resolved to ac knowledge him only conditionally. 0 In this painful state of perplexity. three years have elapsed in political irresolution, so dangerous, so fraught with evil, that this alone would have . au thorized the determination which the faith we had pledged and other fraternal attachments had caused us to defer, till imperious necessity compels us to proceed further than we had at first contemplated ; but, pressed by the hostile and unnatural conduct of the Spanish rulers, we are at length absolved from the conditional oath which we had taken, and now take upon us the august sovereignty, which 'we are called here to exercise. " But as our glory consists in establishing princi ples consistent with human happiness, and not erect -1 ing a partial felicity on the misfortunes of our fellow i mortals, we hereby proclaim and declare, that we shell regard as friends and companions in our des tiny,_ and participators in our happiness, all those, who, united by the ties of blood, language, and reli. ;ion, have su ff ered oppression under the a ncie n t es tablishments, and who shall assert their independence thereof; and of any foreign power whatsoever; en gaging that all who co-operate with us, shall partake in life, fortune, and opinion ; declaring and recogniz ing not only these, but those of every nation, in war enemies—in peace friends, brethren, and fellow-ei ozens. " In consideration, therefore, of these solid public and incinnestible motives, which force upon us the necessity of reassuming our natural rights, thus re stored to us by the revolution of human affairs, and in 'virtue of the imprescriptible rights of every peo ple, to dissolve every agreement, convention, or so cial compact, which does not establish the purposes for which alone all Governments are instituted, we are convinced that we cannot and ought not any longer to endure the chains by which we are connec ted with the Government of Spain ; and we do de clare, like every other independent people; that we are free, and determined to hold no dependence on any potentate, power, or government, than that we ourselves establish ; and that we now take among 'the sovereign nations of the earth the rank which the SUPREME BEING and Nature have assigned to us, and Ito which we have been called by the succession of • human events, and by a regard for own happiness. a Although we foresee the difficulties which may attend our new 4:. aation, and the obligation which 'we contract by the rank which we are about to uc-„ copy in the political order of the world : and above all, the powerful influence of ancient forms and ha bits, by which, to our regret, we have been hitherto affected ; yet we also know that a shameful submis sion to them, when it is in our power to shake them off, would prove more ignominious to ourselves, and more fatal to posterity, than our long and painful servitude. It therefore becomes our indispensible du ty to provide for our security, liberty, and happiness, by an entire and essential subversion and reform of our ancient establishments. a Wherefore, believing for all these reasons, that we have complied with the respect which we owe to the opinions of mankind, and to the dignity of other nations, with whom we are about to rank, and of whose friendly intercourse we assure ourselves : " We, the Representatives of the Confederated Provinces of Venezuela, invoking the Mosr HIGH to witness the justice of our cause, and the rectitude of our intentions, imyloring his divine assistance to re-' tifY, at the epoch of our political birth, the dignity to which his providence has restored usa the ardent desire to live and die free, and in the belief and the defence of the Holy Catholic aid Apostolic Religion of JESUS Crousr, as the first of our duties : o We, therefore, in the name, by the will, and un der the authority which we hold for the virtuous peo ple of Venezuela, do solemnly declare to the world, that these United Provinces are and ought to be, from this day forth, in fact, and of right, tree, sove reign, and independent States ; that ,they arc absol vie,. from all allegiance and dependence on the crown of Spain, and of those who now call or may hereafter call themselves its representatives or agents ; and that, as tree, sovereign, and independent States, we hold full power to adopt whatever form orgitivern menc may be. deemed suitable to the general will of its inhabitants—to declare war, make peace, form alliances, establish commercial treaties, define boun:, daries, and regulate navigetion—and to propose and execute all other acts usually made and executed by free and independent nations ; and for the due fulfil ment, validity, and stability of this, our aolemn de-' claration, we mutually and reciprocally pledge and bind the provinces to each other, our lives, fortunes, and the honour of - the nation. a Done at the Federal Palace .of the Caraccas, signed with our hands, and sealed with the great. seal of the Provincial Confederation, and Coun tersigned by the Secretary to the Congress, as sembled on the sth day of July, in the year 1811, and in the first of our Independence." [Here follow the signatures of the Depu ties from the different Provinces.] i DECREE OP THE SUPREME EXECUTIVE. " Fedural Palace of Ctraccas, July S, 1811. " By the Executive Power of the Confederation of Venezuela, it is ordained, that the above declaration of iiidependence be publi.hcd, carried into effect, and be of lull authority, throughout the States and Ter. ritories of this Confederation." tiiiptcd, kc. i . . , e'' NEW-YORK, AUGUST .2.6. Lions to remove and prevent these frauds which thnst A letter from Philadelphia, received by this morn- persons practice, guided by their own mercenary in ing's mail, states, that the French privateers Dili- terest and sordid avarice, regardless of honour an.; gent and Marengo had put to sea, but on discovering probity, and who have no fear before their eyes of a British frigate or two on the coast, returned to Cape the neglect of my Royal Decrees ; and further, it May roads. The same letter adds, that, on Sunday being for the benefit of the public that the imposts last the brig Milo, bound from Bourdeaux to Balti- should be punctually discharged. that be metes may more, with a valuable cargo, was captured, off the be afforded to answer to the expences and urgent ne- Capes of the Delaware, by the British frigate Delve- cessities of the State to which they are applied ; and dera, and ordered to Halifax. it not being just that other nations should enjoy the We some days since stated, that Capt. Ordonnaux, privileges granted to the English in return far other of the French privateer Marengo, had arrived in tits advantages, stipulated in favour of Portuguese nevi city, with several trunks and boxes of treasure. We gation and commerce, I have, in my Royal pleasure. since learn, that he has deposited in our Banks up- determined as follows aft o e n r t t , h a c nd of e t o li f is the Stat se e Le to t u er sio s 1 4 , 13, wards of 200,000 dollars in specie, 33,000 of which I. All the ships and shipments which depart tram foreirn were taken from the English ship Exchange. The P(a'sabte°o7,itieredthotsimeneofmuounr t K lis in Marengo is pilot-boat built, 191 tons, carries 10 guns, tent, to.brin g g and exhibit a manifest sod bills of Ic.asilng. that a and has a crew of 70 men (with the exception of the competent note may be made of all the goods on bead. and to T racers). composed chiefly of vagabonds of all na- ascertain if any have been disposed of. Ihe instincts of the tions. The Captain of the Belvedera British frigate Government, the invoices of the pods prepared at the manu factories, the permit, of the Custom -houses of the rot of de- i ar • supposed it to be this privateer, when he ran foul of . tore, and the cerdficates of the Olcen of such Cocteau-hoot b. the schooner Susan, off Long Branch. sanctioned by the Portuguese Consuls residing at the place, is A VoUsT 27.—French Privateer Diligent captured.— by persons authorised to act for them, will be required. By tin... The Philadelphia pilot-boat Pennsylvania was board -• 'documents i: will be ascertained if the merchandise belon g to ed off Cape May, by the British frigate Belvedere; I l i: w tie:4 which are at peace with my Royal Crown, tar if they are produou of Englitli industry, and liable only to the 15 jar Captain Biron, who informed him that they were , farts. duty: looking out for a French privateer brig that he.un- • 2. By these documents, by the invoices, and by an oath pre derstood was to sail in a day or' tseo from the Dela- , scribed, it shall also be proved, that the goods and me:0211.1. 1e Au* Portuguese property, and liable only to 16 per cent. acc‘re r.g ware. At five o'clock next morning, weather thick i to the Decree of the 11th of June i sms„ln the case of these bein g And hazy, Cape May bearing west, distant about 6 0:4,koilehr in native vessels. And fir the oath, the Notary is to re miles, while oar informant was still in company with - .;-se so refs, tied the Judge an equal sum to his signature. ,the frigate, saw the brig heave in sight, but shewedlt - Wherefore, I command all Tribunals of my King no colours, upon which the frigate immediately gave 'done and of this Stater Mitaistere.of Justice, and other. chase, and in about three hours came up with her persons . to whom the knOwledge of Nese Letters Pap and took possession, but not without first firing a nutn- tent appertain, do corivtrthereWith, anYlaws and ber of shots into her. The frigate with her prize regulations to the contrary abtwithstandingr And then stood to the eastward. Our informant, and the this instrument shall have . force, as Mit should have Philadelphia pilots state her to be the French priva, . passed through our Chancery, supposing it sh ou ld no t teer brig Diligent, that sailed Iron) the Delaware last so pass, and that its operatiob slit uld cootinie more . Thursday. , than a-year, any ordinance to the contrary heitwith- JANI AICA.—We are happy to have been able to standing. Delivered in our Palace of Rio de Janeito; trace the report of the insurrection of the blacks in . an the 20th of June, 1811. Jamaica, in such a manner, and to make such corn- 4 (Signed) ma sines. parisons of dates and circumstances, as to warrant usl COMA DE AGDIA R. in saying, that no credit whatever is to be attached to l Letters Patent having the force Of law, 'by which it.—New Teri Evening Pest, August 5.6. I your Royal Highness has thought good to order, that The fast sailing schooner Purse, Captain Turner, all ships coming from foreign ports, and entering arrived at this port yesterday, in 32 days from Boil:- your Kingdom and State in order to be admitted, deaux, from whence she sailed on the 22d of Mr.— must produce the passports of ;he Government, 0 e The affair between the President and the Little 'Bolt invoices of the goods prepared at the manufactories, was known to the trench Government, and had pro- that permits of the Custom.hounwi of the port of de duced the release, with permission to sail, of several , parture, and the certificates of the Officers of such American vessels. i Custem-houses sanctioned by the Portn..--- r. - iresiding at the !,.or by the _ place, persons P act for them.—For the inspection of your Royal Highness. (Signed) JOAO D\PTISrA DE ALVARENGA PUMMEL. ii. Registered in the Office of Secretary of State tat the Affairs of Brazil, in Book I, of Laws, Letters Patent, and R iyal Letters, at folio 204. • • (Signed) AlANcuu. comma naeamie r Siplawdre, bine 23, 1411. I . .• authoribed to I • FROM THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCEN AUGUST 20. act for oleo.- 44 We have seen in several prints surprise expressed Highness. at the remoteness of the period at which Congress has h=en convoked. If, it is said, it was indispensa bly necessary to call Congress, why not sooner ? If not so indispensably necessary, why call them at all ? The objection is plausible. Our ideas are these: it ' is known to all, that an intimation is held out by the British Government of an intention to retaliate on oar Non-intercourse Act, if we should not have SICIL Y: thought proper to construe our laws so as to require at the hands of France a revocation of the French de- NUMBER IL crees, as they affect Great Britain as well as ourselves. When a Government refuses to trust arms in the We know not of what nature those retaliatory mea. hands of its subjects, it has either already merited, et sures, if adopted, are to be : but the magnitude of the is in.the act of meditating some project, by which t maritime force of Great Britain, and the preponde. may merit the vengeance of its subjects. It ,s rancy of. its influence in the British Councils, suggest ' the probability of its being by a maritime was, or . impossible to deny the truth of this axiom. That equivalent restrictions on our commerce. Whir knows Governments may tail into . emu's which pmviske b u t a blockade of the whole coast of the United States la time the indignation of their subjects, is natural to may be resorted to ? True, such a blockade was never them, as institutions composed of human beings s yet heard of; but after what we have seen there is no but that any Government shoold systematicaUy per - saying what we may not expect. If anf such measures are to flow from sist in a mode of dealing, which it is consciou s de. nt our refusal to wage the war for Bri tain by requiring such a qualification of French edicts serves to be resisted and punished, is a rare phew). or commercial regulations as she desires, ought we menon, even i n th e var i et i es o f political f o lly an d ty. not to be prepared to resist them, or retaliate on land ? r„,ny. It is true, that individuals towards cements. The Executive has no power, restricted (and properly nities have no conscience ; but it is certainly extraor. restricted) as that department of our Government is, to adopt any such course ;it therefore has appeared to Binary, that, notwithstauding the tremeado us l ess on s us very reasonable that Congress, the great and almost of the times, some Sovereign Princes continue to ex. sole depository of the power of the nation, should be I cite only the bad passions of their subjects, while they on the spot about the time when the result of the de. ; are themselves already deeply agitated with fear. liberations of the British Government on Mr. Foster's I. The Sicilians are certainly attached to the Rio 1 dispatch, narrating the result of his communications F with our Government, may have come to our hand. Family. With the common people the King i s ver y Whether or not it was the object, it will be the effect popular, and the talents of the Queen are admitted of the President's proclamation, to convene Congress y all to be superior. Still the Government is greatly at this place widfin a few days of the date at which hated, both on account of the system that it pursue., we may expect, if at all, to learn the nature of the threatened retaliation." and the persons who influence the King and Queen. They are the same persons to whose pernicious coup. COMMERCE TO47WE BRAZILS. set the Royal Family may ascribe the loss of Naples. We will, therefore, in speaking of the iisifunsiial go. ROYAL LETTER* PATENT. vernment as different from the nominal, cad the in- I, the Prioce, do make known to all, that the pre. sent Patent shall have the full lot ce of law. fluential the Neapolitan Cabinet. The circumstances Having opened and made free the ports of this : of the Sicilian Government are too notorious to te. state to the vessels and shipments of all foreign na- quire any explanation fox making this distinction. tions which are at peace u ith my Royal Crown, per. 11. During the last summer, as all the world knows, mitting the entrance of their merchandize on the pay. • the Sicilian peasantry very materially assisted in mak. meat of 4 21 per cent. according to our Royal Letter ing prisoners of the French who landed in the neigh. • of the 28th of January, 1808. Aftersvards, by nor Decree of the I lth of June of the same year, sse - hourhood of Messina. In a certain official publics.. established the prosperity of Portuguese commerce; :ion, said to be a copy of Sir John Smart's account industry, and navigation, ordering, that such foreign of that affair, we :egret to say, that it appears Sir goods as were the property of my faithful vassate, and as were conveyed in native ships, should pay only Jan has taken more merit to his own army, and a duty of 16 per cent. ; ordering also, in the 15,11 given less to the Sicilian peasantry, then was due to paragraph of our Treaty of Commerce of the 19th of . either. We regret, also, since the etiquette of the February of the last year, agreed upon with my an service required him to make honourable mention of cleat and faithful ally the King of Great Britain, that, the Navy, that the Hero of Maids did not specify 15 per cent. and no more, should be paid at the Cus= torn-hooses of my kingdoms, and in this state, for the particular kind of assistance which he received commodities that should be the production, make,.ftom the Admiral on that occasion. However and manufacture of English industry, as if it were the Sicilians were not better treated by the Sea• the product of my own faithful vassals, as was de-' politan Cabinet. None of them received any ads. dared in my Decree of the 18th of October of that year. quate recompence ; and the arms which were distri- It being probable that ill-intentioned persons, with bused by the British General, as a kind of reward far the design to defraud me of my Royal Duties, will their zeal and pa riotism, were afterwards by the ' introduce foreign effects and merchandize of enemies Neapolitan Cabinet ordered to be delivered up ? mixed with those which are admissible into our king- Why is this Cabinet se jealous of the Silicians, who doms and dominions, according to the spirit and let. ter of the said Royal Mandate, and also other goods,' have proved themselves so staunch and trust-worthy ? under the pretext that they are the produce of British ! Is it afraid that they would be as courageous against lindustry, in order to pay 15 per cent. only, when 24 itself, as against the common enemy ? The Sicilians should be paid for them, as being the wares and ma., t h en h ave cause to nufactures of other countries ; or finally, declaring regard this Cabinet as their them to be Portuguese property, to pay the lower enemy. They have as yet shewn n o ho s tility.— duty, conformably with the said Decree.of the 11th I Is it heesmse they have not anus ? Then the withhold' of June, 1808. • We being desirous of takiaii ?feta*. ing of arms i; the reaym of their submission, and the i I I I