Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-04-24

RICHMOND. APRIL ID.
IAJTrARO is the mar, who first brought
the South American question into vogue. His
Nos. RAN through the United States with
extraordinary rSpidits They have been re-
published ~ Duenos Ayrcs in terms OF the
highest commend ltiOu. Itgiyes MS plea .ureto
learn from the fo'tnssins, that he adv ocates
the cause OF lie All mini a,ration.-and that with
all biSzeal for the cause oil South America, he is
anxious to walk tie return Of our commission
els:
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ENQUIRER.
The eloquent speech of MIR. Clay, on
bis resolution Tor appropriaiing sim of
money for the ouint aud salary of a mi
mister to Buenos Ayres, conveys to the
county, andor the most p!rasing form, "a
mass of Information III regard TO The his
Tory, resources, DC. of South America.-
How much light has been shed on that
hitherto becloudcd subject within the
last Twelve monils2 Such is tho glorious
and happy influence of that greatest Of
all earthly blessings, a FREE PRESS.
There Is, however, an error III Mr..
Clay's historical relation as 10 the cap
lure of Buenos Ayrcs--wllich il may be
! well TO correct, and at the same time 10
mention some other facts as connected
with that occurrence.
Mr. Clay states iirat :" General Whit
Sc in 1907, uuHsr TIE gaise Of friend, and
Sc as soon as he was supposed TO have de-
monstrated inimlcal designs, he was
- driven from the country by tie native
IS unaided force OF Buenos Ayres." This
Is a misiake--W lIiilock attempted 10 en-
ter Buen0S AyTes as an open enemy at
the head OF 1000 men, and was COM
pletely def.ated-The history of that in
vasion is this -
In AprikteO6, the English government
dispatched an expedition of SIX thousand
men against the Cape of Good Hope, be-
longing to Holland, but thea in the hands
of the FIencli--1he English succeeded
III taking the Cape, and ordered thence
1900 men, under William Carr Beresiord
(now General Beresiord in tlle Portuguese
service in Europe) who was so fortunate
as To take Buenos Ayres by surprise OIL
the 24lh June lso6-,heir triumph how
ever, was of short durat0n.-In forty days
sitter, TO wit, OIL the 18th OF August, the
people Of Buenos Ayres, aided by the
troops from Monteyideo, expelled their in
vaders
In the beginning Of The next year
february 1907 SIR Samuel Achmuty,
now Governor General in India, appear
ed off Monteyideo with 6000 men aud
took possession of that place by storu---
This army reinforced by additional troops
under Lieut.. Gen. John Whjilock, at
tackled Buenos Ayres on The 9th Jul :,
1907, with 1000 men--be was complete
ly defeated--in The capitalization lie stipu-
lated for the surrender OF Monteyldeo, q
the entire evacuation ofthe waters of La
Plata. When Achmuiy took possession of
Montcyideo, he sent flag of truce to tile
government Of Buenos Ayres, offering In
dependence TO those provinces in the
name of Great Britain. These proposlti-
0ns were not listened to. Instructions
we're given by the English ministers 10
Whnlock to renew this proposition Oh In
dependence, rs may he seen IN The trial
of that General, published by authority
IN London-bul al the moment the ex-
petition leaving Portsmouth, these IN
structions were revoked, and orders for
conquest substituted in their placc-Jlis
is not the ODly instance in which the
British Government has proposed indie
pcmdence 10 Spanish Amerlca-The same
proposal WAS made by the governor of
Trinidad, communicating an Official let
ter from the Hon. Henry Dundas, his b.
M. minister for foreign affairs 10 the in
habiiaDts Of South America, III the year
1897. These same offers were made by
England at the time OF Mlrsnda's expedI-
ton TO Caracas.
THUS we see that for twenty years past
while all the world besid 5 seemed TO
know little and care less about Spanish
America England has been anxiously
contemplating its independence, well A.
ware of lis wealth, its resources aud tie
benefit of It's commerce. SuciI are the i'm
mense advantages she experiences 10
the Independence of South America, that
1 feel fully persuaded that sooner than
let it return under tile monopOlsing pow
er of oil Spain-she wOIId ehesrfully
furnish the south Americans with every
thing material for The accomplishment
and cOusummallon Of the reyOlution.--
But her policy will be Ia give ilien fade-
pe,ideace not FresfSm--w whereas. oar mic
rest lies mol only ia their Independence
but III tie establishment of su0n priHci-
Piles OF free government as would heredi-
Ter coHducr TO kosmoav md co-oPeralioa,
4. hen necessary hefveel.- U.s. }5tf a. ssiii