STATE PAPERS. 



521 



power, have, and of right, ought 

 to have submitted to her guidance 

 and direction during the period of 

 their infancy, when, from imbeci- 

 lity and weakness, they were inca- 

 pable of their own government and 

 protection. 



But Spain, deprived of her king 

 by the unparalleled perfidy of 

 the emperor of the French, her 

 European states vanquished by his 

 treachery and his arms, and the 

 ancient, lawful, and acknowledged 

 government of the country de- 

 stroyed by the violent outrages of 

 his sanguinary policy, there exists 

 neither reason, right, nor justice, 

 for continuing our dependence on 

 a power that has no existence but 

 in memory ; policy and self preser- 

 vation, therefore, demand that we 

 should provide for our common 

 safety, and the protection of these 

 provinces, by taking into our hand 

 the natural sovereignty of our 

 country. 



The period has at length arri- 

 ved, when these united provinces 

 possess both the strengtli and the 

 power to protect themselves. With 

 a population of nine millions of 

 inhabitants, with an extent of 

 fertile territory superior to any 

 empire on the globe, and abound- 

 ing with all the riches that boun- 

 teous nature ever bestowed on the 

 human race, it would be contrary 

 to sound policy, in the present 

 state of the world, to submit, 

 and we are determined no longer 

 to submit to the domination of 

 any European or foreign power 

 whatever. 



For whilst a lawful government 

 existed in Spain, and her legitimate 

 king sat upon her throne, we have 

 ever been loyal to his person, and 

 faithful to his government ; andour 

 treasures have been the only sup- 



port of the European monarchy 

 and its allies, whilst we had no in- 

 terest whatever, and our country 

 drained of those riches which na- 

 ture has bestowed upon the inha- 

 bitants of America, for their own 

 happiness, support, and defence. 



Under these considerations, to 

 prevent the inevitable and ruinous 

 consequences of falling under the 

 yoke of the emperor of the French, 

 the tyrant of Europe, and the op- 

 pressor of Spain, We, the Spanish 

 Provinces in America, declare 

 ourselves a free, sovereign, and 

 independent people, not acknow- 

 ledging the domination of any 

 power on earth, refusing submis- 

 sion and denying and repelling 

 the authority of whatever natiorj 

 may attempt dominion over us. 

 This we unanimously engage 

 and pledge ourselves to maintain 

 and support with our lives, our 

 fortunes, and our sacred honours, 

 calling upon every inhabitant of 

 the provinces to aid and support 

 in carrying into effect this our 

 laudable and just resolution, and 

 establishing for ourselves and our 

 posterity, a free, equitable, and 

 independent government, that 

 shall secure ourhappiness, and give 

 us a place of honour and respect 

 among the independent nations of 

 the earth. 



And we do earnestly entreat all 

 foreign nations to guarantee our 

 independence, and to favour us 

 with such alliance and assistance as 

 mayenable us to defeat the designs 

 of the enemies of our country. 



By thus disavowing our depen- 

 dence on Spain, we solemnly ap- 

 peal to Heaven for the rectitudeof 

 our intentions, and we do protest 

 before the sacred majesty of God 

 himself, that in all our measures 

 we have ever been actuated by 



