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Extracts from the MESSAGE of the Vice-President of the Republic of COLOMBIA, acting as President, to the Congress of 1825.

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"Our relations with the American governments are on the footing of friendship and good intelligence, that ought ever to exist between states maintaining the same cause. The assistance we have afforded Peru has produced such an important change in that country, that her independence can no longer be matter of doubt."

"The government of Mexico has just presented a terrible example to the usurpers of the power of the people. The general Iturbide contemned the law which banished him, and entered the Mexican territory in a manner which alarmed the government. An act of congress declared him a traitor, and condemned him to die, which sentence was accomplished without the least disturbance. By this conduct, it appears certain, that the Mexican government has advanced one step towards stability and happiness. Recent information, from that part of America, has acquainted us with the energetic and extraordinary measures which have been rendered necessary to be employed for the defence of independence against the views of Spain, and to recall those to a sense of

duty who have treated the compact of union with contempt."

"The provinces of Guatemala preserve, without any opposition, the state of sovereignty, for which they declared by their spontaneous will. An accredited minister, on the part of that government, to this republic, resides in the capital. This affords a favorable opportunity for us to understand each other on points deeply interesting to both parties. The fixing the boundaries between Colombia and Guatemala, is a point of the utmost necessity at the present moment, for some strangers have pretended to speculate on the Mosquito Shore, and the interior boundary is entirely uncertain. The executive, according to the fundamental law of the 12th July, 1821, has claimed, as belonging to the republic, the whole of the Atlantic coast between Cape Gracios a Dios, and the river Chagres; deeming all colonies unlawful, that have not been planted with the permission of the government, and in virtue of the laws of Colombia.”

"The agitated state in which Brazil has hitherto remained, has prevented our entering into relations of amity and good will with that government, with whom we ought also to settle the important question of boundaries."

"With the United States we maintain the most friendly and cordial relations. You will have before you in a short time, for your examination and approbation, the treaty of peace, friendship, navigation and commerce, that the executive has concluded with the government of those states."

"Colombia will be proud of ha

ving been the first of the old Spanish American states that has presented itself to the world, united by means of public treaties, with a nation pre-eminently favored by the genius of liberty. You will, likewise, receive for examination, the convention which has been settled with the same states, to put an end to the horrible slave trade; our laws have declared against that execrable commerce, and on this basis the executive regulated its conduct. The law of the 21st of July, of the 11th year, prohibits the introduction of slaves: The law regulating cruisers, declares all vessels found traf ficing in slaves in the waters within the jurisdiction of the republic, to be lawful prizes; but as there are no punishments for the infraction of the law, and it being for the benefit of the human race, that the authority of the law regulating cruisers should be extended, it appears to the executive that this convention with the United States supplies this deficiency."

[The document then proceeds to notice the relations of the government with Great Britain, and states that the executive had deferred the exequator to the commissions of the British consuls, on account of the ambiguous manner in which they were worded, but allowed them to remain on the footing of agents for commerce and seamen. The commissioners of his Britannic majesty had accepted this condition with pleasure, without having refuted the arguments on which the exequator was deferred.]

"The executive of Hayti has despatched an accredited agent to this government, to propose the adjustment of a treaty of defensive alliance against the respective in

vaders of both territories. The language of liberty employed in the propositions of the agent, and the private services which the liberator received from the humane and sensible Petion, in the hour of calamity, have not misled the executive in the line of conduct it was his duty to adopt on so delicate a negotiation. Hayti defended her independence against the pretensions of France, of which she was a part, and Colombia defended hers against those of Spain. A defensive alliance with Hayti would place us under the necessity of going to war with a nation against whom we have no cause of complaint, and whom we ought not unnecessarily to provoke."

After some further observations, the message adds

"All these considerations have caused the executive to lay by the proposition of the Haytien agent, until the assembly of the plenipotentiaries of the American governments shall meet. Our allies and France will see, in this noble proceeding, the good faith and principles on which the policy of the Colombian government is founded, and France, in particular, will observe that we have acted in the most open manner, in the steps we have taken, to incline his most christian majesty in favor of the republic, and that we do not attribute to the French government the suspicious and insidious conduct observed by persons who came to Colombia in the frigate Tarne, whose voyage appears to have been undertaken to visit this country and observe the state of its affairs."

"The tranquility enjoyed by the republic has permitted the executive to provide for the propagation

of the new mode of instruction; to augment the number of colleges; to establish new professorships, and to reform some colleges which were yet suffering from the old colonial system of education, and from the horrors of war," &c.

"In general, I am able to assure you, that the order and regularity of the progress of the constitutional rule, has suffered no alteration. The authorities respect the institutions, and the citizens enjoy the right freely to demand the fulfilment of the laws. It would, indeed, be a phenomenon, were a new born society to progress towards prosperity without encountering some obstacles, without some small oscillations. Colombia has yet to suffer from the wanderings of ignorance, and the effects of the incessant suggestions of its enemies, although it is true, that neither the one nor the other can prevent its reaching that point at which it must one day arrive. The disturbances of Pasto, which, it was feared, would be prolonged, from the ffature of the country and the character of the people, have disappeared, and the government have been as indulgent as the public security would permit. The people desire to live in peace under the protection of the laws; and whilst they take upon themselves the task of preserving public order, and sustaining our institutions, the republic will enjoy internal peace, and the armed force will no longer have to attend to this duty."

"The commerce of the interior requires some regulations to repress the abuses of the sailors, and to favor navigation; and, as regards the external commerce on the coast inhabited by wandering tribes, some special laws are ne

cessary to relieve the executive from the trouble and difficulties he has encountered on that head within the last few years. I ask of congress to pass a law prohibiting the granting of letters of naturalization to individuals of any nation with whom the republic is at war. This is one of the laws contained in the code of a nation who may call herself truly free, and on the utility of which it would be superfluous to expatiate.

"The poverty of the national treasury must exist, whilst the payment of the old debt falls on the annual ordinary rents, and whilst the system is continued of not fixing the public expenditure and properly covering it."

"I hope this legislature will extend its consideration to the uniform regulation of the decimal rents, to the reform of the law on direct contribution, and to the other objects which the executive will point out to you, in virtue of the permission which is conceded by the constitution.

"The various and disagreeable questions occasioned by the loan of March, 1822, have been settled to the satisfaction of those interested in it, and to the honor of the republic. The executive employed in this transaction the power conceded by the act of the 1st of July, 1823, the results of which will be speedily communicated to you.

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Congress may rest assured, that the conduct we have pursued in this affair, has received the approbation of the most respectable foreigners who have been able to comprehend all its difficulties."

"It is very important to the public prosperity, and to the national credit, to provide for funding the national debt. Every year

new difficulties are added to those already accumulated on this subject. The debt embraces different epochs, different objects and creditors, which have not been properly classed. Although, during the last session, one act on this subject was passed, you will agree, with the executive, that it is very imperfect. "The army has continually given proofs of its obedience to the laws. Although within the republic there have been no enemies for it to contend with, it has remained on the war footing required by European politics.

"Our navy is receiving all the increase and strength that our present circumstances admit of. The Colombian flag is respected in every sca; and wherever it has fought against the Castilian flag, it has left a monument of our superiority. "Naval schools have been formed in Carthagena and Guayaquil, as far as the limited means at the disposal of the executive admitted." The message closes as follows: "This is the present state of our republic, in every branch of its administration. Friendship and the best disposition with the American and foreign governments-regularities in treaties and conventionsorder and tranquility in the interior-respect and submission to the laws-a free press-the increase

of public education-well founded hopes of improving the national wealth-an army covered with glory, consecrated entirely to the cause of liberty and independence; and sufficient resources to meet any event, and to sustain its dignity, government and laws. It is for you to remove the obstacles that impede the rapid progress of this republic to happiness and prosperity, and reform those defects to which public opinion pointed out, and which you acknowledge to exist. If we cast our eyes back on the period when the code of laws was first published, and recollect what Colombia was then, we shall perceive, with agreeable surprise, that we have made a rapid stride, and conquered vast difficulties. This ought to animate us to prosecute our designs with the greatest zeal and patriotism. The executive firmly believes, that these virtues exist in the legislative body; and you, I hope, will have sufficient confidence in me to believe, that I shall afford all the assistance that the experience of administration may have placed in my power; and above all, I shall be extremely punctual in the execution of your wise deliberations."

[Signed by FRANCISCO DE P. SANTANDER, and dated at Bogota, January 2, 1825.]

The following is the definitive reply of the executive power of COLOMBIA to the commission from HAYTI, which is mentioned in the last message of the vice-president.

REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA.

Secretary of state's office for foreign affairs,

Palace of the government, in the capital of Bogota, 15th July,

1824-14.

To senor J. Derrviers Chanlater, &c.
Sir-I have had the honor of in-

forming the executive of the communication you did me the favor of placing in my hands on the 6th inst., in which you unfold the objects of the mission with which you were charged by the government of Hayti to that of Colom

bia, with various documents, from no doubt, the day is not far distant No. 1 to 10. when Colombia can employ, with effect, her good offices (as a power generally recognized) in favor of those American states who have not yet arrived thereto. This same principle appears to have persuaded your government of the utility of not making to the states of America, (formerly Spanish,) a proposition, such, as in 1824, was directed to this country.

It is very apparent, sir, that your government has not allowed you more than the short period of twenty days to negotiate an affair of so much importance, and which requires, in its nature, a very long and deliberate consideration in the state of political relations in the civilized world. But as it is not in your power to remain a longer time in this capital, I proceed to answer the said communication, suspending, for a time, the despatch of affairs of great importance, which, at this moment, occupy the attention of my government, and in the happy accomplishment of which the cause of the liberty of South America in general is deeply interested.

The government of Hayti desires, as you do me the favor of stating, to conclude with this country a treaty of alliance, defensive and commercial, pledging mutual assistance, in money, provisions, and munitions of war, against the foreign enemies of both parties.

This will materially change the favorable position in which Colombia and her allies find themselves at present respecting the European powers, multiplying, unjustly and without cause, the number of their foreign enemies. I hope, sir, that you will agree with me, that such a state of affairs is not, nor can be, in any manner, advantageous to your country, or to mine. Colombia particularly entertains well founded hopes to see shortly established relations of peace and good correspondence with the government of his most christian majesty; and it appears to me that the affairs of Hayti are progressing to a final establishment of the same, for,

You know perfectly well, sir, that even the president Petion himself, (although animated with that bcneficent and philanthropic spirit which will always entitle him to the respect of the human race,) was obliged to yield to the obligations which his magisterial office imposed on him, thereby showing to the Spanish government that Hayti had not taken any active part in the contest on Terra Firma. On the contrary, he gave orders, (to satisfy the Spaniards,) that the vessels which carried emigrants to Margaritta and other ports, should be examined, in the strictest manner, by the cruisers of Hayti; but this is not to undervalue the important favors that general Bolivar, now liberator president of Colombia, and his unfortunate companions, owe to the particular generosity of the president Petion. It is well known, that the president Petion proceeded with so much prudence and wisdom, that the Spanish government could never cast the slightest imputation on him of having infringed, in any manner, the neutrality which Hayti, as well as the powers of Europe and America, maintained, from the beginning of the war which Spain carried on with her ancient colonies, till the present hour. Colombia is, besides, bound by a so

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