The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-14 00:00:00

LETTER OF GENERAL PAEZ TO BOLIVAR•

CARACAS, MAY 31.
Most Excellent Sir—l have the grief to announce to your Ee.
oellericy the important events which have taken place in Venezuele,
sea which will be ever severely felt by me, whatever may be their
tame; the even tenour of our fiintiamental institutions is materially
affected by this change, and the people are prepared to demand re-
forms which, by reconciling their interests, may render their condi-
tion more solid and happy. The insidious character of General
Santander has poisoned the very fountain head of administration,
sod the Legislative Body, blindly obeying his caprice+, and cue-
reined at the same time by some of its members, who seek to sacri-
fice the labours of true patriots to their blind resentments, has, by
13 deliberations, given effect to some dark and malignant drown
Tbe laws came to be considered in Venezuela its nets spread to en-
tangle 'honest men, and the dark policy of Administration In.
spired general mistrust of all that came from Bogota. Thee slate
of things had ptedispoeed the public mind to receive with disgust,
mod examine scrupulously, all measures tending to effect change'
to this department ; and it was easy to have foreseen that the
proceedings adopted against me were sufficient to cause
general alarm, inasmuch as the inhabitants of the department
leeheld their home and foreign security shaken thereby ; fur the
preservation of which, General Santander himself had often
asserted my presence to be nectosary. The various orders prse&
ing from the several Secretaries offices contained a heavyrespon-
sibility, which was sufficient to determine those charged with their
tutircutiou to effect it rigorously, without deliberating on their ex-
pediency or utility ; but the Executive has always taken care to
ttsow these acts off his own shoulders, by means of secret and con-
fident'al communications, tending to cast the odium of Lis measures
ea those whu have the misfortune to be the unwilling instruments of
by authority. I may, nevertheless, pride myself on having softened
the fate of the people of this department to the utmost of my powee,
by interposing myself between them and the Government, with a
mew of obviating or diminishing the vexations with which they
were threatened ; and it is this very conduct that has stimulated
Gmeral Santander to consider me at length the target against which
the wows of his power should be directed. I eontinued to tread
with all sincerity in the path pointed out by the laws, animated by
the consolatory hope, which I have always cherished, of preset ving
iLis department unsullied, and of handing it over to your Excel-
lency when I should have the happiness of beholding you amongst
Its. in a state of tranquillity, produced by the efforts of the army
touter my command, and freed from those foreign and domestic
enemies who polluted it when our Excellency confided its security
ba my sword and vigilance. But the Government of Bogota, eager
to plunge us into an abyes of misfortune, has frustrated this desire
ot my heart, and hat obliged the people to adopt a resolution by
which they may be saved from such imminent dangers, by deposit-
nig in my hands the civil and military administration, which 1 have
aisepted with repugnance, yielding only to the decided wishes of
use: as generous as they are brave; and who, in thus confiding to
me their fate, have given most unequivocal proof of their pa-
wn:diem, penetration, and adherence to my person.
However grateful to me would be the task, it were impossible to
give tour Excellency a succinct recount of my conduct, during the
t.ine I have exercised the chief command which your Excellency
conieed to my care. I deposited in my heart the laurels gained in
beetle, to place them In the hands 0! your Excellency, as a tribute
dee to your unlimited confidence. The various mortification' and
saerifices attendant on the exercise of authority in moments of
dmiter, with a view to the preservation of order, were softened by
t•e remembrance of your Excellency's inestimable fliendehip—a
triendship which Lae occasioned my having thus compromised my-
self; since my repugnance to a public life, could alone have been
sermounted by the WOW submission and unreserved affection
wilinh I professed towards the person of your Excellency. In short,
ma anxiety to please your Excellency and worthily repay your con-
telence, was my sole object and constituted all my glory.
Venezuela has long sighed for a reform in her institutions, and
it the provocations of the Government have until now been insuffi-
cient to cause the explosion, it was owing (I may be permitted to
state) to the mildness of my conduct toward+ some, and my energy
with others. The evils which might arise from a change were not
unknown, and reflecting men, however aggrieved, preferred suffer-
irg m a dissolution of the system. It has been by my aid that the
healthful circulation of the body politic has been maintained, and
u. this tact the Government of Bogota is well aware, from my
communications.
In spite of the alarming situation of Venezuela, the Executive
issued its decree of the ;(Ist of August, Hat, fur a general enlist-
ment of the militia; which decree was received with such repug-
nerke in this city, that after ascertaining the public opinion there-
of:, and experiencing acts of disobedience, I resolved to suspend
its execution ; thus raking on myself the severe responsibility at-
tingled to me by its 13th article. General Santander replied to me,
in a private lettir, that the enforcement of the decree would be ap-
proved of by the (*engem. inasmuch as it was founded on the
lime Nevertheless, I should not have enforced it. except in am-
pestatice, under a hope that the example of other departments
might tend to remove these obstacles, and conciliate the public
mind. In the month of December, however, of last year, I was
informed by the Commandant of Arms of the province of a revolu-
tion. combined with the people of the interior, respecting which
be nu then taking the necessary measures, and requiting succour
Rant me in order to suppress It, as your Excellency will learn from
the copies of the official communications which I transmit to you,
No. 1. After considerable reflection, I deemed tile enforcemetit of
the decree, mid the formation of the militia, indispensable. With
this view, 1 announced' nay intention to the Intendent.tieneral
Esealona, is order that he might, on his part, comply with the
55th artiele thereof, which provides for the cmonenition of the civil
and military power to this effect. Your Excellency, by the copies
of the official communications, No. 2, will know of how little
avail was the intervention of his authority.
The citizens were twice called on to assemble, by proclamation.
in the barracks of San Francisco, and as often refused to obey. Al!
were resolved on making vigorous opposition, under the persuasion
teat this decree violated their rights ; but as I was sensible. on the
one hand, that its execution had become necessary, to enable me to
calculate on an ortanized and disposable force, and, on the other,
that my sanction of tine disobeilietice might, in our then circum-
stances. be fatal to the public security. I resolved on summoning
Mein for the third time on the rich of January of the present year,
with the intention of making them feel my authority, and ot pro-
ceeding with an energy becoming the honour of the military power,
at once the strength and protection of Government 'file stor.mons
wus accordingly issued—the hour arrived—others succeeded but
tin: einem% were as disobedient on this occasion as on former ones.
teen sent an Aid-de-Camp to the Intendant, informing hint that
was about to send patrols through the streets, in order to conduct
:CI7 citizens as they might meet to the appointed place of rendez.
wine. The patrols were accordingly sent, and acted as your
1 xeellency will find detailed in the document, No. 3. The
1 estelent then sent to me to suspend this measure, and
that he would take on himself to effect the enlistment. I
therewith gave orders for the patrols to be withdrawn, which
was accordingly done, without their having entered the house*
of any citizens, or caused any other inconvenience. Never.
theieas, on the following clay, the Intendant gave an account of
this measure to the Eaecutive. under an impression that it was ar-
bitrary. The municipality likewise represented die proceeding to
the Chamber of Representatives, exaggerating the sufferings of
certain citizens who had been conducted to the barracks, and peti-
tioning that it would be pleased to issue, in the course of the Ses-
sion. the law for the regulation of the militia, which it had already
• sanctioned, but which had been objected to by the Executive.
Vies Excellency will peruse this representation in document No. 4.
On these allegations, certain Representatives founded charges
against me, which, in my opinion, were excited and promoted
be General Santander. The Chamber of Representatives mag-
nified facts, *Toeing me of havieg ordered the houses of the
tethers to I e f treed open, and having invaded the public liberty,
broken the guarantees of the Constitution. General Santander
thformed me of all this in a private letter, charging me at the
ANMC time to obtain a justification of conduct, which was accord.
ugly done in this city. and your Excellency a ill learn the re.
si.a from document No. L. Notwithstanding all this, the im-
peachment was carried to the Senate, and admitted ; and I was,
rn caneermenee, suspended fron my command, which was con.
fetred provisionally ley the Executive on General Enahma. As
soon as the official notice of this event reached me, in conformity
with my duty, and pursuing that system of subordination which has
ever marked my military career, I caused him to be recognized by
the army; who, however, received the Intelligence atul the ap-
pointment with great disgust. The people of Valencia, who re-
membered that General Escalona hid die misfortune to deliver up
that city to General Bovetn—who had often witnessed my triumphs
to to the enmity, and the consequent preservation of their tranquil-
intr. and who know the efforts+ and sacrifices by which I had sue.
ceeded in taking Puerto Cabello, and had thereby obtained for them
so extensive commerce and the security of their families, could not
tolerate, nor behold with indifference, that a man in whom they had
no confidence should assume the command, nor that I should be
removed from diem at a time when they deemed my presence cc.
sential to their preservation from foreign and 'lmmo commotion.
The entire population aa+enable4 in the municipal hell. loudly de.
minding that the decree from Bogota should be suspended, and that
I should be retained in the command. A body of three hundred
men bore me from my house, and the united people proclaimed me
their chief. I accepted the charge, became I thought it necessary
to the maintenance of good order, and any authority was instantly
recognized by all the troops.
The name of your Excellency was not forgotten on this occasion.
The Government of Bogota was not more cordially abhorred than
your Excellency was beloved. All desire a retran, but they refer
the nature of it to your Excellency, and desire that you should be
the arbitrator of their fate. All here consider you as their filer,
and do no: doubt that an illustrious son of Colombia. who has
catered the greater part of this Continent with glory, will consent
to he a Legislator for his immediate birth-place, after having giving
it independence. The acts of the cities of Valeticknand Caracas
will apprise your Excellency of the manner and coodhatme on which
I have been entrusted with the civil and military government of
Venezuela, until your Excellency COMPS and dissipates the clouds
which hang over our beads. NVithout your Excellency there can
be no peace—civil war is inevitable—and should it once ciernmence,
my heart acknowledges that, from the character of this people,
there is no hope of its termination. until all be reduced to as,hes.
Cane, then, your Excellency, in compliance with the oodles of
the people. to perfect the work of your hands, and insure the Sta-
bility of the Republic.
God protect your Excellency many years !
JOSE ANTONIO PAEZ.
Caracas, May 21, IVA