The Statesman.
London, England, 1811-10-01 00:00:00

If

AMERICA.
,
INDEPE*DENCE ote sotrni AMEIUCA.
We this day copy from the Aurora, the Declaration
of Independence of the provinces of thet part of Stioth
America, Ailed Venezuela, and ,he establishment of,
a Federal and Representative Government in those
province :I.s The provinces consist of seven ; but the
spirit tit iftidrty is not confined to Venezuela, audwe
soone4ect to hear of other provinces following the
eximirle of that Spirited portion of South America.

1 4tiii 7.. i AKE Or THE MOST siren.
We, the Itepresentativcs of the federal provinces
of Careers_ ,s Comena, Berissas, Margaritas Bercelossa,
Merida, -and Tee' silk' constituting the confer eration
of Venezuela, do the Southern continent of America,
in Congress assembled ; considering, that we have
_ been in the full and entire possession of our natural
tights since the 19th of:April, 1810, which we re-
eumed 0 consequence of the transactions at flayenne,
the abdication of the Spanish throne, by the conquest
of Spain, and the. accession of a new dymisty, este.
Vieshd witlibui our consent. While we avail Our.,
strives of the rights of men, which have been with.,
bold from us by fordo for more than three centuries,
and to which N6e are restored by thuisolitical reran-
liens in human affairs, we think it becoming to state
to the world the reasons by which ire ar'e'-balled to
the free exercise of. the Sovereign Authority, We
deem it unbeciseary to insist upon the inqdestion-
aßle right Which, every Conquered
,cbuntry Wilds to
testore itself to liberty and independence: we pass
over in a generous silence, the long series- of 'Alit-
tions,Oppressions, and privations, with the fatal
law of conquest has indiscriminately involied the die-
tds4rent, conquererstand settlers of these countries;
whose condition his been made wretched by the very
means which should have promOted their felicity:
throwing li veil otter three centuries of Spanish domi-
nion in America, we can confine ourselves to the nal..
ratitotspf recent arid Well-known facts, which prove
how much 'lre have been afflicted 1 and that we should
not te involved in the commotions, disorders? and
conquest which hae ditided Spain. The ,dlsorders
in Europe had increased the evils under whiCh we he-
fete suffered ; by obstructing complaints and frus-
trating the means of redress; by authorising the go-
'ferret:ors placed over us by Spain, to Insult and oppress
us with impunity, leaving us without the protection
or,theaupport of -the laws. It is contrary to the
order bf nature, impracticable in relation to the. Gcl:
vernment of Spain, and hat been Most afflicting to
America, that territories so much More extensieeland
a pOpulation incomparably mere nuillerous,thtelltl be
subjemed and deriendent on a peniniulir Corner of
the European continent. The cession and abdication
snide it Bayonne, the transactions at the Escurial
and at Araojuez, and the orders issued by the Im-
periel Ileutenent the Marshal Duke of Berg to Arne.:
ties", authorized the exercise of those rights, which
till that period the Americans had sacrificed to the
preservation and integrity of the Spieish. The peo.
e of Veneiuela, were the first who generally ac-
newledged, and who preferred that integrity, never
il
freaking the interests of their European brethren
while there remained the least prospect of salvation.
America had acquired a new existence ; she Was able
end was. brood to take charge of. her own safety anil
prosperity; she was at liberty to acknowledge or to rei
ject the authority of a King who was SO little deterr-
ing:of that power, a's to regard his personal safety
more than that of the nation over which he had been
plated. All the Bourbons who concurred ill the fu-
tile stipulations of Baionne, haring 'Withdrawn from
the Spanish territory contrary to. the will of the pen.
pie; abrogated; dishonoured; and irenipleci upon all
the sacred obligations which they had contracted With
the Spaniards of both worldsl who With theit blood
and treasures had placed the on tl*,thicine, in op=
position to he efforts of the House of Austria: such
conduct his rendered them unfit, to tole over a free
people, whom they disposed of like a gang of slaves.
The intrusive Governments which have arrogated to
themselves the authority Which bell-Age only to the
'national representation, treacherOusly availed them.
selies of the knofrn good faith, the distance, and ef-
fects, which ignorance and oppression had pro-
duced among the Americans, to direct their passions
against the new dynasty, which had been imposed upon
Spain, and in opposition to their own principles,kept up
the ill Caron aniongstus in favour of Ferdinand,hut only
in order to baffle our national hope, and to make us
with greater impunity their prey; they held forth to
ill promises of liberty, eiluality, and fraternity in
pompous disiourses, the more effectually te conceal
the snare which they were insidiously laying for us
by an inefficient Arid de/riding skew of representation.
As soon ai the various -forms of -the Spanish Govern,
meta were overthrown, and others had been suceeis
slivery substituted, and imperious necessity had taught
Venezuela to look -to her own safety? in order to
support the King and affnfd iniFylum to their Eurn-
peae brethern ageinst the calamities by sr,hich they:
were meniced,lll their former services were
.disre-
girded : new measure's were adopted against Os, and'
the very steps taken for the preservation of the Spa-
nish Government, were branded with the titles of in-
surrection, perfidy, and ingratitude,' but only be-
cause the door was closedegainst a monoply of power
which they had expected to perpetuate in the eame of
a King whose dominion was imaginary. Notwith-
stautling our moderatioo, ettgenerosity, and the pu-
rity of our intention's, and in opposition to the wishes
of our brethren in Europe, we were declared to the
world in a state of blockade ; hostilities *ere com-
menced against us; agents sent among us to ex.
cite -revolt and arm uS against each other, whilst
our national charecter , Wlis . traduced and foreign
nations excited to make war upon us. Deaf
to ! our remonstrancesi without submitting our
reaSons to the impartial judgment bf mankind
and deprived '0( every other arbitpunent but that of,
our enemies, we 'vere prohibited from all intercourse
aiith oar brethren; and adding conterept to calumny,'
hey undertook to appoint delegates for us, and With.
out our content, who were to assist at ther Cortes,
the more effectually to dispose of our persons and
property, said render us subject to the po per of our
enensie,. in order to defeat the Wholesome measures
of our stains:al representation, when obFiged to; re-
cork. it, they undertook 0) reduce the ratio of our
re islatioss, sal.mittiNg the forms of election to ser.
il.t‘i:t-irisntittees eiting at the dispeed of arbitrary
litkrs; thus imultiog our infiperience and gcod

Mft■ft.