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

THE NATIONAL REGIS'

Ike e very other independent people, that we are five, and de-
termined to hold no dept dent on any potentate, power, or go-
vernment, than we ourielves establish ; and that we now take
among the sovereign nations of the earth the rank which the Su-
preme Being and nature have assigned to us,and to which we have
been cane,' by the wiceession of human events, and by a regard
for.our own happiness.
Although we foresee the difficulties which may attend our
new situation, and the obligations which we contract by the
rank which we are about to occupy in the political order of the
worl.l; and above all, the powerful influence of ancient forms
and habits, by which.. (to our regret) we have been hitherto af-
fected ; ?et we also know, that a shameful submission to them,
when it is in our power to shake them off, would prove more ig-
nominious to ourselves, and more fatal to posterity, than our
long and painful servitude. It therefore becomes our indispen-
sible duty to provide for our security, liberty, and happiness, by
an entire and essential subversion and reform of our ancient esta.
blishments
Wherefore, believing, for all these reasons, that we have com-
plied with the respect which we owe to the opinions of
mankind, and to the dignity of other nations, with whom we
are about to rank, and of whose friendly intercourse we assure
ourselves—
We, the Representatives of the Confederated Provinces of
Venezuela, invoking the Most High to witness the justice of ottr
cause, and the rectitude of our intentions, imploring his divine
assistance to ratify. z:t the epoch of our political birth, the dig-
nity to which his Providence has restored us, the ardent desire to
live and die free, and in the belief and the defence of the holy
Catholic and Apostolic Religion of Jesus Christ, as the first of
our dutle,

We, therefore, in the name, by the will, and under the autho-
rity which we hold for the virtuous people of Venezuela, do so-
lemnly declare to the world, • hat these united provinces are, and
ought to be, fvotn this day forth, in fact and of right, free, sove-
reign, ard independent states; that they are absolved from all
alle,Aance and dependence on the Crown of Spain, and of those
who now call or may hereafter call themselves its representatives
or agents; and that, as free, sovereign, and independent states,
we hold full power to adopt whatever form of government may
be deemed suitable to the general will of its inhabitants ; to de-
clare war, make peace, form alliance, establish commercial tres-
tles, define boundaries, and regulate navigation ; and to propose
and execute all other acts, usually made and executed by free
and italcp...ndent nations ; and for the due fulfilment, validity,
and stab lity of this, our solemn declaration, we mutually and
reciprocally pledge and bind the provinces to each other, our
lives, fortune-, and the honour of the nation.
Done at the Federal Palace of the Caraccas, signed with our
nar!, and scaled wiah the Great Seal of the Provincial Con-
federwhn, and countersigned by the Secretary to the Con-
gress assembled, on the sth day of July, in the year 1811,
and in the first of our independence.

n,r
ii.,116..

hereby given, that any person detected in the commission of
such an offence, will be prosecuted, not as an ordinary thief, but
as a traitor to his country.
Given at Head-quarters, Government House, Guernsey,
September 20, 1811.
" By command of his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor.
" P. PREDTHAPET, Secretary.'