The message of SANTANDER,...
The Times, 1824-06-25T00:00:00

The message of SAiiTANDER, Vice-President of Colom- bia, to the Congress, is a public document of great interest, and presents a very favourable picture of the advances made by that infant commonwealth on theroad to national prosperity. For the first time the Vice-President has been enabled to congratulate his countrymen on the total cleaf- ance of the territory of Colombia from .the vexation of a foreig,n enemy. There is not now a single Spaaiard in arms throughout the whole Republic. Advantage has beeh taklen of the danger wlhich threatens alike every part of Spanish America, to press upon the several provinces the identity of their cause, and the necessity of uniting in support of it. Besides, therefore, the measitres of active military co-operation which are carmied on by BOLIVAR for the immediate reliefof Peru, and, which are fairly described in the message to be undertaken in defence of Colombia herself, as much as if they had been confined within her owni frontier,-besides these operations, the Vice-President announces that treatier of fr?indcliip aid contfeheraey have been concluded withBuenosA-fresandWlexic'o; and tbat one of a similar nature was on the point of bein, signed with the Government of Chili. The growth and consistency of the friendly relations between Colombia and the United States are dwvelt upon by SANTANDER with natural and just complacency. He asserts that the Colombian Minister was-received at Washington with'a ftull expression of the honours due -to him; and draws the recollection of Coin- gress to that remarkable and decisive sentence in the message of Mr. M6xNRoE, wherein he extended to Spain herself the warning addressod by England to France and other Powers-that any attack upon the Free States of America, with -a view to bring them under-the domination of European politics, w.ould be regardea as a lawful cause of war by the Cabinet so announcing its intentions. The various branches or the interinal Government of Colombia are touched upon throughout the message. Educatioui is said within the 'last year to h1ve- made sensible pro- gress by the establishment' of schools and colleges; but a grant of money for the further extension of this benefit is earnestly solicited from the Legislature. A new organization of the Courts of Justice is recommended, withdrawing them from thc cognizance of the Intendants and Governors, increasiing their number, and rendering them more accessible to suitors in a tbinly-peopled country. The laws relative to the naturalization of strangers have already been productive of considerable good; as have the privileges of navigation, and the dlistribution of unculti- vated lands. The proposed establishments of steam-boats oD the lake of Maracaybo, and ou the Pacific, are to be in- mediately submitted to Congress. A system of revenue is yet, it appears, to be begun. The resources of the country have, we admit, been exhausted by years of civil war; but it seems questionable how far the Vice-President is qualified to repair such a misfortune, vvhen he opens his fiscal opera- tions by recommending:'a revival of the old'monopoly -of tobacco! It would not be right to- pass by alto. gether the mention made in this official document, of the-position in which England has been placed- by her Ministers with regard. to the Colombian people. "Her "politics appear favourable to the cause of Soutlh America." "The sympathy of the British public and Government in- "spire the Vice-President with the most fattering lwpes." "A commissioner from the British Governnent is now actually in this capital" (Bogota.) Yet, "'I am sor- "ry that I can7not communicate to you what may be the "ultimate resolution of liis Britannic Majesty with re- "spect to this Republic." Here then, it is manifest, that Mr. CANNING has succeeded in puzziing the Co1ombians, as well as he has perplexed his own countrytren,with re- gard to his real policy towards Soutl America: perhaps-and still we are loth to say so-the Holy Alliance may. be more familiar than either, with the secrets of the Right Hon. Gen- tleman. If the honest recognition of Soutlh America would have, as we think itmust have, the efact of preventing FER.- DINAND an d'the blinded Spaniards from rushing into an- other war with America, we hold it to be the bounlden and sacred duty of theEnglishGovernment tocastaside al frivo- lous excuses, and take that' manly step the fir.; moment at wbich they receive an official report from their agents. To wait for' an acknowvledgment by Spain herself, was a mere fraud upon the common sense of this country. Our Mi- nisters know, and have' known from the beginiing, that Spain will not acknowledge tho independence of her col6- nies. Let us, then, hear no more false pretences, and let English honour be the grlat leading- principle of those who are its appointed guardians. ''