Star.
London, England, 1828-05-30 00:00:00

COLOMBIA.

The following letter contains some interesting par-
ticulars respecting the difficulties with which Bolivar
has to contend sitice his return from Peru to reorganize
Colombia:

EXTRACT OP A LETTER, DATED KINGSTON, JAMAICA,

APRIL 18.

Our communications with Colombia are very slack,
owing to the complete stagnation of trade there, IA hick'
has materially tended to curtail our intercourse. As,
however, you ate anxious to receive accounts from that
quarter, I will recapitulate what we learn by the last
arrivals. Bolivar, since his return from Pens, has been
almost heart-broken, on seeing the country which he
had lett united at home, and respected abroad, sunk
into a state the most abject, and immersed in debt.
He had also the mortification to find that, whilst he
was fighting his Country's battles, in a distant and dan-
gerous clime, a party had been formed to supplant him
in public esteem. He also saw that party supported by
a noMber.of the clergy, even those of most power
and influence; •and with greater regret he witnessed
that an attempt had been made to revive the Old
animosities and dissentiotis Get., een Venezuela and
-New Aftanasha, with a view to separate them. All
this required of him the utmost precaution, and he
paused, till he discovered how 'far the evil had
spread, and saw to what extent he could rely on sup-
port. His late residence in Bogota has been com-
pletely one of observation, and in the interval he has
known how to distinguish his enemies from his friends,
and to appreciate the patriotism of some, now wal-
lowing in wealth, while he himself, after all his ser-
vices, has scarcely the command of a dollar—at least,
as far as his own privy purse goes. He has long seen
that a great effort was necessary to rescue tie country
from impending ruin, and he directed that the "Grand
Convention" should assemble avd deliberate on the
measures to be adopted under the present difficulties.
Beyond all doubt, dictatorial powers will be confided to
him, this being the only alternative now left, and it
will also be decided in what manner the law of re-
sponsibility can be enforced against public functiona-
ries who have abuse., the confidence reposed in them,
and enriched themselves at the expense of the State. It
is expected that a complete return will be made out of
the whole appropriations of the proceeds of the loans
raised in England, in order that every one may see where
the money is gone, and how much the Government has
been plundered by surcha, ges,and duped by false agents.
On these topics, Bolivar is known to have expressed him-
self with great warmth, declaring, that all shall conic
to daylight, this being an act of justice due to his own
country, as well as to those who are the real creditors
of the State, for whose relief he is extremely anxious.
He is not, however, without his tears of something se-
rious happening, as may be seen by the last words in
his Proclamation of 3d of March, in which he says to
the people of Bogota, " If unexpected troubles- over.
take you, I will fly to your rescue." 8 nne persons who
expect to be called to account, would gladly plunge
their country. into a civil war, in order to avoid respon•
sibility. Bolivar, however, is firm and deciied, and this
will be seen as soon as he is in an attitude to execute
his plans. In the meanwhile, his presence is necessary
on the coast; nut that he dreads the landing of the
Spaniards; but because he must discover what parti-
sans they have in the country. The preparations in
Havannah are certainly formidable; but they would
not occasion a moment's uneasiness, if the internal fiend
of disunion had not crept in among the Colombians.
Fortunately lor them Bolivar is still at their head, and
fortunately for the English creditors he is a man of
honour„and grateful.

- •
PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE.
SMYRNA, APIUL 18.
The state of suspense and uncertainty among the
Franks of this great commercial city, which I have had
so treqiiently to refer to these last six *months, still pre-
vails, without change ormedifiCation ; and the impor-
tant problem, whether they are to be permitted to re-
main in safety and tranquillity, or be forced to abandon
their homes and their interest, is still unsolved. This
unpleasant state is net, however, generally accompanied
with much alarm; and even the last intelligence of the
menacing attitude of Russia, and the apparent inevita-
bility of war, have not shaken their confidence in the
moderation and bonholtiie of the Turks, nor prevented
them from repairing, as usual, to their country resi-
dences at the beautiful villages of Bournabat and
Buudja. The most perfect order continues to reign.
The Ramazann of the Turks, 'that season of fisting And.
mortification, and consequent all•liumour, his 'passed
off without any of those scenes of intolerance and ex-
asperation it has too frequently elicited, and the
,hree days of the grand festival, the Bairam, ex-

tired in the most tranquil mane er yes,ei,!ay eveaing..
Oa Monday evening, when the long moon of the Ra•
inazann changed the joyful passage from penance and
ihnegat ion to feasting and enjoyment,.it was announced'
by the artillery of 'hr Castle, which were followed. by
the discharge of innumerable firearms, and the almost.
instant:olefins illuminatiOn of all the Minarets and prin•
cipai Kiosks of the city. The net of this, seen from
1 %
the bay, was strikingly beautifu . On former years the.
Turks were accustomed, during t e Wintry, to range
through the streets, filing of their pistols, without heed-
-
rug whether they were loaded with balls, or where the
',ails might strike—it was dangerous for a Frank to
hlw hos lace; and the three riotous days were hardly
-.o'er known to pass without several Christians falling
victims to the Mussitlmin's carelessness or brutality.
this year the strictest orders were given by the Plebs
o prevent these disgraceful and ridiculous excesses;
and a Turk, who wounded an lonian boatman on the
' tray, was immediately arrested by the guard, and
carried to prison, *here he still retnains,,tbough he and
his comrades Allege that the 'Ristol went off accidentally,
, "sd-offer if enwspensation in inoney ter the Sllfrerer.
The Greek • Mali Weelt, and the Fesi teal of Easter,
~hich fell in the course of the Ramatann; were cele-
brated whli unusual eclat, and were mocked by a novel'
privilege—a singular favour.....of which the Greeks are
exceedingly proud. Until this. year, their grand pro-
cession
on Good Friday Was confined to the limits of
the square which surrounds their Church, and which is
enclosed with lofty walls, but now they were permitted
to issue into the principal street, and, to throw open the
great door of their temple. It would be difficult for a
person unacquainted with the immoderate attachment
these people entertain for the rites and 'ceremonies of
their religion.(an attachment, inched, which they extend
to every spec4s of display and parade), to imagine how
high a valtie they. plkce on this favour, and how ardent
theynre in their hopes that it will be extended to fu-
ture years. On the Saturday night, I was present at
the celebration of the grand mass and the other tete;
monies with which they mark the awful mystery of the
resurrection. The remembrance of Rome and the
Church of. St. Peter's was inimical to any thing like
admiration ; but when the venerable looking Bishop,
his Clergy, and the immense . multitude assembled,-
every one bearing a long Wan torch, and marching in
procession rdtind the exterior of the Church,' the scene
was very interesting. There were said .to be upwards
of five thousand' torches in motion.- the Bishop of
Smyrna has received orders Irons the Patriatch of
the Greek Church at Constantinople, to see that •
all the Greeks her'e, Who, availing themselves of the'
plotectiott of. foreign Consuls, have presumed to
adopt the Frank dress, resume immediately the cos-
tume distinctive of their cast ; to do this he is to
employ his spiritual influence, and, in case of need, to
apply to the temporal power of the Pacha. As nothing
is to be opposed to these all potent means, many reforms
in the toikliehave.already taken place. 'Another carious
order of the Sultan's, which I have heitd proclaimed
by the public el ler, here and in several other towns of
Asia Minor, is, that henceforth no. Turk must wear lace
or embroidery of gold or silver, or any expensive orna-
ment of the sort. Tills law, indeed, is severely irnpoeed in
the Koran, where the greatest simplicity of dress is pre-
scribed, yet no people on earth go into greater extremes
on the other side than the Turks. Besides refer ring to the
law of the Prophet, the Sultan ultimates, that the mo-
ment may be approaching that the Osinanlis will have
to struggle with the Giaours for their existence' as a
people—that under such circumstances • the last pars
must go to the Government coffers—arid that it will oe
doubly sinful to employ in reprobated %rano:es what
might contribute to the cause of their faith. I have
not observed that these proclamations have effected
much. During the Bairam the Turks have been flaunt-
ing about in robes of all the ergot's: of the rainbow, and
he was a poor devil indeed who did not show some gold
or silver embroidery on his jacket. On the ISth inst.our
sloop of war the Wolf came to anchor in the bay ; the
next morning the Raleigh, that had been so long here,
sailed for Carabusa. The Wolf and the Alacrity brig ate
the only English ships of war here, but Corn modoreSra isles
is expected daily. Two English merchantmen, the Thula
and the New Albion, arrived this morning from Odessa
—they left Constantinople on the 13th inst. and had no
difficulty in passing the Dirdanellrs. The non-arrival of
certain vessels that were expected from Malta, has
created some uneasiness among the merchants, who are
apprehensive (with what reason I know not) that they.
have been pi evented, by orders of Government, fi om pro.,
ceeding to the Levant, and thence deduce the probability
of England's being about to engage in hostilities with
Turkey. Lord Prudhoe and Maj. Felix arrived in
Smyrna, from Constantinople, on the 3d inst. His Lord-
ship was in perfect health, delighted with the interest-
ing journey he had made, and well satisfied with the
manner in which be had been every where received
by the Turks. They sailed from Smyrna on the 6th
instant, for Alexandria, with the intention of visiting
Syria and Palestine. Since the departure of the, Greek
forces from Scio, matters seem to have been conducted
by the Turks with 'prudence and moderation. 'the
Pacha of the Island has invited the• Greek inhabi-
tants who fled to Ipsara and other places,- on the land-
ing of the Turks, to return to their homes and their
property, giving them the most solemn assurances that
not a hair of their heads shall be injured. No acts of
piracy have been heard of for a considerable time, and
vessels now frequently venture the passages of the Ar-
chipelago without convoy. The Samiotes continue
their predatory incursions on the Continent with increas.
ing audacity and success, no longer confining them-
selves to the- coasts of Asia Minor; they frequently
penetrate far into the interior, and then retreat to their
boats, carrying off flocks and herds, and men, women,
and children, as slaves ; thus renewing in our days one
of the most prominent features of that age of violence
and robbery which we have had the complaisance to
style heroic. The last Courrier de Smyrne, the ci-devani
Spear:lair Oriental,.contains the copy of a letter ad-
dressed by Colonel 'Fabvier to President Count Capo
d'lstria, explanatory of the disgraceful winding-up of the
Greek attempt to gain possession of Scio, and tendering
his resignation.

It appears, by a Note placed at Lloyd's, that the
Buenos Ayrean States have at length taken some mea-
lures to repress the shameless piricy which has so long
been committed, under the colour of their flag, by ves-
sels unautbotiaed with commissions from that Go-