The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-04-06 00:00:00

MISSAGE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF CO-
LOMBIA TO THE CONGRESS OF 1826.

Cidiena of the Senate and Chamber of Repreaentadree,

At the termination of your legislative career in the first period of
the tonetitution of the Republic, a vast field presented itself for
employing your wisdom and your patriotism to the benefit of the
people of Colombia. The stare of internal tranquillity which the
nation happily enjoys, and the improvement of its external rela-
tions, give us a favottrible eppottunity to ameliorate oar administra-
tion, and to perfect those laws In the wisdom and adaptation of which
the prosperity of Colombia must have its inundation. At a distance
from the noise of arms, and enlightened by the knowledge derived
from public opinion and your own experience, you will be able, in
the present session, to consolidate the edifice of liberty erected upon
such precioes and incalculable sacrifices. The fundamented law
imposes upon me the agreeable duty of assisting you with that in.
tOrmation which an aoquaintance with the administration enables
me to communicate; and I am now about to fulfil thin obligation,
which is petfectly in accordance with the wishes of my heart.
The Spanish Government, blind to the lessons which she is coo•
tinually receiving in her'contest with America, end deaf to the Bug.
gestionsof impartial and experienced Governments, testifies no in-
tention of abandoning her hostile designs against our Republic.
'The Government of Colombia, by a conduct worthy of the cause
which it defends, has redoubled its efforts to induce Spain to ac-
zeds as honourable peace, In proportion as the success of our
arms and the progress of the Republic more and more irrevocably
ratified our independence. You will see, in the documents which I
shall tame tote presented to you, papers sent to the Cabinet of Ma-
drid in oar favour by several of the Powers of Europe and Ame.
rice. You will see the steps which the Executive has taken for the 1,
same purpose; and jOu will perceive with what firmness and dig-
Ow it has maintained the cause and the principles of the people of
olombis. It Is very disagreeable to have to enter into diminutions
wah s Government 110 obstinate‘ but the Executive has not been
discoutinxed by the difficulties in the way of .its negotiation for
"nee. I shall persevere in these beneficial views : and I can assure
yen, if we do not succeed in procuring a reconciliation at once sin-
cere mut worthy of Colombia, we have means sufficient to maintain
the war with the same honour and success with which the Republic
has already maintained it for the whole of the last fifteen year..
Or erelitions with the American Governments, and particularly
thane with the United States of Mexico and those of 'Penn have
been consolidated in &stunner proper to secure a permanent and
a.ncere alliance. At Panama the Plenipotentiaries of the new
State, of America are now about to assemble, in order to ratliy, in
the most solemn manner, our common determination to maintain
and defend our national liberty and independence against all the
enterprises of oar ettemies. This assembly. a fruit, as it is, of the
most incitations* of meserec the benefits derived from the sa-
crifices of the American people, and of the most ardent wishes of
the timensenent of Colombia and bf the-Liberator for peace and
amity beetroot all the belligerent c.ohrederates,•completra, in the
opinion of the Executive, use guaranren of our independence. I
hive endeavoured to make the true objects of the Assembly on the
Isthmus understood in Romp', in order to remove any disagreeable
impression which some Cabinets mtahf havereceived,lesn on ac-
count of theinsidious conduct of our enentiet, than on account of
the magnitude of the undertaking which we have succeeded in
accore
The Republic of Peru has recovered its polhical existence by the
sword and the conduct of the Liberator President. You know
;that has been the result of the efforts of General Bolivar, effec-
t:falls seconded as they were by the faithful adherence of the people
of Peru to the common cause, and by the mar/cranes and intrepi-
dity of the defenders of liberty. At Ayacucho that hipanish army
V' an otnquished, which before had commanded all that vast country;
and from that glorious day down to the moment when the enemy's
commandant in Potosi perished, the united thanes of Colombia
and Peru, immediately directed by an able and :Orton ate Colombian,
obtained a succession of the most glorious triumphs. In conse-
quence of these brilliant events, the provinces of Upper Peru, the
cradle of American liberty, have assumed the onlitical existence of
which they stood in need, by erecting themselves hit° an independent
state. In the tranaporut of ice enthusiasm and gratitude, the people of
this new nation have adopted the title of the Bolivar Republic, thus
consecrating the illustrious name of the Liberator of Colombiato the
moat di) tentage*. I cannot find adequate expressions to ex plain to you
the moments of joy and gratitude which the Government felt on
hearing of the homage whelk was heehawed on the Liheratoe, on
We Colombian army, and en as Clemmal, by the Congress of Peru,
by the Assembly of Chuquisaca; by the cities, the towns,and all the
intitertia The Congress will efoosloes Deputation from the Repre.
netfilifires Of Peru, whose primigml Object is to present to you a
tentimony of its gratitude for the efforts which the Republic of Co-
-1 :tibia has made in favour of the liberty and independence of their
Motel. in spite of all vulgar prtiudires. I hope that you will
evrepathise with the Executise in its feelinsoann seeing an undertak.
f -g accomplished which seemed to compromine our own destinies. A
put of the auxiliary army has returned to its country, and the other
wits remain in Peru at the disposition of that Government, in order
to protect the deliberations of the people, and to preserve the internal
tranquillity, as long as that state may require it. or this Republic does
rot stand in need of its troops. In order is fulfil our ergegements
with the United States of Mexico, I have disposed of a part of our
forces in a manner of which you will be informed at a proper op.
pertunity. The common cause of Americ.a, which Is interested
this measure, will thus be secured in one of its mast vital interests,
and there will not then remain any part of the New World in which
the Republic of Colombia has not concurred in pursuing Its ancient
oarsmen, and procuring peace and amity for its brethren.
There is no motive of complaint against the Government of
Brazil. The Government has deferred opening those negotiations
which it in necessary, Pram its vicinity, to establish with the Go-
vc-ement of that country, till it can be assured that the Minister of
the Republic will be received on the terms acknowledged by the
law of nations. The foreign periodicals repreeer.t the Eroperor to
Le st variance with the Government of Buenos Ayres fof the pos.
session of the Banda Oriental. The Executive has no official
knowledge of the question.
The treaty of peace, amity, navigation, and commerce, which we
have entered into with the United State., being ratified by the Pre.
sident of that Republic, our relations with them are placed on the
most flattering and happy footing. The Convention about the
.Africin slave trade has not been ratified, on account of the doubts
von•,11 hire arisen in the American Senate, of which the Secretary
of Foreign Affairs will inform you in detail.
The treaty of peace and amity with the British Government,
which met your approbation last Session, must elm have been rati.
had by this time. From this period the political and commercial
relations between the Republic and Oran Britain will be esta.
bitshed in a permanent and advantageous manner for both nations,
as well as useful to the American cause. After the signature of
this treaty I received the Envoy of his Britannic Majesty, who is
row resident in the capital.
The commercial agents continue in our ports, in the manner
in which I mentioned In my former Message that they hail been
"ermined to exercise their function., because, as the cause which
gave rite to the proceeding of Government still subsisted, it would
have been improper fur me to alter my conduct. Our con,nia anti
commercial agents to the United kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland will be despatched, at the proper time, to the ports which
are most convenient for our mercantile relations.
The Executive has laboured with the greatest anxiety to obtain
from the Government of his Most Christian Majesty an explicit
declaration in favour of the Republic. A preliminary step towards
the success of our desires and efforts was to give that Cabinet cer-
tain explanations, and to lay before them the true principle. which
regulate our conduct, with a view to explain certain points on
winch disadvantageous opinions were entertained. To this effect I
apponted a commercial agent, in the way moat adapted to the cir-
cumstances, and his conduct has come up to our expectations. His
actin communications will be presented to you, and I am certain
that Caruso sill approve the circumspection with which lie con-
ducted himself, in circumstances of considerable difficulty ; and
will applaud the firmness with which we have maintained the sys.
tom proclaimed by the people of Colombia. I have no reason to
doubt that the French Government. supported by the opinion of
the nation, will in the end acknowledge our i-deriendence, in Imi.
tation of other Great Powers, anti will proceed to establish friendly
relations with us, which may be useful to both countries.
The relations with the Apostolical See continue to bear an inde-
finite character, on account of causes which it is not difficult to
point out. The very particular circumstances of the eats hare induced
me to conduct this negotiation with the utmost prudence, trusting
that the coarse of events will produce in the end a result favourable
la the stability of public order. The laws which the Congresshas
enacted on subjects connected with public wm,hip and accinimi.
cal discipline, have been coinniunicated to the Roman See, and you
may test aoored, if it should he found necessary, that the Govern-
meat will support the rights of the people of Colombia with dig-
nit," and firmness.
:he Republic enjoys continued tranquillity—the constitution is
rovonsomid—the laws are observed, and tne Colombians enjoy freely
the right of demanding their execution. The constitutional elec-
tions, to renew the repres-ntation of the nation. have been carried
into effect without disturbance, and with that liberty which is due
to the sovereignty of the people. The press has executed a part of
its duty by the examinicion of the important points which the Re-
soillic had to decide in the exercise of it. rights, and though it was
ireposslble„ and Mon witless, to lay any restraint on the insidious
language of the jsawona, we have seen with satisfaction that
it could never teYsi the sinews of the moral force of government.
The political adosiniatratioo of the departments anti provinces,
and that of joatitc, have received a considerable amelinra.
tom by the laws of the 11th of March, and the I I th and 131 h
as May, which are in the act of being put in execution. There
are. notwithstanding this, imperfections still remaining to be cor-
rected, voids to be billed, and doubt. to he resolved in this—de-
partment, so important for the happiness of the citizens; and
although I am not ignorant that it requires a long course of time,
so advance in civilisation. and a greater difro.ioo or information,
in order to succeed in forming a complete body of laws to.protect
Ofierty, to secure order, and to raise the nation to a high drgree of
prosperity and of glory, I cannot but flatter myself, front your wis.
dam, and from the inforanition that I have solicited from the
tribunals of justice themselves, that we shall obtain a result
stall mare perfect. and still more conformable to our institutions.
Comider with scrupulous &dentine, if it he now proper to rata-
knish universally the beautiful institutions of juries; or ilk can only
be rounded from mercantile transactions and abuses of the press,
to which it is now confined, to criminal affairs, or at least to such

delinquencies as are most' injurious to society and of tnost frequent
occurrence. Education requires a uniform plan, and funds put*.
ficient, to enable it to be extended Over the whole of the Republic,
till not a parish shall be seen without its Lancastrian school, nor a
province without la college. Although die views of the Execu-
tive have been opposed by difficulties, we may flatter ourselves
that an astonishing progress has been made in this department.
The culture and colonization of the national lands which Congress
has placed at the disposition of Government, must soon begin to be
carried into effect under the remilatigns and conditions stipulated
with the contractors, of which the nation has been informed by
the iref.cial publlcntions which have taken place. The Exe-
cutive has distributed ste three millions of fitnetradas ac-
cording to the Instal the 11th of June, 1R'2.1. in all the provinces
of the Republic to which the grant was assigned, and particularly
in those for which the Government, on account of their climate
and scanty population, is most anxious. The Colombians have
formed associations, not only for this purpose, butt fur other ob-
jects of common interest, and by this means they now begin to
exert themselves with that spirit of enterprise which in all quar-
ters proves the artificer of national and individual prosperity.
Some publicatipns have pointed out the defects which exist in
our laws relative to settlers ; anti it is your duty to examine
their found/Ilion, in order to dictate resolutions worthy of the
age, and compatible with the institutions of Colombia. I
leave to the Secretary of the Home Department the office of pre.
sentirqt to you the details In his department, which may serve to
assist you in your labours. and to give you a complete idea of the
internal state of the Republic. It only remains for nie to request
that you would pronounce the perpetual abolition of those fatal and
temporary laws which disfigure our institutions. If they served to
,assist the restoration of the Republic at that dangerous period when
a strong anti active enemy alternately occupied each part of our
territories, now, when all the country is tree, and when the pro-
gress of knowledge has rectified and evablished the general opi-
nion, they can only serve as a terror to the people and an induce-
tnent to the abuse of power.
The Minister of Finance' w3l present to you a general statement
of the receipts and expenditure of the national funds, and the esti-
mate of the expenses for the present year, and all other information
which Government can furnish you whit in a department so cotnpli-
uteri as that of the finances. The Executive has continued to be
surrounded with innumerable difficulties in order to cover all the
expenses of the administration—nut exactly because the necessities
of the year were greater than the produce of the revenue, but be-
cause the greater part of the creditors of the Republic have insisted
that the Government should immediately discharge all that was
due to them since the year 111111 Congress will perceive by
this remark, that the Executive being obliged to cover in one
year the whole deficit which had accrued in the former
years, I was placed in a very etnb rig and disagreeable
situation. The method adopted of paying the different creditors
by successive instalments, sometimes with the fourth part of the
proceeds of the customs, and sometimes with the ordinary revenue, in
progressive periods, has satisfied in part the demands of the persons
interested; but it has diminished the amount of the annual revenue
by the very considerable aunt which has been required to meet the
exigencies of Government. Congress will have much to do in the
department of the finances. The legislative part of it requires
nom your wisdom continual efforts and a very particular attention.
It will be necessary in the first place to establish a general system of
revenue. and on that hate to •lictate laws which may create a public
treasury, and afterwards to proceed to organize and render uniform
the method of administering it. On the one hand, you cannot
forget that the common treasure must be created from the
fortunes of the citizens, and from their dealings, in order to
meet the indispensable exigencies of the Republic ; and, on the
other hand, you must bear in tnind, that the citizens cannot acquire
their fortunes, nor give themselves up to the spirit of commercial
enterprise, if they be not favoured by laws which protect and sti.
mulete them in an effectual manner. It is on this account that
one of your first duties, one of your principal objects of atten-
tion, is, to establish a system of harmony betweent the laws whirh
protect private property, with those which enforce the public contri.
butions. I fear, in the present Session, you will not have time teenier
into all these points ; but I urge you most earnestly, on the ground
of your duty and of your zeal for the Republic, to examine scru.
pu lowly the estimate of expenses, to make reductions where you may
deem it necessary, to fix the sum to which the expense of the present
year is to be limited, to support the public credit, and to increase
the salaries of those employees whose daily incomes are insufficient
fur their maintenance. On observing the demands upon our re-
venue, and the expense occasioned by the stoic of war in which the
Republic still continues, you will be convinced that (when our
plan of taxation is once organised, and the administration better
regulated), there are resources in our hands which will enable us to
discharge all our foreign and national engagements on the very day
that we shall lay down our arms, and enter on the enjoyment of
those blessings which our country presents. By the accounts al
the sale of the property, granted by the loan of 11124, you will ace
that, by felfilling the law,we have d ischarged several foreign and do-
mestic debts, with the proceeds we have supplied the magazines and
park of artillery, we have maintained the army, we have augmented
the revenue administered by Government, we have paid the interest
of all the foreign loans down to the present month ; and the awl-
cultute of certain provinces bas received such protection as our
circunistancespermitted. It has been found impossible to conclude
the liquidation of the Peruvian loan in favour of the Republic.
A IthoughColombia is apparently the creditor, she is in fact a debtor
to many citizens of the southern departments, from whom she so.
'kited supplies in order to assist Pent. The Executive hopes that
Coupe*a will appropriate to the satisfaction of that debt, a part:of
the sum which the Republic of that state has to pay. In this way
we shall do an act of justice, and we shall protect the people of the
South, whose services in the contest in Peru were prompt and
effectival.

The Colombian army deserves n fresh public testimony from the
Executive of its satisfaction with Its conduct. The armies of Co-
lombia have fought at a distance from our country with the same
constancy as they formerly displayed in the cause of the people. The
army continues on the war establishment on account of the Spanish
policy, and as the greater part of the estimated expense of the
present year is appropriated to the war department, I recommend
to you, as a method of reducing these expenses, to regulate the na-
tional militia in such a way as may be conducive to the purposes of
its establishment, to put on half-pay, or discharge in an honourable
way, such persona as can do ditty in active service, and to protect
in a particular manner our marine.

In the course of the present Administration I have met with
many difficulties, as well for regulating the debt of the army, as to
manage it in accordance with our Institutions; because you know
that the Republic has no laws of its own in this department, and
that thel ancient Spanish laws arescalculated for an absolute me.
narchv. The Secretary at War will inform you in detail concern.
ing this part of the Administration, by informing you of the state
of the army, of our fortresses, magazines, quarters, education,
and of the ideas of the Government. I must put you in mind of
your obligations to this inestimable part of the Republic, by the
efforts and virtues of which, this beautiful structure began to be
erected, and which will assist perpetually in preserving it ; and I
must entreat you to devote some part of your labours to giving it
laws which may secure it from arbitrary and vexatious treatment,
which may insure for it a competent subsistence, which may open to
them the door to honour and ease, which may favour justice by the
Aistribution of rewards and in the exlcution of the penal laws, and
which must not forget their families after their decease.
The maritime forces of the Republic is now receiving a pretty
considerable increase by the means which I communicated to you
last Session. In short, the Executive being overwhelmed in that
abyss of difficulties which I mentioned to you in my former mes-
sage, for want of organicsl and administrative laws to regulate its
premedings, I cannot flatter myself with being able to give you in-
formation in all respects witisfactory. If Congress can remedy this
urgent necessity. the maritime force which the Republic will pos.
sews will be sufficient to co-operate for Its defence. and to make it
respected abroad ; and being able to cover the coast of the Atlantic
against a sudden invasion, the land army may be considerably re.
duced; and in this way expenses would be saved to the treasury,
and hands would be rained for agriculture. Nautical education is
conducted with success, notwithstanding the scantiness of the
funds.

Nothing could have been more flittering to my wishes than to
be able, this day, to present a highly satisfactory account of the state
of Colombia in all departments : but it is impossible in four years
to destroy the work of three centuries. You know because you
have experienced, the great difficulties which oppose in its infancy
a people, which, from the most abject slavery, has raised itself to
the rank of a free nation. after finding itself obliged to ntuintain
alone, and with very limited resources, a struggle like ours, which was
both lorg and disastrous. In spite of this circumstance, antlof all the
particular circumstances which have clistacterised our political
transformation, it is our happiness and our glory that the Republic
of Colombia has not only burst asunder the chains of her own
slavery, but has established elsewhere a system of liberty founded
on the dignity and on the rights of man ; that she holds among
ancient and modern nations a rank which she has acquired by her
politlad organization, by the admirable conrancy of her deleoders,
by the glory of Imams, and by the good faith of her administration;
that it owes to its own heroic ants the station which it holds with
respect to two powers whose physical and intellectual power is univer-
sally acknowledged ; that our people enjoy itspolitiral and civil liberty
without having sees itself exposed to 'hose internal convulsions of
which new societies are frequently the victims ; that our constitution
and our WWI are supported by public opinion and by the freedom of
the press; that knowledge is gradualiy diffused and propagated
throughout the vast extent of our territoties; that the spirit of
enterprise and of activity begins to animate out fellow citizens;
that the foundations have been laid for peopling and cultivating
large and almost unknown districts, which in six years will have
augmented the population and the riches of Colombia ; in short,
that the Republic, by the generous assistance which our brethren
have lent us, deserves to be considered as the protectress of Ameri-
can liberty end independence. No single power can arrogate to
itself an exclusive claim to this flittering situation. It is the work
of the people, of the army, of the representative body, and of all
the authorities, whose unanimous anti persevering efforts have been
protected by the Supreme Author and Legislator of the Universe.
The Republic has placed in you a great part of the hopes which
it cherishes, of protecting her liberty, t f preserving her rights,
and of increasing her wealth, both public and private. by means
of s prudent vigilance and of sage laws, to restrain arbitrary power,
to maintain order, to favour innocence, to punish crime, and pro-
tect liberty. By the assistance which it is my duty to give you for
such important objects, I hare complied with the injunction of the
law. It is your duty, in your turn, to discharge your duties with
that zealous and enlightened spirit which you have hitherto dis-
played, in order that you may carry back to your fire-sides the satis.
faction of having accomplished the intentions of your constituents,
by supporting the constitution, watching over the public agents,
assisting the executive power, t.r.cl disseminating happiness and
prosperity through the whole Republic, under the influence of
prosperity theouyhu the whul Republic, untice the influence or
pc.cc and of the laws.

DRURY-LANE THEATRE.

This Evening, THURSDAY, April 6, will be performed the Romantic
Opera of
DER FuniscHuTz.
Adolph, Mr. T. Cooke; Caspar, lir. Hon; Bernhard, Mr. Bedford;
Kilian, Mr. Pittwilliam ; Zomlel,ift. 0. Smith. Linda, Mill Graddon ;
Rose, Misa Povey.
After which (10th time) a new Ogind Romantic Fairy Tale, called
OBERON • or, THE. CHARMED HORN.
'rifles—Oberon, Miss Vincent; Titania, Miss 3tacdonald. French—The
Emperor Charlemagne, Mr. 0. Smith; Sir Htion of Guyenne, Mr. Ben.
nett; Sherasmi n, Mr. Browne; Sir Milken, Dfr. T. Blanchard. Arabians—
The Caliph of Bagdad, Mr. Pope ; the Prince Babekon, Mr. Howell ; Saduk,
tar. Webster; °rotate, Mr. Mercer. The Princess Amanda, Mina Smith.
1,9 n ' • Fatima. Dirs. C. Jones. Tunjalans—The Sultan of Tunis, Mr.
Youngs; Beluga, Mr. W. Bennett ; risherrnan, Mr. G. Smith.