ombia into their ports in Europe and America, but did not formally acknowledge its independence. A minister was sent by Colombia to Lisbon to treat with that government respecting the boundary of the republic of Colombia on the Brazils. The war in Colombia was now drawing to a close. At the commencement of the year 1823, the Spaniards continued in possession of the fortress of Porto Cavello and of Maracaibo; but the naval force of the republic was so augmented as to be in a condition to dispute with the enemy, the mastery of the sea. General Padilla was appointed to command the Colombian squadron, which, on the 23d of July, 1823, attacked the Spanish flotilla commanded by commodore Laborde, in the lake Maracaibo, and in a desperate and sanguinary action, totally destroyed it. The Colombians captured twelve vessels; three were blown up, and two driven on shore and destroyed, and not a vessel of the enemy escaped. The Spaniards had about 250 men killed and wounded, and 1500 made prisoners. Their commander, Laborde, made his escape in a boat, and reached his frigate outside of the castle. The destruction of the Spanish squadron rendered it impossible for Morales to maintain himself long in Maracaibo, and accordingly he surrendered with all his troops to the patriot general Marique, commanding the troops investing the place on the 3d of August. General Bermudez sailed on board of the ship Bolivar, from La Guira, a short time before, to take command of the besieging army, but the enemy surrendered before he arrived at Maracaibo. Notwithstanding the atrocities and barbarities of the savage Morales, which had fairly outlawed him from the pale of humanity, and the protection and rights of the laws of war, he and all his men were treated humanely, and permitted to embark for Cuba.

The last act, in the bloody drama, now only remained to be performed; the torch of war, which for twelve years, had desolated the fairest portion of the globe-" a country blessed by nature, but cursed by man," now only shed its hideous but flickering glare, from the ramparts of Porto Cavello. But these last gleams were soon to be extinguished. The destruction of the squadron of the enemy enabled the patriots to invest Porto Cavello by sea, as well as land, which cut off all communication, and deprived it of supplies. General La Torre, however, with true Spanish obstinacy, held out to the last extremity; but was obliged to capitulate about the 1st of December. This event,

which terminated the long and desolating war, which has given to Colombia existence, independence, and liberty, was announced to the nation by a proclamation from the vice-president, general Santander, exercising the executive functions, dated the 9th of December, 1823.

VOL. II.

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“Colombians! I announce to you your country entirely frec from the enemies who have so obstinately presumed to oppose the immutable decrees of Providence. The Spanish flag which lately floated on the walls of Porto Cavello, has been rent in pieces by the valiant troops of the republic, and the tri-coloured flag planted thereon in its stead.

"No longer does an enemy exist for us to contend with. The Colombian territory is entire, and the code of happiness and equality protects all who inhabit the country of Bolivar.

"Colombians, may you enjoy the reward of your constancy, and of your individual triumphs: they secure the reign of liberty in America, and enable you to offer a sacred asylum to freemen throughout the world. To be a citizen of Colombia, is to belong to a nation possessing liberty, constancy, and valour."

We have passed over some civil occurrences to close the events of the war. The congress was installed at Bogota, in April, 1823, on which interesting occasion the vice-president, Santander, charged with the executive power, laid before the national representation a long and highly interesting message, containing a complete exposition of the internal condition of Colombia, and the state of its foreign relations. On the latter subject, he speaks of their relations with the United States, in the following complimentary terms :—

"The government of the United States has given a sublime example of justice in the solemn acknowledgment of the independence and sovereignty of the states of South America. That nation, the cradle of liberty has seen with satisfaction, this act so justly acquired by policy and sound reason, and the enlightened members of its government, by this noble conduct, have added a new lustre to the glory of a free people, and to themselves. An agent from the United States, at present, resides in this capital, who has communicated to me the friendly sentiments of his government, and a desire to commence and consolidate an intercourse with the republic. The executive has hastened to testify our sentiments through the means of a minister plenipotentiary, thereby preparing for our future negotiation."

He speaks of the unsuccessful attempt to treat with Spain, and says, that the failure of that negotiation induced the government to establish solid relations with the independent governments of the new world, and it had proposed the establishment of an American confederacy, uniting the political interests of the vast territories separated from Spain, and mutually guaranteeing their protection. "The arms of the republic," says the executive, "have been covered with glory wherever they have carried liberty and law, and even in misfortune, their honour has been untarnished." The message unfolds the deplorable condition of the national re

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venue, which, it says, requires a new creation; and urges on congress to provide means to pay the defenders of the country; and it invokes the national representation to recognise the public debts, provide for paying the interest of them, and to establish national faith and credit. The improvement of the organization of the regular army, and of the militia; the preservation and increase of the navy, and the fortifications, are recommended to the attention of congress, as well as the interests of commerce, agriculture, and the mines, neglected and almost destroyed by the war.

On the 9th of December, 1823, Mr. Anderson, minister of the United States to Colombia, arrived at Bogota, the seat of government; and on the following day, with solemn and appropriate ceremonies and honours, he was presented to the acting executive of the republic, and addressed to him the following noble sentiments, honourable alike to himself and his country :

"Mr. President: The president of the United States, animated by an ardent wish to continue the relations of perfect harmony and generous friendship between our respective countries, has commanded me to give the most satisfactory expression to the liberal feelings which he, as well as the people of the United States, must ever entertain towards the institutions of freedom in every country. I tender to you his anxious wishes for the restoration of peace to this republic, and prosperity to its citizens. My own admiration of the liberal institutions of Colombia, and of the glorious manner in which they have been created and sustained, affords the surest pledge of the sincerity of my sentiments. If this mission shall have the happy effect of giving solidity and duration to the harmonious feelings of our countrymen, it will be a source of unaffected joy to every friend of free government.

"It is on this continent and in this age, Mr. President, that man has been awakened to the long lost truth, that, under heaven, he is capable of governing himself; that God has not given to him in vain the part and intellect of a human being. Every motive that can operate on a good man, urges him to cherish the institutions founded on the developement of these truths, and to nourish the principles which can alone sustain them. The sublimest spectacle that we can enjoy, is to contemplate our fellow man explaining and teaching, by reason and argument, the truth, that voluntary agreement is the only legitimate source of political power." When a nation is penetrated with this truth, its liberty is placed beyond the reach of force or fraud."

Having concluded, Mr. Anderson delivered to the vice-president his credential letters of minister plenipotentiary of the United States; and his excellency, on reading them, congratulated him on his safe arrival in the capital of the republic, saying among other things, that, as the United States had always been

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the great luminary which the inhabitants of this part of America had held in view during their conflicts, so now they, and particularly the people and government of the republic of Colombia, would delight to express to the classic land of American liberty, the high esteem which they had ever entertained for its government and political institutions, and their desire to improve and draw, still more closely, the friendly relations which happily exist between the two nations.”

This was an interesting occasion to the two republics, particularly to Colombia, Mr. Anderson being the first minister received from any foreign power. This act of amity and official connexion, between the two great republics in the new world; whose emancipation and independence were acquired by similar struggles and sacrifices; whose institutions are founded on the same principles of liberty and justice; both free-both asylums for the oppressed of the old world; one flourishing and powerful, and the other enjoying in prospect, the high destinies which its sister repul lic has attained, was an occasion of the deepest interest, and calculated to inspire the most pleasing sensations and the most exalted hopes in the bosom of every friend of liberty.

After the glorious termination of the war in Quito, in 1823, Bolivar, at the earnest solicitation of the people of Peru, proceeded with a part of the liberating and victorious army of Colombia, into the territory of that country, to emancipate that interesting portion of America. The groans of the oppressed and suffering inhabitants of Peru awakened the most tender sympathies of their brethren in Colombia; but none felt more sensibly for their sufferings than the illustrious liberator, not more distinguished for his bravery, than for his humanity and magnanimity. He considered himself not only as the liberator of Colombia, but of all Spanish America. He resolved to afford succour to the Peruvians, and to overthrow there, as he had done in his own country, an odious foreign tyranny; both humanity and policy dictated this course. The people and government of Colombia approved and seconded this noble and patriotic design, and a large body of troops were placed at the disposal of the president to march into a neighbouring state; not as enemies, but as friends and benefactors; not as invaders, but as liberators; not to conquer, but to emancipate the people, and break with their arms the chains which enslaved them. The events of this expedition and its glorious success belong to the history of Peru. To prosecute this war, for the emancipation of a neighbouring state, the Colombian government obtained a loan in London of twenty millions of dollars; such solidity had the national credit already acquired.

In the Spring of 1824, the congress of Colombia passed a

decree for the defence of the country, directing the executive to raise 50,000 men in addition to the troops then in service; but to diminish the number as circumstances might require. The reasons given for this decree, were the establishment of an absolute government in Spain, which left no hope of its recognising the independence of the American states, and the avowed designs by the European cabinets united under the name of holy alliance, which the congress says ought to awake the attention of the free nations of the new world, as the principles on which their independence and institutions are founded, are proscribed by these allied despots.

On the 3d day of October, a treaty, or convention of amity and commerce was concluded and signed at Bogota, between the United States and the republic of Colombia, by Mr. Anderson, our minister, and the vice-president of Colombia, and Pedro Gual, secretary of foreign affairs.

The first article provides, that "there shall be a perfect, firm, and inviolable peace and sincere friendship between the United States of America and the republic of Colombia, in all the extent of their possessions and territories, and between their people and citizens respectively, without distinction of persons or places."

The second article provides, that if either government grant any favour to any other nation, as to commerce or navigation, the same shall immediately be enjoyed by the other party to this treaty. The third article allows the citizens of one republic to frequent the coast and countries of the other, to reside and trade therein, and to pay no greater duties and charges than the most favoured nation, and to enjoy all the rights and exemptions in commerce and navigation, which are enjoyed by the most favoured nations. The merchants, commanders of vessels, and other citizens of one nation, residing temporarily for business in the ports or other places of the other, are to be treated as citizens of the country in which they reside. There are nume

rous articles of less importance. The treaty is to remain in force for twelve years from the time of its ratification. The respective ratifications were exchanged at Washington on the 27th day of May, 1825, by Mr. Brent, chief clerk of the department of state, and Jose Maria Salazar, minister plenipotentiary of the republic of Colombia. This, the first treaty between the two republics, is founded on principles of perfect reciprocity, and will be equally and highly advantageous to both nations; and we trust, long remain the basis of the commercial and friendly intercourse between them, which will be continually and rapidly increasing.