The National Register.
London, England, 1811-10-06 00:00:00

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MOH,

We, the Representatives of the federal provinces of Caraccas,
Cumana, Marinas, Margaritta, Barcelona, Merida, and Trialllo,
constituting the confederation of Venezuela, on the southern
Co:itinent of America, in Congress assembled; considering that
we have been in the full and entire possession of our natural
rights since the 19th of April, 1810, which w resumed in conse-
(pence of the transactions :.t Bayonne, the ablication of the
Spanish throne, by the conquest of Spain, and the accession of a
new dynasty, established without our consent. While we avail
ourselves of the rights of men, which have been withheld from
us by force for more th:ip three centuries, and to which we are
restored by the political revolutions in human affairs, we think it
becoming to state to the world the reasons by which we are
called to the fret- exercise of the Sovereign authority.
We deem it unnecessary to insist upon the unquestionable
right which every conquered eountry holds to restore itself to
liberty and independence: we pass over in a generous silence, the
long series of afflictions, oppresions, and privations, which the
fatal law of conquest has indiscriminately involved the discover-
ers, conquerors, and settlers of these countries; whose condition
has been made wretched by the very means which should have
promoted their felicity; throwing a veil over three centuries of
Spanish dominion in America, we c.tri confine ourselves to the
narration of recent and well-known facts, which prove how much
we have been afflicted; and that we should not he involved in
the commotious, disorders, and conquests, which have divided
Spain.
The disorders in Europe had increased the evils under which
we before suffered; by obstructing complaints and frustrating
the means of redress ;• by authorising the governors placed over
us by Spain, to insult and oppress us with impunity, leaving ns
without the protection or support of the laws.
It is contrary to the order of nature, impracticable in rela-
tion to tke government of Spain, and has been most afflicting to
America, that territories so much more extensive, and a
population incomparably more numerous, should bo subjected
and dependent on a peninsula corner of the European Con-
tinent.

The cession and abdication made at Bayonne. the translc-
lions at the Escutial and at Aranjuaz, and the orders issued by
the Imperial Lieutenant the Marshal Duke of Berg, to America,
authorized the exercise of these rights, which till that period the
Arne' icans had sacrificed to the preservation and integrity of the
Spanish.
Ile people of Venezuela were the first who generally acknow-
ledged, and who preferred that integrity, never forsaking the in-
terests of their European brethren while there remained the least
prospect of salvation.
America had acquired a new existence; she was able and was
bonny to take charge of her own safety and prosperity; she was
at liberty to acknowledge or to reject the authority of a king, who
was s) little deserving of that power as, to regard his personal
safety more than that of the nation over which he had been
placed.
All the Bourbons who concurred in the futile stipulations of
Bayonne, having withdrawn from the Spanish territory contrary
to the will of the people, abrogated, dishonoured, and trampled
upon all the sacred obligations ivhieh they had contracted with
the Spaniards of both worlds, who, with their blood and trea-
sures, had placed them on the throne, in opposition to the efforts
of the liouse of Austria ; such conduct has rendered them unfit
to rule over a free people, whom they disposed of like a gang of
slaves.

The intrusive Governments which have abrogated to them-
selves the authority which beloiigs only. to the national represen-
tation, treacherously availed thcniwive., oi the known good faith,
the distance, and. ?frets which ignor,,nce aid oppression had pro-
duced among the Ansericmis, to direct their passions against the
new dynasty, which had been imposed upon Spain, and in opno-
sition to their own principles, key: up the illusion amongst u! in

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favour of Ferdinand. but only in order to babe our national hope
and to make us with greater impunityhheir•prey; they held turtle
to us promises of liberty, equality, and fr tternity, in pompous
discourses, the more effectually to conct al the snare which they
were insidiously" laying for us by an Inefficient and degrading
show of representation.

As soon as the various forms of the Spanish Government were
overthrown, and others had been successively substituted, and
imperious necessity had taught Venezuela to look. to her own
safety, in order to support the King, and afford an asylum to their
European brethren against the calamity by which they were
menaced, all their former services were disregarded; new meads
sures were adopted against us, and the very steps taken for the
preservation of the Spanish Government, were branded with the
titles of insurrection, perfidy, and ingratitude, but only because
the door was closed against a monopoly of power which the y bad
expected to perpetuate in the name of a King whose dominion
was imaginary.
Notwithstanding our moderation, our generosity, and the pus
city of our intentions, and in opposition to the wishes of our
brethren in Europe, we were declared to the world in a state of
blockade; hostilities were commenced against us; agents sent
among us to excite revolt and arm us against each other t whilst
our national character was traduced, and foreign nations excited
to make war upon us.
Deaf to our remonstrances, without submitting our reasons to
the impartial judgment of mankind, and deprived of every other
arbitrament but that of our enemies, we were prohibited from all
intercourse with our brethren; and adding contempt to calumny,
they undertook to. appoint delegates for us, and without our con.
sent, who were to assist at their Cortes the more effectually to
dispose of our persona and property, and render us subject to the
power of our enemies.
In order to defeat the wholesome measures of our national re.
presentation, when obliged to recognize it, they undertook to rem
duce the ratio of our population, submitting the forms of election
to servile committees, acting at the disposal of arbitrary rulers;
thus insulting our inexperience and good faith, and utterly re-
gardless of our political importance, or our welfare.
The Spanish Government, ever deaf to the demands of justice,
undertook to frustrate all our legitimate rights, by condemning
as criminals, and devoting to the infamy of the gibbit, or to con-
fiscation and banishment, those Americans who at different pe-
riods had employed their talents and services for the happiness of
their country.
Such were the causes which at length have impelled us to look
to our own security, and to avert these disorders and horrible ca-
lamities which-we could perceive were otherwise inevitable, and
from which we shall ever keep aloof; by their fell policy they
have rendered our brethren insensible to our misfortunes, and
have armed them against us ; they have effaced from their hearts
the tender impressions of ove and consanguinity, and converted
into enemies many members of our great family.
When, faithful to our promises, we were sacrificing our peace
and dignity to support the cause of Ferdinand, of Bourbon, we
saw to the bond.; of power by which he united his fate to that of
the Emperor of the French, he added the sacrifice of kindred and
friends, and that on this account the existing Spanish rulers them-
selves have already resolved to a..knowledge him only condition-
ally. In this painful state of perplexity, three years have elapsed
in political irresolution, so dangerous, so fraught with evil, that
this alone would have authorized the determination which the
faith we had pledged, and other fraternal attachments had caused
us to defer, till imperious necessity compels us tr proceed further
than we had first contemplated ; but pressed by the hostile and
unnatural conduct of the Spanish rulers, we arc at length ab-
solved from the conditional oath which we had taken, and now
take upon us the august sovereignty which we are called here to
exercise.
But as our glory consists in establishing principles consistent
with human happiness, and not ci ecting a partial felicity on the
misfortunes of our fellow mortals, we hereby proclaim and de-
clare, that we sha I regard as friends and companions in our
destiny, and participators of our happiness, all those who, united
by the relations of blood, language., and religion, have suffered
oppression under the ancient establishments, and who shall assert
their independence thereof, and of any foreign power, whatsotm,
engaging that all who shall co-operate with
.us shall partake in
life, fortune and opinion,declaring and recognizing not only the se,
but those of every nation, in war enemies, in peace friends,
brethren, and fellow-citizens.
In consideration, therefore, of these solid public and incon-
testible mot ives,which force upon us the necessity of re-assuming
our natural rights, thus restored to us by the revolution of hu-
man affairs, and in virtue of the inprescriptible rights of every
people, to dissolve every agreement, convention, or social coin-
plct, which doth not establish the purposes for which alone all
Governments are instituted, we are convinced that we cannot,
and ought not, any longer to c.idure t!ie chains by which we were
connected with the Government of ,;pain; and we do declare,