Colombia.
The Times, 1824-12-02T00:00:00

We have received files of three Colombian phpers, to a late.date-the CQrreo de Bogota to. the 24th of Septembler, the Gaxe&dc4 Colomibia.to the 26th, and the Constitutional to the 23d of t1e same m'onth. The. Gazeta de Colombia is the paper of the Executive, and contains, like the Moniteur in Franice, or the London Gazette in Englarnd, official-de- spatches and Government decrees' The Constitutional, a weekly paper, published botlh in Spanish and English, is a journal of niews and discussion, possessing the add'itional feature of advertisements, on the plan of the English or North American newspapers. The Correo, or Coulrier of Bogota, is likewvise a weekly journal, filled chiefly vith political discussion and remark. On this occasion they are all nearly equally destituje of political intelligence that wouldIl interest the EngIi'at reader. Tihe Constitutional has in every number a well-written leading article on some topic connected with the internal condition, political rela- tions, or the administrative proceedings of the Republic. The publication of a (lecree for calling out the national militia having become the cause of a real, or the pretence of a feigned, alarm, thisjou rnal, in its number of Septem- ber 23, thus exposes the folly of the apprehension, and ex- plains the nature of the measure:- The pusillanimous and the enemies of our independence have de. voted no small portion of their attention these last few days, to. the decree for the general enlistment of all citizens; affirming, that by it the nation was rendered subject to martial law, and inventing all sorts . of nonsense about expeditions from Spain, Russia, France, &c.. and whatever the last gasps of a party at the moment of its dis- solution can suggest to the imagination of its intatuated followers. The fact is. that a decree has becn published by the Executive, for which they are authorized by Congress, for the formation of ithe Na- tional Alilitia of Colombia; a measure of the greatest importauce to all fre ecountries, and at which we are only surprised, that it las not been put in practice befbre, by a law which the Constituent Congress was empowered, and perhaps ought, to have passed. But this measure is not only not martial law, but from it, and the other steps which the Executive are very prudently taking, it is al- most itnpossible that any circumstasce could arise which should ren- der its publication necessary-that is, which should cal1 upon every citizen to tase arms, and, suspending all civil authority, turn the whole country into a fieltI ot battle. What grea-er pleasure could be afforded.the enemies of freedom, than to imtagine eveti the possi- bility of such an event ? We say by this measure, because it is a principle well understood, that after public opinion, a national militia wvell organized, is one of the best securities for the liberty of the people: and we call these preparations for defence prudent, because prudence alone could ren- der them necessary in the present state of affairs. The Government are fully aware that we do not require a larger standing army than may be barely sufficient to bring the campaifn in Peru to a conclusion, in which we are at present engaged, and tor the garrison of the fortified towns of the Republic; but if after the deceitful threats of the Holy Alliance, and the pompous decree of Ferdinand about levies, &c., we did not take proper measures to put ourselves in an impregnable state of defence, the enemies of our liberty would take courage fromn omr apathy, and perhaps some daring Spanish AMandarin might Yenture to repeat the hazardous at- tempt of Mlorales, tliougli at the risk of meeting with the same suc- cess. Then, the very same who now say-" The Government is eamrestly pressing the enlistrnents; takes measures of defence, nakes preparations to enable the nation to resist, en masse, any itvasion; thlen great armies must be coming to attack Colombia: we are ruined;" would say-" great armies are ecming against Co. lomubia; Coverrnment makes no preparations for defence; we have no army; we are ruiied." Hypocrites! it ic not the velfare or nisfortune of' our country that affects you: it is your own private ond peculiar interest; and as you are in hiopes of obtaining your ends, it little matters by what means! Continue your useless in. triKues; you will be sufficiently punished by the result. No one will attack the independence and liberty of Colombia: at the first threat of an invasion, all good citizens will hasten on all aides to offer their services; the National Militn will be drawn out, the conI- stitutional march of' the Government will be strengthened, and they will act with the energy the circumstances will require; the civilized world will admnit us to the rank of the other nations of the earth, and you, without deserving it, and contrary to your wishes, will be Fm-eL and Independent. One great object of the Correo seemns to be to expose the extravagant pretensions,and to unmask theperfidiousdesigns of the fanatical party,whicll inColombia,as well as in Spain, is inveterately hostile to the establishment of constitutional liberty, furious in support of ancient .tbuses, and prepared to dei'end, at the expeitse of calumny and falsehood, the worst claims of a profitable superstition. These enemies of the new order of things in Colpmbia represent religion as identified witlh institutions most hostile to its spixit. The receptacle of the lazy monk-the scene of idleness, ignorance, andt corruption, is with them the strong hold ef Christianity; and a proposal by the Legislature to sell con- vents for the benefit of the state, is treated as an act of sacrilege and impiety. TIle Correo answers the abuse of sue persons by asking, " Is there in the whole Gospel a single word that establishes a convent? In the puler times of Chr;stianity, was it ever pretended that the doctrine of Jesus could lotsubsist, unless there werein every parish so many monasteries, and every monastery had fronm 25 to S00 head of cattle, and from 20 to SO slaves ?" Under the head of Anti-finatic Conversations, we have in this journal a series of articles, in wlhich the usurpations an(d errors of the Church of Rome are exposed with consi- tlerable knowledge and spirit. The author clearly shows that the Popes have not been infallible, ttor considered as suchI by the most sensible churchmen ;but we.leave him to argiue this and other equally importan;t points wvith his fel- low Catholics. COLOMBIA.