the Provinces, the present condition of the Parties, and the utter inability of Spain to produce any change in it, we are compelled to conclude that its fate is settled, and that the Provinces which have declared their Independence, and are in the enjoyment of it, ought to be recognized Of the views of the Spanish Government on this subject, no particular information has been recently received. It may be presumed that the successful progress of the Revolution, through such a long series of Years, gaining strength, and extending annually in every direction, and embracing, by the late important events, with little exception, all the Dominions of Spain South of The United States, on this Continent, placing thereby the complete Sovereignty over the whole in the hands of the People, will reconcile the Parent Country to an accommodation with them, on the basis of their unqualified Independence Nor has any authentic information been recently received of the disposition of other Powers respecting it. A sincere desire has been cherished to act in concert with them in the proposed Recognition, of which several were sometime past duly apprized, but it was understood that they were not prepared for it. The immense space between those Powers, even those which border on the Atlantic, and these Provinces, makes the movement an affair of less interest and excitement to them, than to us. It is probable, therefore, that they have been less attentive to its progress than we have been. It may be presumed, however, that the late events will dispel all doubt of the result. In proposing this measure, it is not contemplated to change thereby, in the slightest manner, our friendly relations with either of the Parties, but to observe, in all respects, as heretofore, should the War be continued, the most perfect neutrality between them. Of this friendly disposition, an assurance will be given to the Government of Spain, to whom it is presumed it will be, as it ought to be, satisfactory. The measure is proposed, under a thorough conviction that it is in strict accord with the Law of Nations; that it is just and right as to the Parties; and that The United States owe it to their station and character in the World, as well as to their essential interests, to adopt it. Should Congress concur in the view herein presented, they will doubtless see the propriety of making the necessary Appropriations for carrying it into effect. Washington, March 8, 1822. JAMES MONROE. The Secretary of State to the President. Department of State, Washington, 7th March, 1822. THE Secretary of State, to whom has been referred the Resolution of the House of Representatives of the 30th of January last, requesting the President of The United States to lay before that House such Communications as might be in the possession of the Executive, from the Agents of The United States with the Governments South of The United States, which have declared their Independence; and the Communications from the Agents of such Governments in The United States, with the Secretary of State, as tend to shew the political condition of their Governments, and the state of the War between them and Spain, as it might be consistent with the publick interest to communicate; has the honour of submitting to the President the Papers required by that Resolution. The Communications from the Agents of The United States are only those most recently received, and exhibiting their views of the actual condition of the several South American Revolutionary Governments. No communication has yet been received from Mr. Prevost since his arrival at Lima. There has been hitherto no Agent of The United States in Mexico; but among the Papers herewith submitted, is a Letter recently received from a Citizen of The United States, who has been some Years residing there, containing the best information in possession of the Government, concerning the late Revolution in that Country; and specially of the character embraced by the Resolution of the House. The President of The United States. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. No. LIST OF PAPERS. 1. The Secretary of State to Mr. Forbes...... Department of State .Buenos Ayres...... 2. Mr. Forbes to the Secretary of State.... 6. Mr. Rivadavia to Mr. Forbes....... 7. Minute of a Conference with Mr. Rivadavia... 8. Mr. Forbes to Mr. Rivadavia................... Inclosure-Act of Congress, April 20, 1818. 9. Mr. Rivadavia to Mr. Forbes...... .... 1820. Page 5th July 370 1821. 2d Sept. 372 11th Sept. 375 Buenos Ayres.. 28th Sept. 375 Buenos Ayres.. Inclosure-Decree of the Buenos Ayres Govt...... 10. Mr. Forbes to the Secretary of State..... 11. Mr. Forbes to the Secretary of State.. 12. Mr. Forbes to the Secretary of State... 13. Mr. Forbes to the Secretary of State..... ..... 17th Sept. 379 22d Sept. 381 382 6th Oct. 385 6th Oct. 386 .Buenos Ayres.......8th Oct 387 14. Mr. Prevost to the Secretary of State.......St. Jago de Chili....30th June 390 Incl. 1. Mr. Prevost to Mr. J. de Echeverria...St. Jago de Chili....18th June 391 2. General O'Higgins to Mr. Prevost... St. Jago de Chili....23d June 392 Valparaiso 15. Mr. Hogan to the Secretary of State.. C. Propositions of the Cortes of 18th Aug. 392 .15th July 393 .10th July 394 .24th Feb. 398 .... D. Mr. Ravenga to Mr. Brent....Madrid. E. Mr. Brent to Mr. Ravenga....Madrid 18. Mr. Torres to the Secretary of State..... Washington. 19. Fundamental Law of the Congress of Vene zuela...... 20. Credentials of Mr. Torres... 21. Mr. Torres to the Secretary of State... 22. Mr. Torres to the Secretary of State. 23. Mr. Torres to the Secretary of State. 24. The Secretary of State to Mr. Torres.. .Angostura..... ........Angostura... 1819. 17th Dec. 407 1820. .15th May 409 1821. Philadelphia..............30th Nov. 410 .Philadelphia........30th Dec. 414 1822. .Philadelphia..... 2d Jan. 415 Washington...... .18th Jan. 415 25. J. S.Wilcocks, Esq. to the Secretary of State.Mexico.... 26. Treaty between O'Donoju and Iturbide.....Cordova.... 27. Decree of the Regency of Mexico, deter mining the Powers of Iturbide....... ..Mexico.... 28. Manifesto of the Provisional Government to the People of Mexico..... 1821. .25th Oct. 416 .24th Aug. 431 ..14th Nov. 434 .Mexico.... 13th Oct. 437 SIR, No. 1.-The Secretary of State to Mr. Forbes. Department of State, 5th July, 1820. THE Certificate from this Department, which has been made out and transmitted to you, constitutes you Agent for Commerce and Seamen, for either of the Provinces of Buenos Ayres or of Chili, in whichsoever of them Mr. J. B. Prevost shall not be. He is at this time at Buenos Ayres; but, having at one period intimated to the President a preference to return to Chili, where he some time resided, it is thought due to him to leave the selection of his residence, after your arrival at Buenos Ayres, to himself. Should he determine to continue there, you will proceed, either by land over the Andes, or, in the Frigate Constellation, round Cape Horn to Valparaiso, and take up your residence there, or at St. Jago de Chili, which is understood to be the seat of the Revolutionary Government of that Province. If he should prefer to return thither, you will remain at Buenos Ayres. The Commercial Intercourse between the United States and those Countries, though not very considerable, is deserving of particular attention. Whatever accurate information you can obtain, relating to it, as well as to the Commerce of those Countries with other Nations, and to their internal trade, will be particularly acceptable; the condition of our Seamen there will also deserve your notice. The performance of these duties will involve also the Political Relations between those Countries and The United States. In the progress of their Revolution, Buenos Ayres and Chili have, to the extent of their powers, and indeed far beyond their natural means, combined maritime operations with those of their War by land. Having no Ships or Seamen of their own, they have countenanced and encouraged Foreigners to enter their Service, without always considering how far it might affect either the rights or the duties of the Nations to which those Foreigners belonged. The Privateers, which, with the Commissions, and under the Flag, of Buenos Ayres, have committed so many and such atrocious acts of Piracy, were all either fitted out, manned, and officered by Foreigners at Buenos Ayres, or even in Foreign Countries, not excepting our own, to which blank Commissions both for the Ships and Officers have been sent. In the Instructions to the late Commodore Perry, which his lamented decease prevented from being executed by him, and a Copy of which is now furnished to you, certain Articles in the Buenos Ayrean Privateering Ordinance were pointed out, particularly liable to the production of these abuses, and which, being contrary to the established usages among civilized Nations, it was hoped would have been revoked, or made to disappear from their otherwise unexceptionable Code. These Instructions were renewed to Commodore Morris, but the time of his stay at Buenos Ayres was so short, and he was there at a moment of so great a change in the ruling Power of the State, that, although he communicated to the then existing Director, the substance of the representations which Commodore Perry had been instructed to make, we know not that it was attended with any favourable result. You will consider the parts of Commodore Perry's Instructions, which may be still applicable on your arrival in South America, as directed to yourself; and should you proceed to Chili, will execute them there, no communication upon the subject having yet been made there. Among the inconveniences consequent upon this system of carrying on maritime Warfare, by means of Foreigners, has been occasionally, and to a considerable extent, the enticement of Seamen belonging to Merchant Vessels, in the Ports of Buenos Ayres and Chili, from their engagements; to enlist them in Privateers or publick armed Vessels of those Countries. In attending to the numerous trials and convictions for Piracy, which have recently afflicted our Country, and cast an unusual gloom over our annals, you will remark that a great proportion of the guilty Persons have been Seamen thus engaged, Foreigners at Buenos Ayres, or enlisted in our own Ports, in violation of our Laws. Whether at Buenos Ayres or in Chili, you will use every exertion in your power, consistent with the respect and conciliatory deportment to be constantly observed towards the existing publick Authorities, to protect the Seamen of The United States from all such enlistments; and the Owners and Masters of the Merchant Vessels from time to time arriving there, from the loss of their men by such means. The Commercial Digest of the Laws of Foreign Countries with which The United States are in relation, a Copy of which has been furnished you, may suggest to you the nature of part of the information which is desirable from South America. Political information will be equally acceptable; the more particular and correct the information of this nature which you can obtain, the more acceptable it will prove. Besides the struggle in South America for Independence, against which Spain is the only opposite Party, internal feuds and civil wars have peculiarly marked every step of the Revolutions in progress upon that theatre. As an Agent and Citizen of The United States, the first advice I shall give you, is, to observe and report, with all the vigilance and discernment and penetration and fidelity to your own Country, that you possess, the movements of all Parties, but to make yourself a Partizan to none. From the Documents lately received here, it is apparent, that a Negotiation has been some time on foot between the late Government of Buenos Ayres and France. It is well known that a Negotiation of much longer standing has existed between the same Government and Portugal; nor has Mr. Rivadavia been residing two or three years to no purpose in England. To ascertain the real movements of all these parties, a neutral position, a neutral heart, and an observing mind, are indispensable; in recommending it to your attention, I would add the caution, neither to take upon trust what any Man shall tell you, without asking yourself what it is his interest or wish that you should believe, nor to give more weight to conjectures, than the circumstances under which they are formed will warrant. By the latest accounts that we have received, the Government, the Congress, and the Constitution, of the Provinces of La Plata were overthrown; the Province of Buenos Ayres stood alone, with Don Manuel de Sarratea, as Governor, at its head; they were in negotiation with General Artigas, of the Oriental Banda, and with General Ramirez, Commander of the Monteneros; in what those Negotiations will result, we are to learn hereafter, and what their effect will be upon the relations of all, with the Portuguese at Montevideo, is yet to be seen. Should you remain at Buenos Ayres, we shall expect full Communications from you, as frequently as opportunities for transmitting them may occur. I am, &c. John M. Forbes, Esq. (Extract.) JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. (2.)-Mr. Forbes to the Secretary of State. Buenos Ayres, 2d September, 1821. I SHALL confine myself to a general summary of leading Events since my last. The first in order of date, is the total defeat of the Party of Ramirez, by a wing of the united Armies of Santa Fé and Cordova, under Don Francisco de Bedoya, Substitute Governor of Cordova. The Action was fought at Francisco, on the Rio Seco, on the 10th of July, and the news was most joyfully received here on the 21st of the same month. I have great pleasure in announcing to you a new organization of this Government, which promises great solidity and character, and from whose exertions the most important reforms are daily taking place. |