The Sun.
London, England, 1824-02-14 00:00:00

souTH AMERICA.

We received some late numbers of the Lima
Gazette, of which the last, in point of date, is
that of October 1. The following decree
shows that the Ex-President, Itiva Aguero,
still held out against the authority of the existing
Government of Lima, and that the first task
assigned to Bolivar, the Liberator, was to crush
the rebellious party which he headed :

" The constituent Congress of Peru, in consideration of the
obstinate resistance of the Ex-President Don Jose de la Riva
Aguero, by which, despising the generous offers of conciliation
which have been made him through the mediation of the De-
liverer (Bolivar), he endeavours to excite anarchy, fights
against his country, and thus prevents the body of the army
from combating with the common enemy, has decreed as
follows :

" That the Deliverer, in virtue of the supreme power with
which the Congress has entrusted him, may proceed in pre-
ference to attack the proscribed Riva-Aguero, employing force,
and all other means that he might think effective, to extinguish
altogether the anarchy thus existing.

" The Minister of War will see to the execution of this

decree.

" Signed by the President of the Congress and the President
of the Republic, " JOSE BERNARDO.
" TAOLE."

It would seem by the above decree, that overtures of cond.
liation had been made to the ex-President Riva-Aguero, to
which he had declined to accede, and that force was only re-
sorted to when persuasion failed. Another decree in the same
page would seem to indicate that the Peruvian army at Lima
was riot in a very fit condition to make head at once against a
domestic revolt and the unsubdued remains of a Spanish force.
This decree is directed against deserters, and is introduced by
the following preamble The criminal conduct of many
individuals who, deserting the ranks of their country at a time
when she has the greatest need of their services, remain quietly
at home in their houses, while their brethren bravely face
danger in the field of honour, obliges the Government to take
serious means to compel their return to active service. The
voice of Justice, likewise, appeals to those who harbour de-
serters." To remedy those evils, it is decreed that deserters
who return to duty within a specified period shall be par-
doned, but that those who do not shall be shot. Four
years' imprisonment is awarded against those who harbour
deserters. The same paper contains a dispatch from General
Santa Cruz, dated Sopita, in Arequipa, August 26, claiming a
brilliant victory over the Spanish General Valdez on the pre-
ceding day. By this success a great tract of country is said to
be freed from the iron sceptre of their Spanish tyrants, and the
loss of the rich provinces which composed it, is described as a
mortal blow to the Peninsular army, which they supplied with
provisions and enriched with treasure. The following is an
abridgement of the dispatch in which Santa Cruz details his
suc-
cess. Learning that Valdez was approaching with 1,800 men,
he ordered Col. Cerdena, who,was at Pomata, to fall back upon
the Desaguadero, and he himself proceeded thither from his
head-quarters at Viacha, followed by the battalions of Chas-
seurs, and of the Conquerors of Pichincha, and a squadron of
Hussars. On the 23d Santa Cruz arrived at the bridge on the
Desaguadero, where he remained on the defensive till, on the
24th and 25th, being joined by the corps which he expected,
and a column of 1,300 men, of different arms, he marched to
meet the enemy, whom he expected to find at the town of
Sapita, which he occupied, leaving the bridge defended by two
pieces of cannon, and two companies of each battalion. The
vanguard of Santa Cruz came up with the enemy after two
hours' march, but owing to some delay in the advance of the
rest of the troops, he had time to retire. In the neighbourhood
of the town, the enemy waited the Peruvian force, and Santa
Cruz determined to attack him, though a third inferior in
numbers. The Peruvian line was extended on a plain, having
the battalion of the Legion on the right, the 4th on the centre,
and the Chasseurs on the left. The battalion called " The
Victors" formed the reserve, the third squadron covered the
right, and the second the left; and the two pieces occupying
the centre kept up a well-conducted fire. The enemy withdrew
his cavalryein number 400, to the rear, and placing his artillery
on an eminence, replied to ours. His infantry, 1,400 strong
extended on the declivities, where alone they they thought they
could light. When attaked by the Republicans in these po-
sitions, the Spaniards at first thought they had the advantage,
and descended into the plain, where they were totally routed.
—The result of the victory was 100 Spaniards killed, and 184
taken prisoners, besides 240 muskets, 52 horses, &c. The
Peruvians had only 28 killed and 84 wounded.

We have received Gibraltar Papers to the 26th
January, from which we copy the following
articles of intelligence :
" MALAGA, JAN. 2.—Our Governor, M. de
Zambrona, has issued a Proclamation, in 13 Arti-
cles, enacting all we could wish for, under exist.
ing circumstances. The object of this Proclamation
is to prevent the re-commencement of the infa-
mous scenes which we have so often witnessed ;
and the occason of its being issued, is the infor-
►nation obtained here that several of the Consti-
tutionalists in Gibraltar intended to creep
into this and other parts of the province, with a
view to sow the seeds of discord and anarchy. One
of these goes by the name of Landis, and is
but too well known by the tears he has caused
to be shed. The thirteen Artich a contain
excellent Police regulations ; and by the second
every person is authorised to arrest Laticha,
and Muchonchini, for which purpose the mi-
litary are to give the requisite assistance.—
The 6th directs the permanent Court Martial to
assemble, in order that any one attempting to
disturb the public or private tranquillity may be
tried in a few hours; and the last states that the
examination of the measures detailed in the Pro-
clamation will not be recurred to again, as the
Government will take care they are enforced.