VENEZUELA. 



April 19th, 18 ic, contained orders to arreft the captain- 

 general, and the menribers of the audiencia, who were fent 

 to the United States of America : it was decreed that the 

 alacabala, or duty on felling any commodity, fhould be abo- 

 hfhed, the tribute paid by the Indians, and the flave-trade ; 

 that freedom of commerce, agriculture, &c. (hould be efta- 

 bhflied ; and that thefe political changes (hould be made 

 public, and communicated to the Englifh government. 

 Juntas were formed for fimilar purpofes in different pro- 

 vinces. The regency of Spain was incenfed, and it de- 

 clared all the ports attached to the new government to be in 

 a ftate of blockade ; and orders were given for reducing 

 Venezuela to its former fubjeftion. When thefe orders 

 proved ineffectual, fpies and emifTaries of every defcription 

 were fent to all parts of Venezuela, for the purpofe of 

 effefting a counter-revolution. General Miranda reached 

 the fliores of Caraccas in the end of 1810, notwithftanding 

 the inftruftions given by the junta fuprema for oppofing the 

 return of the general to his native country, with a view of 

 evincing the moderate plan of conduft which the junta had 

 adopted towards Spain. A general congrefs met, and the 

 plan of a confederation, as the bed fort of government for 

 Venezuela, was formed and adopted. Miranda, however, 

 oppofed it, and his conduct gave offence. In April, 181 1, 

 the congrefs nominated three perfons, who were to confti- 

 tute the executive power, which was very limited. Al- 

 though feveral perfons were fecretly defirous of reunion 

 with the mother-coimtrv, they durft not avow it, fo earneft 

 were the inhabitants of Caraccas for independence. The 

 anniverfary of the revolution, on the 19th of April, was 

 kept with great rejoicings. A moll alarming confpiracy 

 was juft ready to break out in June, 18 11, but it was dif- 

 covered and defeated. In the midft of the profperity of 

 Venezuela, it was vifited, March 26th, 18 12, by a moff 

 tremendous earthquake, which deftroyed nearly 20,oco 

 perfons. The towns of Caraccas, La Guayra, May- 

 quetia, Merida, and Sanfehpe, were totally demolifhed ; and 

 Barquifimento, Valencia, La ViAoria, and others, fuffered 

 very confiderably. At this crifis, general Miranda had the 

 command of the armv, and general Monteverde commanded 

 the royalifts. Caraccas at length fell under the power of 

 the royalifts ; the republican army was dilbanded ; and Mi- 

 randa, with many others, proceeded to La Guayra, intend- 

 ing there to embark for Carthagena. But Miranda was 

 betrayed, and he, with nearly 1000 patriots, were thrown 

 into dungeons at La Guayra and Puerto Cabello. In con- 

 fequence of this difafter, Cumana and Barcelona acknow- 

 ledged the authority of Monteverde ; and other fimilar 

 events occurring, the Spanifh government refumed its au- 

 thority in Venezuela. Vengeance filled the mind of Monte- 

 verde. The Spaniards thought, by deftroying the in- 

 habitants of Venezuela, the firft province which had (haken 

 off their yoke, to punifii in them the infurreClion of the 

 whole fouthern continent. Every royalift became a public 

 accufer ; every prifon was filled with patriots ; and almoft 

 the whole population were under confinement. This con- 

 duct of the royalifts, inilead of conciliating, excited the 

 hatred of the inhabitants ; and the courage of thofe who 

 were attached to the caufe of independence revived. The 

 province of Cumana firlt oppofed the oppreffion of Monte- 

 verde ; and here he was twice defeated. Don Simon Bo- 

 livar, one of the moll diltinguilhed natives of Caraccas, 

 obtained from the congrefs of New Grenada near 600 men ; 

 and with thefe he felt confident that he Ihould be able to 

 conquer the enemies of his country. Bolivar, after a variety 

 of profperous adventures, was rapidly advancing towards 

 Caraccas, where the inhabitants waited for him, as their 



deliverer. A junta was affembled, and it was propofed to 

 make propofals of capitulation to Bolivar. The general 

 accepted the offered treaty, and granted leave to any perfon, 

 who was defirous of it, to emigrate from Venezuela, and to 

 withdraw his property. The articles of the treaty, though 

 they were extremely liberal, were difapproved by the captain- 

 general Monteverde, becaufe it was derogatory to the dig- 

 nity of the Spanifh nation to treat with infurgents. Bolivar 

 made his triumphant entry into the city of Caraccas, amidft 

 the congratulations of the inhabitants, on the 4th of Auguil, 

 1813. The dungeons of La Guayra were thrown open, 

 and thofe who had furvived a year's confinement were re- 

 ftored to their country and friends ; while the people, 

 ihouting with joy, bleffed their deUverer, at the fight of 

 every individual who rulhed from the prifons. In the midft 

 of this popular ferment, none of the Spaniards were in- 

 fulted. The provinces which formed the republic of Vene- 

 zuela were again in the power of the patriots ; but Monte- 

 verde obftinately perfifted in refufing to treat with Bolivar. 

 In the mean while, Monteverde received from Spain a re- 

 inforcement of about 1 200 Spanifh troops ; and thinking 

 himfelf warranted to aft offenfively, he attacked the repub- 

 licans, but was completely defeated. Almoft all the 

 Spaniards were killed or taken prifoners, and Monteverde 

 himfelf was feverely wounded. After this defeat, Bolivar 

 laid fiege to Puerto Cabello both by fea and land. But the 

 royalifts retiring into the fortrefs, determined not to fur- 

 render. Bolivar, in invading Venezuela under the protec- 

 tion of the congrefs of New Grenada, had received orders 

 to reinftate the republican congrefs ; but this he did not 

 think it advifable to do. Bolivar, however, having given 

 an account of his intentions and operations, in the invafion 

 of Venezuela, to an affembly that had been convened of 

 perfons of all ranks, refigned the fupreme authority which 

 he held. But the governor of Caraccas propofed, and his 

 propofal was agreed to, that Bolivar, denominated the 

 " Libertador de Venezuela," fhould be invefted with difta- 

 torial authority, till the reunion of the provinces of Vene- 

 zuela to thofe of New Grenada, under the fame reprefenta- 

 tivc form of government. The Spaniards, not being able 

 to fubdue Venezuela, determined to deftroy it. Accord- 

 ingly the flaves were to be raifed in rebellion againft their 

 mafters. The number of flaves in Venezuela amounted to 

 70,000 ; and one of the moft formidable emiffaries for this 

 purpofe was Boves, over whom Bolivar obtained a fignal 

 vidory at La Vittoria. After gaining feveral other con- 

 fiderable advantages over the royalifts, Bolivar confidered 

 himfelf as fecure in the poffeflion of Venezuela ; and turned 

 his attention to Coro and Los. Llanos, whither the enemy 

 had fled. But as the three dinfions of the repubhcan army 

 were feparated many leagues from each other, Bolivar was 

 attacked by Boves on a plain called La Puerta, nearly 

 50 leagues from Caraccas, and, after many hours fighting, 

 compelled to abandon the field to Boves. Other difafters 

 alfo occurred, and from this time confufion reigned among 

 the patriots, and there was no longer any army for the pro- 

 teftion of Caraccas. Succefs no longer attended Bolivar ; 

 his former good fortune had forfaken him ; and even the 

 commander of his flotilla, which protefted the coaft, refufed 

 to obey his orders. Defpairing of the independence of his 

 country, he and a few of his chofen officers, who were 

 wiUing to partake his ill fortune, embarked for Carthagena. 

 From Carthagena he proceeded to the town of Tunja, 

 where the congrefs of New Grenada was fitting ; and he 

 was commiffioned by the congrefs to compel by force the 

 city of Santa Fe de Bogota to acknowledge its authority. 

 In this he fucceeded ; after which he was fent with 3000 



4 men 



