South America.
The Times, 1824-06-11T00:00:00

I-le follOwing is the petition of the Merchants of Lon- don in favour of the independence of the new State, of South America:- To tbe Honourable the Commons ef the United Kingdom, in ParEa. ment assembled. The petition of the undersigned Merchants of the city of Of L,ondon, Sbowveth, That your petitioners are en aged in trade with the countries in America formerly under the dorninion of Spain. That the entire extin-tion of Spanish authority in the greater parl of that continent, and the encouragement by the Goverament at home, :nduced your petitoners to embark in that extensive com. rnerce, with full confidence that it would receive the most complete protection, and ultimately prove most benefidal to themselves and the country at lasne. The measurcs adopted by Governmernt mnos decisively dceinonstrated the anxiety to acquire and secure this inter. ourse. In the session of 1822, an act of Parliament was passed. cap. 43, authorizing the importation of goods the growth, produc- tion, and manufactnre of " any country or place in America, beim; or having been a part of the dominions ofthe King ofSpain," eithe, in British ships, or in ships the built of those countries. IE the following year, Consuls were appointed to proceed to the ports therrmof and'subsequentlythere has been made publio tbedeclaration of his lllajesty's Government, that in its opinion " the recognition of such of the new States as baye established, de facto, their sepa- rate political existence, cannot be much longer delayed." Your petitioners further humbly represent, that many millions oa capital have already been embarked in this trade; that large com. anercial establisbments have been formed both in South America znd at home; and that past experience afbrds the strongest ground forbelievingthatthiscommercial intercourse will admit of great extension, the reciprocal demand for theproductions of the respec- tive conntzes being ddbstantly ine-.asing. Your petitioners consequently find themselves greatly embarrassed 'by those coantriesremaining "'without any tecognized politial exist- ence." Not a week passes but they are assailed with rumoursof the most alarnwlng kind, involvins their proceedings in doubt, hesita- tion, and distraction; and grievously destructive of that confidence so essential to the success of all commercial undertakings. YanrHonourable dousemustbewell aware thatno commercialin. teteourse can be permanentlyearried on with security and advantage tn those concered, if it is rendered liable to fluctuatient by constant alarms of polidcal changes, necessarily produeing suidden and ex- cessive alterations in the value of the property embarked. That yout petitioners are enabled to state, and to prove unequivo: callY t your ionourable House, that in the several states of Colom- bl, B-henos Ayres, and Chili, there does not remain the smnallest vestige iof Spanish domiinion in any shape; each state enjoying its o-.n sFarate and independent Government. free from all interfer- nceo a5 hosti;e force. That the revolution which has produced this alteration in the poli- tical condition of these countries, has now been in progress 15 years. In Buenos Ayres, there has not been a Snanish soldi.r in hostility foreigat years; in Chili, there has been nioe for four years; au din Colombia, the thzird Annual Constitutional Congress is now sitting. In none of these ststes does there exist anY party or persons in pos- session of power or authority, excepdng the constituted Executive GJovernament. Your petitioners, therefore, humbly submit that these-states have established dcfacto theirseparate political existeniee and are, accord. ing to the practice of nations in former instances, entitled to be re- cognized as independent Governrments; but they wouild not have presumed to have addressed vour Honourable flouseona question of this nature, if the continned delay in recognizing this political existence did not produce the most detrimental consequences to the commezcial 'Tansactions in which they are concerned. Your petitioners, therefore, most bumbly pray that your Honour- able House will tak-e this question into its serious consideration, and adopt such measures as to its wisdom may seem fit, for promnoting the immediate recognition of thie independence of such of the states of South Amnerica as lv.ve, defacto, established the same. Aad your pet?itioners, as in dutv bound, will ever pray, &c. SOUTH a49M?XCA.