Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

From the Kentucky Reporter.
SOUTH AMERICA,
Extract of a letter from an intelligent
American at Buenos Ayres, to a gentleman
in Lexington-dated March 8, 1818.

"We are here at last after a voyage
of three months, having stopped ten days
at Rio de Janeiro, and four at Monte
Video. I wish I could give you a faithful
transcript of the impressions made
on my mind in the course of this interesting
period of my life, but I regret
that the limits of a letter will not allow
me. The short time I have been
here will not allow me to speak my opinion
with perfect confidence on a variety
of important topics; there are some
however, on which I cannot be mistaken,
although I must reserve for some opportunity,
when I can have the pleasure of
conversation with you, the account of
the mode in which my opinions are formed.

On our arrival here, the English and
Americans who crowded around us, (for
they appeared at our Consul's very much
mixed with each other) seemed to vie
with each other in giving the most unfavorable
accounts of the people and government
of the country, but in the
midst of their accounts they let out
some things which to me spoke in their
favor. On a more particular examination
of the characters of the individuals who
thus spoke, I found, in every instance,
that circumstances existed which rendered
their testimony suspicious. In casting
my eyes around, I could very readily
see the cause of their being despised
by the British, for nothing is to be seen
throughout the city, but the plainness
and simplicity of republicanism. In the
streets none but plain citizens, or republican
soldiers, are to be seen; the latter
having somewhat a militia appearance;
but I did not like them the less on that
account. I assure you, sir, notwithstanding
the numerous acts of this government,
which may be justly condemned, I feel
myself here in a land of freedom
and where an American will find
more to remind him of his country, than
in any government in the world. This
is saying much, but it is no less true.

Our stay at Rio has been of infinite
service to us, by furnishing our minds
with a picture of despotism to contrast
with the state of things at this place.
Yesterday a person gave me, as he thought,
a most appalling description of the state
of parties here, and with great confidence
told me, that a portion of the people
was in favor of this system, and another
of a different one, &c. I put this simple
question to him: "How is the public
sentiment ascertained?" For this he
was not prepared. I then told him, that
at Rio de Janeiro there was no parties:
that the people neither spoke nor thought
of politics. An Englishman, expecting
to raise contempt in my mind for a
straggling fellow who passed by with a
couple of epaulettes-that fellow, said
he, a little while ago kept a grog shop-
he is now a militia colonel! I told him,
that in our country it was not uncommon
to see Generals feeding hogs.

The proper mode of judging of these
people, is by looking at the past and the
future; to see the advancement they have
made, and what they will probably make.
It is enough for the present that the spirit
of liberty, the desire of independence,
the desire for improvement, is deeply
rooted, although perhaps badly directed.
Even if they possessed the previous advantages
that we had, it would be unfair
to compare them with what we are now.
It is admitted on all hands that their
progress has been very considerable, and
I see no reason why it will not continue.
You once suggested to me the advantages
they would derive from national
songs-I find they have a number which
are sung on all occasions; their sentiments
are purely republican. This, together
with the number of persons who
are called forth from the most humble
and obscure situations, to act considerable
parts, surely must tend to elevate
and enlighten. The number of persons,
more or less connected with the civil
and military, is necessarily great. Amongst
the reproaches heaped on these
people by strangers, what appeared to
me very curious, I heard them reproached
with national vanity! One of these patriots,
I was told, declared that North
America had produced but one Washington,
while the South had produced
a hundred! There is one thing universally
admitted, and that is, the great
equality existing throughout the society.
an equality which has not been enforced,
but exists in the same manner as in the
United States. Here is certainly the
basis on which to build a republican government.
As I did not come here to
look for miracles, I am not disappointed.
with respect to the administration of the
government, the state of finance, the irregularities
of those in office, from the
want of powers being properly defined.
the deficiency in general knowledge, &c.
these are topics upon which much may be
justly said against the country. There
is one thing certain, that all I have heard
alleged against it, would have excited
no particular attention at Rio, as being
of course.

The shortness of the time which has
elapsed since my arrival, will not enable
me to say any thing worth writing down
on the subject of the government. Its
enemies call it a military republic, but I
assure you it is nothing but a republic
and I believe can be nothing else. The
story of their wishing a king so may
rely upon it, 's absolutely ridiculous. In
the vessel which brought us up from Monte
Video, there were several persons
in the lower walks of life who talked
politics and sung their national song,
something like our Hail Columbia.
These people who can hardly be presumed
to speak any other than the sentiments
of the hundreds, which compose
the class of society in which they move,
had quite as rational and as enthusiastic
notions on the subject of government,
as people of the same occupations and
education in our own country. One of
them told me that he thought Rousseau's
Social Compact a visionary thing, but
that Paine's Common Sense and Rights of
Man were sober and rational productions.
The priests are all natives, and all republicans.
Their influence is much diminished-the
younger part of the community are becoming
perhaps, too carelessly
on the subject of their religion.- There
is no religious intolerance; every one
is free to worship in his own way.

Our arrival, I am informed, has excited
the most extravagant joy; to be noticed
in any manner by a respectable government,
and more particularly by us,
whom they admire more than any people
in the world, is highly gratifying. In
the present state of the world, the feeling
of one republican nation towards another
republican nation, is not to be
described, and cannot be known to kings
and their servants. We have it in our
power to direct and fix the destinies of
a great people. Good Heaven! is it possible
that our enlightened statesmen cannot
lift up their minds to the magnitude
of the subject?

With respect to the capacity of these
people for defence against any force that
can be sent against them, it is admitted
by all. To any one who has been an
hour on the spot, the attempt of Spain
with the assistance of any nation in Europe,
to subjugate them, must appear almost
ridiculous, when we see that at
Monte Video the whole Portuguese force
is shut up by two hundred men.-Thirty
thousand men can be brought to the defence
of this capital, every house of
which is a complete fortress. The difficulties
of the navigation are also of such
a nature as to render it difficult for any
large body of troops to be transported
with safety. The Portuguese are wasting
their men and money in the most
childish manner. any one on the spot
will see in five minutes that it is utterly
impossible for them to make the slightest
progress. The disputes between Artigas
and this government, I will endeavour to
explain when I shall become better
acquainted with them.

The people here are under the impression,
that England is only waiting for the
United States to acknowledge Buenos
Ayres, in order to follow the example.-
The simple acknowledgement of these
people will be productive of consequences
of which you can scarcely form an
idea. The importance attached to it by
them, is such, that there is hardly a man
who would not give almost half of what
he is worth that it should take place. I
do not hesitate to say, that the moment
we acknowledge them, they will adopt
every feature of our government and constitution,
and such is the idea which they
have of the justice, wisdom, and disinterestedness
of our country, that they
will be guided by our advice in every
thing.

I have not the least doubt that
the commissioners will be applied to for
the purpose of healing the civil dissensions
which have existed between Artigas
and this people. I assure you
I am enthusiastic. I have good authority
for what I state."