The National Register.
London, England, 1818-09-14 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER

SOUTH AMERICAN PATRIOTS.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER DATED ANGUSTURA, LATTER END

OF JUNE.

" General lialivar arrived here near three weeks ago, and
is likely to remain here fur some time. I have had many in
teiviews with him, nnd like him much. He is frank. affable,
well-bred, and tolerably well inforined, but by no means, in .
inv opinion, possesses those transeendant abilities which many
give him credit for. He is disinterested, devoted to the cause
of independence, and is represented by all to be penctilionsly
honourable ; bid either as a Statesman or
a
General,
I am
much mistaken if his talents are not of a very nierlioc7e class.
Fortunately for himself and for his country, his opponents are -
st di inferior, and I am firmly persuaded that 2,000 British
would clear the comitry, and subdue Royalists and Patriots
wilted.
" 1 do most ronselentionsly believe that the Patriot Govern-
ment intends to ere- linnourably towards us, and that every
thing will be eventually paid, but their means and resources
have been grossly exaggerated and over-rated, whether Nil.
folly or ignorantly I know notl hurthe tact is, that the exe.
cutive hate comparatively nothing it their immediate com-
mand, and however holiest and honourable their intentions
may be, it is quite clear that where funds do not exist, they
cannot be had. Alany of the British officers in this country
are highly dissatisfied, anti no wonder: they were assured
that each, on arriviiig, should receive 200 dollars fur his pas.
sage-money, but in no one instance has that assurance been
fulfilled. Many of them, therefore, arc without a farthing,
even to pay their washing, tor an pay has yet been issued.—
There are rations of beef, bet nothing except beef, beef, beef;
and every animal eats beef in this country, even the little
bit cis. The deceit practised on our country...len, whether
wilful or otherwise, cannot but injure the cause of American
emancipation in a must material degree, and Bolivar feels it
exceedingly. He bay repeatedly expressed himself to me in
the strongest terms on the subject, and it was plite evideut
he felt what he said. It would realty tiepear that no attention
has been paid to the situation of affairs here ; perhaps fees
on military commissions were exacted as well as on commer-
cial speculations ; on the latter affoject the government has
received a broad hint. Since the commencement of the
rainy season, fevers, diatribe/as, and other disordeis, have
become frequent, aial in several iustances fatal. One of the
English surgeons was called in to seven fresh cases this morn-
ing.
When Bolivar arrived lucre, his wardrobe was reduced to
a most miserable mate. Not a stitch but what was on Ilia
back, having lost all his baggier when so disgracefully sur-
prised by Lopez. 'Lorry one lives hove In 4 miserable way—
eternal carne, case--no vegetables, though in so rich a country.
'lhe leading people are ashamed to ask one to dine, for they
have no fiti nature for the tattle, and nothiug to oiler to eat or
drink, but carer and horribly bail spirits ; and therefore, al•
though intimate anti on ekcellent terms with them all, all
hospitalities are bounded to a segar and a glass of water.—
'f here is no ammement earthly, and, of course, no books, as
few can read in this part of the world ; the heat or rain which
now falls in inconceivable torrents, confines one almost en-
tirely to the house. Au English newspaper would positively
be a luxury beyond idea. Many is the time mud oft it would
he reach from the commencement, price rd., to the name of
the printer."