Star.
London, England, 1817-12-01 00:00:00

THE EVENING STAR.

LONDON.
MONI)AY, DECILMBER 1, 1817•
PRICE OF :,.roCK. PHI DAY AT TWELVEO'CLOCKi
Reduced s9.;.—Com FISH—For Opening, 8411
4 per Cent. 9931-5 pet Cent. Navy lO9f
Auk Luny Anna. si 1-16—India Boit& 96/97 pr.
Elcbequer Bills 19 27 pr.

A Proclamation appeared in the Gazette of Satur-
day, forbidding British subjects from serving either
of the parties engaged in the present contest in South
America. Such as are already in the service of Fate.
=tam) may remain so, but on condition that they
do not serve with the military forces of his Catholic
Majesty, while these are acting in South America.—
This is surely a strict and a wise neutrality. Many
natives, commercial, political and moral, may induce
us to wish the South American cause successful ;
but we can not assist it, without exciting tip jealousy
of all Europe : and, as it would be Chiefly by com•
mercial or political views that we could be induced
to interfae, we roiLht justly dread the vengeance,
which has often fallen upon those who iAcrease blood-
shed and civil strife for purposes of rapacity or am-
bition. On the other hand, the Powers of Europe,
whatever share theyl may take in the contest, can.
mot expect us to engage in it, for the sake of the Spa.
nish party, whose interest plainly contrary to rut's.
The present Proclamation, though directed to a
particuiar object, virtually asserts the resolution of
England to be neutral in the whole contest.—
It will be impossible for Ministers to promote the
purposes of either party, in any wan without oppr)-
sing the spirit of their own order. We are glad to
observe, that this neutrality is well preserved even in
the terms of the Proclamation. The South American
Leaders are designated, neither as a Government nor
as Insurgents.. They are described by what may be
called the mere fact of their situations, as persons exer-
cising, or assuming to exercise, the powers of Go-
s' rnmert. contested territories, it may also be
oVservtd, are spoki.n of only by their geographical
description. with no political character annexed to
them ; and the struggle is not implied to be a just, or
an unjust, resistance to authority, but an unhappy
'I state of warfare."

In one word our Government, unit-s resolved at
once to acknowledge the independence of the party
in arms against FrItDINAND, could hardly publish
any v.iser ProeLmation than that 11*JVI
it have the effect to hasten or to retard the emancipa-
tion of s nth Amtrica front the dominion of Falun-
-1; AND and the Inquisition Neither the one nor the
c :Lcr. Will it prevent Britons from individually
a:di:.g the cause of the Patriots I No ; it will only
throw impediments in the way of those who are wil-
ling, as totldiers, to be Employed in the way of their
polession, and who would rather fight undtr the
banners of Liberty than of Despotism, but the old
proverb will be realised—'4 Where there is a will
there is a wAy."
Will the Anti Ferdinandists ultimately succeed in
establishing their independence ? Yes, as surely as
the now Utlited States have effected their emancipa-
tion. Paragraphs in Newspapers can nb more pre-
vent the emancipation of Colonies, thau they can the
growth of children to manhood.
We subjoin some documents ft specting the late
operations in the island of Margarita, which tend to
throw some further light on the late operations in that
interesting island, so frequently. outraged by the
Royalists.