Star.
London, England, 1822-07-11 00:00:00

I

s-,--.--
DINNER TO THE
SSADOR SOUTH AMERICAN
AMBA.

A Public Dinner was given yesterday, at the City
of London Tavern, to Don FRANCISCO ANTONIO ZEA,
Vice-President and Plenipotentiary of the Republic
of Colombia. The company assembled was very
numerous, and of the highest respectability. At a
quarter past six his Grace the Duke of SOMERSET
entered the room, accomp inied by his Excellency
Senor ZEA, Sir B. Hoanouse, Sir Wu. Colons, Sir
James MACKINTOSH, Dr. LUSHI so lON, JOHN SMITH,
M.P.JOSEPH M A RRYAT, M.P. JOSHUA WALKER, M.P.
RICHARD MARTIN, M.P. V‘ ILLIAM WILBERFORCE,
M.P. THOMAS WILSON, M.P. EDWARD ELLICE, M.P.
GARRET LENNARD, M.P. WILLIAM WILLIAMS, M.P.'
HELY HUTCHINSON, Sir ALEXANDER JOHNSON, Sir
ROBERT WILSON, Mr. CoLoto, and other persons of
distinction. The hand, when they entered the room,
played an appropriate match.
The Duke of' SOMERSET took the Chair, with Senor
Zs* on his right hand, and the company sat
.down to
an elegant dinner.
After the cloth was ren%;..med, Non nobis Domino
sung, and the usual Court toasts drank, the Noble
Chairman rose. He adverted to the changes which
had recently taken place in the political world, among
which the emancipation of Colombia held a conspi-
cuous place. The people of that region had effected
a grand traosition from the despotism under which
they had long groaned to liberty ; and the state in
which that couatry now was, afforded the most flat-
tering prospects with regard•to the future. Thii must
afford pleasure to all who wished well to mankind—
(Applause). Every one was sensible of the merits, not
only of thiise who had been leaders of the armies, but
of those who subsequently had planned the Constitu-
tion. • It was a pleasure to look upon the result of.
wars n hich terminated in a manner so flattering to
the generous efforts by which they had been carried
on ; and for the happy termination of which much
was due to the character arid conduct of those by
whom, on the part of the Colombians, they had been
carried on. The Colombians had justly merited the
freedom which they had won. They have established
freedom from the summits of the Andes to the mouth
of the Orinoco. It must afford pleasure to Britons to
be upon tel of amity with such persons; and it
gave the present company peculiar pleasure to be ho-
noured by the presence of the Colombian Representa-
tive. The Noble Chairman concluded by proposing
the health of Senor Zea, the .%*linister Plenipotentiary
of the country to which he alluded. -
Senor ZEA rose, and with much energy and at con-
siderable length, retarned thanks in the French lan-
guage. After he had concluded, Mr. WM/CROFT read
a translation of Senor Zea's speech, as iollows:
" MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN—With sentiments
of the most un wingled satisfaction I rise to expre
my cordial acknowledgments, my deep and lasting
gratitude for the honour you have just Co.lerred on
me, and on the ration whose humble representative
I am. With ftelings of equal delight shall I convey
to my Government and my countrymen the impres-
sion of the reception nhich 1 have this day experi-
enced at your hands. l'i;ey will perceive in it the
sure pledge of that friendship o hich PROVIDENCE
destines to reign for ever hemee.‘ two nations formed
to promote each othei's haairress and prosperity.
With mutual wants, ulna each has the faculty of
supplying to the other, Great Britain and Colombia
have only to look forward to a long enduring inter-
course on the basis of mutual benefit. Gentlemen,
the struggle in which we have been engaged has
been long and arduous. It has cost us sacrifices which
I cal.not pi mend to describe to you. Nothing but a per-
severance and a constancy, sustained by an innate sense
of the justice of our cause, and enccuraged by the pro-
tection of HEAVEN, could have enabled us to overcome
the difficulties and privations we have encountered.
Now, however, that our hopes are consummated, and
that we enjoy the satisfaction of living under a free
COnstitution, of being governed by our own laws, the
first desire of our hearts is to forget all past injuries.
The loathsome and hideous tyranny of Spain---her
cruel perseverance in a contest against reason and
humanity, will be forgotten throughout Colombia,
in the moment in, which she shall accept the right
hand of friendship, so often held out to her. Our
desire is to be at peace with all the world. Between
the other nations of the earth and Colombia there are
no points of collision. She desires to receive from
Europe those productions of science and of art which
tend to the convenience and improvement of life;
and she is ready to yield in return, from her bound-
less resources, those rich productions of nature
which she possesses in such variety' and extent.—
Looking thus to no intercourse with Europe but
that of the most mutually useful kind, I trust We
are advancing no vain or arrogant pretensions
in simply claiming to be received as that which
in truth we are—a lice and independent nation.—
And why should we not be so received? What has
been the foundation of the civil rights of all the mt-
tions of the earth.? In the history even of this mighty
Empire, which now exercises such an immense moral
nfluence over the whole earth, do its records shew
not period at which it has been also oppressed by ft>
reg 0 dominations, and subsequently released from its
enthralments ? I hope it will be found, too, that the
use we have hitherto made of our liberty has been
such as to shew that we are not unworthy of it. Our
Constitution, our Public Acts, are before the world.
Inasmuch as they tend to the advancement of human
civilization, to the improvement of the human cha-
racter, they possess claims within themselves, which
I need nut urge upon an enlightened nation,' nor will
I attempt to draw the contrast they form to that un-
happy system of Government which Spain so long
exerci,ed over us. Let Britain then, the mistress of
her own acts, neither debased by superstition nor en-
slaved by despotism, be the first of the Powers of
Europe to assert to us the acknowlidgment of our just
and natural rights. She needs neither the example
nor the consent of other. nations to perform an act of
pure and simple justice. Permit me now, Gentlemen,
to express, on the part of my countrymen and myself,
the esteem and respect in which the British character
is held among us. It was in Great Britain that the
first example of Consti tutional' Government was given
to the world•-.r-it is here that the spirit of a sound and
rational liberty is ever preserved and cherished—it
of her utmost.
dui friends so
Spain will soon

' be forgenea.the friendship of (rent Britain, will Ise'
cherished. warm in our hearts, so Joog as life shall
beat in them.. I beg permission"' to propoise to you
this sentiment—si Prosperity to Great Britain, the
I model of rational liberty, and a long continuance of
friendly relations between her and Colombia.".
This Address was received with loud and"conti-
nued marks of approbation. .
A song, written expressly for the occasion, was
sung with expression and effect by Mr. SMITH.
Sir J. MACKINTOSH; Mr. WILBERFORCE; Sir WM.
CURTIS, Mr. J. SMITH, Sir B. Hoauousr, Mr. T.
WILSON, and Mr. LENNARD addreised the Meeting,
in animated and appropriate speeches, which were
received with the war nest Cordiality': The most per-
fect unanimity of feeling prevailsd, throughout the
evening, and the whole proceedings of the day were
calculated to afford unadulterated pleasure to the
friends of the cause of which they were assembled to
commemorate the success.

was in iii Great Britain that; at. the time r
needs Colombia found 6rm and faithf
come to her support. The injuries of Si