Star.
London, England, 1811-08-31 00:00:00

BUENOS AYRES, JUNE 20.

LETTER FROM THE CONDE DE LINHARES, PORTUGUESE
MINISTER AT RIO JANEllto, TO THE JUNTA.
Rio Janeiro, April 22, 1811.
Most Excellent Senor—Don Manuel Sarratea, who 1
has just arrived here, delivered me your letter, which
I have laid before the Prince Regent, my master.—
His Highness has charged me to assure you, that he
feels, and is always anxious to maintain with the
Junta and people of Buenos Ayres, the same senti-
ments of friendship and good harmony to which he is
bound by the alliance which happily unites him with
)Eris Catholic Majesty.
Your Excellency knows the good faith and entire
impartiality by which his Royal Highness is actuated.
You are not ignorant how much he desires the con-
servation of the Spanish Monarchy, and to secure the
eventful rights of his august spouse—your Excel-
lency must, therefore, naturally suppose how anxious
he is to see union and harmony re-established among
all parts of the Spanish dominions, and with what
pain he has witnessed the commencement of a civil
war on the very frontiers of his States. He is of
course frticularly anxious for its termination, to
which he would most willingly contribute by all the
means which can be suggested by the friendship and
impartiality which he feels fur all the subjects of his
Christian Majesty.
In obedience to the Royal orders which I have re•
veived, I feel great satisfaction in making this decla-
ration of the sentiments of his Royal Highness, which
I hope will he agreeable to your Excellency.
May God preserve, &c.
(Signed) DONDE DE LTNHAREZ.
REPLY OF THE JUNTA.
Most Excellent Senor—This Junta has learned,
with the greatest satisfaction, the pacific sentiments
with which his Royal Highness the Prince Regent is
impressed, and his anxious desire to contribute, by
ell amicable means, to the restoration of that har-
mony which hasbeen unfortunately interrupted among
those who have the honour to be subjects of the same
Monarch, Had the prejudices of the Spanish Go-
*Tomcat permitted them calmly to attend to our

rights, and had not the former depositaries of the
Royal authority in this pan of America been revived
to act contrary to the evidence of facts, by dissemi•
sating every where doubts and errors, our loyalty
would have been much more confirmed, and even
the remains of civil discord would have disappeared
from among us, But, unfortunately guided, the most
of them, by personal views, they introduced the
deadly germs of division, which, though put down
in the greater part of this viceroyalty, is still com.
I mining ravages in the province of Paraguay, and
i within the walls of Monte Video.

The public papers will have informed your Excel-
lency of the just and undeniable grounds, on which,
without prejudice to our allegiance to Ferdinand VII.
we have founded our right to resume the management
of our own affairs. As to the dissentions more im-
mediately in your vicinity, it is equally notorious that
the object of the military expedition to Paraguay,
was no other than to place the inhabitants of that
province, confined to an angle of the kingdom, in a
situation to deliberate en the means of saving the
State from the subversion which threatened it. But
they chose rather to listen to the suggestions of ill-
designing men, who were interested in their errors,
than to the wise counsel of their brothers. Hence it
happened that hostilities took place. But the Junta,
whose first object was to spare the blood of their
countrymen, viewed these disasters with horror, and
ordered all hostilities to cease, leaving to time the
work of undeceiving the Paraguayans.

With regard to the affairs of Monte Video, the
Junta of Cadiz were so inconsiderate as to place at
the head of affairs Don F. Xavier Elio, with the re-
spectable title of Viceroy. This audacious man,
whose instinct for destruction is notorious, since his
arrival in these parts, has not ceased to treat us as re-
bels—to denounce against us the vengeance of the.
laws—to blockade our ports—to make preparations
to reduce us by force ; and in fine to irritate the in-
habitants of the Eastern District by the sacrifices
which he exacts, and the miseries to which he redu-
ced them.

These inhabitants being placed in this cruel situation,
prudence obliged them to resort to violent measures,
they rose in a mass, and demanded assistance trom
this capital. The Junta would have been criminally
indifferent to the distresses of their neighbours, had
they not sent them aid. They therefore dispatched
some troops, who have in part arrested the current
of these misfortunes.

The Junta have thought proper to explain to your
Excellency the motives of their separation from
Spain, and to give a brief exposition of the most re-
cent events. They trust that his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent will be enabled to judge from this
statement, that neither the ultramarine Spaniards,
nor. Elio, nor his followers the Europeans in Monte
Video, are entitled in any degree to his protection, in
prejudice to our just cause.
Upon the whole, the Junta will never lose sight of
the considerations with which they ought to be im-
pressed as subjects of their King. They wish the
happy moment to be accelerated, when we shall see
Ferdinand VII. restored to the throne of his ances-
tors, and when all of us, reconciled, shall labour in
concert in supporting without alteration the rights of
the Crown.

Doubtless, the powerful influence of the Prince Re.
gent your master might smooth the difficulties in the
way of such. an event. But considering that by the
general wish of the people it has been thought neces-
sary to convoke their representatives for the purpose
of discussing those difficult questions which have
been excited by the passing occurrences, and for se-
curing the interests of the nation, it is the opinion of
this Junta, that without the (' nsent of that Congress
it would he premature to enter into any measures of
negotiation with Spain.
The same obstacles are not opposed to our recon-
ciliation with the city of Monte Video. The consan-
guinity of its inhabitants, the vicinity of their terri-
tory, and their intimate relations with this metropolis
all concur in exciting a desire for our re-union. The
Junta will thereforo receive any proposition that may
be made to them through the medium of his Royal
Highness, but will not compromise the interests
which have been entrusted to them.—Gen preserve
your Excellency, &c.

Buenos Ayres, May 16, 1811.
To his Excellency the Conde de Linharez.
BUENOS AYRES, JUNE 26.

' Our army at present consists of 22,00() warriors,
the flower of the provinces, without including the In-
dians, who voluntarily join the service, and chiefly
convey the artillery and baggage. They are not all,
to be sure, armed with muskets, but a considerable
part of them Are. Our cavalry are provided with
every kind of side-arms ; and are able of themselves
to rout those miserable legions from whom the efforts
of their chiefs have not been able to conceal the in-
justice of their cause.

CIRCULAR OF THE JUNTA.