The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-02-08

H'0m INC american Argus, Of November
Is, 1911, received at this office.
CARTHAGENA, Nov. II.
ACT OF LNDEPENDENCE.
In the name CT Almighty God, author of
nature, WE, the Representatives of the
good city OF Carthagena, of the Indies. as
sembled in full junts and assisted by all
the tribunals OF tais city, in order TO ener
upon the full enjoyment of our Just and ma
iienablc rights, devolved upon us in the
course Of e. ents, with which it has pleased
Divine Providence to mark the downfall of
the Spanish Monarchy. and the erection CT
i a new dynasty on the throne of the Bour-
bons-deem it proper, before the exercise.
CT these rights, bestowed by an alkwise Gre
ator.u upon the whole of the human race, to
| exhibit to tie view of an impartial world,
the accumulation of causes which mpel US
TO TINS solemn declaration, and will justly
the resolution SO necessary, upon the poine
OF separating us forever from the Spanish
monarchy.
/ Turning with horror from the contempla--.
ton or the three hundred years cf veXa,ior
mseries and calamities heaped upon our
unhappy country, by the conquerors & man
datones OF Spain, whose history cannot fail
to astonish posterity at the duration of our
suferancc /; and passing in silence over the.
consequences of that unhappy period for A
merica-we shall eonfine ourselves solely to
the events, which, peculiar to this province,
have taken place Gully since the epoch of
the Spanish revolution. At its perusal, the.
most decided partizans of Spain shall not
refrain from avowing, that, in proportion
as our conduct has been liberal and disin--
terestcd with respect to the Governors OF
the Peninsula, theirs, with regard to MS
has been unjust, tyrannical and oppressive
From the irruption of the FvenSh into
SPAN, the entrance Of Ferdinand VII. into
the territories Of France, and the subsequent
remuneration by that monarch and family Of
the throne of their ancestors, nefavour Of
the Emperor Napoleon, the bonds that urs-
ted the king to his people were burst asun.
der. They were instantaneously in posses,
SION or Their sovereignty, and authorized to
frame for ourselves a form of govern:
ment the most conducive to their accommc--
dalton.
The consequences of this power appear.
ed III the innumerable juntas that sErang I'd
! In evety province, i'll many cities, ard even
III some villages of Spain. These popular
/ governments, which were indebted for then.
| authority to tho real source of power, the
people, (whether from attachment to his
person, OF from a prediction to,a monarch
iCnl government.)wer unanimous in renew
ing their oaths of acknowledgement and al
legiancc to their king Ferdinand. The .firsr
the possession of the Americas and for
this purpose two deputies were commissions
ed to The provinces to preserve an union
considered already as unfcasibe The
naughty junta of Seville, which for some
month had usurpea the title Of sovereign
OF the Indies, was the one which particular
| ~ distinguished itself in it's claims to those.
countries. Two OF its deputies had arrived
at Cartha gena--the news had ALREADY Ere,
coded fhpDn 1v 6 .
had occasIUned the subversion CT the mon
archy yet, III the surprize and disorder of
mind produced By such Unforeseen djsas-
tiers, Carthagena, though endowed with
sufficient discretion TO prescve is rights
was also Possessed OF too much generosity TO
claim them in circumstances so dangerous
! 70 the nation of which it formed part
ohe sacrificed them to the Union with lrer
metropolis, ard to the desire of rcscuing it,
from the most atrociou5 Of usurpations The
Junta OF Seville was acknowledged (; and
notwithstanding the imprudcncc Of it's dep
utes, and vcXatiOns and insults offered To
the J. CT in It's worthy members, il was ad-
hered to. That body, truly patriotic, f,re-
fcrred its complaints to the government ~
! spain, and III tie most submissive terms re-
quested satisfaction for their insults. Butin
return tor our generosity, we only received,
\ new injuries and in recompenCe for the
treasure wehad sent them, in support of
the nation, we received an order, adore ssel
| 20 the vice-roy to levy Il Contribution Or,
several individuals of the council and pro-
vince.
Such atrocious conduct from a govern
tmept acknowledged only to preserve the
integrity IT the nation, was however iuca-
| pablo Of diyertiBS us from our principltsy
| Uniformly faithful to.our pr mise, VIC cd,
tinued to sp2port that political union. 50
costly in itself and so contrary to our real
Interests.
III the meanwhile, the disorder, tlje clash
ing Of The several authorities, AMI the evils
{. which from tia. moment wcYt =, Ne sr,,res
hcndcd, obliged the provinces OF Spain 70
re-unite IN ono common body and cc,.ral
government. At Aranierz wigs Installed
2 tho General .1nta, moment big U;G the
hopes Of better fate. Peason tt,nlnnl,-
ever long established prcindices. & fo/,H,
first time IN Spain, It was hoard. .taLZ .nt ~.