secure possession of the money, goods and ships they unjustly seize, is to massacre the proprietor.

The most civilized people are not those among whom the sciences and the arts have attained the highest degree of cultivation; but those who have enacted the wisest laws, who possess the most correct ideas of the rights of nations, who have established the empire of justice and who enforce respect to the claims of humanity. Thus contemplated, the youth of nations resembles that of individuals; it is better than their old age; and hence there is less of barbarism in America than in Europe. She still owes to us two great lessons, the abolition of the slave trade and the abolition of piracy, without, or with letters of marque.

VOL. II. No. 5.

WAR AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

Persuaded that the enemies of the independence of the New World were subdued, and that the most anxious solicitude of the Americans, 'after the conquest of their liberty, was the attainment of peace, we flattered ourselves two months ago, that the effusion of blood had ceased, from the moment their rights seemed sufficiently protected against future invasion. It appears, however, that we indulged the illusion of a deceptive hope. One of the new republics, whose policy, in the appreciation of human life, attaches to it a much less degree of value than ourselves, is of opinion, that its sacrifice is justified by the most frivolous and unimportant interests. Since the publication of the last Number, an insurrection has taken place at Monte Video, from the circumstances of which, it is sufficiently evident, that the government of Buenos Ayres was implicated in this event, and that it was assuming an attitude of hostility against its neighbour, the emperor of Brazil. Severe recriminations, the sudden renewal of relinquished claims, and the cries of war, in the midst of the most profound peace, are the confirmations of this statement. The issue of the event will unquestionably soon determine on which side the aggression originated; and it is very probable that the whole blame will be imputed to the vanquished party.

This unaccountable rupture, on the banks of La Plata, will undoubtedly have suggested many reflections: we shall confine ourselves to one, and thenenter upon a statement of facts. If the hostility of Buenos Ayres is isolated, and has no extent beyond that of a local interest; in other words, if it is limited to Monte Video, it may be pronounced an act of the most decided frenzy; for in politics, right must never be contradicted by fact; but, in this instance, the fact which arises from the superiority of the Brazilian forces is unquestionable. If, on the contrary, the insurrection of Monte Video supported by BuenosAyres, is only a first aggression in a series forming a general attack, directed by all the states of America against the existence of the Brazilian monarchy, it is evident, that an undertaking of this nature may reduce the whole of America to a state of chaos, and plunge it into an abyss of inextricable difficulties. However founded or unfounded this conjecture, there is, we trust, no fallacy in the expectation, that nations whom experience has taught wisdom, and the Liberator, whose judgment is incapable of being deceived, will repel the suggestions of particular interests or individual discontent, and direct their united efforts to the general welfare of the great American family.

The following are the facts that have led to these reflections, which are only introductory to the subject relating to the war in Monte Video, and to which, should subsequent events require it, we shall direct our attention.

On the 6th of May, three hundred men from Buenos Ayres, having landed upon the eastern coasts of La Plata, surprised a party of two hundred Brazilian

horsemen, and also some imperial detachments, who were compelled to abandon Maldonado and other advanced posts. The insurgents joined by some disaffected men, were under the command of Laballeja. A short time after, the forces placed under the command of General Frutuozo Rivero, a native of Monte Video, in the service of Brazil, passed over with the

*The following account, therefore of one of the principal leaders of the insurrection may be acceptable.

Frutuozo Rivera was in the service of Artigas; and when the fortunes of this chieftain were declining, he entered the Brazilian service as colonel, and was afterwards promoted to the rank of brigadier, and decorated with orders of distinction. He has now deserted from the latter service, not for want of pay, which was punctually received, but through the intrigue and seduction of a certain person, whose name, as he is still behind the curtain, will be disclosed in proper time. Rivera continued in the Brazilian him to make known his own published at Rio de Janeiro. printed at that capital, the following selections have been made. The first is a proclamation to the troops under his command, when they proclaimed the emperor of Brazil at Colonia do Sacramente, on the 17th of October, 1822:

During the period that Frutuozo service, circumstances obliged personal opinions, which were From a collection of papers

"Soldiers !-Twelve years of war, fatal to our political emancipation, have brought us to the precipice of ruin, with as much haste as we expressed eagerness to obtain it. This result was to have been expected; the smallness of our territory, the scantiness of our means, and various other causes that should have been foreseen, have opposed our efforts, and our blood has been wasted to the most useless purpose. The remedy for so many evils and misfortunes has been learned by experience; we needed the support

general to the disaffected party, whose force was then increased to two thousand men. The united insurgents attacked the fortress, but were vigorously repulsed by the garrison under the command of General Lecor, in

of a strong power, our neighbour, to enable us to suppress ambitious and anarchical men, who wished to augment their own fortunes and power, even at the expense of our misery and annihilation, when our existence is certainly more valuable than that of these fratricides. If they do all they can to favour their personal interest, is it not just that we should exert every effort to tranquillize at once our beloved country?

"Soldiers!-Confirming now our wishes for twelve years past, shout with me, 'Long live our holy religion! Long live the independence of Brazil, and of this Cispalatine State (Banda Oriental!) Long live, &c. &c.

"FRUTUOZO RIVERA."

On the 7th of January, 1823, being still a Colonel, and being, invited by Don Alvaro da Castra, the last European Portuguese general at Monte Video, to abandon the Brazilian service and to enter that of the king of Portugal, he, in his reply, said—“ To place this country (Banda Oriental) under the protection of a strong and liberal neighbouring government for its protection and security from the influence of those whose personal ambition and projects would urge it to the same misery, poverty, and ruin which it lately suffered, and to give it that peace and tranquillity necessary to restore its prosperity, I and my officers will constantly labour. For this desirable object, this regiment will continue in this part of the imperial government, even without pay, which is not now wanting. "ANOIO DA VIRGEM, "FRUTUOZO RIVERA."

Some days after, it was published at Monte Video, that he was engaged in negotiations with Don Alvaro. To do away that suspicion, he published the following declaration :