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ADDRESS.

THE commencement of a new Volume imposes on the Proprietors and Editors of the LITERARY PANORAMA, the grateful task of expressing their acknowledgements for the support and encouragement, which it has received for upwards of ten years. During that eventful period, they reflect with pleasure that their journal has been the vehicle of more information connected with the domestic concerns and the national commerce of Britain, than any of its competitors for public favour. At the same time they can confidently appeal to their past labours in proof of their successful pains, in delineating the condition and resources of the great powers of the eastern and western hemispheres, and in furnishing early and important information relative to the transactions which have taken place in the theatre of Europe. But while these momentous topics have justly claimed their primary attention, it has been the aim of the editors to render the Literary Panorama, a valuable repository of information on every subject, whether connected with literature, the Fine or Useful Arts, Philanthropic Plans and Institutions, &c. &c. that can interest either the legislator or the private individual. To the success with which this department of the Literary Panorama has been conducted the Editors have on various occasions received the most satisfactory testimonials.

In looking forward to the future, they have no new promises to make, no new plans to develope. By their old Friends and Patrons, they trust the LITERARY PANORAMA will be found to evince the same priority and interest of information which characterize its former volumes. But, as this Address may fall into the hands of some, who may not be fully acquainted with its plan, the Editors and Proprietors beg respectfully to recapitulate its principal features.

The LITERARY PANORAMA, then, comprizes

I. A Monthly compendium of National Papers and Parliamentary Reports, illustrative of the History, Statistics, and Commerce of the British Empire.

II. An universal Epitome of interesting and useful Intelligence from all Quarters of the Globe.

III. A Review of Books,-not the productions of Britain only, but those of all civilized countries. For the improvement of this department, new and extensive arrangements have been made, by which we shall be enabled, in future, to give more ample notices of Foreign Literature, and, especially that of the Wes

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tern world. Of the value of these arrangements, particularly as they respect the United States of America, the PRESENT NUMBER will enable our readers to judge, as it contains a variety of statistical and literary intelligence relative to that rising power, which has not hitherto been laid before the British public.

IV. A Magazine of Varieties: the whole forming at the conclusion of the year V. An Annual Register of Trade, Navigation, and Politics, to which posterity may with confidence refer.

On the minuter subdivisions of our work we do not think it necessary to expatiate. We therefore observe, that while our attention will be principally directed to the most important of the subjects just enumerated, we shall not neglect more light and more agreeable topics. We can be gay as well as geave: we can "shoot folly," as well as promote science. We reject nothing useful or pleasant, whether it come from the North or the South, rom the East or the West. The general reader and the Man of Letters,-the Merchant and the Manufacturer,-the Politician and the Philanthropist,-the Inquisitive in general,EACH will find something suited to his taste, On these endeavours our pretensions to popularity and distinction have been founded and favourably received: persuaded that they will henceforth be more strongly supported and more completely justified, we presume respect_ fully to solicit the continuance and extension of Public Patronage, in behalf of our Journal,

As the LITERARY PANORAMA contains the most general Account of MERITS ATTENTION, it EUROPEAN POLITICS, COMMERCE, AND WHATEVER forms the most valuable present that can be sent to friends in Foreign Countries: Orders are received for it by all Booksellers, Stationers, Newsmen, Post-Office Agents, &c. &c.

THE

LITERARY PANORAMA,

AND

National Register :

For FEBRUARY, 1819.

NATIONAL AND PARLIAMENTARY NOTICES,
(British and Foreign,)

PROSPECTIVE AND RETROSPECTIVE.

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REPORT

OF MR. GRAHAM, (One of the Commissioners sent by the United States of North America)

On the recent state of the Provinces in Spanish

South America.

Laid before the Congress of North America, by order of the President, November, 1818.]

portunity of choice was placed in a light so strong, and under circumstances so peculiar, that the least instructed perceived an era of uncommon importance, not merely opening, but absolutely opened, on their country. By this their relative situation was changed, and the bonds which had formed the strength of their attachment were broken; for the It was the boast of Spaniards, form- provinces of Spanish America held imerly, that the sun was always rising and mediately from the king. He was their setting on the dominions of Spain. They chief, their patron, their governor, withwere so extensive, and situated in parts out any intervening power. He delegaof the world so diversified and distant, ted his authority, and governed by that the revolution of day and night, as deputy; but his deputy represented the the earth rolled on its axis, brought pro- person of the sovereign, and the province after province, hourly, into the solar vinces were supposed to enjoy immedirays. Whether such possessions were ate access to the monarch. His laws deagreeable to the principles of nature and monstrate his regard; but to say that of natural politics, or whether they were they were always executed in the spirit not rather contraventions of those prin- of wisdom, or with the strictest inteciples, and therefore essentially tempo-grity, in provinces so distant, none will rary, was questioned, and could not but venture. To say that the persons sent be questioned, by reflecting minds.- from old Spain were always well chosen, But the matter was divested of all doubt that they had not bye-ends of their own and ambiguity, when Spain was seen to to serve, that they did not enter on their unite her endeavours to support the prin- employments in the spirit of adventure, ciples of revolution in North America. and did not conduct themselves in this Then was fixed the fate of her own co-spirit, when arrived at their several offices, lonies; then was the foundation laid exceeds our power. for those events which later years have It is true, also, that natives of Old' witnessed. By what hand the spring Spain were disposed to consider themmight be touched that. should give im- selves as a superior race, as well by napulse to these principles, could not be ture as by country, to natives of New foreseen, and on this conjectures might Spain; and as Spaniards are little favary; but, when Spain was deprived of mous for "meekness of wisdom," the her king, by the machinations of Napo- parties respectively soon discovered that leon, and a new name was offered to the they had separate interests; and this disbedience of Spanish America, the op-covery gradually hardened into fixed VOL. IX. No, 53. Lit, Pan. N. S. Feb. 1,

opposition. In proportion as this conviction became confirmed, the ties that held the colonies to the parent state became weaker: every day deducted a thread from the cord of affection, while, at the same time, loyalty experienced a strain. Its means of enduring that strain gradually diminished; and but for the habit of deference to the name of the king, the consequences would have been evident, long before the time at which they openly disclosed themselves.

dential agents to aim at this object, for the present. They are to state at full, and to magnify, all the advantages "to be derived from throwing off the European yoke:"-" the ecclesiastics are to persuade the penitents, when they come to confession, that the emperor Napoleon is sent by God to chastise the tyranny of monarchs, and that it is a mortal sin, admitting of no pardon, to resist God's will."-"They will tell the people (Indians as well as Spaniards) that their former monarch does not so much as exist in his own government, but is in the power of the restorer of liberty and the universal legislator, Napoleon." These doctrines, as prolific seed, fell into ground already prepared. Can it occasion wonder, that the crop has proved abundant? Can it occasion wonder, that the principles of Revolution being thus insidiously, but effectually propagated, those who had received them, should act on them? And when once called into action, that their energy should continue? And this, especially as Spain had no power effectually to counteract them and if in some places they might be checked, not even that It is worth our while to observe under minor success could be expected throughwhat pretences Joseph Napoleon endea-out countries so extensive, and provinces voured to delude Spanish America. so numerous, as those of her American Having no force at his disposal, with dominions. which to establish his authority, as a substitute for that of the lawful sovereign, he offers these provinces "liberty!-independence!" He directs his confi

When Joseph Napoleon was placed, by fraud, in the seat of the legitimate monarch, the moment was arrived for investigating the nature of the supreme authority, and that of the obedience it claimed. It was not due to Joseph. The Cortes were in opposition to Joseph: but it was not due to the Cortes. The interests of the colonies were supposed to be in opposition to those of the Cortes. The merchants of Cadiz, if we may believe Mr. Walton,* swayed the Cortes, and the charm of loyalty dissolved, as there was no king to keep it in action, Neither Charles nor Ferdinand could interpose; and loyalty scorned to acknowledge the Usurper.

* Comp. LIT. PAN. N. S. Vol. I. p. 846, +"The object which these agents are to aim at, for the present, is no other, than that of manifesting to, and persuading the Creoles of Spanish America, that H. I. and R. M. has solely in view, the giving liberty to a people, enslaved for so many years, without expecting any return for so great a boon, other than the friendship of the natives, and the commerce with the harbours of both Americas; that, to render South America free and independent from Europe, His said Majesty offers all the necessary assistance of troops and warlike stores, baving agreed with the United States of North America, to accommodate him therewith.

Copy of the Instructions given by the Usurper JOSEPH NAPOLEON, to the Commissary, or principal Agent, appointed by him at Baltimore (M. DESMOLARD) and to the others who, furnished with his Orders, have gone to Spanish America, for the purpose of revolutionizing it.

of progress, advancing towards maturity: These provinces were in various states their sentiments on the conduct of the mother country, were conceived with various degrees of force: their habits of intercourse with Old Spain were not all equally fixed, nor equally frequent: neither had all the same causes of complaint. Much, no doubt, depended on the personal conduct of their governors and men in office; and much on the character of those who stood forward to sanction resistance, and to assume the principal posts in the newly-created governments. We are not then to wonder, if these provinces act with different degrees of vigour; with distinct views of things, and intentions of consequences; with various proportions of confidence in each other's motives; and with alacrity or with reserve, according to the opinion they have formed of the principal lead ers, &c. &c.

On consulting the Map of SOUTH AMERICA, given in the first volume of our New Series, the reader will perceive that the Northern Provinces of that continent are separated from the Southern by a wide interval of country, and that the kingdom of Brazil lies between them. It is scarcely possible to suppose, that their interests can be common, when their distance from each other is so great. Nor is it possible to imagine, that the intervening power of Portugal, which touches on the north and on the south, should be wholly without effect; especially considering that the Queen of Portugal is a Princess of Spain; and that, in case of the decease of Ferdinand, she has, by descent, claims on the succession. It is but natural, that whatever of suppressed loyalty still lurks in the bosoms of Spaniards towards their former sovereigns, should favour a Spanish princess who has done them no wrong; and whose children partake her rights to their consideration,—not to say their duty, and their allegiance,

Our readers will have observed, that the PANORAMA has maintained a decided silence of the subject of. South America; partly, because of the difficulty of obtaining correct accounts from thence; for we knew that agents were employed to give false accounts to the public; but though our knowledge enabled us to detect their fallacies, we could not always elicit the real truth. Nor should the difficulty be overlooked, of forming that judgment on the whole, which might agree with the respective condition of the parts. That we were not singular in this, appears from the necessity felt by the government of the United States of America to obtain authentic information by means of commissioned agents. That government desired to know the truth, but perceived that the truth was not to be known by the usual means: it therefore sent out officers under public authority, and on their representation, no doubt, it will guide its conduct. But the reader is not to suppose, that even these commissioners have obtained a general view of the whole. Their Report refers to the South only; and it includes none of the Equatorial, or Northern Provinces.

They were sent to that part which was supposed to be most advanced towards a settled government, and most likely to become a valuable connexion.

Among the most instructive papers to which their mission has given occasion, is a Report by Mr. Graban, in which he combines the intelligence he had collected, and gives his opinion with great frankness and judgment. Of this paper we avail ourselves. The difficulty of obtaining correct information from the country visited by that gentleman and his coadjutors, (as already observed) is our reason, and must be our vindication, if any be needful.

The first thing that strikes us on perusing this statement is, the want of unity among the provinces. Buenos Ayres takes the lead: but Monte Video, with its adjacencies, on the opposite side of the river Plate, is jealous of the intentions of that city, fears to submit to its jurisdiction, and rather than coalesce, opposes arms to arms, and has defeated the force sent to reduce it to obedience.

Add to this, that the government of Santa Fé, a town situated eighty or ninety miles higher up the river, also refuses to acknowledge the government of Buenos Ayres, yet so much of the commerce of the principal town as passes up the river centered in Santa Fé; that it might have been supposed, the very connexions existing between the two places, would have ensured their combination and unity. This' jealousy of Buenos Ayres by her neighbours, who should best know her disposition, has an unpleasant aspect on her character, and consequently on that enterprize of which she is the head. From what does this aversion arise ?-If from a secret attachment to the former order of things, then we venture to suspect, that this sentiment is not wholly obliterated elsewhere:

if from a conviction, that however beneficial the revolution may prove to the metropolis, it would prove detrimental to these provinces, that they might change masters for the worse, then it is little honourable to the new government, which affects to take liberty for its basis.

The same remark does not so strongly apply to Paraguay, because that province was long subject to a very peculiar

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