H́nh ảnh trang
PDF
ePub

and, adding contempt to calumny, they undertook to appoint delegates for us, and without our consent, who were to assist at their Cortes, the more effectually to dispose of our persons and property, and render us subjects to the power of our enemies.

In order to defeat the wholesome measures of our national representation, when obliged to recognize it, they undertook to reduce the ratio of our population, submitting the forms of election to servile committees acting at the disposal of arbitrary rulers; thus insulting our inexperience and good faith, and utterly regardless of our political importance or our welfare.

The Spanish government, ever deaf to the demands of justice, undertook to frustrate all our legitimate rights, by condemning as criminals, and devoting to the infamy of the gibbet, or to confiscation and banishment, those Americans who at different periods had employed their talents and services for the happiness of their country.

Such were the causes which at length have impelled us to look to our own security, and to avert those disorders and horrible calamities, which we could perceive were otherwise inevitable, and from which we shall ever keep aloof; by their fell policy they have rendered our brethren insensible to our misfortunes, and have armed them against us; they have effaced from their hearts the tender impressions of love and consanguinity, and converted into enemies many members of our great family..

When, faithful to our promises, we were sacrificing our peace and

dignity to support the cause of Fer dinand of Bourbon, we saw that to the bonds of power by which he united his fate to that of the Emperor of the French, he added the sacrifice of kindred and friends; and that on this account the existing Spanish rulers themselves have already resolved to acknowledge him only conditionally. In this painful state of perplexity, three years have elapsed in political it resolution, so dangerous, so fraught with evil, that this alone would have authorised the determination which the faith we had pledged and other fraternal attachments had caused us to defer, till imperious necessity compels us to proceed further than we had first contemplated; but, pressed by the hostile and unnatural conduct of the Spanish rulers, we are at length absolved from the conditional oath which we had taken, and now take upon us the august sovereignty which we are called here to exercise.

But as our glory consists in esta blishing principles consistent with human happiness, and not erecting a partial felicity on the misfortunes of our fellow mortals, we hereby proclaim and declare, that we shall regard as friends and companions in our destiny, and participators of our happiness, all those who, united by the ties of blood, language, and religion, have suffered oppression under the ancient establishments, and who shall assert their independence thereof, and of any foreign power whatsoever; engaging that all who cooperate with us shall partake in life, fortune, and opinion, declaring and recognizing not only these, but those of every nation, in war

enemies,

[ocr errors]

enemies, in peace friends, brethren and fellow-citizens.

In consideration, therefore, of these solid public and incontestable motives, which force upon us the necessity of reassuming our natural rights, thus restored to us by the revolution of human affairs, and in virtue of the imprescripti,ble rights of every people to dissolve every agreement, convention, or social compact, which does not establish the purposes for which alone all governments are instituted, we are convinced that we cannot and ought not any longer to endure the chains by which we were connected with the government of Spain; and we do declare, like every other independent people, that we are free, and determined to hold no dependance on any potentate, power, or government, than we ourselves establish; and that we now take among the sovereign nations of the earth the rank which the Supreme Being and nature have assigned to us, and to which we have been called by the succession of human events, and by a regard for our own happiness.

Although we foresee the difficulties which may attend our new situation, and the obligation which we contract by the rank which we are about to occupy in the political order of the world; and above all, the powerful influence of ancient forms and habits by which (to our regret) we have been hitherto affected yet we also know, that a shameful submission to them, when it is in our power to shake them off, would prove more ignominious to ourselves, and more fatal to posterity, than our long and painful servitude. It there

fore becomes our indispensable duty to provide for our security, liberty, and happiness, by an entire and essential subversion and reform of our ancient establishments.

Wherefore, believing, for all these reasons, that we have complied with the respect which we owe to the opinions of mankind, and to the dignity of other nations with whom we are about to rank, and of whose friendly intercourse we assure ourselves,

We, the representatives of the confederated provinces of Venezula, invoking the Most High to witness the justice of our cause, and the rectitude of our intentions; imploring his divine assistance to ratify at the epoch of our political birth, the dignity to which his Providence has restored us, the ardent desire to live and die free, and in the belief and the defence of the Holy Catholic and apostolic religion of Jesus Christ, as the first of our duties,

We, therefore, in the name, by the will, and under the authority which we hold for the virtuous people of Venezuela, do solemnly declare to the world, that these united provinces are, and ought to be, from this day forth, in fact and of right, free, sovereign, and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance and dependance on the crown of Spain, and of those who now call, or may hereafter call themselves its representatives or agents and that, as free, sovereign, and independent states, we hold full power to adoptwhatever form of government may be deemed suitable to the general will of its inhabitants to declare war, make peace, form alliances,

establish

establish commercial treaties, define boundaries, and regulate navigation, and to propose and execute all other acts usually made and executed by free and independent nations; and for the due fulfilment, validity, and stability of this our solemn declaration, we mutually and reciprocally pledge and bind the provinces to each other, our lives, fortunes, and the honour of the nation.

Done at the federal palace of the Caracas, signed with our hands, and sealed with the great seal of the provincial confederation, and countersigned by the secretary to the congress assembled, on the 5th day of July, in the year 1811, and in the first of our independence.

Representatives. J. Ant. Rodrigues Dominiques, President of Nutrion, in the pro

vince of Barinas. Luis Ignacia Mendoza, Vice-President of Obispos, in the province of Barinas.

Province of Caracas. Isidora Antonia Lopez Mendez, for Caracas.

Juan G. Rosio, for Calabozo.
Felipe F. Paul, for St. Sebastian.
Franciscon X. de Ustariz, for St.
Sebastian.

Nicholas de Castro, for Caracas.
Fernando de Penaever, for Valen-
cia.
Gabriel Perez Pagola, for Villa de
Orpino.

Salvador Duegado, for Nirgua.
El Marquis del Toro, for Tocuyo,
Juan Antonio Diaz Aagote, for
Villa de Cura.

Gabriel de Ponte, for Caracas. -
Juan Jose Maya, for San Felipe.
Luis Jose Cazorla, for Valencia.

[blocks in formation]

Decree of the Supreme Executive.

Federal Palace of Caracas,

July 8, 1811.

By the executive power of the confederation of Venezuela, it is ordained, that the above declaration of independence be published, carried into effect, and be of full authority throughout the states and territories of this confederation.

CHRISTOVAL DE MENDOZA,
President pro-tem.

JUAN DE ESCALONA.
BALTAZAR PADRON.
MIGUEL JOSE SANZ, Secretary
of State.

CARLOS MACHADO, Grand
Chancellor.

JOSE TOMAS SANTANA, Secre-
tary of Foreign Affairs.

Decree of the Spanish Cortes with regard to Seigniories, Aug. 5.

1

The general and extraordinary Cortes of the kingdom, desirous of removing the obstacles which may have been opposed to the good government, increase of population, and prosperity of the Spanish Monarchy, decree :

1. That henceforward all jurisdictional Seigniories, of whatever class and condition, shall be incorporated with the nation.

2. The appointment of all magistrates, and other public functionaries, shall be proceeded in, by the same orders, and in the same manner, as in the townships of royal jurisdiction.

3. All public employments of the above description remain suppressed after the publication of the present decree.

4. The words vassal and vassalage are abolished; and all pay. ments, whether real or personal, which owe their origin to a jurisdictional title, with the exception of those that proceed from free contract in the exercise of the sacred rights of property....

5. The territorial seigniories remain henceforward in the class of other rights attached to private property, if not of such a descrip tion, that, by their nature, they ought to he incorporated with the nation.

6. All contracts, bargains, and agreements, which have been made in regard to rents, dues, &c. be tween those called lords and vas sals, shall be considered as con. tracts between one individual and another.

7. The privileges called exclusive, privative, and prohibitive, and having the same origin as seigoiories, such as those of the chase, of fishing, of ovens, mills, watercourses, forests, &c. are abolished; the free use of them remaining to the inhabitants, in conformity to. the municipal laws established in every township.

s. Those who have purchased the above prerogatives for a valu able consideration, shall be repaid such capital as appears in the deed of purchase; and those who enjoy them as a reward for great and acknowledged services, shall be in4" demnified in another way.

9. The nation will acknowledge and pay these capital sums when they are ascertained in the proper courts, and will pay an interest of 3 per cent. upon them, till the capital is liquidated.

10. At whatever time the possessors shall present their claims, -they

they shall be heard; and the nation will be bound by the result of them, as is specified in the pre. ceding article.

11. Henceforward no one can call himself lord of vassals, exercise jurisdiction, appoint judges, or exercise any of the claims and privileges comprehended in the present decree; and he who does so, shall lose the right of indemnification in the cases that have been specified.

The present decree shall be communicated to the Council of Regency, who shall take the necessary measures for its due execution, causing the same to be printed and circulated.

Note transmitted by the Hon. Henry
Wellesley, the English Minister,
to Don Eusebio de Bardaxi y
Azara, first Secretary of State.

"Most Excellent Sir,-I have hitherto abstained from calling the attention of the Spanish government to the rumours and writings which have for some time been circulated in Cadiz, in the belief that my forbearance and moderation might disarm those who have endeavoured to weaken the bonds of friendship and confidence, which so happily, and with so many advantages to the cause, have hitherto subsisted between Great Britain and Spain. But the papers that have been published, as well as the reports that have been circulated, have at length become so injurious to the British good name and character, and so adapted to promote the interests of the enemy, and sow dissentions between the allied nations, that I should be VOL. LIII.

wanting to the duties of my charge, and to all the sentiments of an Englishman, anxious for the happy issue of this glorious and interesting cause, if I could look with indifference on the unjust and unfounded calumnies which are daily accumulated against my country

"To give a specimen of the terms in which these assertions are conveyed, and which originate, as it appears to me, from a certain, class of persons, I think it will be sufficient to request. your Excellency to read the subjoined paper, in which are imputed to my Sovereign, to his government, and to the British nation, intentions destitute of honour and justice, and of good faith, and entirely subversive of all the principles upon which Great Britain has come forward to aid the cause of the Spanish nation. But the complaints and imputations contained in this paper, relative to the conduct of Great Britain, rumours noticed in the month of March last, are again revived, that the Spanish pros vinces bordering on Portugal were placed under the military com mand of Lord Wellington; that the Spanish army was to be placed under English officers; and, in aword, withdrawn from subordination to the Spanish military authorities, in order to form an army, truly British. To the British government is also attributed the de-" sign of sending to Cadiz a reinforcement of troops, sufficient to take possession of this city and island, and retain it in the name.. and possession of his Britannic Majesty.

[ocr errors]

Considering the sacrifices. which Great Britain has made in support of the Spanish cause; conZ sidering

« TrướcTiếp tục »