Star.
London, England, 1829-12-14 00:00:00

COLOMBIA-BOLIVAR.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.
SIIL—In Saturday night's Globe there are some obser-
vations relative to Colombia, which from their friendly
spirit merit reply, to remove unfavourable doubts on the
writer's mind, arising from the obscurity in which the
true history of the transactions to which he adverts has
been left, from the want of a regular narrative.
As your Paper professes to be the impartial advocate
of the new States, and possesses more information con-
cerning them than any other, I trust you will not object
to the insertion of the succinct relation I propose to rive,
in answer to the observations to which I have referred.
The writer, after noticing " the suppression of Con-
voy A's rebellion as a proof of the consolidation of BoLt-
VAR'S power," cites the successive rebellions which have
occurred during and since 1820, and remarks fairly—
" that at such a distance he is at a loss to judge whether
those repeated conspiracies are proofs that it is BOLIVAR,
alone who protects the country from anarchy, or that his
measures excite the lovers of their country to continue
projects of rebellion ?"

THE CONSPIRACIES ARE-
1. That of General PAEZ.
2. General SANTANDER'S alleged plot at Bogota.
3. Admiral PADILLA'S.
4. The assassination plot at Bogota.
5. The insurrection of Popayan and Pasto
called OBAN DO'S.
6. The disturbances in the South, and occupation o,
7.Guyaquil.
CORDOVA'S revolt.
Altogether a fearful List, and to the ear almost as
bad as the one hundred and tenth revolt of the royal—
loyal City of Naples, as cried about the streets in the
time of MASANIELLO: but General PARz's opposition to
the Bogota Government is the only distinct one. The
rest are all ramifications, and inseparable sequiturs froii
the second : corollaries, proceeding from the Bogota
plan of action, and following the course there traced for
its accomplishment. The history may be briefly told :
General PAEZ, when General BoLIvAR was in Peru,
feeling himself aggrieved by the Vice-President's—
SANTABTDER's—Government, refused obedience to it,
and threatened separation from the Central Government,
over which BOLIVAR no longer presided but in name.
The insurrection of General PAEZ was therefore directed
against SANTANDER, and not BOLIVAR—not against
the LIBERATOR, but his known rival and enemy.
BOLIVAR apprehending the dissolution of Columbia,
from the measures taken by General PAEZ to separate
Venezuela, left Peru, hastened with scarcely any repose
from Lima to Caraccas,..when and where General PAEZ
submitted to the President-LIBERATOR, and the Laws.
BOLIVAR'S triumph, won—not by adisplay of power, but
by the influence of his name, and by a combination of
activity, wisdom, and spirit, was rendered complete and
glorious : nor since that day, has General PAEZ 'S fidelity
to the pacificator ever been called in question.
The mutiny of the troops left by BOLIVAR in Peru,
re-called the LIBERATOR to the capital of Colombia. It
was then made manifest that the Vice-President's faction
had instigated that mutiny, and had even audaciously
braved the authority of the LIBERATOR during his ab-
sence in Venezuela, to the extent of approving their con-
duct, and granting an amnesty to the rebels who had
landed at Guayaquil with arms in their hands to depose
him and sustain the SA-NTANDER faction.
BOLIVAR, however, aided by the gallant FLORES and
other faithful adherents, continued to detach the soldiers
from their parricide Chiefs, who were obliged to fly back
to Peiu : but he left, unfortunately as it was proved, the
fataores belli at Bogota unpunished. The Congress of
Ocana was then held, to settle the new form of Govern-
ment; but the Vice-President's faction persisting in
their views to remove BOLIVAR from the Presidency,
opposed the progress of settlement, and finding force ne-
-cessary to accomplish their objects, excited PADILLA—
a man of colour, and of great name and influence
amongst the black population—to set up the standard of
revolt at Carthagena. The attempt, however, to seize
the city failed, owing to the resolution of General
MONTILLA. PADILLA WBS pursued as a traitor, but
at Ocana he found a day or two's refuge in SANTAN-.
DER'S house, and a vote of thanks was actually passed
by the faction for his patriotism. This measure
ruined, however, all their hopes—The country be-
came indignant at the scandal, and the peril of
an appeal to the men of colour. The electors
assembled every where, revoked the powets given
to their representatives, declared the Ocana Congress
dissolved, and by acclamation through Colombia ap-
pointed BOLIVAR Dictator. PADILLA was seized, and
conveyed a prisoner to Bogota.
S4NTANDER'S residence in Colombia was no longer
possible ; but, in conformity with the erroneous policy of
the new States, instead of being tried, he was ordered
into an honourable exile, by being appointed Envoy to
the United States of America. Before, however,
he had commenced his journey, the attempt was
made to assassinate BOLIVAR in the Palace of
Government. The presence of mind of a heroine, and
the fidelity of several brave men who perished, saved him
from the poignards of the conspirators.
It being proved at the trial which ensued, that PA-
DILLA Was a party to the conspiracy, be was convicted
and executed. General SANTA w DEA himself admitted

he had information of the plot, but had not approved, i
though one of the conspirators deposed that he did not I
oppose, but only recommended he should first be on
his passage to America, that he might be recalled un-
suspected of being an accomplice. Sentence of death
was passed 011 SANTANDER, but the LIBERATOR re-
ferred the sentence to a Council of Ministers, who com-
muted the punishment to banishment, on annexed con-
ditions, and his life was spared by the chief, whom he
had so virulently persecuted.
OBANDO having fled from Bogota, when the plot was
discomfitted, raised an insurgent party in Popayan and
Panto, in conjunction with a Colonel LOPEZ ; but as
soon as General BOLIVAR moved against them, they
were driven from post to post, and finally were permitted
to surrender. Not a drop of blood was shed, and internal
peace being restored, the first act of the Conqueror Pacifi-
cator was to convoke a Constituent Congress for the let
Jan:lB3o. The Anti-Bou vAn faction had, however, not
depended solely on their otos means to accomplish their
ends, but had engaged General LA MAR, President
of Peru. —(whose personal resentment against Bora vAR
has been stated by the Peruvians themselves in their late
Official Manifesto, to have been vile t'Atli23 of the war) to
co-op_eratf with them. The Peruvian army, under
LA MAR in person, invaded Colombia, possessed them-
selves, by convention, of Guyaquil, and reached Tarqui.
There General SUCRE—claruni et veserabik no men—
gloriously avenged his country, and dictated the terms of
a Treaty, which LA MA a afterwards attempted to
evade, but which is now carrying into execution in
an amicable temper, that will put an end to all future mis-
understanding between the two countries.
General tom VA a, as soon as this event was opened,
,directed SANTANDER to be released from his. confine-