The National Register.
London, England, 1818-02-16 00:00:00

SOUTH AMERICA.

The packet from /Co de Janeiro brings letters from that
place to the 12th Dec. They describe the rapid decline of
Artigas's power. A division .31 his sent from the Vraguay
oppose the Portniciese general Cariido Itad been defeated:
one of the Chiefs. Verdun, was taken prisoner, and the other,
Moodragon, killed. Otorgues still hloci:aded Monte Video ;
bet 400 black troops, which made a part of his division, de-
serted to the Portugnese on condition of bring sent to Bur-
-1103 Ayres, which was done. General Pinto is named Go'
vernor of Monte Vileo, and left Rio de Janeiro in November,
he is to proceed front the frontier with 3,000 cavalry to rein-
force General Lecor, who is then to make a movement on the
Viaguay, which, for thr present, seems to be the liillll3 of the
Purtit e est operations.
At Monte Video some Spaniut its of a turbulent dispositica
were lately arrested ; they are said to he on their way to Rio
de Janeiro, in a Portuguese brig of oar.
Letters front Guayaquil and PittlalllA It Ate been received by
way of Jamaica. They state, that in November, a ship and
some smaller privateers, under the Buenos Ay res :lag, had ap.
peered on that coast, and capterrd two brigs and one packet ;
itt consequence, the trade was at a stand, and 110 force near
to protect it.
By the Nereid, from Trinidad, several communications re-
lating to Venezuela have beet; reeeiseti. The Patriots are
said to have gained an into:want :tetion in the itekhbourhood
of Nutria, on the roalities of the proeineen of Varinas earl.
Carthagetta. Bolivar, from dissension, and other causes, ap-
pears to !levy been delayed in his operations for abont three
months, but he had at leugth set sail, with 1,800 men, to join •
General Darns and others aatomitiling near Calahozo, forte
leagues south of Cameras. A Council of State was formed
hi Angostura, on the 10th of Nov. for the admasiti.:ion of
Government. rriog to the Act of Installation, Mitch we -
have to room to insert. General Bolivar, as Supreme Chief,
opened tire, itting u! tit an appropriate speech, and the various
officers were mom d. This Council is rih idiot into three iir.
it,trniteuts —State and Ftirinee. of which the President is Don
Antonin Lea ; War ar 1 Morin..., President Admiral Rrion ;
Interior mot Justice. l)ou Joao Stirtille7. A 1:03n1 of Tra.le
Itac also been orgivitruti. Geneva! Monagar had net n ininse4
Governor of the pros ta..e of flarcrlona, and General Hermit-
(fez of th it of CIII,:3114. 'Vise island of Margirethr was :mike
ito:ectlit Arisicenili and Gem-4mM the isravil4el'S ef Varitwt
and CAIS AIM :4 miller General Pier. General Gedemo cam-
manded in tintayana. The organiz. troops aeioN;itig to Vote
uezitria arc 11,000 men.

Ti,: heirs of M. Bertrand, a Protestant Mt:lister at
Borne, have discovered, among elan:capers of that
Clergyman, a great number o' Cgallished letters of
Voltaire, most of tellieb aro : 4 gown hand-writing,
and all of which bear his mg; pure. It is said thee
they arc to be forthwith pulili.ned at Paris. The pc..
licks, morals, and religion of Foltaitv arc nearly buried,
we hope: by this time, un.ler the ruins which they
( have occasioned hut the !otters of mere amusement
may have the t:tiwity well repaid by any ger ulna
fragments of 7 l. ext:a;:e.inary tnough Lnprincirktt
writcr.