The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-18 00:00:00

VENEZUELA.

The melancholy social and political aspect of the ueigh-
bouring republic Venezuela, such as we see it described in
the Bogota papers, may well moderate if not alto ;ether'
cool our enthusiasm for universal liberty and self-irovern-
ment, especially where the latter are to be secured by up-
settinc, a long-established government. Republics are
either the best or the worst forms of government. The
United States of America have hitherto commanded the
greatest amount of respect, and Mexico about the least.
If we are willing to allow that all governments have, like
the men who constituted them, periods of infancy, man-
hood, and decay, we would like to believe that
the Central American States have nearly sown
the wild oats of their youth, and have now fairly settled
down to work. But the continued pronunciamentos of
Mexico, the anarchy of Venezuela, and lately, the assas-
sination of General Urquiza in the Republics of the
Plata, make us hesitate in deciding how much of this is
due to a certain remnant of latent savageism in the nature
of the people, and how much to this particular form of
self-government. Venezuela, called little Venice after
that poetic quarter of the old world, which was
fertile, productive,' and orderly under the tyranny
of the Spaniards, has now, it would seem
as a Republic, fallen into a state of con-
tinuous anarchy. Presidents rise and fall
.like meteors in the sky, accompanied always
by a certain amount of bloodshed and robbery. "Oh
liberty ! " as Madame Roland exclaimed before the guil-
lotine, " what evils are committed in thy name." The
present state of affairs in that unhappy country is thus
described :—The militia of Guarenas, which had armed
for the defence of Caracas, had been obliged to yield to
the superior numbers of the enemy. These latter inflated
by the victory had advanced on Patare, while at the same
other petty chieftains were raising the standard of rebel-
lion in different places. All of them prepared to attack
and destroy not only each other,',but what elements were left
of a common country. Caracas was surrounded by the most
frightful anarchy even to the very gates of the city. That
city which saw the Grand Bolivar m his cradle, and holds
his ashes, is on the point of being converted into a den of
wild beasts, unless there is enough of courage, if not of
patriotism, left to prevent their streets, plazas, and even
firesides being covered with the ashes and blood of
violence and lawlessness. The worst symptoms of the
almost incurable state of anarchy which threatens
Caracas, are to be found in the ominous circumstance
that the various standards of the conflicting parties
proclaim neither principle nor idea. The name
of the chief for the time being is the only
war cry of each faction. The factions of Perez,
Jurado, and Salazar proclaim the name of
Guzman. The factions of Carayaca, that of Domingo
Monagas. The faction of Bermudez—Lucena Falcon.
The faction of Escobar—Escobar. In fact they have
five armed candidates ready to fight for the post of
governing the country. In the month of March the
government had two victories, one at " Piritu de Coro,"
and the other at " San Pedro." At the first battle 117
were killed, including three generals and two colonels.
Fifty hammocks were provided for the wounded chiefs.
When the West India and Pacific steamer left Venezuela
a similar state of affairs continued. The anti government
party held the fort at La Guayra and amused themselves
by firing on the town. From such, and so much liberty—
Good Lord deliver us !—Panama Star and Herald.