Here bring to his head quarters, by force, all persons subject to the law. For this alleged arbitrary act, he was impeached before the senate; and being, of course, suspended from his command, was summoned to Bogota, to answer to the accusation. When upon the eve of departure, the soldiers assembled in Valencia, and committed various excesses, demanding their general, and refusing to serve under his successor, general Escalona. upon, the cabildo assembled, and reinstated Paez in his command; and the result was, that Valencia declared the province of Venezuela independent of the general government, and resolved to seek the erection of it into a separate state. This event caused the greatest consternation among merchants, and foreigners, who naturally anticipated all the horrors of civil war. Paez, however, having a force of more than 2,000 men under his immediate command, was competent to preserve order, unless attacked by troops from Bogota; and immediately issued a proclamation, dated May 3d, guaranteeing to all the inhabitants security for their persons and property, while pursuing their private avocations, and doing nothing to interfere with the public peace. On learning these occurrences, the municipality of Caraccas, who had promoted the impeachment of Paez, apprehensive that he might be inclined to punish them, sent a deputation, inviting him to the city, and concurring in the measures adopted by Valencia. He made his public entry into Caraccas, May 20th, and was now invested with the authority of supreme civil and military chief, to be held by him, until the arrival of Bolivar. At the same time, colonel Cala, an officer attached to Paez, was despatched to Puerto Cabello, of which he assumed the government; the actual governor Avendano, either resigning, or being forcibly dispossessed of his authority. Upon these unconstitutional proceedings being known at Carthagena, the troops which were arriving there from Peru were detained, to await farther orders, and general Bermudez, commanding in the department of Orinoco, issued a proclamation, denouncing the conduct of Paez, and the Venezuelians, and exhorting the inhabitants of his department, faithfully to observe the laws, and to rely upon the wisdom of Bolivar, to restore concord, and preserve the constitution. The first information of the revolution, was conveyed to the government, by the intendant of the department. But May 29th, general Paez addressed a letter to the vice president, giving a circumstantial account of the origin of the movement. In the course of it, he vindicated his own conduct and intentions, entering into a full explanation of the political feelings of the people of Venezuela, who, he said, were not satisfied with the constitution, laws, or policy of the government. His authority, he added, had been the only pillar which supported the edifice in that department. The inhabitants firmly demanded a reform in the constitution. They would undertake no offensive measures, but would resolutely defend themselves against aggression, from whatever quarter it came; whether from the government, or others. Of course, this despatch placed general Paez in open opposition to the congress and constitution; and communicated to his acts, the character of deliberate separation from, and assumed independence of, any member of the government, except the liberator. Hereupon the executive department issued a spirited manifesto, dated July 12th, vindicating the general government from the charges brought against it by the Venezuelians; denouncing the illegal, unwarranted, and treasonable proceedings of Paez and his adherents, and calling upon the nation to defend and sustain the constitution. Lit tle apprehension of the result was then entertained, or, at least, expressed, at the capital, except for the increased expenses, and im paired credit, which must necessarily be entailed upon the country, in consequence of the insurrection. In this state, affairs continued in Venezuela for some time. Paez raised all the military force he could command; preparing to meet any movement from general Bermudez, who, it seemed to be feared at Valencia, would be sent to reduce him to subjection. When Paez entered Caraccas, he issued a proclamation, declaring that his ultimate object, in accepting authority, was to accelerate the holding of a convention, to revise the constitution. Accordingly, he despatched commissioners to the various local authorities, inviting their co-operation in substituting the federal, instead of the central, form of government. These overtures, at first, were generally received with great coldness. Communications to the general government, from the commandants of Maturin, Zulia, and Orinoco, contained assurances of their determination to maintain the constitution, until it was changed in a peaceful manner. Among the insurgent faction in Venezuela, as every where else, all persons anxiously awaited the return of Bolivar from Peru; Paez himself expressing a readiness to yield implicit obedience to the liberator. Accounts of his approach were continually received, and served to keep the public mind in agitation and suspense, at the same time, that they seemed to prevent either party from rushing into extremities. Occasional vicissitudes occurred in the course of incidents, during this period. Serious differences broke out among the followers of Paez; a battalion of them, belonging to his favorite soldiers of Apure, headed by colonel Marceno, having left him, in August, to join general Bermudez at Cumana. Add to this, that the municipality of Puerto Cabello, at the instigation of the populace, published an act, August 8th, proclaiming the immediate adoption of the federative system. Such a precipitate measure was directly contrary to the understanding generally had in the department, to defer all proceedings on the subject, until the decision of Bolivar could be ascer was absent in the interior, on the plains of Apure; and, on his return, he was deeply chagrined by them, especially by the disaffection of colonel Marceno to his cause. Notwithstanding the discords in Venezuela, the general government were laboriously occupied in reestablishing the credit of the government, by all the means in their power. Bolivar continued to be impatiently expected. Preparations were more than once made for his reception; whether in good faith, or merely to keep up the spirits of the constitutional party, we know not. At length the 12th of October was fixed for his arrival. Although Paez had some bad advisers, among whom the principal one was Dr. Pena, a man of some political distinction, now in disgrace for peculation, yet no doubt was entertained of his quietly submitting to Bolivar. tained. It was to adopt reform, in defiance of the constitution, in- Indeed, he himself, for a time, stead of recommending it. Upon seemed disposed, if possible, to rethis resolution being communicated trace his steps, or, at least, unwillto the cabildo of Caraccas, they ing to act in direct opposition to signified their disapprobation of the the government, if he could avoid hasty act of Puerto Cabello; add- it. At meetings, called by his oring, that they only wished for the ders, it was resolved to discharge federative system, provided it was the forces raised for defence, or peaceably obtained, according to other purposes, and to send a dethe arrangements already made, putation to Bogota, representing and extended to the whole repub- the wishes of Venezuela, that the lic of Colombia. Whilst these constitution might be altered; things were going on, Paez which was accordingly done. These pacific indications had a ture of the institutions which he salutary effect, in partially restoring public tranquillity. The resolutions were adopted in September, without any disturbance or acts of violence, or any interruption of the ordinary occupations of the people. At Carthagena and Caraccas, the people united in the same measures; and Cumana afterwards followed, with Margarita, and other principal places in that quarter of Colombia. Gathering confidence, therefore, from the declaration of so many places in his favor, Paez now persisted in demanding, with a firmer tone, a convention for remodelling the constitution. Soon afterwards, the difference between him and Marceno was satisfactorily adjusted. Revolting as it was to the exalted sense of Bolivar's character, which his past achievements had fixed in the hearts of all men; yet suspicions of collusion between him and Paez began to gain ground. Several circumstances, in themselves of little moment, were considered as betraying an understanding between these old companions in arms, in all that Paez had done. Besides, the inhabitants of the disturbed provinces did not disguise their expectation, that Bolivar would, nay, that he must, assume dictatorial powers, as the only means of arresting the progress of a civil war. Rumors of the na had expressly recommended to Bolivia, a government purely of his own creating, and which he was deemed desirous to impose upon Peru, gave currency to such suggestions. They received some countenance from measures adopted in a department of Colombia, at present, more immediately within the sphere of Bolivar's influence. At Guayaquil, a great public meeting was holden in August, over which, the intendant and commanding general of the province, presided. Its object and declaration coincided with those of Venezuela, with the addition of openly designating the authority to be conferred on the liberator. They resolved, in the name of the department, that it was expedient to devolve the exercise of sovereignty on him, in shape of dictatorial power; and that he should convoke a grand Colombian convention to decide on the constitution and destinies of the republic. Until he arrived and assumed this authority, the political condition of Guayaquil was to remain unchanged. Quito speedily followed the example of Guayaquil, expressly bestowing on Bolivar the title and powers of dictator. Whatever might have been the origin of the movements on the Pacific side of Colombia, they necessarily inspirited and strengthened the re form party in Venezuela. If, said they, Quito and Guayaquil co-operate with Orinoco and Venezuela, if the two opposite corners of the republic concur in expressing the same sentiments, does it not prove conclusively the existence of radical abuses in our political system, which demand correction? On the other hand, seeming, as the movements in the south certainly did, to emanate directly from Bolivar, those persons in Venezuela, who merely desired a federative union, governed by a congress and a president, with limited powers, were justly alarmed at the idea of a dictatorship, or a constitution like that of Bolivia. re If any thing was needed to increase their alarm, the declaration of Bolivar himself, would have furnished it. In August, he addressed a letter to the municipality of Guayaquil, in consequence of a meeting held there in July, which meeting, reprobated any violence, but asked a convention to form the government from the constitutional authorities. The letter signified his entire fidence in the integrity of Paez, indirectly applauding his conduct, or at least, questioning its irregularity. It farther stated, that "he had given his confession of political faith in the constitution presented to Bolivia." Never, it added, was assembled an equal amount of social and individual security in any con political system. Besides, at a public meeting, holden at Caraccas, early in November, Paez repeated the same sentiments, in a manner calculated, apparently, to prepare the people for such a revolution. About the same time, also, despatches reached Caraccas from Bolivar, which fully authorised Paez to hold the language above mentioned. We single out a letter, addressed to Dr. Cristobal Mendoza, intendant of Venezuela, whom Bolivar says he selected as the organ for communicating his ideas to his countrymen. Among other remarkable expressions, he writes, "I propose the Bolivia code, which, with some slight alterations, appears to me, suitable to the circumstances of Colombia." And again; "Colombia is the sacred and magical word of all good citizens: I, myself, am the rallying point of all who love the national glory, and the rights of the people." It would be needless to recount the public meetings of the various municipalities, in addition to those we have already described, with the exception of the Caraccas meeting, November 6th, declaring the departments of Venezuela and Apure, federal states; and inviting the other departments of the republic to confederate with them. In pursuance of this invitation, Paez issued a proclamation, summoning a constituent assembly to meet for Ve |