The Sun.
London, England, 1835-08-26 00:00:00

NEW GRENADA.

(From the Washington Globe.)
.We have received letters from our Charge at Bogota, Gene-
ral which advise us that the country is quiet, the
Lsoyernment respected, and entitled to respect.
The Congress has adjourned, after enacting various laws;
lnldicahmaobongii.stkiher
t.,henone has been of more importance than that
ortfiooMroso.rish alcabalp." most. oppressive,,. internal.
and One which is, still more vexatious than erTsessive. It is
having been introduced into Spain by the
and we believe is yet in force in all Spanish America,
With this exception. We hail its abolition as an evidence that
he science of legislation is advancing in our sister Republic,
and that the people understand their rights and interests, and
__ ow how to have them asserted, through their representatives.
jlt is true that the President (General Santander) made ob-
ections to the measure, as being inexpedient at present ; but
admits that it is popular, and that it will have a good effect
in many respects.
But before we dismiss the " alcabala," it would be well
nnough explain ,
wnat it is : which cannot be better done
than by an illustration. We will suppose, then, that every
article bought to this city for sale and for consumption, from
ft. Cargo of sugar down to a dozen of eggs, is subjected to a
tax of 21- per cent., and that supervisors and collectors and
guards, with muskets in their hands, are stationed on every
road in the neighbourhood, to enfore the collection of this tax ;
and that the people would he subject to search and to insult,
and often to robbery. If this were the CAM in every town in
the United States, we should then have the " alcabale," with
it curses and iticonveniences. It is no wonder, then, that the
repeal, as General :11' Afee says, " has given great joy to the
People !" But true it is, as the homely proverb has it, "that
use is a second nature." lire of the United States can scarcely
ima inn g how it is possible for a people to submit to such op-
pression as this tax must have been. So it seems to us, But
ris an oppression of two hundred and fifty years' standing (or
sle) to South America, and antiquity has made it respect-
e, if not popular; and though the people are glad to be
'u of it, they do not look upon it as such an Intolerable gries
vanes, EtS We would consider it.
BWe are informed also that, at the instance of General
`ll4 fee, a decree has passed, authorizing Protestants to have
a separate burying ground in each Canton, of which there art
nearly two hundred and fifty in New Grenada, and. to build
chapels for their own worship. This is a measure clearly in-
eative of the ascendancy of liberal principles, and a proof that
the public functionaries, and the people in general, are in-
fluenced by a benevolent and tolerating spirit. The Presi.
bent has always been in favour of toleration, and openly so, in
hales when it was not entirely safe to avow it. And so
of
been many other enlightened and distinguished patriots
Oast country,
Yealrl, e regret to have to add, that the treaty entered into last
by the Governments of New Grenada and Venezuela, for
the •
partition of the public debt, has not been ratified by the
but
of the former. It has not been absolutely rejected,
was not well received by the Chamber of Representatives,
slid was finally left upon the table. What will be its fate ul-
iittnatelY we cannot tell ; but we think that the ratification of
t or of a substitute, is of great importance to foreign credi-
s2rs, and also to those States themselves. The Republic of
Colombia owed to the citizens of the United States a consider.
able suns, arising out of claims of various kinds, part of which
money should be paid; but it has not been. Various excuses
Were offered—all plausible, and perhaps all true—such as the
unsettled condition of the country ; the threatened dissolution
;tiltieevßereypublic ; and last, though not least, the impoverished
condition of the Treasury. We were always assured, though,
impediment would soon be removed, and that our
citizens should be indemnified. And had the treaty been ra-
u, the prospect would have been flattering ; but now the
°le matter is involved in as much uncertainty as ever it was,
art until the debt is divided, and each State takes its propos-
' It is certain that not a dollar will be paid; because the
illhAnion being dissolved, and there being now three separate and
-n-"ePendent Governments, without a federal head, there does
10t
teist any authority either to liquidate claims against C0°111,,,J,1a,
°111,,,J,la, or to provide funds for their payment.
The present state of things is rather discouraging; but we
faith in the people and government of New Grenada, and
telitlinot believe that they intend our citizens any injustice by
theyprocrastination. They ought to remember, too, that
kgeY owe it to themselves to be punctual ; and that national
ivitictuality is essential to the maintenance of national honour.
e expect
f no impossibilities, and do not ask for the per-
off any of any ; but we do expect that some provision will
Made to discharge the debts which have long since been
acknowledged to be just ; and a part of which, the Govern-
112.alits more than five years ago, when General Bolivar was
O'' The head of affairs, solemnly promised to' pay within six
Z"tbs. But it was not done, and was hardly to be expected,
iasidering the revolutionary and revolutionizing condition of
is ags that immediately followed, and which finally resulted
a dissolution of the union. But New Grenada and AlaVene-
have been tranquil for three years, with the exception of
ttonspiracy or two, which have been put down by putting the
9e° aspirators to death. Quito is not tranquil, and has not
eet for a long time. Her leading men seem to be as un-
quiet and as unmanagable as her volcanoes. This is the most
called
southern of the three States that formed Colombia, and is now
the State of the Equator. Not much is to be expected
hgbh: her; but fortunately for the creditors of Colombia, in the
ss,'"s'eu of the debt, only 214 per centum has fallen to her
—are ; the reaining 71 per cent is asumed by New
Grenade andm VenezuelBa, accordingum
to thes treaty, which,
lik e
"gb not yet ratified, must be, we think, or something
it,
,\Vemust do New Granada the justice to say, that she is
h(et*hog all that seems to be in her power to protect and improve
t°
c interests; for the division of the debt appears
have been made upon very fair principles.
l'orto Bello on the Atlantic, and Panama on the Pacific,
;hbase been made free ports, for the reception and transit of
ere
bandise. This privilege must attract an immense trade
0 those two places, should they be connected by either a rail-
ed or a canal, either of which is very practicable. Other
fatasures, too, have been adopted, which are calculated to
ife a stimulus to commercial enterprise; and General M'Afee
jornas us, that the tobacco monopoly will soon be abolished ;
.la
'te abolition of which will he a victory achieved by a sound,
enlightened and liberal policy, over the avarice, ignorance
prejudice of ages.