Star. — London, England, 1811-08-20 00:00:00

1 • ad/Ct._ GENERAL CONGRESS OF VENEZUELA. Ten months have now expired since the 'Govern ment of Caraccas has seen its hopes realized, and the most important part of Venezuela has been united under a system of federation consistent with the rights, the liberties, and the wishes of its inhabitants. The Supreme Junta is new about to perform a most solemn act. It is to resign into the hands of the Na tional Cortes the power with which it has been en trusted—and may that august Assembly fulfil the 'noble expectations entertained of them by the public authorities and the people. Under the propitious auspices of peace and unani mity, the first Cortes witnessed in America has been convened and empowered—and the following are the cities and countries which it is appointed to represent: Nirgua Guadulito Cumanacoa S. Felipe Guanare Achaguas Margarita Ospino San Sebastian Valencia Gina Barquisimeto Calabozo Cumana Guanarito S. Carlos Barimas Paria Villa de Curs Caraccas. Of the last the following are the Representatives : D. Lino de Clemente, D. Fernando Toro, De Nico las Castro, D. Gabriel Ponte, D. Isidore A. Lopez Mendez, D. Luis Jose Riva Toyer. On this occasion the assembled Junta in full cos tume waited the arrival of the Deputies of the Con gress, who took their seats ranged on the floor of the. Court, according to the order in which they were pre, .aented. The Chancellor and Master of the Ceremonies • 'were placed at the two extremities of the apartment., At the door of the Saloon were ranged two Mace bearers and six Heralds, who continued at their posts until the whole assemblage had arrived. Two Porters announced the approach of each De puty, on which the Chancellor and Master of the Ce remonies advanced to conduct him to his seat. ' As soon as the Members were all convened, the j Congress appointed a temporary Pres i d ent, to act tin-, til their return from the Church Service , as d id als o' the Junta. These arrangements being made, the President of the Junta directed the persons present to proceed to. wards the Church. The procession was led by a de tachment from the corps of Agriculturists on horse back, composed of the most distinguished youth of Caraccai ; 'then followed the Junta, the Heralds, and the Congress, with a guard of honour, composed of the infantry of the satne regiment of Agticulturists. The avenues through which they passed were splen didly decorated, and were lined by a multitude of grateful and admiring people. The Bishop attended within the Church, and fcur Canons at the Porch administered holy water to the President. • According to invitation in the church were assent \bled the Civil and Military Authorities, the Learned Bodies, without priority of station, excepting the Members of the Tribunal of Appeals, and those of ,the Municipal Establishment, who were placed next to the Congress. The holy offices having been performed by the Di shop, the Heralds with a loud voice exclaimed," De puties to be sworn"— immediately after which the Chancellor, addres.ing himself to the Congress. read in an audible manner the following Oath :—" You all swear before Gon, on the Holy Evangelists, and you promise to your country, to preserve and defend! her rights and those of King Ferdinand VII. without' any connection with or influence by France, and in dependently of any forn: of Government adopted in Spain, you acknowledging no representation but that which exists in the General Congress of Venezuela ; you swear to oppose all other authority over these countries which may contravene its absolute and le-' gitimate independence; to maintain pure and invio lable our sacred religion, and to respect the mystery of the immaculate conception of our Lady the Virgin Mary ; to promote directly and indirectly the general interests of the confederation of which you form a „part, and the particular interest of the district by which you are appointed ; to obey the laws and or dinances which this Cong:ess may sanction and pro mulgate;, to subject you: selves to the interior regu lations it may direct, anti to fulfil faithfully the du ties of the Deputation you are calk , : upon to exercise." All the Deputies answered," We swear," on which the Chancellor returned, " If you swear true, GOD help you ; if not, may he punish ycu in this life and the next." That the armed force might place itself immedi ately under the Supreme Authority, the Military Go vernor and Commander-in Chief, Colonel D. Juan P. Ayala came forward, and took the following oath : • "‘ You swear before Con, and you give your word :of honour to the Congress of Venezuela, to acknOw "ledge its sovereignty alone within these provinces, as the legitirriate and direct representative of King Fer dinand VII. ; to obey and make to be n-spected the laws which it shall sanction and promulgate ; not tol use force but for the purpose for which power was given you., and in the way the Executive Aulhority shall order ; and to defend the mystery of the imma cula•oe Conception of our Lady the Virgin Mary." These ceremoniesconcluded, the heralds said aloud to the people, " Venezuela has, by the blessing of Goo, installed that Assembly which is to preserve your rights and those of King Ferdinand Vll.'' Mass was now perform&l by the Bishop, and Veni Creator sung by the congregation. Te Deem was then struck up, accompanied by the Deputation of the Ecclesiastic Cabildo, who again administered holy water to the President. The Assembly neat returned to the Palace in the order before designated, when the Executive Authorities took the following j nath ; • .tl " You swear before Goo and the Holy Evange lists, that you acknowledge the sovereignty of the Congress note installed, as the legitimate and imme diate Representalive of King Ferdinand VII. ; that you will exercise legally - and - faithfu'W the powers •• entrusted to you ; and that you will neither use the • public force or public funds but as it shall direct; that you will obey and promulgate its laws and sup: port its authority, to which you are suboritnate; and finally, that you will respect the mystery of the im maculate Conception of our Lady the Virgin." • In the sequel, oaths were taken by the Prelate, the Commanders of the garrison, the Members of the Court of Appeal an.. of the Municipality by the 'CAS PAPERS. Chamber of Commerce. the University, and the Col lege of Advocates. • The Session was then opened by the President. the following Officers having been appointed :—D. D. Felipe Fernini Paul, President; D. D. Mariano dela Covo, Vice-President; Don Miguel Sernz, Secretary; D. Antonio Nicolas Bi izeno, Vice-Secretary. AMERICA. NEW-YORK, JULY 16. The Federal Republican states, that the negociation with Mr. Foster has been suspended on some preli minary point, until further instructions can be re ceived from the new Minister's Court. We believe the fact—we believe that Mr. Foster came armed with instructions and demands, a compliance with the terms of which, on the part of Government, would prostrate the highest interests of the nation. We have a firm confidence the Executive will yield no point in this negociation essential to our interests. What now becomes of the story that Mr. Foster had unli mited powers ? It has vanished into air, into thin air."—(Baltimore Republican.) FROM 66 THE WHIG," A SMITHITE PAPER. A writer in this morning's ' American,' has fur nished the Public with some judicious observations on the injury which is likely to be sustained by the shipment of a million of dollars in specie to France this sum, it being computed, is to be sent out in the frigate Constitution, Captain Hull. He properly 4rgues, that a million of dollars taken from circula aion, will compel the Banks to curtail their discOunts in these trying times ; and, that the Government might have purchased bills in a certain way, at less expence than they can transmit the money. What is most CO be deplored however is, the evidence of sub mission which this exportation affords, or seems to afford. Why transmit specie tg France, while the Emperor perfidiously retains millions of American funds in his coffers ? The same abject spirit which submitted first - to England, now cowers to France. —ln this way we account for it ; but are ready to change this opinion, when stronger testimmy appears against it than for it. Perhaps the dispatches from France, by the Essex, contain assurances which war rant the confidence of our Government." The proceedings of the meeting of the Friends of the Liberty of the Press in New-York, concluded with the following Resolution : " That for the purpose of giving the greater publicity to the wrongs of Ireland, the whole proceedings with regard to Mr Finnerty, accompanied with the Resolution of this day, be trans lated into the Spanish language, and a copy be sent off to their countryman, Dr. Bourke, of the Caraccas, to be published in the patriotic Gazettes of South America." The vindication of Mr. Madison, supposed to come from his own pen, in answer to the charges made against him by Mr. Smith, one of which accused the President of want of energy, concludes with the fol lowing remarkable declaration We will say, the President has generally, if not in every instance, recommended stronger measures than Congress have adopted, and strong& than any of his predecessors." At the date of the latest accounts from Washing :Con they had not been informed of the release of the !American ships in the ports of France, but the intel- Iligence of this conciliatory measure on the part of ; llslapoleon had reached New-York on the 15th July,' and it was thought it would give an unfavourable turn to the negotiation with Mr. Foster. Amongst the various parties assembled to celebrate the anniversary of An:erican Independence, we ob. serve that the Federalists, however they differ with The Republicans on other points, are unanimous in their wish to establish a Navy, and to protect the in ' dependence of the American Flag. The following toasts were given at some of the Federal dinners :-- " The American Navy—May she be equal to our wants, and she will be superior to our fears." " Gun-boats—May they all be planted in corn fields, and bring forth thirties, sixties, and seventy-fours." " The American Stripes—May they never be Belled, but watt triumphant throughout the jurisdiction of old Neptune." " Warren—Worster—Green and Montgomery. Where victory shines on life's talk ebbing sands ; Oh ! who would not sleep with the brave ?" Ftom tlu Boston Repertory and Genera! Advertiser of Friday, July the 12th. VERY IMPORTANT TO MERCHANTS.—We received information, yesterday, that several Gentlemen in Salem have received letters from Gottenburgh, some as late as the 16th of May, stating that liberty had been given by the Swedish Government to export goods, including Colonial Produce. That some were reshipping their outward cargo and intended sailing for Norway. We understand, a Gentleman in this town has re ceived a letter, dated May 10th, to the same effect. This, if it be true, appears to come with the appear ance of probability, and will be a considerable relief to many of our merchants, as by the last accounts all property was shut up in Norway, and no sales could be effected there. MORE 66 RESTRICTIVE ENERGIES."—Letters from Washington state, that the President's Proclamation, convening Congress on the first Monday of Novem ber next, will appear in a few days—and, the Presi dent will recommend to Congress the extension of the Non-Intercourse law to France.—New-rorh Gaz. On the 2d inst. (August), J. Foster, Esq. was presented by the Secretary of State, to the President of the United States, and elhibited his credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from Great Britain to the United States. Mr. Morier was also presented, as Secretary of Legation, and Mr. Barker attached to the Legation. PROM TILE NEW ENGLAN D PALLADIUM. It is expecteL: at Halifax , that a Court Martial will be held on Captain Bingham, the more completely to ascertain whether he or Commodore Rodgers fired first. Three of the wounded of the Little Belt have died since her arrival at Halifax. = Coljmel Burr con tinues at Paris, and is said to have frequent interviews with the principal Otliccrs of the Government. The heat of the weather last month, at New York, was more intense than had been experienced for.so many days together since the memory of man. Be tween thirty, and forty persons had died suddenlfin that city in the course or tour or five days, in conse quence of drinking cold water while they were hot. SICIL r. The British merchants in Sicily have addressed a memorial to the• Board of Trade, on the subject of the restrictions and embarrassments to which our commerce with that island is exposed. This memorial is couched in strong terms, and details many specific grievances, the only remedy for which, according to the suggestion of the petitioners, must be the conclusion of a treaty of commerce with the Sicilian Govern ment. It is of great length, and amidst a multipli city of other points, it states the conduct of the Ski lisp Government towards Mr. Fagan, the British Consul, and adds, that he had been repeatedly and grossly insulted by the authorities of the Sicilian Go vernment, and treated in the execution of his consular duty with every mark of indignity, inattention, and disrespect." The memorial then loudly complains of the duties to which English goods are subjected " 'rite tariff is of the most flagitious and oppres sive nature, affixing to English commodities a rate of from one quarter to one half more on the estimaae., than on the same articles of manufactures or of consa merce, the produce of any other country ; conse:. quently, the like advance is exacted in the duties; and' in many instances, it brings the actual duties that are paid to from 3$ to 35 per cent. on first value, or ori ginal cost ; whereas the same kind of articles, not being denominated English, and entered at the cus tom.house by a French, German, or Swiss merchant, would pay no more than 15 to 20 per cent." After enumerating a variety of other arbitrary im positions, the memorialists give the' following sum. mary of the grievances under which they labour : " The Decrees of Berlin, &c. do not efficaciously tend to the destruction of British Commerce on the Continent of Europe, as the conduct of the Sicilian Government does in Sicily, by the rapacious, arbi trary, and rigorous impositions it places thereon. " Our rights are entirely subverted—our connec tions are despised—our treaties with Spain are held as futile, and inapplicable to SiCily—our Consul is treated with insult and disrespect—our privileges are wrested from us—the duties on our merchandize amount to one-third more than those levied on the same kinds of merchandize, the product of any other country, and every day some new burthens are laid upon us ; even the assurances, the promises, and con ventions guaranteed to us by the royal word, are con ' sidered as null and void:" In conclusion, they call the attention of the Board of Trade to the necessity there is for a Commercial Treaty between Great Britain and Sicily, and earnestly intreat that Mr. Fagan be replaced in his situation of Consul General.—lt appears, that in the absence of our late Ambassador in Sicily, and during the suspen sion of Mr. Fagan as Consul, Mr. Douglas, who had been Lord Amherst's Secretary, was recognized as Charge d'Affaires on the 4th of June. FRENCH PAPERS. • PARIS, AUGUST 14. OFFICIAL NEWS FROM THE ARMIES IN SPAIN: ARMY OF viz sot:Tu. We read in en intercepted letter, that as soon as Lord Wellingtion was informed at Albuera of the match of the French army of Portugal, he assemb led a Council of War, to deliberate upon the part' to be taken. The Spanish Generals were present : they warmly espposed the proposition of the English Ge nerals to abandon :vain, and repass the Guadiana. For two months, say they, 'we have been besieging Badajoz : we have already raised the siege once— the breach is practicable, and in a few days we shall be masters of the place. The possession of Bada dajoz is important, because it is one of the strongest ,places in Spain ; the key of the Guadiana, and con tains all the bridges and besieging equipage of the French army. The result of the battle we shall fight will be, if we are conquerors, the immediate fall of this impor tant place. Cadiz has been besieged for a year. The French have constructed there a considerable flotilla,' they have more than four hundred pieces of large ca• libre in battery ; the besieging works they have erect ed are immense; the result ut the battle will be to de liver Cadiz. - - The army of Murcia is in motion, and under the walls of Grenada. The result of the battle will per. mit our junction with that brave army. The French army of Arragon besieges Tarragona; ! upon the fate of that place depends that of Catalonia, and the kingdom of Valencia. The result of the bat tle will be felt, undoubtedly, even in those provinces. In fact, victors, we become masters of Estrem'a dura, Andalusia, the kinplonis of -Cordova, Jaen, Grenada ; we take Badajoz, we deliver Cadiz. The French, obliged to repass the Sierra Morena, will be harassed on ail sides, will flaw for Madrid, will marcit the nearest troops, which are those of Arragon, and thus Tarragona, Catalonia, and Valencia, will be de- livered. 'Never were more important consequences attached to the Cate of a battle. If, on the contrary, we lose it, shall we not be al ways in time to repass the Guadiana, place ourselves under the protection of Elvas, or the heights of I'or. talegre ? The cavalry of the army of Portugal not having been yet entirely refitted, the means ut con veyance not being yet re.organized, they can under. take nothing before September ; and till that time, shall we not be always able to defend the lines of I Lisbon, or to rnaintain ourselves under the cannon I of Elvas ? -- Victors, we shall obtain immense advantages; van quished, scarcely any inconvenience is attached to our defeat. Our army is as numerous as the French army—they have rather more cavalry than we have, but we have more field-artillery. The bad state of the carriages of the army of Por tugal has not permitted them to bring with them more than a small part of their park. The epoch is deci sive. Victors, the Penia..ula may be delivered ; but it, on the contrary, we repass the Guadiana, and eva cuate Spain, whether it be in consequence of a battle lost, or a simple deliberation of the present Council ' of War, the result will be the same. Spain, abandoned for the third time, will be dis couraged—Badajns will be re-victualled—the army of Murcia will be destroyedand dispersed—Tarragona will'be taken—Catalonia reduced to submission—Va lencia will follow the fate of Tarragona—and the English armies, after h av i ng been useless spectators of the defeat of all oar armies, will be useless spectate r of the capture of all our fortresses, and, consequently, of the submission of all our Provinces. These reasons not having been effectual, the Eng• lish Generals having resolved to repass the Guadiana the Spaniards separated discontented On the 30th of June they appeared before the fort of Isliebla. Co , lonel Fitzherz, who commands there, had 300 men. Blake established his batteries—on the Ist - of July, he tried an assault. Three successive attacks, directed against the two gates, were repulsed. The ladders o f the Spaniards were thrown down, and 300 remained in the ditches of the place. Among the wounded the Spaniards include General Zayas. Upon the fist advice which the French Governer of Seville had of the march of Blake, he took the field. On the .sth of July he took from them three companies at Calanas. On the sth, the enemy em. barked, and the division of Seville picked up a great , number of stragglers. Upwards of 2000 of Blake'F band deserted to return home. On the 6th, Blake and the Spanish corps sailed lc.: Cadiz. ARMY OM ARRAOON. All the predictions of the Spanish people are rea lised. After the capture of Tarragona, Marshal Su chet marched, upon Berge, and destroyed that fort: from thence he proceeded upon Montserrat. The in. surrectional Junta, intimidated by the capture of Tar ragona, had embarked for Majorca, leaving the Mar quis d'Ayrolas to defend Montserrat, the general depot and central magazine of the insurgents. MAI. shal Suchet made dispositions to reconnoitre this place entrenched by art and nature. He arrived at Reuss on the 20th, with the brigade Abbe. On the 22d, the Brigadier Montmarie marched against Igualada, in front of Frere and liarispe. Oa the 24th the troops were united. The enemy, who had for a moment been alarmed, restinied their sect. rity, not thinking we should dare to attack them--..but in the night the Marshal marched rapidly upon Eruch with the brigades Abbe and Montmarie : he found there General Maurice Mathieu, with a detachment of the garrison of Barcelona. The attack began upon three redoubts placed at the foot of the mountain, and which covered the" entrance of the defile,they were in an instant carried by the bayonet, and occu pied by our troops. General Abbe received orders to proceed immediately in front of the defile with the Ist regiment of infantry, the 114311 of the line, and a con;. pany of sappers. The road, long and painful, winds on the flank of a steep mountain ; fresh obstacles would have stopped at each step any bur French soldiers : intrencisments, redoubts placed on inaccessible rocks, covered the en trance of the convent. Peasants stationed on all the tops of the mountains kept up a terrible fire. The Marquis d'Aymlas, trusting in the strength of his position, contented himself with ordering drat a week's provisions should be carried into the:l)att , ries, which he deemed impregnable ; but General Abbe bad already dashed on with two picked companies. -The brave men arrived under the rock of the fttt 'battery. In spite of the stones and 'rocks hurled . dovrn upon them, they climbed the heights—they are already in the embravires— the enemy - lose their con ? jidenee—all that could not save themselves were kid. 'W in the battery. The cannon were immediate; turned against the second battery, against which 'marched the Chief of Battalion Ebrand, with a pick. ed battalion. He attacked in front, and at rage turned the wink, which was carried in a few mintitTs by the bayonet. The Spanish officer was killed on his can "ion, with the cannoneers. A third battery with a strong entrenchment yet remained in front of the convent, and presented the greatest obstacles to us to attack in front ; but fifty marksmen had climbed, we know not by what and.r. city, through the clefts of the rocks, and had reached the summit of the peaks of the mountain, from thence they plunged into the very interior of the convent and 1 ' the intrenchtnents. D'Ayrolas immediately desceifded with part of his , men into the ravines and impenetrable paths, where ;it was impossible to follow him. Some officers were taken with the rest of the soldiers; and the Convent and 13 hermitages were instantly occupied by our brave men. • We took two standards, ten pieces of cannon, of large calibre, a million of cartridges, an immense quantity of ammunition, clothes, and provisions. Deserters from the fort of Figeeras have declared that there are about 1000 sick in the garrison, which is reduced to half rations. The English cruizers have disappeared wit!: Cam. po Verde and his adherents. The merchants of Valencia are carrying off the:t most precious effects to Alicant and Majorca. DISTRICT OF TILE ARMY OP THE NORTH. ----- The assemblage of the Gallicians comminded by Santocildes has tried a fresh attack upon the po)ls Orbigo. On the 2d July, at two in the moruiir!, Santocildes, at the head of all his troops, appeared at the village of Vellamor, upon Orbigo. General Bon net had time to collect three regiments at Villa d'Angas. He marched immediately against the enemy, who, after some moments firing, were sta7- gered by a fine charge of the 12th dragoons, which determined them to retreat, leaving many dead na the field of battle. A reconnoissance, pushed on the 10th towards As torga, announced that the enemy seemed Willing , to maintain themselves there, and were reinforcing themselves with peasants. Ott the 14th, General Bonnet, with a strong de tachment, reconnoitred the position of the enemy, who hastened his retreat over the mountains of Villa Franca, without its being possible to bring him to au action, which would have deci.!ed his fate. DISTRICT OF THE ARMY Or THE CENTRE. The town of Cuenca, cleared of the brigands, has been occupied in a military manner, and the pivince occupied like thoile of the interior : the greater part of the prisoners desired to enter into our service those that were dispersed return succes,ively to their homes ail the cteimurtes are loud against the fright fill system of these bands, which know neither blind nor toe ; they all cesiied arms, and the honou r of de• finding themselves : several have already ciistingu.sh• ed themselves by the arrest of some leaders too fa mous for their atrocities.