Salomon, who came from Spain with the Spanish troops. Bolivar has offered to the successor of Monteverde, three different times, the same generous proposals as were before offered for the exchange of prisoners, but Salomon, refining on the obstinacy of his predecessor, has not only refused the exchange, on any of the ordinary usages of war, but in violation of a principle held sacred even among savages, he seized the person whom Bolivar despatched to Puerto Cavello with a flag of truce, on this humane mission, loaded him with fetters, and confined him in the fortress at Puerto Cavello; and what gives the highest aggravation to this outrage, is, that the individual charged with this mission, is an European Spanish priest, named Salvador Garcia, remarkable for the urbanity of his manners, and pure character. He was particularly selected by Bolivar, for the purpose of giving confidence and respect to the mission.—This infamous act, closed all further communication between the parties on this subject, except reciprocal me naces, in case either sacrificed the lives of the prisoners of the other. The war, now began to assume a new and more bloody aspect.-Bolivar gave no quarter in battle, nor expected any from his enemies.-Puerto Cavello was besieged by land, by the troops of Bolivar, and his flotilla strictly blockaded it by sea. The armies under the standard of Ferdinand VII., were every where defeated, and there was every probability, that a few weeks more, would place the natives in an attitude of great strength and confidence.-At this juncture (November and December last) the royal chiefs at Puerto Cavello, and the Spanish governor of Guayana deliberately formed the infernal project, of raising the slaves of Venezuela, against their owners.-This desperate plan must have originated under the barbarous idea, that as Venezuela was lost to Spain, the latter or her agents, were resolved it should likewise be lost to the natives of the country-To accomplish this scheme, various partizans of the Spanish government, were sent

into the interiour, to excite the slaves to insurrection, and to desolate the country.-The most conspicuous of these partizans, are, Boves, Rosette, Puy, and Palomo.-The three first are European Spaniards, the latter a negro, who has been long proscribed, as an assassin and robber.

Boves and Rosette, received their supplies of arms, ammunition, and money, from the governor of Guayana.-Puy and Palomo, received their auxiliaries, from Coro and Puerto Ca. vello These desperadoes have regularly corresponded with the other Spanish chiefs at Coro, Maracaybo, Puerto Cavello, and Guayana. Some of this correspondence, has been pub. lished in the Curacoa Gazette, and among the papers and despatches which have fallen into Bolivar's hands, the whole abominable plan is fully developed. It will be in vain, in future, for any of the Spanish chiefs of the places before mentioned, to say, that this conduct was unauthorized by them, because, without their direct aid, it never would have commenced, much less continued.-Were I to detail all the horrid excesses, committed by Boves and Rosette on their route from the river Oronoquo, to the valleys of Caracas, it would be scarcely possible to find a reader, who would believe such scenes of slaughter and de. vastation, credible.-Some idea, however, of the melancholy facts may be conceived, when I assert, that these monsters, in traversing a space of more than 400 miles, left no human being alive of any age or sex, except such as joined their standard. Freedom to the slaves, and the pillage of La Guayra and Caracas, were the incentives that Boves and Rosette, held out to these deluded wretches.-Wherever they came to a plantation, and found any hesitation among the negroes, they compelled them, by force, to join them.—In this manner, they inundated the fertile and highly cultivated valleys of Aragua and Tuy, destroying the works, and burning the produce of the country, in every direction.

d

With this overwhelming banditti, Boves and Rosette reached the vicinage of Caracas, in the beginning of February. The former took possession of Victoria, about 12 leagues from Caracas, while Rosette occupied the town of Occumare, only eight leagues distance.-It is true, that both have since been defeated by General Rivas (the Governor of Caracas) and Bolivar, but they have been dear bought victories to the Creole troops, because the disproportion of numbers was so great, that it became necessary for Bolivar and Rivas, to sacrifice, at least, one-third of their respective forces, in order to gain a battle.

Boves and Rosette's forces, are entirely composed of cavalry, and these of the best horses and mules in the province, because they had their choice of the immense number of these animals, which abound in the vast plains laying between Calabozo and Caracas.

Boves and Rosette, have, at least, under their orders seven or eight thousand men; of these, not more than fifty persons are whites or European Spaniards, and about 100 freemen of colour.-The rest are all slaves, negroes, and samboes.They are an athletic, hardy, aud desperate horde, which will, and must inevitably increase, unless speedily and decisively checked.

Bolivar, may be able, for a long while, to continue on the defensive, and from the measures he has recently taken, to fortify the cities of Caracas and La Guayra, I do not apprehend there is any immediate risque, of the white inhabitants being sacrificed, but as experience has fatally demonstrated the dificulty of stopping the progress of insurrection among slaves, even under the most energetic government, is very great; it will, consequently, be rendered much more so, under a government like that of Venezuela.

If, however, Bolivar and his associates, find it impossible to resist this alarming evil, and likewise have to prepare for re

sistance to any new force that may be sent from Spain; they will then adopt the only and dreadful alternative left them, viz. To declare the whole of the slaves of Venezuela free, and to enjoy the same rights as the whites.-If ever Bolivar resort to this measure, not a negro or coloured person will remain under the banners of Ferdinand VII. because, in general, they are attached to their Creole masters, and under them, would consider themselves much more secure in their freedom, than all the proclamations or offers to the same effect, from the Spanish government or its agents.-These are important and serious facts, which demand the immediate attention of those who are entrusted with the British military and naval commands, in these seas.- It is not, now, a question of interference, between the royalists and independents on the Spanish main.— It is, simply, whether we shall passively look on, and see the death blow given to every colonial possession in the West Indies, as nothing can be more palpable, than that if the revolt of the slaves in Venezuela, becomes general; it will take but a few years, to decide the fate of these islands, or whether a prompt interference, at this moment, will not be the means, to arrest this system of destruction to British

interests.

I have no hesitation in saying, that a prompt and decided interference on the part of His Britannic Majesty's military and naval chiefs, in these seas, would produce the desired effect. I am perfectly aware, that the British government, has expressly prohibited all interference, that is, the sword is not to be unsheathed in favour of either party, but it is not to be inferred, that a desire to be neutral, is to supercede the exercise of good offices in favour of humanity, or to be extended so far, as to quietly wait, until the flames of discord and in. surrection, reach our own doors.

Exclusive of imperious political reasons, for the interference of the British commanders in chief, there are other grounds which

strongly urge it.-There is, at this moment, at least half a million of dollars of British property, at Caracas and La Guayra, and likewise, a considerable number of British subjects, who went to that country for commercial purposes, with the knowledge and consent of the British government. They consequently flatter themselves, with its protection to extricate themselves and property, from the perilous state they are at present in, because there is no doubt in my mind, that if Boves and Rosette were to succeed in getting into Caracas, or if a local insurrection takes place among the slaves in the cities of La Guayra and Caracas, not a single white person, either Creole or stranger, would escape assassination, and every farthing of property, of course, would be plundered.

If Venezuela becomes a permanent theatre of insurrection, and a consequent asylum for the Negroes of these islands, the first and almost immediate effects of such a state of things, will be experienced at Tobago, Trinidad, Grenada, and every island in the vicinage of the main. It will be likewise spread, with electric rapidity, down toCartagena and Porto Bello,converting this beautiful section of the globe, into a wide scene of devastation and disorder, in place of its continuing, as it has been (and may hereafter be much more so) a vast and indefinite market for British trade, and for the consumption of British manufactures. Another (and surely not the least) serious motive to urge a prompt interference, is the voice of suffering humanity.

Among the tragic scenes lately committed at Venezuela, has been the murder, in cold blood, of several hundred Creoles by the Spanish chiefs at Porto Cabello, and about 1300 European Spaniards, by order, ('tis said) of Bolivar. It is also equally unnecessary, as it is painful to enquire who began this dreadful system of retaliatory vengeance. Both parties, will of course, endeavour to extenuate the horror of the deed, but no arguments or spirit of recrimination, can justify the excesses they have both committed. It will, however, be seen from the