J. P. Robinson, Superintendent of the Province of Nelson, New Zealand.
APPENDIX VII.
New Granada has now taken the title of the United States of Colombia, as appears from the following document translated from the Spanish circular to the Diplomatic Officials and Consuls of the United States of Colombia.
Secretary of State and Foreign Affairs.
Sir,—
In order that you may be exactly acquainted with the situation of the country, the undersigned Secretary of State, proposes to inform you every fortnight of the progress of the nation, setting forth fully and frankly all that has been done, neither misrepresenting nor omitting anything which, whether favourable or adverse to the new order of things in Colombia, may be worthy of your notice.
You are not ignorant that since July 18, 1861, when the Federal Government came into power in Bogota, the States of Cauca, Antioquia, Santander, and Tolima have continued in the hands of the Centralists. You are not ignorant that the decrees of "Tincion and Desamortizacion" of effects in mortmain, put forth during the days which followed the 18th of July, provoked the most violent discontent on the part of the ultramontane clergy; and that these clergy, exchanging piety for gain,
and setting aside all the Christian precepts of charity, renunciation of worldly goods, moderation, and submission to the powers that be, placed themselves in open rebellion, and endeavoured by every possible means to subvert the peace. Thus Romanism succeeded in raising in Santander an army of 3000 men, in Tolima another of 1000, and in Boyacá and Cundinamarca several armed companies, one of which (that of Guasca) numbered upwards of 1000 soldiers. The Government did not, nevertheless, concern itself much about this, because on its side were reason, opinion, and strength. Now, I am glad to tell you, that out of the nine States of the Colombian Union, seven enjoy an order and tranquillity as absolute as unchangeable. The heroic State of Santander, so maltreated by the Centralists during four years, does not contain on its soil one armed enemy, and its Government, diligent and efficient in peace as in war, is directing its attention to the re-establishment of commerce and the good exercise of its administration. The faction of Tolima, after having committed incalculable depredations and excesses, has been completely subdued. The parties fomented in Boyacá and Cundinamarca have been broken up; the only one which has hitherto been able to maintain a footing, although considerably diminished, that of Guasca, has been overcome during the last few days, its chief having been killed in battle. The only disturbed States are therefore now those of Cauca and Antioquia. Thus, then, considering that the seven States in which order and peace reign, Panama, Bolivar, Magdalena, Santander, Boyacá, Cundinamarca, and Tolima, are on the coast, in the north and centre; that is to say, the most important ones in a commercial, financial, and military point of view, because in them are principally found the ports through which our foreign commerce is carried on, the rich custom-houses, the salt mines, the navigable rivers, the most valuable riches, the most abundant agricultural produce, the sources of our exports, the great mass of the population, and the greatest amount of the national strength; it may very reasonably be concluded that Colombian order rests upon firm bases,—and considering, further, that in the two States still unquiet, the disturbers are reduced to very narrow limits, having no port through which to introduce the elements of war, no funds at their disposal to increase or maintain their present force;—that public opinion is generally against them, seeking all means
of showing them hostility, of diminishing their army, and of closing to them all resources;—that they are closely threatened by a numerous, trained, enthusiastic army, in perfect discipline, and well supplied with provisions and ammunition;—that this army, part of which occupies the south of the valley of Cauca, another part the Andes of Quindio, and the other preparing at Mompos to penetrate, if necessary, into Antioquia, commanded by experienced generals, under the immediate direction of the President of the Union;—and lastly, that the insurgent troops will amount at most but to a third part of those sent against them by the Government; that they are in want both of provisions and arms, as also of able generals:—when all this is considered, I say, it must be concluded that ere long peace will be re-established in these two States as it has already been in the rest of Colombia. It is not without regret that the President is about to undertake military operations against the two disturbed States, for his most earnest desire has been to establish tranquillity by means of conciliation, without fighting. The conduct observed by him since the commencement of the civil war has been in keeping with this desire. Only to mention recent events, hardly was Bogota occupied in 1861, ere he addressed himself with this object in the most conciliating terms to the Governments of the insurgent States. That of Antioquia had not even the courtesy to answer him. A new and even more advantageous offer of peace, on the occasion of convoking the National Convention, has been made, proving the patriotic feeling of the President and the obduracy of the Centralists ruling in Antioquia. And it must be remembered that the leniency of the Government of the Union is so much the more praiseworthy, as it has been the Government of Antioquia which has brought upon Cauca the calamity which has now prostrated it. In fact, peace and law would have obtained there many months ago, but for a cruel faction supported and reinforced by the Antioquian Government, who renewed it when it was failing, supplied it with money and munitions, assisted it with military forces, and maintained anarchy and, not alarm, but terror, in the State of Cauca. But notwithstanding these weighty motives for inducing the Government of the Union to send its army against the State of Antioquia, yet with great magnanimity it has declared that it will only do so in the event of the Government of Antioquia