Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-04-03


American consul that les ~ nls have
Just seized aud carried INTO I!alcalinaua
two American ships, said 70 Sc I,o,ii near
5 100000. that his THRONE has .ur wears
been IN deb. 10 our cItll. as Tor spuIiaiiunS
committed on oar trade, payment Tor
wnicii has been 81 otter tened, and So
lately evadeG ny the quiDblrs OF an nnpu-
dent munster, iueSe numerous claims t,pon
our tee.ngs are irresistible. Success IN
the patriots discontinue 10 tlleir foes
must burst from every American ncart.
Our interest TOO is arrayed on Tie same
side of the question. "A new field vii, be
thrown open TO our commerce. 4 fresh
employ ment will be furnished TO our SUI
perabundant tonnage. The produce of
the mines will he cast into ou, iapS-bc.
sides the grander consideration Of pcli-
tical interest, tying together The northern
and southern sections into one general
iederative system"
Yet what citizen is so enthusiastic AS 70
wish to involve our country in The struv
gle ? Who calls upon us 10 take ,ip arms
for the Patriots To bind our beloved
country TO their car Even the liol
minded Lautaro, who WAS tie frsi to dis
play their cause in such enchanting CO.
lours, and whose letters have been III III
umphantly transplanied in the Ruenos
Ayres Gazette, we have reason TO sus
pect, now thinks better OF this point.
Not one of those members, who would
havevoted eighteen thousand dollars for a
mission 20 La Plata, would directly plunge
llis country into war for her sake. Even
The father of that scheme himself, (Mr.
Clay disclaims such a policy.
Our duties, as nation, are comprised
n, a mt 81 trtc
as this Hcivl war lasts'-a prompt recog-
milton of the independence of the first
state, which has evinced lis ability 10
maintain il. In these two maXims, is
comprised the whole of our duty.
Strict neutrality enjoins upon us to do
unto one, as we do unto the other TO ex-
tend the same principles orirade, hospi-
tally and diplomatic intercourse TO both;
TO give both the same opportunity of pre-
ferring their complaints, or ofconciliatiug
our friendship, OF TO deny them to both
10 place Mr.. Onis land Mr.. AsuiIle, pre-
cisely upon HE same footing, as to South
american affairs /; 10 close the door upon
both, or upon neither of them.
To recognize such as have secured their
independence, is imperiously called Tor
by our principles, and our Character
Shall we be the last 10 give the hand of
fellowship, TO nation like ourselves ri
sing upon the ruins of oppression Shall
we permit the hacknied monarches of
the old world to be the first TO set us the
example Shall we shrink, trembling at
the door, until they are so kind as To open
it? No: we should hold it to be stain
upon our escutcileon, if we were not
the first TO take these generous spi-
rits by the hand. All that we ought to
seek for, is the certainty, that they do
constitute government de facto--That
they have the right TO establish one, ne
cannot deny but at the risk Of branding
Washington, Henry and Lee, with the
name OF traitors.
A few pseudo-statesmen may attempt
TO daunt us from the discharge Of our du
ties by pictures of war snd OF rum. They
will tell you that only TO recognize the
republic of La Plata viii be to " involve
the peace Of the United States ;" to bring
down upon our heads the ire of Spain, or
tue resentment of Great Britain: and that
IL is better for us 10 turn orr backs upon
South America, than run any risks in the
matter. Away with such puny politici-
ans better fitted TO WELD the distaff.
than the councils of a great nation. To
recognize the government of an establish
ed state, certainly furnishes no cause of
wal W any Jotuef power besides, who
can dread a war with SPAN? Who can
believe t,iat she d01'cs to raise banner a.
gainst US? AS 10 q. Britain, she sioo de,.n.
~ int rested in the independence Of South
Amesica, TO regard our bare recogpjtion
of tlat fact with amy sort of resentment.
Tie manner of our doing II will mi her
commercial jealenSies 10 sleep. We
shall ask no peculiar privileges of trade
as the terms Of our recognition, We scorn
to mix such mean and mercenary eonsi-
deratiOns with our national policy.
The only practical question is, baseither
of these states established lis indepen-
dence Do any Of the patriots constitute
such government d. tactO as thatwe can,
consistently with ourpIinciples, recognize
them No one dreams OF Mexico or New
Grenada being III this situation Few can
suppose that Iii Venezuela The storm is
over. Are Chill or La Plata then irum
plant IL now appears, that Chill is not
rid of her enemies-Talcdhnan still being
III their hands.
Mr.. Aguirre seeks 10 make good the in
dependence OF the provinces of Rio de
La Plata" Cor Buenos Ayres.) He tells |
our government that the Congress of
those provinces declared them sovereign
states, on the 9th OF July, 1916" He adds |
that =" during the space OF six wears previ- |
Gus 10 their declaration of independence,
the for. es of these provinces had obtained
signal successes OH the eastern border,
having captured the whole of The roval
squadron, which attacked them; reduced
one of the strongest places i'll our hemis-
phere, after a memorable siege, and made
prisoners of war, the strong garrison
which defended it and ifvictory was not
always the Inseparable companion of our
arms, ~ Peru, 1t was often SO, and enabled
L. -. l...l- l. Il