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Translation of a Letter written by General Juan Antonio Martinez, Commandant of the Fort of San Fernando de Figueiras, to the principal Junta of the Principality of Catalonia.

Pont de Moulin, August 19, 1811. Most excellent Senor,-After enduring more than four months obstinate blockade, without any relief on the part of the army, I have found myself under the necessity of surrendering the fort of San Fernando de Figueiras, from the total want of provisions. I have employed even the last resources; from our horses to the lowest insect, all has been eaten up. On the night of the 16th I attempted a sally at the point of the bayonet, with all the garrison; and in spite of the obstacles which the line of circumvallation opposed, I myself reached the abattis, or trunks of trees obstructing our passage, which could not be effected, in consequence of the great strength of this impenetrable line. In fine, I have this day surrendered prisoner of war, with the garrison, which has been treated by the French with the generosity which cha

racterizes that nation.

(Signed) JUAN ANTONIO MARTINEZ.

AMERICAN STATES.-Proclamation of the President for the Meeting of Congress. 24th July, 1811.

Whereas great and weighty matters, claiming the consideration of the Congress of the United States, form an extraordinary occasion for convening them, I do by these presents appoint Monday, the 4th day of November next, for their meeting at the City of Washington; hereby requiring the respective Senators and the Representatives then and there to assemble in Congress, in order to receive

such communications as may then be made to them, and to consult and determine on such measures as in their wisdom may be deemed meet for the welfare of the United States. In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed, and signed the same with my hand. Done at the City of Washington, the 24th day of July, in the year of our Lord, 1811; and of the independence of the United States the 36th,

JAMES MADISON.

Corres

SOUTH AMERICAN REVOLUTION. pondence and Documents relative to the Revolution at Buenos Ayres, 1811.

Buenos Ayres Extraordinary Gazette of the 20th of June, 1811.

In the Extraordinary Gazette of the 18th instant, among other official papers which General Don Jose Artigaz transmitted with regard to his operations against Monte Video, there was also given an overture made by Don Xavier Elio after the battle of Las Piedras, soliciting the armistice. During this, the result of the negociation also reached him, which in that extremity he had set on foot directly with the most excellent Junta, through the medium of the officer Don Jose Obregon, and with which the public has already been made acquainted. As Elio perfectly foresaw the rejection which his application, so contemptible in many respects, was doomed to meet with, he visibly attempted to influence the good faith of General Artigas by the insidious mode in which his letter was drawn up, pretending that the English Government was embarked in the same cause, by the instructions which it had actually given to Capt. Heywood, Commander of the Nereus frigate. Our General, deeply convinced, as well as the Government, of the true sentiments of the English nation with regard to the present affairs, returned a very proper answer: he spoke with a full knowledge of the daring and cunning character of the man to whom it was addressed; and, with all the energy and resolution which animates us in our undertaking. But the honourable officer of his Britannic Majesty could not view with indifference the inconsiderate audacity of Elio, who had so falsely compromised his reputation in an affair of so much delicacy, and who, when Capt. Heywood had been expressly charged to observe a complete

neutrality in our affairs, had represented | countrymen. Why this co-operation has him as to a certain degree, taking part in been so suddenly and unexpectedly denied, them. Capt. Heywood, therefore, thought is a question which I have neither the it his duty to clear himself of all such in- right nor the inclination to ask, and with terference, and transmitted to the Govern- regard to which it becomes me, as an ofment the following declaration, which is ficer of the English Navy, to be perfectly published for that purpose, and that all indifferent.-I have the honour to be, &c. may be apprised of the sole object of his To the President and Mem- P. HEYWOOD. arrival: bers of the Provisional Junta of Government.

On board his Britannic Majesty's Frigate the Nereus, before Buenos Ayres, June 19. Most Excellent Senor; In the Buenos Ayres Gazette of yesterday I have observed an official document, in which I am erroneously represented as a negociator between his Excellency the Viceroy, Don Xavier Elio, and the Most Excellent

Provisional Junta of Government. And as, wherever that Gazette is circulated, it may produce an impression injurious to me as Captain in the Royal Navy of his Britannic Majesty, whose duties are of a nature more open, active, and decided than those of a crooked policy and diplomatic intrigue, to which my character is abhorrent; and having, also, received an express prohibition to interfere in these matters, I have thought it necessary to observe for the present, that the Viceroy must have been greatly mistaken in expressing himself as he has done with regard to me.-I also leave it to your Excellency to inform the public (if you think it of importance) whether or not your Excellency, since my arrival in this river in the Nereus, has entered into any official conversation with me, or any other individual, relative to the existing political disputes of these provinces, in which we disclaim all right, and even inclination, to interfere. Though I have not thought it necessary or proper hitherto to say any thing, yet I now avail myself of this opportunity, that it may be well and clearly understood, that the spirit and tendency of the orders with which I was sent to, and still remain in, the river Plate, have in truth for their chief and only object the protection of the persons and commerce of the subjects of his Britannic Majesty from any unjust effects of commotion; and to lend all possible assistance, by means of the slip under my command, to such of them as may wish to remit their property or retire from the river Plate.-In the execution of this last part of my orders, I consider it my duty to endeavour to obtain the co-operation of this Government, for their own benefit, and that of my

The following is the letter of the Viceroy to General Artigas, conveyed by a flag of truce, and to which the preceding correspondence refers:

Monte Video, May 20.

foot negociations with the Junta of Buenos I have to inform you, that I have set on Ayres, through the medium of Capt. Heyofficer has also instructions from his Gowood, of the British frigate Nereus, which vernment to the same effect. One of the

propositions which he has to make to the Junta, is, that an armistice and suspension differences can be accommodated. I exof arms should take place till our existing pect from day to day accounts of this negociation, and in the mean time I hope you will concur in the humane sentiments tilities between our troops, as producing which animate me, by suspending all hosonly a lamentable and useless effusion of blood; as the Junta must comply with lish and myself. The reply of General the pacific propositions made by the EngArtigas was in substance as follows:

Camp at Las Piedras, May 20. Senor; The cause of the people does not admit of the least delay. If you really desire to avoid the effusion of blood, so contrary to the feelings of humanity, enter into a negociation with me, who am well acquainted with the wishes of the Junta, and will give you and Monte Video a new proof of its generous and pacific views. These are comprised in the reestablishment of communication and relalation between the inhabitants of Monte Video and those of the capital; ties marked out by the mutual interests of both, and by nature itself; ties which are broken by a declaration of war on your part, which has carried desolation and mourning into those families which have suffered from that effusion of blood which you profess to lament.-This army will shortly bring to a conclusion the work which is already so far advanced; and you will bring to a climax the misfortunes of Monte Video, unless you resolve that the autho

undivided energy, the power of the confederation formed against France should be weakened by the failure of those resources, which might rationally be ex

ty of the Provincial Junta of these provinces be recognised by that city, in order that it may transmit its wishes by the medium of a Representative, conformable to the regulation which has been pub-pected from those who are in no small lished, and in imitation of the measures which all the provinces in Spain adopted for the purpose of preserving entire the dominions of our august Sovereign Don Ferdinand VII. from the oppression of the tyrant of Europe. This is the only condition on which, in virtue of the authority which I exercise, I shall cause hostilities to cease on the part of my troops.

(Signed) JOSE ARTIGAS.

From the Buenos Ayres Gazette of the 15th June.

Letter from his Excellency Lord Strangford

to this Most Excellent Junta.

degree interested in the event of the strug gle, but who, unhappily, cannot contribute to its fortunate issue, because they are plunged in all the evils of civil dissention.-Your Excellency knows too well the scrupulous good faith of the Court of London, the sacred ties which connect it with Spain, and the great and universally important object of their mutual alliance, to believe, that Great Britain, without violating that faith, sacrificing these obligations, and abandoning these objects, can lend the sanction of her approbation to measures productive of dissention between the component parts of a coalition, the Most Excellent Senor; I have received happy issue of which depends upon a corthe letter of your Excellency of the 24th dial co-operation and good understanding of February, in which you inform me of among all its constituent members.-But the proceedings of General Elio, in inter- though it is thus impossible for Great rupting the commerce of Buenos Ayres, Britain to act in opposition to her obligaand in which, after some observations on tions, and the interests of the just cause the supposed want of legitimate official which she supports, the just claims which authority on the part of that General, you your Excellency has to her friendship, beg me to communicate them to my Go- inspire her with a sincere desire to become vernment. On this point I will comply instrumental to your happiness and pros with your Excellency's wishes; but I am perity in the only way in which she can convinced that I only anticipate the opi- at present promote these objects.-I therenion of my Court, when I assure you, that fore take upon me to offer to your Excelthis communication will be received with lency, in the most ample manner, the the deepest regret and will augment those good offices and friendly interpositions of painful feelings which must be inspired the English Government, for the purpose by the present unfortunate contest be- of facilitating an amicable settlement of tween Buenos Ayres and its dependencies. the differences which at present subsist -The confidence which your Excellency between the Spaniards of both hemishas placed in me, and the conviction that pheres, and delivering them from the I shall acquire a new title to it by the greatest of all calamities-civil discord, proposal which I am about to submit to as the origin of their ruin, and of the your consideration, encourage me to speak greatest danger to the common cause.--frankly and without reserve.-Your Ex-I offer this mediation to your Excellency cellency, by constantly expressing a fixed determination o adhere to the common cause of the Allies against France, to respect the authority and preserve the claims of our legitimate Sovereign, have secured an undoubted right to the friendship and good offices of Great Britain, founded on a basis much more solid and extensive, than that of the advantages and concessions which you have so liberally and wisely granted to its subjects-But it is nevertheless to be lamented, that while these principles deserve every applause, their practical results have hitherto so little corresponded to their tenour; and that, in a crisis which requires united efforts and

in the firm confidence that it will be undertaken with promptness by the English Government, and in the knowledge of what has been already proposed and accepted by other parts of the Spanish Monarchy, which were in circumstances similar to those in which Buenos Ayres is now placed. I beg your Excellency clearly to understand, that the proposal which I make does not involve any disposition on the part of my Court to interpose in the political affi's of the Spanish Monarchy, or to support any system inconsistent with liberality and justice, and with the permanent prosperity of Spanish America.It does not appear possible,

that your Excellency can confide your cause in better hands than those of EngJand. Every motive of interest and policy unites in declaring, that the prosperity of Buenos Ayres must be to us an object of importance; and this consideration, founded on identity of interests, is calculated to produce the most unlimited confidence on the part of your Excellency. Should the proposal which I have had the honour to make be adopted by your Exeellency, I would suggest as the first step to its actual execution, the adoption of measures for an armistice between your Excellency and General Elio; nothing can be more simple than such a negociation: the withdrawal of your Excellency's troops on the one side, and the cessation of the blockade on the other, would be just measures of mutual concession. It might be stipulated, that this armistice should last till the final adjustment, under the friendly mediation of Great Britain, of the points at present in discussion between the government of Buenos Ayres and that of Spain.-A proposition of this nature, so analogous to the moderation which has characterised the commencement of your Excellency's proceedings, would cover Buenos Ayres with honour; and even should it be rejected, the very fact of having made so equitable an offer would prove, that you had left no means untried to avert the calamities of civil war, while the party that refused to accede to so just a measure would be in a great degree responsible for them.-Your Excel lency cannot fail to perceive the various immediate advantages which would result from this proposal. The restoration of commerce would instantly follow; the termination of the difficulties under which British agents have laboured in this part of the world; and the removal of every disposition to interfere in the affairs of Spanish America, which may have been felt by any other State under the influence of the jealousies excited by the military movements and political proceedings of its neighbours. I think it proper to apprise your Excellency, that I have also written to General Elio on the subject to which this letter relates, and that I have laboured to produce in him a disposition, corresponding to that which I confidently hope and believe is felt by your Excellency. I conclude by again requesting your Excellency's attention to the proposition which I have had the honour to make; and that you will favour me with

your sentiments upon it, as soon as you conveniently can; and to believe that I am solely actuated by a sincere desire for your peace and prosperity, and for the prosperous issue of the just contest in which we are equally engaged, and in which we cannot hope to conquer if we are divided among ourselves.-I have the honour, &c. STRANGFORD.

Answer of the Junta.

Most Excellent Senor; The Junta has received by Captain Heywood, of the Navy, the confidential letter addressed to them by your Excellency, acknowledging the receipt of theirs of the 24th of February. It is not difficult to discover the reasons of your Excellency's silence on the most material part of its contents, nor of your answer to the last, dated March 6th, even had it not been ascertained by other channels, that your Excellency, acknowledging those ports to be in a state of blockade, even to ships of your own nation, chose rather to give a silent refusal, notwithstanding the reasons in opposition to it.-This unexpected event, and the excessive exertions of Admiral De Courcy to free the British flag from the obstructions put many months before, by the Government of Monte Video, to there being free ports, present to us a very mortifying contrast. The Junta can assign no cause for this retrograde movement, unless it form part of the plan of the British Government to adopt no measures that may tend to disunite America from Spain. The Junta, however, cannot reconcile such inconsistent projects. It is certain that the commercial projects of Great Britain and America have nothing to do with this disunion.-If Spain should ever renounce her system of exclusion with respect to America, it is time for her to know that in the state of insignificance in which she is, her true interest consists in soliciting England to approach these sources, whence she may supply that strength which she has exhausted for the interests of Spain, and be enabled to clothe a people left naked by Spanish tyranny; at least, in this way, she might acquire an idea of gratitude and justice; but she chuses rather to be deficient on this score, than to renounce exclusive rights, to which she believes herself to be entitled to all eternity, declaring imperiously, by her emissary, General Elio, those ports to be in a state of blockade, and issuing express orders to annihilate the British

Elio is more prejudicial to the interests of Great Britain, and to Spain herself, than it is to us. If the scrupulous considerations of your nation carries it to dissemble such aggressions, the Junta cannot propose to the people such a species of humiliation. They can perceive in it nothing else than a determination to resist the audacious attempts of a Chief, who, without any other authority than a simple letter from the Secretary Bardaxi, his relation, exhibits himself a hostile Viceroy. It was this circumstance which hastened the aversion they formerly bore in their

province take up arms. They demanded assistance from this Junta, and they have confined their aggressions to investing the walls of Monte Video.-In this state of things, the armistice which the conciliating disposition of your Exce.lency proposes, can produce no other effects than to frustrate an enterprize already far advanced; to expose the safety of many patriots to the vengeance of Elio; to excite an universal convulsion among the provinces, and the abandonment of our expectation to fluctuating opinion. This would surely be acting contrary to the principles of our institution, and to raise again the colonial system which our hands destroyed. This Junta entertain too sublime an idea of the penetration of your Excellency, to attribute your proposal to any other motive than an acquaintance with occurrences which are obscured by distance. In respect to the mediation which your Excellency has proposed to remove the differences which subsists between these States and the Peninsula, nothing could be more satisfactory to this Junta than to place their cause in hands so faithful and generous as

commerce in this quarter; while she cannot reconcile such conduct with, her declaration of attachment to Great Britain, her ally, she gives the highest offence to the Colonies, who, as subject to the same King, have equal right with Gallicia, the Asturias, and Catalonia, to a direct intercourse with the nation that affords them protection. These reasons are of weight sufficient to convince the Junta, that without any violation of the good faith pledged to Spain, and without a breach of any positive agreement, the Court of London may resist the blockade which General Elio has imposed upon British ships.minds, and made the people of the eastern Your Excellency observes, that it is matter of regret, that, in the present crisis, the power of the confederacy against France should be weakened for want of resources. The Junta is of opinion, that, to avoid the prejudices of which your Excellency speaks, and not to come to a state of the greatest weakness, the most effectual way is, not to place the resources of America in the hands of Spain, without making them pass to England, by means of an open and unrestricted commerce.-The whole world is not ignorant how incapable Spain is to employ her public funds with economy, as well as to direct her armies, because she has already dilapidated the supplies remitted from America for her defence. Such contributions of loyalty and of honour ought to be kept sacred; their disposition was determined by the same necessities, and the intention of those who granted them. Notwithstanding this, no consideration was sufficient to limit the prodigality and covetousness of the Spanish Administrations, yet they now haughtily ask, who has provided funds sufficient to support so many years the expences of the armies? These provinces profess entire fidelity to Ferdi-those of the British Cabinet. The good nand the Seventh; they wish to direct only by themselves, and without the hazard of risking their means to the rapacity of unfaithful hands; they promise to enter into the coalition against the tyrant so long as their civil independence is acknowledged. Here your Excellency will observe a means of strengthening the power of the confederation, till a final success, much more secure and more conformable to the principles of equity, than by threatening us with menaces, punishments, and blockades, into a subordination which no person has a right to require. Your Excellency may be firmly assured that the blockade imposed by General

faith which characterize it, and the identity of their interests with ours, are causes which assures us of its fidelity. But the Junta cannot discover reasons to authorise them at present to avail themselves of such mediation. The Peninsula is no more than a part of the Spanish Monarchy, and that so maimed, that it would be no small concession to put it upon an equality with America. It therefore follows, from this principle, that the Peninsula cannot hold any authority over America, nor this over that. Were the English Cabinet to act the part of an impartial Mediator, it would be a precise acknowledgment of the independence of the two States. On the

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