Colombia.
The Times, 1824-07-27T00:00:00

We have been ftyouired with' soine very ipterdating Information respecting ColombiaconmmnicAed by a gentlernau recent'y return- ed to England, after a residence of upwards Of six years in that I section of South Americr. T1il9 gentlean ha traversed the coun- try in a vriety of directions, has lived on terms' of intimacy v ith all the leading charicteis, and has, in fact, had opportunities that seldom flal to thc lot of a foreigner, of bcomning acquaintV41 with the real state bf things. Colombia has not purchaied liberty and inde- pendence without paying dear for thosc blessinga. In the course of the late sanguinary conflict, the people hs ve undergone sufferings perhaps unexampled in. the history of any nation: and, indeed, at various periods it miglht have been justly said, that misery of every description had reached itsb tcn. Under the erleleet privations, the idea of submitting to the Spa-tlaras never entered the mind Of ealy one--o strong was $he feeling of antipathy to their ancient oppres- sors. But although the war has occasioned incalculable evils to Co. lombia, and extensive distticts of as fine a portion of the globe as the s-n ever shone upon, are reducad cornparatively todeserts, it has pro duced the important result of unitingall parties, and has thereby given mtothe Government a degree of conso lidation superior to that of any other South American state not thie scene of actual conflict. Ever since the assemblling of the Congress in Angostura by General Bolivar, in February5 1819, the progress has been uniform, and no change has tak-en place in the tbrm of Government. The people of Colombia have as yet taken but little interest in po- litical affairs, nor have the questions of universal suffrage and equa- lity of rights, which have givea rise to so much confusion in Europe, yet found a place among them: but tlhe universal wish is independ- ence, with that portion of rational and practical liberty which the circumstances of te country ca admi, of. The people at large take no share in the Government, except in the primary elections. Those Only who possess a certain property.tl.at is, who exercise certain professions or employments, without depending on others either as journeymen or setvants-elect in each canton, or district, two per- sons for four years, who, when united in the capital of the province, form what is rAlled the Electoral College, and by it the members of the Senateareelected for eight years, aitd thoseof the Chamber of Re- presentatives,orlower house, for four. The general security is perhaps bestprotected by thegeteral equalityvubsitingalnong thosewhoform the upper classes of the state, for there is not, perhaps, in the whole country, one individual of such weight and influence, that he could endanger the public tranquillity, were io so disposed. In Colombia knowledge is a4vancing-with mpid strides; in seve- ral cities, colleges and seminanies have been established, public li- braries have been opene4, and a number of periodical papexs and writings publishetl, which disscminate instruction and political in- formation. Our informant travelled from Maracaibo to Bogota by land, and returned from thence to Angostura thrtogh the interior of the country. Ia that journey he foind schools established, not only in every town, but in every village; and it was with astonish- ment and delight he witnessed the progress in knowledge and civi- lization every where made. The national charac ter he describes as mild and docile in the extreme, and therefore apt for receiving in- struction. As an additional stimnulus to improvement, it has been made a iaw, that aft.r the year 1840, those wlio cannot read or write shall have nD vote in public elections. The effects of Spanish educationi and ptejudices are fast wearing out. The greatest part of what were formerly the possessions of the chtrch h ras been applied to the laudable object of support- ing schools ; and our informant hais himself distributed some bundreds of Spanish New Testaments, which were sought after by all classes with the greatest avidlity, more especially by the clergy, nrany of whom are liberal and enlightened men. It may be mention- ed as a very striking instance of this, that our informant, previous to his departure from Bogota, dined with a large party, at the Vice- President's, General Santander's, and amongst those present was a Dr. Azuero, a dignitary of the Churcb, much respected, and of consi- derable influence. On being req-aestetl by the Vice-President to give a toast, he drank " To the most sacred of all rights-liberty of consciexce." AMany other Priests were at table, by whom, and by all, the sentiment was Lailed with enthusiasm. Protestants can hold any employ or office, and are eligible to either hioatse of repre- sentatives, without being subjeat to any species of test wlhatsoever. The natural capabilities of Colotibia are very great; navigable rivers intersect the country in every direction, and afford every faci- lity for expeditious and cheap conveyance between the interior and the coast. Steam-boats are establishing in all the principal streams, and in order to bring that 8pecies or navigation inore speedily iDto use, exclusiveprivileges have been granted to different indiviluals. By means of the Meta, the communication is continued to within a few league of Bogota; and by the Apure, the Guanare, the Santo Domingo, the Portugee Za, the Acaura, the Sinacuco, and others, there is access to the greatest part of the province of Caraccas, and of the extensive and fertile provieces Varinasend Casinare. A plan is ntow before Congres s for openinga communication betwixt the Pa- found to 'practicable in no less than four differe;t points. Co- lombia possesses great mnineral riches; mines of precious metals abound in almost every mountainous district, which, t'rom surveys made under the Spanish regime, and again lately, and which our informant has seen, reeuire but little capital or labour to bring into complete operation. The soil is extremely fertile, and such is the variety of climate, that frequently within a short distance are seen fields of wheat or other grain, and luxuriant plantations of cane, cocoa, coffec, or indigo. In Colombia, the feeling in favour of Great Britain is very strong, orlginating in part fromt the knowledge that the only succours re- ceived during the eventful struggle catne exclusively from this country, and ir, part in an increasing itsight irto the true interests of tire Republic, and the value of the friendship and protection of Great Britain. Indeed, it would almost appear, that in C(olormbia two na- tions only were supposed to exist in Europe, for every foreigner not a Spatniard is called an Jik,es. British manufactures are preferred to all others, both as being best calculated for the-market, and being what the inhabitants have be- come most accustoied to. The extensive exportations already made toColombia in the actualstate f comparative poverty and insecurity, will give some idea of what they will be when repose and the capital now flowing in will have brought the unbounded resources of the country Into action. -to6ZOUMRA