Star.
London, England, 1817-03-20 00:00:00

SOUTH AMLMICA.

Had bet a tithe of the intelligence ptiblished by
the Government of Old Spain resrectinl the progress
of the war that has for some time been carrying on
in her late Colonies, for the restoration of the Royal
authority, been tare, there woald net, by this time,
have been left a single insurgent in that extensive
Continent. In fact, the Independents who have been
so often annihilated, though sometimes worsted a
little, are pursuing their object with ardour, and rre
have no (10114 will be ultimately successful—in,spite
cf the desertion of those who first urged them to the
conflict and then left them as victims to the tender
wicks of the compassionate and " Beloved Fen-
DINAND."

Letters dated the 27th of December, from New
Orleans, confirm the report...mentioned in the Ame-
rican Papers, 'of an important battle having been
fought between the Mexican Independents and the
[top:lists. The action is said to have taken place
on the rs,ad from Mexico to Vera Cruz, and in the
neighbourhood of the strong position of Puente del
Rey. Them a convoy going down under an escort
of two thousand men, was attacked by the patriot
General, GUADALLW VICTORIA, who, alter a smart
action, captured a million of dollais, and made six
hundred prisoners. The corps of Kentucky-men,
armed with rifles, and who have for some time been
flocking to join the Mexican standard, are LA to h
greatly distinguished themselves on this occasion.—
Their former leader, Colonel Gluzst.te, had ar-
rived with a large supply of arms, &c. and the Mexi.
can Government, fur his services, had created him a
Generaloi Division. Many of the American Officers
and soldiers, oho served in the late war, have joined
the Mexicans.

Viceroy APODACA is completely shut up in the ca-
pital, and unable to send out an order to any distant
quarter, without putting an army in motion. General
GUADALILikt VICTOIUAt who commanded the action
above mentioned, belongs to one of the first families
f Meaico, and if not the brother, is a near relation
to the Marquis of that name. In the wh..ie of New
Spain, the King's troops have no other ground than
what they stand on, and nothing but the presence of
an armed force prevents the inhabitants of the cities,
in which the Spanish Authorities still keep op their
power, from openly declaring in favour of the Inde-
pendents. Trade of every kind was at a stand, and
for the last six years, not more than a twentieth of
the usual supplies of European goods had been able
to penetrate into the interior.

When the ultramarine Provinces began their re.
spective revolutions, through our encouragement,
they were no longer able to pause—they were plunged
into a dilcm:na that precluded the possibility of hesi-
tation. Under a deep and poignant sense of national
wrongs, they resorted to the only alternative left
them. Their present resistance, therefore, cannot be
called an aggression, since it must rather be termed
the result of long-suffering and necessary self-defence.
Hence they will stand acquitted before HEAVEN and
the world, and the murders, ravages, and conflagra-
tions, with which they purchase a just but dear-
bought independence, or rau.er freedom from shivery
and oppression, will pat fall on their heads, but on
those of their - oppressors. To us they op-ned their
ports; to us they appealed from a variety of motives,
and, u a return, we iflsulted them, by stiputAting, in
our Treaty with FERDINAND, that it was " our wish
they should return to their allegiance," or, in other
words, that they should suffer the Inquisition, Tor-
ture, and Slave Trade, to be re-established among
them, and their people again descend to a rank little
above the brutes of the forest.

Left, however, to their own energies, the South
Americans have now borne up against the evils of
their present contest for nearly seven years, and con-
sequently overcome most of the vain attempts of their
decrepid enemies and their abettors. The accounts
which reach us from every section of the New World
are of a most cheering aspect, and evidently prove
that the main object will be soon attained, by the
total downfall of a Power that began in carnage and
robbery, and that appears destined to end as it began.
Then may we hope that the grand theatre of ch,'
Transatlantic World will be permanently opened to
British enterptize : that every distinction will be made
betneen the fervent wishes of the Nation, as they now
exist, and the thcrt-sighted policy of its Rulers, and
that our merchants and manufacturers will be enabled
to avail themselves of those immense resources of
traffic which such an event would unfoli, on a basis of
reciprocal advantage, and in so ample a manner, as
to reward them for the losses and privations they are
now compelled to endure.

- Yesterday morning the RUSSIAN 4-ISt3.ISRAD'IIt had
an audience of the PRINCE REGENT at Carlton House.
The Dc.ke of CUMBERLANDSitt:d the ltscomr.
The Princess AUGUNTA visited the Duchess of
Gnoccss.tzit at Gloucester H:ouse.
Monday evening the Duke and Duchess of CLOC-
cssTzu honoured Drury-lane Theatre with their pre-
sence to see the new Tragedy of Monad.
Tuesday evening the Princess 500 n.% of GLOtTES
rtit huitoured the Opera with her presence.
SSE WEEK'S AT LONGPS:—..IS is reported that the Sale
of this Work has already been so great, that the pro-
fits arising from it have relieved the Author from a
state of great embarrassment; and that he has pru-
dently retired to the Continent to avoid the disagree-
able consequences likely to ensue from his having so
unceremoniossily, and with such effect, exhibited the
follies and foibles of his most intimate acquaintance.