Star. — London, England, 1815-11-03 00:00:00

SOUTH AMERICA. No. VII. General Monteverde was in possession of all the provinces of Venezuela at the end of August, 1812 : he pessessed, at the same time, the power of restoring peace and the first order of things ; for the people re quired nothing hut rest, after two years of constant fakigee, to which they had been little accustomed. But. instead of availing himself of his power for the purposes of peace and benevolence, vengeance alone fide.' his mind ; and the Spaniards wished, by de stroyine tl e inhabitants of Venezuela, to punish in them the insurrectit e of the whole Southern Conti. rout. Every Royalist hecame a public accuser, and tl,a 'greatest crime of which a person could have been Frailty a .s to have heleneed to the Republican piny. Every prim that toasted was filled with Patriots; other buildings were conve - ted into prisons; and it is said. with some jtotiee, that nearly the whole po pulation was a:Tested. These severe measures were tole? ated by the Regency of Spain; and Don Juan O' - hod to Minister of War, complains, in his Re port made to the Cortes, the 2d of October, 1813, if the indulgence that had been shewn to the Insur pets of Caracces. The dissatisfaction that succeeded revived the courage of Don N. Marino, who, with a handful of men, took the city of Maturin, in the province of Cumena : he was there twice attacked by the Spaniards, but they were repulsed with much loss, while Marino's forces and strength were greatly increased, ard the glory of his name was highly raised. Don Simon Bolivar, one of the most distinguished natives of Caraccas, had emigrated to New Certha gene when tilonteverde took Venezuela, and there he made a glorious campaign against the Royalists of Santa Marta. He then meditated the project of giv;ng freedom to his country ; and, uniting to the military emigrants .et Certhagene from Careceas, the troops which he asked and obtained from the Con giese of New Grenada, he began to realize his object. Having arrived at the frontiers of Venezuela, Co lonel Nicolas 13:i7.en0 separated himself at Cuenta front the :only commended by General Bolivar, and embarked with a few officers to Guastualitu p in the province of Baines. He there formed a little squa dron. which advancing towards 13erinas, was attacked and deleatej by the Royalists. Colonel Briceno and seven other efficeis were made prisoners, and after wards executed, by Tiscar, the Governor of Barinas. At the sane: time, they executed eight of the most respectable persons, who were accused or .having formed the play of spi cad* a spirit of revolution through the country to tacilitate the enterprize of Colonel Bricenn. This conduct exasperated General Boliear, who, after having engaged and defeated the Royalists at Cinema Grita, proceeded rapidly to 1311 In the wer between the Royalists anti the Patriots, the prisoners on the side of the Patriots had been uniformly treated with humanity, while the Royalists tousidered thf'irs as criminals, and constantly had them executed. This lenity of the Patriot Chiefs wis a great discouragement to their troops. Rage at seeing men who were fighting for their freedom greeted like bru:e beasts, joined to that right of reta liation, •latie General Botivar,declere, that in future every prisoner that fell into his power should be given up to the resentment of the Patriots; and the war, from this period, was styled the War of Death—la Guerra a MOTU. General Bolivar and General Rivas defeated seve sal times the Spaniards, and advanced towards Va lesicia. The battle of los Taguanes, fifty leagues, from Caracces, in which Monteverde was conquered, 1 defeated every hope of the Royalists. Monteverde, with the remnant of his forces, withdrew to Puerto. cabello ; and Fierro, Governar of Caraccas, proposed a capitulation to General Bolivar, which he accepted. But Fierro, without waiting for the ratification of the treaty, embarked at La Guaira, leaving at the mercy •of the conqueror near a thousand Spaniards, who had not the possibility of emigrating. The provinces which formed the republic of Venezuela were now again in the hands of the Patriots; the eastern part had obtained its freedom by General Marino, and General Bolivar had secured the treedom of the other provinces. Puerto-cabello alone was possessed by 'Monteverde in the month of August, 1813. The treaty of capitulation proposed by Fierro was presented to Monteverde ; the cotiditions were, that toe Spaniards should evacuate Puerto-cabello, with permission to quit Venezuela, and to withdraw all their property. Mon:everde not only refused to ac cede to the conditions of the treaty, but would not 'consent to the mhange of primers, though he would have gained near a thousand Spaniards for two hundred Patriots that were lying in fetters at . Puerto-cabello. Monteverde, in the mean time, received from Spain a reinforcement of twelve hundred men, and he at tacked the republican army ; hut being completely defeated at Ague-caliente, and himself wounded, his forces returnee to Puerto-cabello, Which *al then be sieged by we Patriots, under the command of the young and vallant d'Elhuger. Perseverance is undoubtedly one of the stiikiug characteristics of the Spanish nation. Man, though born and nurtured in these mild climes, still possesses an unbending haughtiness. He is slow, but his firmness overcomes his indolence; and though he nitiy sometimes yield to persuasion, never is he overcome by force. It suffices not that the Spaniards' are hated in America—that their navy and finances are in a state of ruin ; they have sworn again to sub due this extended Continent : and though they may possibly never succeed, never will the Spanish Go. verument acknowledge its independence. 1 firmly believe, that even three hundred years hence, though the Americans may then have effectually shaken off slavery, the Spanish nation will still be sending expe ditions, wish the hope of reconquering them, while their sole right of possession in America rests in the bull of Alexander VI. Puerto-cabello was attacked both by sea and land ; the garrison wanted even necessaries, the soldiers were dropsical: but the situation of the fortress of • Sanfelipe was so advantageous, the ammunition so abundant, and the Royalists so stubborn in resistance, that the loss of men to take it by force would have been • almost incalculable, which General Boileau would never consent to. Ceballus, Commandant ta Coro, *allied out of the town, and having serigagee and defeated several divisions of the republican army, he advanced to Mame, eighty log= from Carac- dr 1 * of • 1* I r' • r • In, • PI • ri • * • r cas, where , he was routed by General Bolivar, the sth of December, 1813. One battalion of the patriotic army which had behaved with a degree at cowardice in a preceding engagement, and had been deprived of their Mus kets, were then armed with lances, which greatly dissatisfied them ; but by the valour and good con duct of this day, they recovered their lost arms, by taking muskets from the enemy they had slain, and regained their tarnished glory. General Bolivar, in invading Venezuela under the auspices of the Con gress of New Grenada, had received orders to re-in state the Republican Magistrates, which he did not do. The inhabitants of caraccas assembled the Ist of January, 1814, and gave unlimited power to Bo livar to terminate the war. The provinces were then placed under a military government, which caused a general murmur. It is not sufficient that the inten tions of a government be good, it is necessary that these intentions be clearly evinced; the best plans will fail, if those on whom their execution depends do net feel their advantages, more especially when the stability of a government depends on the will of the people. The Spaniards not being able to subdue Venezuela, formed the plan of destroying it ; and Calzadas, Boves, and Rosete, received the commission to ef fect its destruction. In giving freedom to the slaves, whose number amounted in Venezuela to 60,000 ; in forming all vagabonds into a body, which, in a country thinly peopled, and which had been engaged in war for four years, was a numerous part of. the population; in promising to the dregs of the people the fortunes of the higher class, a body of men was easily raised, alarming both from its number and turbulency. Caraccas was attacked on several dif ferent sides, at the same time the prisoners of La Guaira entered into a conspiracy against the go. vernment. The prisoners were numerous, and though the Spa niards had often been solicited to exchange them, they had always refused. Those prisoners who were in the power of the Spaniards at Puerto-cabello, had been thrown on board hulks, where they were treated most hardly. The Royalists went still further.— Being importuned every day by Bolivar for some ar rangement to be made respecting the prisoners, and wishing to strike a blow that should cut off all inter course with General Bolivar, they put in chains one of his Ambassadors ; and chusing from among the prisoners those who were held in highest esteem, they had them shot in sight of the troops who were besieging Puerto-Cabello. Among them perished the worthy and generous Manuel Patio, in the highest degree worthy the respect and esteem of all his countrymen. The Republican forces were spread a consider able distance through the country, and it required ' a wonderful effort to save Caraccas from being over. powered by the enemy. The prisoners of fa Guaira were executed, and the inhabitants of Caraccas being freed from this danger, were enabled to• march against 11..sete and Boves. The Got was defeated by General Rivas, on the banks of the Tuy, the last by General Bolivar, near the city of Vittoria; and Venezuela appeared once again in safety. v. C. Oetelser 24, 181 S. ERRATA in the la,t Number;-53d line, read Vallecino, not Witt 104th line, against Guayana, not Guayta—i 11th line, Cucuta, not Cucena. FRENCH PAPERS. CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES. SITTING or 27TH OCTOBER. The sittiog was opened at noon. Atter the reading and approval of the minutes of Thursday, M. HYDZ Di Neuvu.t. waved . the motion of which he had given notice, tending to reduc! the number of tribunals, and to suspend the royal investiture of the Judges, on account of the importance of the business already before the Chamber. The discussion. therefore, recommenced on the law relative to seditious offences. M. DIMIISMAISONS.—The atrocious attempt against the thione and the King's person imposes upon us the duty of intreating his Majesty fOr the future to suspend his clemency. The first plan appears to me to be a mockery. Can it protect the friends of peace and good order ? Can it induce us to expect the future tranquillity of the country I The people have a right to ask, what have you done ? Have you fulfilled the duties imposed upon you ? A factious band had it in contemplation to subvert the Govern. ment, and to convulse the country to its very centre. Have you taken the necessary measures to repress that faction ? The Report from your Committee puts us in a more favourable situation ? yet the first article leaves us in doubt—the second is not suffici. ently explicit. Are there not writings which deserve death ? He who shall have incited the people to re. bellion—the soldier who would dare to display nay other flag than the white—ought not they to be pu nished capitally ? What ! When the country is in danger, is it not our bounden duty to adopt the most ) efficacious measures for its salvation ? I therefore move:—l. As an amendment to the first article of the Projet, the penalty of deportation beyond the Continent cat Europe, without derogation to the penal code, which enacts the punishment of death.-2. As an amendment to the second article, the same pu nishment, without prejudice to the 87th article of the penal code. Several Members seconded the motion. M. Purrvz.—Whatever may be your decision on the finiet of law, it involves you in a heavy responsi bility. In the event of rejection, you well bare to answer fur not having taken proper measures for the suppression of faction. The reasons whichjnduced the Committee . to adopt the plan with the amend ments made by them, ought to shift the responsibility to the rejectors. Yon will admit, that as crimes do exist which are not provided against by the code, there is a necessity for passing a law which will reach them, when they place the safety of the State in jeopardy. There are, therefore. grounds for adopting the Decree. I find that the plan completely answers the three objects in view—that of defining and me thodically classsfyng crimes and misdemeanours ; that of-adapting the punishment to the crimes; and that of speedy justice. lam of opinion that there are two cases in which a punishment more severe than that of transportation ought to be inflicted—that in which a. flag other than the white is displayed to et- I cite rebellion, ind that where, by writings, the person of the King shall be attacked. Wby is a. crime which has incurred the punishment of the fun clue, ptui nished only with the penalty of the tMed doss ? Dom not the Legislature hold in its hand an equal balance ? It must give an account of the melt makes of it to the country, to the world, and to posterity. Juries, it is said, will not award punishm ents at which their feelings will revolt; but are thiy not obliged to pro flounce ? Ought we to sacrifice what is right and ne cessary to their repugnance ? This eloquent expres sion still vibrates in my ear—France quill have justice, peace, and fur King ! Why will she have a King ? Not only. because she loves him—but also because she stands in need of him, who lives only for the people. And the Apostles of the contrary doctrine, which has been so long in vogue, dare accuse us of crimes which they have committed;—they have committed them at our expense.—lnhabitants of the west, whom the horror of the regicide stirred up to insurrection ! Inhabitants of the south, so taitliful to the royal cause ! —lnhabitants of the east I—No,—such a crime cannot he imputed to you, you have not ratified— The PIIESIDEN r.—l call the speaker to the question. M. Purrs.—My object is to cause the Royal Ma jesty to be respected, which it is difficult to establish. (Violent murmurs. It is established in our hearts, cried a great nunekr of voices.) —The King's person is sa. cred—every attempt against his supreme magistracy is punishable with death,—but without the itrqet of law the crime will remain unpunished. I will quote for this purpose the case of the Vicar of St. Nicholas. (Murmurs and laughter.)-1 propose then the adoption of the law as it stands, with the substitution of the penalty of death instead of transportation, in the two first articles. This alteration is but trilling. (A line.) M. Da CHALAIDUL.-11 propose an additional article to the Chamber, the object of which is to prevent the negligence of public Functionaries. It is this : Ordinary Commissioners of Police, Justices of the Peace, Mayors, Adjuncts, and Officers of Gend'ar- Riede% are personally responsible for the execution of this present law. Those who shall be convicted of negligence shall be prosecuted corroctionally and condemned to imprisonment, not more than one year,, and not less then a month. M. GEIININY asked who those were that the law wished to reach, by 'article 7, the object of which is to suppress false alarms respecting the national do mains, tithes, and the feudal rights ? There are people who still foster visionary 'toper.; others whom adversity has rendered discontented, but whose hearts reject every idea of revolt. Ought he who complains of his father, and he who slanders him, to be confin ed in the same cell ? Let us sacrifice our resent meats ; let virtue in distress be ever respected.. This duty is as sacred as our oath. This is the sound ment which I propose :—Are guilty of seditious acts, those who shall tukhee4 and designedly circulate re ports tending to the subversion of the Government. M. 'far replied to the objections urged against the plan of the law. The principal was the alleged insufficiency of .he punishment of transportation ; some have proposed to substitute for it, in certain cases, . capital punishment ; but a fundamental prin ciple in legislation was to observe, scrupulously, the gradations in punishments. The first and sicond articles point to offences, giving to understand, that there are others more severe. They refer to the penal code the cases where the menaces and acts shall have been followed with mischievous effects, or connected with some conspiracy ; and that code inflicts death on such crimes. • M. &comm. D'Aussas endeavoured to spew that the 7th article was useless, and that it might be mis• chievous. Its object was to prevent the factious horn creating enemies to the government, by spreading reports as to the re-establishment of old privileges, and the restoration of the old proprietors to their pro perty. What have these chimerical alarms pro duced ? No disagreeable effect —(Marmurs).— These reports, disseminated for this year past, have misled no one—(Agitation in the Hall). The PAISSIDENT.—Permit me t../ observe, Gentle men, that there smothers who mean to rise, and the speaker may be contradicted regularly, without being interrupted. M. D'Avamts then proceeded. After some farther discussion, of little interest, a Member proposed, that the seditious cries uttered in the very presence of his Majesty, should be punished with marked severity, but was interrupted by mur murs.—The Sitting was then adjourned. The 12th October, the Minister Secretary of State for the Department of the Interior, addressed to the Prefects the following Circular ; M. La PIIfIGT-Tbe Circular of the 40th July last of tborised you ps suspend and replace provisionally during the first month of your installation, the Mayors and Adjuncts wheat it should appear to you t'angerous to sailer to continue in dice. Several Prefects have thought, that at the expiration at the month a new authority was required, to enable than to replier the Municipal Functionaries, and they have requested a pro longatioa of this extraordinary power; ethers abstain front proposing to me useful changes amongst' the Functionaries, per. *nailed that they have no longer the right, because the term of the authority given to them has expired. " Both are mistaken as to the interpretatioa that ought to given to the circular of the 110th July. The Prefects have. always bad the right of proposing changes amongst the Fuse toionarf rept es adl i g h° th a fr:n 4a p d rci er visionall their Zs d th s ey usPe hr n e rind:de-WI% and useful to the service and the interests of Gott-fitment. The cis% akar of the liOth July had less for its object to confer on them. ih this respect an extraordinary power, than to induce them as account of circumstances to use their right in such .a manner, UM In the month of their installation there should nu looser be In also any but those Functionaries who should be capable et Mean ting the views of Government tor the re-establishment of traajalllity is France. It is important that this species sif.rene mum should take place as soon as posdble. If this uptration is net teesalnated In your department, the expiration of the delay fixed by the circular ought not to prevent you from contineing it, for I repeat you have the right of suspending Mayors and Adjuncts, saving the proposing to me the replacing of them, if they ate in the King's maininatiop. lu the central y case, you are not yourself definitively to replace them until I gall have determined on their revocation." PONDICHillitr rwr . eah M act ARCH 6; ISIS. F w (' a sv r it w ) ith revers' of the go The English ( are ts fi oi rs iet t hk P ei n o ag w rdm er oym s o i n India. effthNea Bengal g fTNha,usi t u hey hs saess la si t iiwti v attackediicethrltorespb eeerespect o chequered ; but their troops are so well disciplined, their officers so experienced, and their restnoces of every kind so great, that it is impossible they should not succeed. It is thought they would already have obtained greater success, had they not, in the begin thenteraoo feeble seta. and formed their flint t attackslattacks o with begin ning of the campitigb, too much divided th eir f orces killed. br avest and w and b , -t Hmentor is an ewats . of re th rtaiy one the A s Office liver employed in India by br itisli Go. VITAKSeIIt. • " The brave Government of Calcutta list de• Glared war against Scialiah. It is generally bet ke , e , at Madras, that war will also soon be declared agaii, st Holkhr. The forces of the Presidencies of Madre, and Bombay amount at least to 50,000 men. Colop.: Doveton, at the head of a corps of 12,000 men, encamped on the frontiers of the King of Bevan , States, and holds that Pr ince in check. The Pesb,,,,, does not appear inclined to detach himself from tilt: English. These different wars wilt e ur c n n t r o ldi t t l i t o e n u a l vs tage of the British Government, which will f al ai, reduce the Maltrattas to the b . other Powers of Hindostan. Gene.'a 'Woe, Commander in Chief of the Madras ;'res . gieney, taken the command of the troops in the se All Ceylon is now in possession of Government. That island, well administev:d, will be by the English, will become one of the tichN counties in the world." OPINION or THE COUNT DE LANSUINSIE, ON MP. 'sr VoitatENING THE MEASURES OP SAFETY A 64,:, THOst ACCUSED OF sEDITioN, rantsouNexn SITTING or TUE GRAMME or runs, OcToithe 2(. 66 Messieutts—ln ascending this tribune, 1 cep, rience two sentiments, extremely painful —grief a ;: d. astonishment; grief, to behold so disastrous a l iw proposed. under the government of the best of Ki a2s . r astonishment, (to say the least of it.) at hearing te7„ t who propose it-declare, in the onset, that it can be objected to only by hypocrites, by the tactteus , b y the accomplices of the guilty, and by the tarticans of a sanguinary despotism. Never, during a y ear which I dare not recal, were permitted eboilitien s oratorical fury more dreadful. Is there, in tau, a necessity for any extraordinafy measure ? Is the 1,,t0 which has been proposed to us so necessary, so inJe pensible? It certainly is not. In fact, do ;he Mi nisters omit any arrest when they think the public safety requires it ? Is there a single department where they have had any scruples upon this head ? No.—. They assume, as they 'confess, all the respfnsNfty of the matter. • 66 la truth, no man who reasons, can accuse them of this as a crime, and nothing can mitigate the zed or the obedience of their agents. Did ever any P r ., feet refuse to execute their most dreadful LICAMP I Prefects and Sub-Prefects are not, in this resifr rt , amenable, except to them, the Ministers, or to the Council of State ; and they, the Ministers, are re. sponsible to no one, since there is no law respecting their responsibility ; for during 18 months this impta. :ant measure has not been agitated. There can be to crime or punishment without a law, which previously defiles and determines it. Where then is the necess , ty 'of the law ? But what is not problematical is their din. ger. I shall return to this point when I have explained what it is. I cannot find any object of ccmparisr.n, these latter times, except the law relating to suspected persons which passed in 1793, and the imp; jnrneir executed in a neighbouring kingdom by itooonOke of Safety, whose too tardy destruction has excited the acclamations and the joyful transports of the whole people. The Speaker was interrupted by cries of (Wry. The Duke de Sr. AIGNAN insisted upon callirl him to order. 64 The Speaker replied—Explain yourself : said nothing but the truth ; I decline, however, . peating it, since it is unpleasant. line are my proofs as to the inconvenience and extreme impolicy of :he proposition. Some hundreds of thousands of police officers may, according to the project, arest ' crimes of state; and the simple fact of the arrest thorises the government to keep the individuals prison iudefinitely for one year, eighteen miinth, many years, without any necessity if bringing thin ki trial. Suppose only one arrest to be executed each officer, a million of Frenchmen may tot detained in arbitrary confinement : where wonli find prisons to put them ? Yes, they are mixt:a,. or if you will, inculpated, according to the rill code ; suspected, for they are not even tretilli, though called such ; the great as well as the mall fteerlention can be constituted only by the judges. , Such is our criminal code, formed under a quail! and for a tyranny. 66 It is said that nothing is changed as to tlieclee petency of those who issue the 'minders; but ever; thing is changed, because there are now wily mandate of appearance, and oo longer those of at:cit. which cannot be issued except by a Judge, and tr, alone contains the imputed crime, and cites the. that punishes it ; because there is no longer a ;We• spent which declares the suspicions suffideede blished, nor the consequent ordonnance for tai the body of the offender. Your law, therefore, only produce detained persons, and not reach thee who are really suspected. It is demanded that thee shall not be tried ; then they are, in fact, like those of the celebrated year, and I could easily prove the suspected of 1793 had more resources than those of 1815 for redress. This is not all. It is propose , ' to apply to these persons the penalty of placing &a under the inspection of the high pike : that is. ' send them to reside 400 leagues, if they like, ' their homes, or to keep them where they please, if have not the means of providing bail. These are you call suspected. And to what amount? Egad that of the men who have the initiative of each r sure. In what places ? Tnroughout the whole dom, without excepting a single deparment. what time.? For six months, a year, or many year. $6 What fatal consequences must ensue to the Wit duals, ruined in their circumstances; accused by debtors, or their servants, or by the s ubornation their wives or daughters—and where will all this! Will there not be conspiracies in the prisons ? the experience we have had, who will venture to that a new second of September may not a rrive Thus the ruin of individuals and of Tamil i e s would completed. What Shall I say tithe Goverun"h the Ministers, of the Chambers ? Where are the; Authorities who sanction this measure ? Where they who sanctioned a similar one in that total An indelible stain is affixed to their names, 411, reprobation that has fallen upon them is irrevoc. Lastly, while the inspected arc groaning in pm tar from their families and from their business. will pay the taxes? Who will support t he chaps the State ? What terror! What irremedi.tble b tion of commerce and trade in th e which is atready so languid ! Fo r g ive rind t h eme dications. I cannot forget that my m other an ctel sister, my brother and my daughter , were ri crac jd and likely to perish, because I the n, as n"aseton, liberty and justice against the fury of the p is Mention has been Made of the suspectedsuspected Ire.; 3r... rar' , Aiw a s Cate Lean nalit ,s t 1... tho hi IChN I Ar 26. eXpti. I L I. a 14w thqst :an be is, by 'twins I year itnsof lac!, a he 1„ro indls- he Mi- public t where silty e them he zeal ny Pr... elm? resifra, r to the are cc- ;peeling in be no evioutly tectuty teir din. xplaintd uspected Inments ommiike excited s of the f Order. callri : I !Ave , ever, re. ny proofs cy of the of poilce triest for arrest iduals is itinth, or ;ing ttent !cuted by y t..to be voulJ y liie prnii trettui, the small judges."' lytaall!; 'tile vie. but every only tee of ore, and teh:clt es the lA% I a juk• endy esta. for "kin;, efore, Will each those that thole like those prove that than those s proposed icing &a that is, 14 like, too tase,if the! ie are wilt. ? Equal " each met' Thole ling. neat. my yeAti• the Unto' ied by OW . . ornatton (. U this stop' ns ? I mre to sa e t arrive?"' : s would° :r umor, ci re rheYs Where d' l . teal yea h, Cs, 30 u' rrevorabk mess, charges" be stag" . Lical le these ;r er and 01 : sospecto, , Jett „„ofis teci