Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-02-16
r.,yact Of a letter, dated Caracas. Sd Dec.

mourngul and dreadful aspect. The rebel chiefs
Cesrrro and CenICna have combined iher Tor
ces. and given battle TO the celebrated Barro
Nen1o Gblack ass, so surnamed Tor having
canturrt. a cannon from the SpaniArds during
the late revolutionary struggle. Aier an OBJ
srina,e conflict, he republic an soldiers we're
.compls,elv routed, with considerable loss, boil
in killed anI wounded. THIS defeat has highly
incensed The public authorities here, and indus
ced them to take the most active measures TO
arrest the progress Of the ,icto'i1u bandits.
All the disposable military have been drsHalch>
ed IN pursuit Of the enemy, with orders to lay
waste the country, and compel the mouniaiG-
GERS TO dcsrrl and burn their Indications, IN or
der hat every retreat b. cut of from The ma
Ie,actors Different factions have risen up in
the plains, disturbing the tranquility OF the ~
terror: but owing o The vigiiIncr and p omp-
titudc OF the government, several OF the rc'oir-
ers have bren conducted prisoners to TINS city,
aud shot. Among other executions which we
& lily Nirress, | have 10 mention that o' thr Ia
nous { o. Ramirez, IN The roth VI a O. his age
This IN repid commander, with small cho-
sen band, wandered frr yeats through the adj
iacent mountains, making occasional desCcnts
upon ,hr low lands, where he carried on spe-
Cies of predatory warfare, until surprised and
taken, the other dlv, in the vicinity OF Cuma-
ma. His iasI huCr arrived, he kneit down caim>
ly, aud in the midst Of an immense crowd Of
spectators, assembled TO behold this awful
scene, bravery met his tale
|. The arrival Of the Liberaror, VIC had Ill rea-
son to suppose, would wholly alter the exist,
ing state Of things, and restore he blessing, Of
peace 10 this distracle region. Far from il:
we WE'RE doomed to be most gr evous'y disap
pointed, Great, indeed, were our re joIciucs at
his coming, but still greater our delight al his
&c "a ure.
lie who should have been our paciGcator,
RENDERED US the inosi miserable of cummunl.
ties One oi Boil, ar, first acrs was 20 lay u
heavy export duty of five per cent. upon the
produce of he soil, payable by the planter
This burdensone imposi, together with the
cost If transportation from the Interior, and
chur, h exacIions, leaves the unhappy agriCu-
turi,t without any profit whatever. md most
generally with seriou, loss On the fruits OF
his indus ~, as cofre is actually selling at the
reduced prlcc Of seven and half dollars; indi
go and COCOA, equally low, while money is cx-
temcly scarce. The Pr~siirn,'s second me,-
SURF went 10 lay expiration tax f 500 y arly
upon merchants, which. IS ou may rl,lly lma>
gin, i,a> excited The utmost dissatisfaction.
Nor have our misfortunes ended here, for he
subsequently, orGer,d all the merchants that
we're indeb,ed to the Cast M House, 10 pay up
their bonds within I t bri, fspace of forty-eght
hours, under pain of Imprisonment. This I'M
expected demand was attended with the conse
auent resul', NUMBER offailures, and folio" ed
By The enforcement of the prnal1y, for non~c"ni-
piancc with a mandate OF tie Libertador, with
which it "as utterly impossible 10 comply
Such is he posiur, of 4tTAirs here. Unless the
Grand Convention, which is TO assemble on
the 10th March next, at Q ana, should effect
something for our relief, really canno, con-
cei,e what viii be tn. lutHrs agricultural ans
commercial prospects Of he now impoverished
state of V,nrzlela a II oar hopes are directed
towards .Ocana. " Io,k CoW