Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1822-03-26

cans. may be regarded as the termina /
ton Of the war in that quarter.
Whom the people of Poru found then-7
selves. by this event, free to express their
will, they most unequivocal)y expires
sed it in favor of independence, and with
an unanimity which have no where been
excelled. Is.
The revolution in Mexico has been
somewhat different in its character and
progress, from tho revolutions in the o.,
thar Spanish American provinces, and
it's result, in respect to the organization
of it's internal government, has, also, not
been precisely the same. Independence
however, has been 40 emphatieally de-.
clared ami ~ practically established,
since the 24th Of August last, by the
Mexican empire" as ever il had been by
the republics of the south; and her geo.
graphical situation; her population and
her resources, ,sminently qualify her to
maintain the Independence which she
has thus declared, and now actually en-
joys.
Such are the facts which have occu
pied the attention of your committee, &
which, in their opinion, irresistibly
prove, that the nations Of Mexico, CO..
lombia. Buenos Ayres, Peru, and Chill,
in Spanish America. are in fact indepen-
dent.
1t now remains for your committee to
examine the right and tho expediency,
on the part If the U. States. efrecogni-
sing the Independence which those IA.
tions have thus sffectually achieved.
In this examination. it cannot be me-
csssary to inquire into tho right of the
people of Spanish America, ''to dissolve
the political bands which hAve connect.
ed them with another, and to assume, n
mong the powers of the earth that sep.
crate an. equal station to which the laws
of nature and natures God sntitls them"
The right to change the political insti-
tutions Of the state has, indeed, been sx-
| eraised equally by Spain and by her Co.
loniss-and. for us to deny to the PEG.
pic of Spanish America the right to Inc
dependence, on the principles which a.
lone sanction it here, would be, virtual-
ly, to rsnounce our own.
The political right ofthis nation to ac-
knowledge their Independence. without
offending others, does not depend on it's
justice, but its actual establishment.
To justify such recognition, by us, tits
already sufficiently shown, that the PEG
pie of Spanish America are, within their
respective limits, exclusively sovereign
and, thus, in fact independent. With
them. as with every other government.
possessing and exercising tho power of
making war, the United States in COM
mon with all nations, have the right Of
concerning the terms Of mutual peace
and intercourse
Who IS the righyuI sopersign Of
country, is not an inquiry permitted to
| foreign nations, to when it is compe-
ten. only to treat with ''the powers that
be-"
There is no difference in opinion. on
this point, among the writer's on public
law; and no diversity with respect to it.
in the practice of civilized nations. tits
not necessary here. to cite authority for
a doctrine familiar to all who hsve paid
the slightest attention to the subject. nor
to 60 back, for its practical illustrations,
to the civil wars between the houses of
York and Lancaster. Long since the
chiefs of those conflIc ing houses,
alternately triumphed and ruled, and
were alternately ebeysd at home and re-
cognized abroad. according, as hey suc-
cessively exercised the power, without
demonstrating the right-monarchies
have become commonwealth or repub.
lies, & powerful usurpers have been re-
cognizsd by foreign nations, in prefer
ence to Legitimate and powerlcss pretsn.
ders. Modern historyis replete with in.
stances in point. Have We not. indeed
within the brief period of our own re-
membrance, behald governments vary
their forms, and change their rulers, &C.
cording to the prevailing power or pas
sion ofthe moment, and doing so in viz.
tue of the principle now in question.
without materially and lastingly affect.
ing their relations with other govern |
ments? Have we not seen the cmper.
ors and kings of yesterday, receive on
the thrones of exiled sovereigns, who
claimed the right to reign there, the
friendly embassies of other powers, with |
whom those exiled sovereigns had sought |
an asylum-and have we not seen to
day those emperor, and kings thus court
al and recopniSed veetardov roft oe