390 SPANISH AMERICA, 



The crisis to the patriots was of course 

 difficult and perilous : the Congress of New- 

 Grenada issued a proclamation, dated Tunja, 

 the 1st of September 1814, assuring the 

 people, that they had only to choose be- 

 tween submitting to the most abject slavery, 

 or bravely fighting for their independ- 

 ence ; and that, to achieve the latter object, 

 it was absolutely essential that they should 

 be united amongst themselves. It is deeply 

 to be lamented, that the union which they 

 thus called for, and which was so obviously 

 necessary, should not have been at once 

 effected; nor cah it be otherwise than a sub- 

 ject for the greatest astonishment, that the 

 obstinacy, which so strongly characterized 

 the conduct of the Spaniards, should, under 

 the circumstances of their situation, be so 

 perversely imitated by some of the patriot 

 leaders. That, united, they should have 

 been as firmly determined to resist, as the 

 Spaniards were resolutely bent upon con- 



