Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-04-03
SOUTH AMERICAN AFFAIRS.
KICHMOND, April 3.

The citizens of the United States cant
| not affect indifference TO the cause O.
South America. There is something in IL
that irresistlbly seizes on our hearts,
Who are the parties 10 the " civil war ?"
Who are the competitors for The sove-
reiguty ofthe country?
On the one hand, we see at once the
yilest and meanest court ID Europe, pur-
suing the most ,gnohle ends by the most
Ignobie means, and seeking TO retain l5
millions OF souls in the most intolerable
bondage. We cannot take part with such
| power-there is not one sentiment In
| the bosom of a freeman That can side with
| such despot.
On the other hand, we sec fifteen milli-
ons 81 people striving TO be Independent.
if moi striving to be free. We recog-
nize Inc picture of wrongs which Mr.. A
guirre, the agent of Buenos Avres, draws
in his letter to the President of the United
States, lately published. Who that reads
1t, does not feel II 10 lie true Three
eenturies of colonial oppression bv Il
corrupt, supersIitious and ignorant nail
on, whose obstinate and iniquitoms poll
cy ever has been 10 Willy the inhabitants
OF South America, as being destined to ue-
gctdte an oJScWify and dcJasement the VIC
tent system of keeping them in ignorance
of ali irforms ton Incompatible with IFS
principles OF colonial dependence the
perverse policy OF denyingto the children
OF the mother country, and their lawful
descendants on tie American continent.
th rights OF citizens i'll the exercise Of a
practical equality the exclusive MONO
poly OF commerce despoi, ally exercised,
regulated by iiie laws solely i'm favor of
he mr. a. ,,,A l.
force, at the price OF the blood of inno-
cent victims, natives Of The country. &c.
&c. thcse ami other wrongs) prepared
the people lot Buenos Ayrcs) on The 25th
OF May, 1910, for their separation from
the Spanish nation" Who but the bas-
est lirelngs can refuse subscribing TO the
final measure adopted by La Plata, as
developed by Mr.. Aguirre at the close of
liS letter?
When the deputy of the court of Ma
drld informed this government that the
king Of Spain insisted on leaving no other
alternative than the most abiect submis-
sion, and that he claimed these provinces.
as tic property Of his crown, doubtless
10 make them victims to Spanish yenge-
ance,) then i; was, that tie sovereign con
gress OF these PROVINCES having ASSEM-
bled, did, in imitation Of The examnle OF
their brethren and natural friends of
North America, unanimously proclaim.
III the city Of Tucun,an, on The OH dav of
July, 1916, The solemn act of their civil
Independence Of the Spanish nation. of
the king of Spain, his hers and success
sors, and did swear, together with tie
people represented by them, TO support
their political emancipation at The risk of
fheir lives, fortunes and honor"
But II IS upon us, upon the citizens Of
these United States that The patriots have
right TO call for sympathy. Forty wears
ago, our cause was the same as their cause
IS at the present day-with this memora-
BILE distinction in their favor, that our
yoke was intellectually lighter than their
own. We were lashed'With wlius--tbev
are scourged with scorpions. But we felt
our own yoke as iniolcrable. We foek
up arms-We asserted our independence
we succeeded in the struggle and now
our independence is shooting up, in ten
thousand blessings around as. And can
we Turn a callous eye 10 the struggles of
the south! Can wefold up our arms. and
say to the Spanish Patriots, What are
Nou to us What is your cause. vour
injuries, your struggles 10 the citizens
oi the United States g No: If we co,,Id
feel thus, we should deserve 10 forfeit the
independence which our fathers have
won for us. We should indeed he III 10
be slaves.
But when we take along with all this.
that The very king who is striving 10 hunt
Wsm dowt, IS ia fact 10 friend 10 a. -