The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-05-13 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGSNet

HAMBURGO MAIL.

HANSURGN, MAT 6.
[The following has been tent to as ('he Hauntits'
Correspondent) l'nr osertii
LETTER FROM fit EXrCO, NOT. 40.
DEAR FRIEND—AIk e are here- much astonished
at the fats ideas which people in Europe entertain
of the causes and the state of our conte.t, ea well ita
at the crissnifiies of some tOreigneta sKaln.t Spsin,
when they speak of its American possessions,
out having may knowledge of either the one or the
other. The ittcontitt from the Old World ►hew us,
that periodical journals and pamphlets are full of
false statements, in the cause of indepeinl.
ence is treated without the smallest knowledge or
the country—of the character of is inhabitains.,.f
the spirit of its legislation—of the spoilt% i.f admi-
nistration—of the localities—and st,ll leas of the cl.s
of men who fight under the standard i,f the I
rents. We learn alto that there is a certi.in
Abbe, of the name of ISe Pradt, who writes et
random upon emancipation, letters, prophecie.;
ciliates to a minute the time of itiiirprtiiirtwe, a:.(1
preaches with furious teal insurre. non, nothing
but insurrection. to make it belie►ed that the iiiiir-
Pen4C4Ce of America would be soiv.iiiisgeon: to the
Oldrand the New World, and that Simin has iso rig I.t
nor any interest to Oppose it. Lastly. it seems that
people in Curope are convinced that in the t7oloinet
■ll is its confosioo, and that they long for lode.
prudence.
Nothing, my dear Friend, is more unfounded.-•.
There (I speak of this kingdom. wiili whit is Ism
well acquainted) is a parcel of rettle.:s umhitious
people, discontented that they are nothing, whit
have no legal means of becoming any tliiiig, and
have therefore embraced the trade of revolution tub
attain their end. There is ■ still larger minther
persons *duced or infatuated, who vexes ly
a chimera which•they do not know, and who are lent
In threat., promises, and the attractions of piling..
Bin the greettionnber, almost the aggregate or thit
inhabitants in general, all sensible people, slid those
who have any thing to lose, detest the iiisiiirectiois,
and always have detested it, long for repose, and
love the dominion of the mother country, which
has made these countries flourish for ti►ese•three
centurim has spread in them true religion, wise
laws, knowledge, and sciences. Those who LIMA
that they understand politics go further, and judge
according to their knowledge of the subject ; and
the independence so much boasted of cannot be
established, e' .n on the supposition that it would
be just to separate from the mother country and the
lawful Sovereign (observe, Sir, that we too know
very well how advantageous legitimacy is to the
peace and happiness of nations) ; and that becan.e
our Americans are by no means in a condition to be
able to govern themselves. There sire here many
various casts, many pre-conceived opinions of
some against others, many deep-rooted preju-
dices, end the knowledge required to Ravens is
not general, end far from besng soffn,•irutly ma.
tore. With such element. independence is a chimera.
If you believe it evident that Spanish America re-
quires for its existence the protection of a fully
consolidated Government, the question is, who is
best qualified to govern 'and protect it; whether fo-
reigner., as is evidently the wish of the Eurojwaii
favourers of the insurgents, or the rebelliaus molt,
who want to have the plates and the prop. rty of
honest men, oe the lawful Governmetit of Spain,
whirls discovered and has civilised it?

Prey tell all those who wish to learn the truth,
that the Spaniards in America are so far from being
adherents of the so boasted independence, as their
brethren in Spain were, at the time of the intrusive
dominion of Bonaparte, that there have never beea
any thing more here than bands, troops of raven.
toren. who mislead unfortunate persons, who al-
ready open their eyes, and return by thousands to
order and submission, to the mercy of our beloved
Sovereign; that the leaders, the greater part
of whom now no longer exist, are men -with
out principle or morality, who, having little or
nothing to lose, seek to gain every thing; and
th,it when those people in Europe who ale still
infatuated. were to see the enthusiasm and the
genend joy which the capture and execution of the
traitor Minis have excited among the whole people,
they would form • more accurate judgment of the
stirs of the public spirit in this country, and lea n
the fate which shortly awaits the rest of the insur-
gents. Tell them that though I have never been
in South America, I have had frequent connections
with it, and that I know as much as is ne-
cessary to be convinced that the causes of the
disorders are there the slime as heel., and that
the result will be the same, though many other
circumstances have an influence there. Tell than
that to speak, with real knowledge, of these cow.-
tries and their inhabitants. it is not enough to read
the declaimer Rayne), or the learned initimkt
Hutrilioldt, still less the fanatic prophet De Pradi,
but that they must travel hither and see with 'tole
own eyes. that the people in general, the land-
owners, the merchants, and all rensonable persons,
love the dominion of the mother country, and
the paternal government of their dear Sovereign.
Tell those who have neither the iticlimittun i.or
the time to come hither, that they must have before
them the picture of the French Revolution, sod
that they may examine, whether it was the mass of
the nation which desire confusion, or only a parcel
of factious men, those scourges of society, who by
high sounding words in declamations seduced a
great number, who are alwaysiindsped to innova-
tion and cruelties, when a coircutietice. of circum-
stances and the dexterity of the inandiaries has sin -
ceeded in agitating the crowd. Let them remember
those dreadful events, slid consider that the spiiit
of revolt and jacubinions, accompanied by all the
furies. after having desolated Europe with blood,
has brought disorder to America; and if any not
should reply that so great an insurrectionary 1111 l ve.
meat implies will. resources. and talents, ill.
ewer that all these are wanting (in a sufficient
degree) in America ; but that it unhappily has too
many adventurers' support, excitements, arm es, and
patriotism, which come from foreign countries; but
do mint forget to add, that the (Mews advent orers
begin to he to utsdrceived and so well chastised, that
•e hope we shall 110011 110 see one more of them.
I cannot close this letter without begging a
favour of you, and without relansig to you an

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