Spain And South America.
The Times, 1824-02-21T00:00:00

The following is a complete copy of Ferdinand's decree respecting South America. The Etoile, from which the Londoni evening papers of yesterday copied the document, bad omitted or misiinterpreted a part of the preamble " By my Royal tdecrees of the 3d and 20th of October, published at Xeres and Seville, and by my Royal resolution adopted with the advicc of the Supreme Council of the Indies, under date of the 25th of December, 1823, 1 have ordained the abolition ofthe regime called ' Constitutional,' in my dtominions beyond seas, and established there mTy Government on the footing on which it stoodl on the 7th of March, 1820, in the same manner as in the Peninsula. " Although these determinations concernedl only the in- terier regime of these provinces, without making hny men- tion of trade and navigation, which befoie ani)d after the 7th of March, 1820, existed nearly on the same footing as they do at present, I have nevertheless been pleased by my Royal order of the 4th of January last expressly to order all the respective authorities to make no change in this matter, and to preserve the direct commercial relations with foreigners which4n several places existed by the authority of the local chiefs, and in others hadl been authorized and permitte(d by me, in conformity with the advice of the Council of the Indies, beFore the year 1320. In this state of things, and desirous that the said or(ler of the 4-th of January should receive all tlle necessary pub- licity, 1 have conivoked a Junta of Councillors of the Inties under the presidency of the Duke de Monteinar, as wvell as my Council of Ministers, to whom I have joined twvo coin- missions, the onie of the Coulncil of State, and the other of the Council of the Inidies. After hearing them, andu con- formable to their advice, I lhave thought proper to tecree, and do (lecree as followvs " I. A direct commerce shall be maintained in nsy American dominions with foreigners, subjects of thie Powers which are the allies or friends of Spain; and the merchant vessels of these Powers shall be admrmitted to traffic in these ports in the same man- necr as they are in those of my dd'(ninions in Europe. " 2. A decree of law shall be issued to regulate this commerce, and to determine the ports which shall be open, asv well in the Golf of Mexico and the Islands, as in the Pacific Ocean. There shall be established custom-houses, where daties on importation and expor- tation shall be imposed, on the footing of equality amJng the sub. jects of the said Powers. 3. There shall, in like maniner, be determined by regulations on this matter. what advantages, preferences, and franchises should be granted to Spanish trade, navigation, agriculture, and industry. " 4. Till the two foregoing articles can receive their perfect exe- cution, there shall be nothing innovated in the actual state of the commerce of America, and it shall be assinmilated in other points to what is practised with regard to the island of Cuba." " The American Spaniards will see in this resolution, a fresh proof of my strong desire to increase their prosperlty; the Euro- pean Spaniards, the firmn resolution to secure to them the franchises and privileges to whichl they have a right; the bona fide traders of all countries, tbe intention of preserving and favouring existing mer- cantile relations and the advantageous employment of their capitals and, lastly, friendly and allied States and Sovereigns, a public tes- timony of the price I attach to the preservation of the harmony and goodi understanding which unite us. (Signed) " FERDINAND. (Countersigned) " Count OFALIA, Mlinister of State. *At the Palace, Feb. 9." SPAIN AND SOUPHA MERICA.