Southern recorder. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1820-1872, April 09, 1822, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Textrast VOL. III. PUBLISHED WEEKLY, nvs. gr.lytl.lv/) ,v orme, Wn IImicovk Street,<*|i|io»it<s the Auction store, AT THREE DOLLARS. IN AHUM K, Oil FOUR DOLLARS AT THE EXTIKATION OF THE TEAR. [I T Advertfleihents conspicuously inserted fit file LiUlomnry rules. I.utters on Iftisiness, in all ruses, must, In* host paid. Report on the Recognition of the late Span ish Provinces in America. Hull SI'. OK KKI’llliSKNTATIVK.S, March ID, 1822. The Committee on Foreign Affairs, tb which were referred the message of ilie President, concerning the recogni tion of the Into Spanish provinces in A- inenca, and the documents therewith I •oininunicalud, having examined the same with the most profound attention, unan imously report : That the provinces of Buenos Avres, after having, from the year 1810, pro- ocedcd in their revolutionary movements without any obstacle from the govern ment of Spain, formally declared their independence of that government, in 1818. After various intestine commo tions, and external collisions, those pro vinces now enjoy domestic tranquillity, and a good understanding with all their neighbors : and actually exercise, willi- om opposition from within, or the fear of annoyance from without, all the attri butes of sovereignly. The provinces of Venezuela and New Grenada, after having, separately, de clared their independence, sustained, for •a period of more than ten years, a deso- lati ’g war against the armies of Spain, and ha' ing severally, attained, by their triumph over those armies, the abject for wih Ji they contended, united them selves, on the 19lh of December, 1819, in one nation, under the title of “ the Republic of Colombia.” Flie republic of Colombia lias now a well organized government, instituted by the free will of ils citizens, and oxer all the functions of sovereignty, feaile-s alike of internal anil foreign ene mies, The s nail remnant of the nume rous armies commissioned to preserve the supremacy of the parent state, is now i W ckaded, in to o fortresses, where ii is I innoxious, &: where, deprived, as it is, of till hope of succour, it must soon surren- j der at discretion ; when this event shall have occurred, there will not remain a vestige of foreign power in all that im mense republic, containing between three and four millions of inhabitants. The province ot Chili, since it de clared itsindcpendence, in the year 1813, has been in tit" constant and unmolested enjoyment of the sovereignty which it then assumed. The province of Peru, situated like Chili, beyond the Andes, and bordering on the Pacific ocean, was fora longtime, deterred from making any effectual effort for independence, by the presence of an imposing military force, which Spain had kept tip in that country. It was not, therefore, until the 12th of June, of the hist year, that its capital, the city of Li ma, capitulated to an army, chiefly com posed of troops Irmn Buenos Ayres and Chili, umler (he command of General San Marlin. The greatest part of the royal troops which escaped, on that oc casion, retreated to the mountains, hut soon left them to return to the coast, thereto join the royal garrison in the. fortress of Callao, The surrender of that fortress, soon after, to the Ameri cans, may be regarded as the termination of the war in that quarter. When the people of Peril found them selves, by this event, free to express their will, they nio»t unequivocally ex pressed it in favor of independence and with an unanimity and enthusiasm which have no where been excelled. The revolution in Mexico has been somewhat different in its character and progre»«, from the revolutions in the oilier Spanish American provinces, and its result, in respect to the organization ol its internal government, has, also, not been precisely the same. Indepen dence, however, has been as emphati cally declared and as practically estab lished, since the 241 Ii of August last, bv the “ Mexican empire,” as ever it has been by the republics of the south ; and her geographical situation ; her popula tion and Iter resources, eminently quali ty her to maintain the independence which she has thus declared, and now actually enjoys. Such are the facts which have occu pied the attenlion of your committee, and which, in their opinion, irresistibly prove, that the nations of Mexico, Co lombia, Buenos Ayres, Peru, and Chili, !|1 .Spanish America, are in fact indepen dent. it now remains for your committee to examine the right and the expediency, on the part of the United States, of re cognizing the independence which those nations have, thus rft'ecluallv achieved In this examination, it cannot be ne- cf'sury to inquire into the right of the people of Spanish America, “ to dissolve *he political bands which have connected •hem with another, and to assume, anions: the powers of the earth that separate and equal station to winch the laws of nature and ot nature s God entitle them.” The right to change the political institu tions of the state has, indeed, been exer cised equally by .Spain and by her colo nies ; uijd lor us to deny to I lie people of Spanish America the right to indepen dence, on the principles which alone sanction it here, would be virtually to renounce our own. The political right of this nation to acknowledge their independence without offending others, does not depend on its justice, but on its actual establishment. To justify such a recognition, by us, it is necessary only to shew, as is already sulliciently shown, that the people of Spanish America are, within their re spective limits, exclusively sovereign and thus, in fact, independent. With them, as with every other government possessing and exorcising the power ot making war, the United States, in com mon with all nations, have the rights of concerting the terms of mutual peace and intercourse. Who is the rightful sovereign of a coun try, is not an inquiry permitted to fo reign nations, to whom it is competent only to treat with “ the powers that be.” There is no difference in opinion, on this point, among the writers on public law ; and no diversity, with respect to it, in the practice of civilized nations.— It is not necessary , here, to cite authori ty for a doctrine familiar to all who have paid the slightest attention to the subject; nor to go Inch, for its practical illustra tion, to the civil wars between the houses of York and Lancaster. Long since, the chiefs of those conflicting houses, al ternately triumphed and ruled, mid were alternately obeyed at home and recognised abroad, according as they, successively, exercised the power, with out demonstrating the i iglit—monarchies Ii ive become commonwealths or repub lics, nn:l powerful usurpers have been recognized by foreign nations, in prefer ence to legitimate and powerless preten ders. Modern tiialory is replete with in stances in point. Have we not, indeed, within the brief period of our own re membrance, behel I governments vaty their forms, and change their rulers ac cording to the prevailing power or pas sion ofthe moment and doing so in vir tue of the principle now in question, without mtilerialli and lastingly affecting t hoi j relations with other governnu ntsV Have we not seen ihe emperors and kings of yesterday, receive, on the thrones of exiled sovereigns, who claim ed the right to reign there, the friendly embassies of other powers, with whom those exiled sovereigns had sought an asylum—& have we not seen to-day, those emperors and kings, thus courted and re cognized yesterday, bereft of their scep tres, and, from a mere change of circum stances, not of right, treated as usurpers by their successors, who, in their turn, have been acknowledged and caressed by the same foreign powers ? The peace of the world, and the inde pendence of every member ofthe great political family, require that each should be the exclusive judge of its ow n inter nal proceedings, and that the fact alone should bo regarded by foreign nations. “ Even when civil war breaks the bonds of society and of government, or, at least, suspends their force and effect, it gives birth in the nation to two indepen dent parties, who regard each other as enemies, and acknowledge no common judge.” It is of necessity, therefore, that these two parties should be consi dered, by foreign states, as two distinct and independent nations. To consider or treat them otherwise, would he to in terfere in their domestic concerns, to de ny them the right to manage their uo n af fairs in their own way, (2 to violate the es sential attributes oft heir respective sove reignty. Fora nation to be entitled, in res pect to foreign stales, to the enjoyment of these attributes, “ and to figure directly in the great political society, it is suffi cient that it is really sovereign and inde pendent : that is, that it governs itself by his own authority and laws.” The people uf Spanish America do, notori ously, ho govern themselves, and the right of the Utiiled Slates to recognize the governments, which they have insti tuted, is iuconteslible. A doubt of tlie expediency of such a recognition can he suggested only, by the apprehension, that it may injuriously affect our peaceful and friendly relations with the nations of Ihe other hemisphere. Can such an apprehension be well founded ? Have not all those nations practically sanctioned, within the last thirty years, Ihe very principle on which we now propose to act; or have they ever com plained of one another, or of os, for act ing on that principle ? No nation of Europe, excepting Spain herself, has, hitherto, opposed force to the independence of Spanish Amorf a. Some of those nation” have not only con stantly maintained commercial and friend ly intercourse with them, in every stage of the revolution, but indirectly anil cflt- ciently, tho’ not avowedly, aided them in the prosecution of their great object.— Fo these the acknowledgment, by the United Slates, of the attainment of that object, must be satisfactory. MILLEDGEVILLE, TUESDAY, APRIL .9, 1822. To the other nations of Europe, who have regarded the events occurring it Spanish America, not only without in torlerence, but with apparent indiffer dice, such nn acknotvledgment ought not to be offensive. The nations who have thus respec tively favored, or never opposed, the Spanish American people, during their active struggle for independence, cannot, it is believed, regard with dissatisfaction the formal recognition of that indepen dence by a nation, which, while that struggle lasted, has religiously observed, towards both the conflicting parties, all the duties of neutrality. Your commit tee ore, therefore, of opinion, that we have a right, on this occasion, confident ly to expect, from ivhat these nations have done or forborne to do, during the various fortunes ofthe civil war which has terminated, that they will frankly approve the course of policy which the United States may now think proper to adopt in relation to the successful party in that war. It surely cannot he rea sonably apprehended, that nations who have thus been the tranquil spectators, the apparent well wishers, if not the effi cient supporters, of this party ; and who have not made the faintest attempt to ar rest ils progress, or to prevent its suc cess, should be displeased with a third power, for merely recognizing the go vernments which owing to that success, have thus been virtually permitted, or impliedly approved, in acquiring Ihe un disputed tc exclusive control ofthe coun tries in which they are established. It is, therefore, on the consistency, as well as on the justice, of these nations ofF.u- rope, that wc may confidently rely, that the simple recognition, on the part ofthe United States, of the necessary effect of what lias already been done, will not be considered as a just cause of complaint agaiust them ; while the interested and immediate agents, w ho have been direct ly and actively engaged in producing that effect, have neither been opposed nor censured. Your committee, therefore, instead of seriously apprehending that the recog nition, by the United States, of the inde pendence of Spanish America, will he unacceptable to llose nations, are not a itliout hope, that they may practically ipprove it, bg severally adopting a simi lar measure. It is nut, indeed, unrea sonable to suppose, that those govern ments have, like this, wailed only for the evidence of facts which might tint only suffice toju-tify them, under ihe laws and usages oi nations, hot to satisfy Spain Herself, that nothing has been prema turely done, or which coni I justly of fend her I'm lings, or be considered as in consistent with her rights. As their motives tor not having hitherto recog nized the independence of Spanish Ame rica, may thus be supposed to have been analogous to our own, it is permitted to presume that the facts and reasons which lave prevailed on us no longer to hesi tate, will, confirmed, as tliev arc by our example, have a like influence on them. No nation can entertain a more sincere deference for the feelings of Spain, or take a more lively interest in her vvel fare, than the United States. It is to this deference, too evident to be doubted or misunderstood, that ought to he as cribed Ihe hesitation of this government, until now, to yield to the claims of Span ish America, although these claims were in perfect accordance with our own prin ciples, feelings, and interests. Having thus forborne to act, even at the hazard of having those principles and feelings misunderstood on lhi9 side of the Atlan tic, we have, as your committee believe, given at once satisfactory proof of our disinterestedness and moderation ; and ol our scrupulous respect to the princi ple which leaves the political institu tions of every foreign state to be direct ed by its own view of its otvn rights and interests. Your Committee have been particu larly anxious to show, in a manner satis factory to Spain herself, that the mea- sursn which this government now pro poses to adopt, lias been considered with the most respectful attention, both in re lation to her rights and to her feelings. It is not on the laws and usages of tin t ions, or on the practice of Spain herself on like occasions, that your committee have relied for our justification towards tier The fact that, for the last three years, she has not sent a single company ol troops against her transatlantic colonies, has not been used as ct idence of their actual independence, or of her want of pow< r to oppose it. This fact, explain ed :ts it is, by tbe public acts of Spain herself, is regarded by your committee as evidence nnl\ of her policy. 'J'lio I ist troops collected at Cadiz in 1819, which were destined to suppress the revolutionary movement” in Spanish America, not only rejected that service, but joined in the revolution, which lias since proved successful in Spain itself. The declaration ofthe lenders in that revolution was, that “ Spanish America had a right to be free, and that Spain should he free.” Although tbe conslitu- the Spanish dominions, yet tbe princi ple* on which that constitution was founded seem to discountenance the em ployment of force for tbe accomplish ment of flint object, m contempt ol’tlie equal rights and declared will of the A- mencan portion of die Spanish people. Flie conduct of the government organi zed under that constitution, lias uniform ly been, in tins respect, in conformity to those principles. Since its existence, there lias not been even a proposal by that government to employ force for tbe subjugation of the American provinces, hilt merely recommendations of concilia tory measures for their pacification. Flie answer of the Cortes, oil the 1 Oth of July, 1820, to t lie address ofthe King, furnishes conclusive proof of this policy. ” The intimate union,” says this an swer, “ of (be Cortes with your .Majes ty ; the re-establishment ofthe consti tution; the faithful performance of pro mises, depriving malevolence of all pre- t xl, it ill facilitate the pacification of tin: ultra marine provinces, which are in a state of agitation and disseution.— Flie Cortes, on its part, will oinit no opportunity to propose and adopt mea sures necessary for flip observance of the constitution and restoration of tranquili ty in those countries, to the end that the Spams of both worlds may thus form a sin gle anil happy family. Although the ultra marine provinces are not here encouraged to expect abso lute independence, yet they are no l in ger treated as vassal colonies, or threat ened with subjugation, but are actually recognized as brothers in the great con stitutional and free family of Spain. \ report made to tbe Cortes, on flic 24th of June, 1821, by a committee ap pointed by that body, not only manifest ly' corroborates the policy above stated, but sulfi-ii nlly intimates that the recog nition ofthe independence of Spanish A- merica by Spain herself, had nearly been tbe measure recommended by that committee. That report avers, that “ tranquility is not sufficient, even it' it should extend throughout America, with a prospect of permanency: No I it falls short of the wishes of the friends of humanity." In speaking ofthe measure demanded by; the c.-i-ix, it sat-, that this measure was not only warmly approved by the "ommittee, but, at first, entirely assent cd to by the ministers, with whom it had been discussed, and failed only to be pro posed to the Cortes “ by these ministers having, an account of peculiar occur ences, suspended their judgment." It speaks of this measure as indicative of a new and glorious resolution ; that it was demanded by America and the true iutere-ts of the I’eniusula ; that from d Spain might reap advantage* which otherwise she couid never expect ; and that the ties of kindred and tbe uniformi ty of tebgion, with commercial relations, ami those emanating from free institu tions, would be the surest pledge of mu tual harmony and close union. Your committee do not let 1 themselves authorized to say, positively, what that measure was, hut they do not hesitati to declare theii entire, conviction, that no measure, short of a full recognition of unconditional independence, could have deserved the character, nor been capable of producing tbe effects, ascrib ed to it. It is, therefore, sufficiently manifest that Spain, far from wishing to call into action her means of prosecuting hostili ties against the people of Spanish Ame rica, has renounced even the feelings of an ememy towards them, and, but for “ peculiar occurrences,” had been pre pared, nearly a year ago, to consent to their independence. She has not only practically discon tinued, and even emphatically deprecat ed, tbe employment of force to restore tranquility to Spanish America, but she lias declared that even universal and permanent tranquility there, “ falls short of the wishes of the friends of humani ty.” While she appeals to “ ihe ties of kindred,” she undoubtedly feels them ; and ifshc has not abandoned her desire, so often avowed, of mere constitutional union, and equal commercial intercourse, with her former colonies, as between pro vinces of the same empire, a union and :m intercourse which intervening Andes an I oceans seen) to render highly incon venient, if not utterly impracticable,, she evidently refers the accompli-liment of this desire to the umiived delibera tion”, and to the congenial and kindred feelings of the people of those colonies, and thus substantially acknowledges their independence. Whatever may he the policy of Spain, however, in respect to her former Ame rican colonies, our recognition of their independence can neither affect her right;, nor impair her means, in the ac complishment of that policy. We can not, for flit-, be justly accused of aiding in the attainment of an independence w hich has already been established with out our assistance. Besides, our recog nition must necessarily he co-existent tion w hich was re-established by that j only w ith the fact on which it is found- revolution, guaranteed the integrity ofj ed, and cannot survive it. While the nations of Spanish America are actually independent, it is simply to speak flie truth, to acknowledge them to he so. Should Spain, contrary to her avow ed principles and acknowedged inter ests, renew the war for the conquest of South America, we shall, indeed, regret it, hut wc shall observe, as we have done, netween the independent parties, an honest and impartial neutrality; but, on the oilier hand, should Spain, faith ful to her own glory and prosperity, consent that her offspring in the new world should enjoy Air: right of self-go vernment, equally with their brethren in the old, wc shall sincerely rejoice; and we shall cherish, with equal satifac- <ion, and cultivate with equal assiduity, the friendship of regenerated Spain arid of emancipated America. Your committee, in justice to their ow n feelings and to the feelings of their (ellow-citizens, have made this declara tion without disguise, and they trust that the uniform character and conduct of this people will save it from all liability to misinterpretation. Happy in our own institutions, we claim nn privilege ; we indulge no ambition to extend diem to other nations ; wc ad mit the equal rights of till nations to form their own governments and to administer their own inlernal affairs as they may judge proper ; and, however they may, in these respects, difft r from us, we do not, on that account, regard with the le-s satisfaction their tranquility and happi ness. Your committee having thus consider ed Air* subject referred to them, in all its aspects, are, unanimously, ofopin- ion, that it is just and expedient to ac knowledge the independence of the veral nation* of Spanish America, i Ii out any reference to the diversity in me forms ot their governments ; and, in ac cord a nee with this opinion, they respect- tully submit the following resolutions : Resolved, That Ihe House of Representa tives concur in the opinion expressed l»v Preside lit, i , his message of the litli of Mareh, 1822, that the American provinces of Spain, which have declared their indi'pend, ice. and are in the enjoyment of it, ought tone recognized by tho" United States, us inde pendent nations. Resolved, That the Committee of V.’ a« and Means In instructed to report a bill p proprialing a sum, not exceeding one hun dred thousand dollars, to enable the Presi dent ofthe United States to gi\e due effect to such recognition. [translation.] Extract from the report o f the committee, [o/ - the Spanish CortesJ to whom was re ferred the disturbances in the Ameri can provinces, with instructions to pre- jmre measures fur their general paci fication. “ Still New Spain, or rather the whole of the Spanish provinces in North Ame rica, having almost entirely returned to u state ot tranquility, at that period so desolating a war was terminated ; while, on the other hand, a considerable part of Peru constantly adhered to Spain, as has also linen the case with G’uba and tbe other Islands. Thus, while on the Main, in Buenos Ayres, and in Chili, the afflicting spectacle was beheld, of Span ish and American blood being shed by the very hands which had the greu'est interest in its preservation—the most important part of Spanish America re mained free from so many calamities.— But this tranquility is not sufficient, even if it should extend throughout America with a prospect of permanency. .Vo ! si falls short of the wishes of the jriends of humanity. It is necessary that America should build her happiness upon a solid foundation, so that, fir from counteract ing, she may contribute to the prosperi ty ol Europe. “ Your committee, persuaded of this truth, discussed in their several sittings the questions which appeared most pro per to attain the grand object we all have in lieiv. These were examined in conjunction with His Majesty’s Min isters, who, i i the beginning, entirely co incided in the general opinion prevailing in the committee, hut were subsequent! *. induced, by peculiar occurrences, to sus pend their judgment, believing that pub lic opinion was not yet prepared for a final decision. In this situation your committee are unable to bring forward any forma! proposition, inasmuch as it belongs to the government to determine the matter of fact, that is to say, its to the expediency and urgency of certain mea sures ; and the cabinet not thinking that moment yet arrived, nothing now re mains to your committee but strongly to recommend to ministers the aecf lerntion ofso desirable u moment. This is loud ly called for by justice ; it is demanded by the uncertain arid precarious fate of so many European Spaniards, settled in those countries ; it is demanded by the natives themselves, and the different clas ses who have so gallantly supported the cause ofthe metropolis ; inline it is de manded by America and the true interests of the Peninsula ; The prosperity of the former resting in the restoration or tranquility, which will prove a source of incalculable benefit to her ; ami that of the latter in not being obstructed in i hpr progress, by having her councils i\o. 9. distracted by cares created by tbedepl ruble situation of Ihose distinct climes. The rights of the age, and a wise policy ought to guide the government in forming so neiv and so glorious a lesolutmn. “ Your committee, fully sensible o' the greatness of the subject, and lie lieving that their decision will, pet haps, affect the interests af the whole world, would wish to impress upon the minds of ull Spaniards tins, their tiro, conviction, that they might all contribut, to the completion of so great a work.— Spain would reap advantages which oth cruise she can never expect; and the tie , ot kindled und the uniformity of religion, together with commercial relations, and those emanating from free instituti ons, would be the surest pledge of mutual harmony and close union. Your committee, therefore, riot being able alone to coine to any determination, con tent themselves with simply proposing, that ministers be urged to lay br lore the Cortes, with the least possible, delay, the fundamental basis of such measures as they may deem advisable and just, both for the complete pacification ol the dis tracted provinces of America, and to se cure to them ull solid and lasting happi ness." INDIAN (T V I LIZ VTION. A report of the Secretary of War, to the 1 louse ol* Representatives, ofthe measures hitherto devised oai puraio d Ii r <* * ra.li- •/ tin n ", i 'i >o Titin ** . * Slati Department of War, 8th Feb. 1822. The Secretary of War, to whom was referred the resolution efflie House of K.’presentalii es. *• request,, g 'he Brest* dent of {i.t United. Suites to causa to bo l-'id before this Uou”e any inform ation winch he may hive of flic condition of I tie several Indian tribes within the l nited States, and flic progress of tho measures hitherto devi-md and pursued for their civilization,” has thr honor to transmit the ericlo-e.t table marked A, cotih.i int-the number of schools estah l.-heil under flie patronage of the c> ertitnerit, uiildn the Indian country; '.lie number ot s ...4,us at each; tha time of tli ir cornnic.nrnrsiMit, whore fixed, and by whom established, with re in,irks on their i.ti lire””, pres »n* c v ilili'i), &c. By reference to the table it oill appear that there arc eleven princi pal schools with three subordinate ones irvactual operation, and that Ihree arts in a state ot preparation ; and that the number of scholars, a‘t the Inst return, at the principal and subordinate schools, amounted to five hundred and eight.— On these schools there have been ex pended $15,827 50, of which $7.4 17 dli have been on account of buildings, ami the balance, $0,300, on account of the expence of tuition. It is made a condi tion of the subscription on flic part of the government, that the schools should he established within the Indian r.otm.* try, and that the system of education, in addition to reading, w riting, and arith metic, should, for the boys, embrace in struction in agriculture nod the ordinary mechanic arts,.and for the girls the cunt- mon domestic industry of that sex. It was thought advisable, at the e. on* meiiccnient of the system, to proceed with caution, and to enlarge the sphere of operation, as experience should indi cate the proper measures to be adopted, by which nn useless expenditure of pub lic money would he avoided, and the system adopted for the civilization of tha Indians have the fairest trial.—Experi ence lias thus far justified (hose which have been adopted ; and it is according ly intended to give, this year, a great activity to the fund”, of which a much larger portion may be applied to tuition, Ihe necessary buildings at so many points having already been erected. Whether the system which has been adopted by the government, if persever ed in, will ultimately bring the Indiana w ithin the pale uf civilization, ran only be determined by time. It has been iu operation too short u period to pro nounce will) certainly on the result.— I'he present generation, which cnntiofc be greatly affected by it, must pass a- way, and those who have been reared under the present system ot education must succeed them, before it can be tru ly tested. A” far, however, as civilizas- (ton may depend on education onlv» without taking into consideration tho force of circumstances, it would seem that is no insuperable difficulty in effect ing tha benevolent intention of the go- i eminent. It may be affirmed, almost ivitliout qualification, that all of tho tribes within our settlements, and near our borders, are even solicitous for the education of their children. With th» exception of the Creeks, they have c- very where freely and cheerfully as sented to the establishment of *< hods, to which, in some instances, they have contributed. The Choctaws, in thin respect, have evinced the most libi ral spirit, having set aside $fiOOO of their ■ nimity in aid ofthe school” established among them. The reports of the teach ers are almost uniformly favouralde, botl* as to the capacity and docility >4' their youths. Their progress appears t:> be quite equal to that o( white children of

Georgia Historic Newspapers

Southern recorder. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1820-1872, April 09, 1822, Image 1