Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-03-23

PosrA AsrERs throughout the State ofvrgnia are au
thonzed to act as agents. and lie ea commissions grant
ed upon all monies received
Mr. ]. L. BRIGHrwELI, of Danyile is opr snoc;o
gent IN that section of the State
The Government of Bolivia has issued a decree
declaring the rivers of that Republic free to the
commerce and navigation of all the nations of the
globe. The decree sets forth tina. the Bolivans,
hnding 1t impossible themselves to effect this ma
vigatlon' owing to the sparseness of their popula-
ton, and their want of resources aud Industrial
capacity, the government has decreed it moro
advantageous to entrust this great commercial
enterprise to the energy and competition of other
nations.
The navigabe rivers OF Bolivia are tributaries
of the Amazon and the La Plata, but Brazil com
mands the mouth of the former, and Buenos
Ayres the mouth of the latter stream. 1t is clear
therefore, that the privilege now accorded by Bo-
IvIa to torei gn natious of navigating her rivers
must prove barren and worthless boon, unless
Brazil and Buenos Ayres can be compelled or
persuaded to allow them an outlet to the ocean.
1t has been said lately that Buenos Ayres con-
templated throwing open the lower waters of the
La Plata to the commerce of other nations, but
we believe that the measure has not vet been
adopted 10 respect to the Amazon, we presume
there is no probability Whatever that Brazil will
ever willingly abandon her present exclusive pc.
icy relative to the navigation of that river She
guards its outlet to the Atlantic with Jealous vig-
lance, denying both ingress and egress to stran-
gers. and permitting no foreign vessel to float upon
its waters anywhere within her jurisdiction
The natlons owning the hendwaers Of the
Amazon have long complained of this policy as a
violation of the principles OF justice aud of nation
al law They have asserted their right to follow
their rivers to the but not possessing the ply
steal power to enforce their caim they have been
forced to submit to the arrogant pretensions OF
their more powerful neighbours.
1t would seem that the OBJ ect of the Bolivian
government in throwing open their navigable
streams to the commercial enterprise of foreign
ers, is to enlist the aid of other and more power
full nations, in removing the distractions TO which
we have alluded. Any nation availing itself of
the privileges guaranteed to it by the Bolivian
Decree, would no doubt be justified, under the
law Of nations in demanding the right OF way for
their commerce to the ocean. Lieut.. Murray
in one of his recent publications, recommended
the adoption of commercial treaties between the
United States and the Western Republics of
South America, with the view of accomplishing
this same object. In virtue of these treaties he
argued, we should acquire the indubitable right
to navigate the Amazon to the sea, and Brazil
would then be compelled by power she would
not dream of resisting, to relinquish her present
unjust restrictions on the navigation of that great
river. 1t is evident that the Bolivian government
has adopted the same idea, and that despairing of
establishing an intercourse with the commercial
nations of the earth by their own unaided efforts,
they now invite those nations to come to their
assistance, ard to break down the barriers that
have so long isolated them from the rest of the
world.
The Washington Union Of Thursday morning
says:
| The last arrival from South America brings US
the gratifying intelligence that Belzu, the en-
| lightened President of Bolivia, by decree of
January 9th, 1858. has thrown open all the 30
livian tributaries of the Amazon and La Plata
that are navgable, to the commerce of the
world, and offered a reward of ten thousand dol
lars to the master of the first steamer that shall
La Plata or the Amazon.
Lieut.. Gibbon, who was sent out about two
years ago with Lieut.. Herndon, United States
Navy, to explore the Amazon from its sources to
its mouth, has just arrived. We have had the
pleasure of conversing with him upon the subject
OF this most Interesting expedition.
He passed through the Bolivian provinces
which are thus thrown open to the commerce of
all nations, and describes that whole region as
one of the most beautiful. productive, and finest
countries on the face of the earth. In his opin-
1on there are now materials enough there to give
rise to a commerce of several millions of dollars
year. and that a commerce of this value would
| spring up the moment free transit is secured
| for it up and down the Amazon, through the ter
ritories of Brazil.
Considering the large space which that region
of country has of late been made to occupy 10 the
public mind in this hemisphere by the publica-
ton of ''Inea' and other papers with regard to
it, by the recent exploration of it by offi"Hc@ Of
tho A.nesieau navy We regard this actoh Oh THO
Bolivian government subject OF public con-
graduation.
From this decree, we think, will COM
mence new era for the Spanish republics OF
South America.
The revolution which the free navigation OF
the Amazon and its tributaries ADD OF the La
Plata and its tributaries is to make IN the COM
merce of those republics will be greater than
that which the commerce of Europe underwent
in consequence ofthe passage OF Vasco de CANA