power, have, and of right, ought to have submitted to her guidance and direction during the period of their infancy, when, from imbeci lity and weakness, they were incapable of their own government and protection ༄ ོ་ ན་ ས་ བ༅། ཟླ But Spain, deprived of her king by the unparalleled perfidy of the emperor of the French, her European states vanquished by his treachery and his arms, and the ancient, lawful, and acknowledged government of the country, destroy ed by the violent outrages of his sanguinary policy, there exists nei ther reason, right, nor justice, for continuing our dependance on a power that has no existence but in memory; policy and self preserva tion, therefore, demand that we should provide for our common safety, and the protection of these provinces, by taking into our band the natural sovereignty of our country. ...The period has at length arrived, when these united provinces possess both the strength and the power to protect themselves. With a population of nine millions of inha bitants, with an extent of fertile territory superior to any empire on the globe, and abounding with all the riches that bounteous nature ever bestowed on the human race, it would be contrary to sound policy, in the present state of the world, to submit, and we are determined no longer to submit to the domination of any European or foreign power whatever. For whilst a lawful goverument existed in Spain, and her legitimate king sat upon her throne, we have ever been loyal to his person, and faithful to his government; and our treasures have been the only sup port of the European monarchy and its allies, whilst wel had no interest whatever, and our country drained of those riches which na ture has bestowed upon the inbabitants of America, for their own happiness, support, and defence. Under these considerations, to prevent the inevitable and ruinous consequences of falling under the yoke of the emperor of the French, the tyrant of Europe, and the oppressor of Spain, We, the Spanish Provinces in America, declare ourselves a free, sovereign, and independant people, not acknowledg ing the domination of any power on earth, refusing submission, and denying and repelling the authority of whatever nation may attempt dominion over us. This we una. nimously engage and pledge ours selves to maintain and support with our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honours, calling upon every inhabitant of the provinces to id and support in carrying into effect this our laudable and just resolu tion, and establishing for ourselve and our posterity, a free, equitable, and independent government, that shall secure our happiness, and give us a place of honour and respect among the independent nations of the earth. And we do earnestly entreat all foreign nations to guarantee our independence, and to favour us with such alliance and assistance as may enable us to defeat the designs of the enemies of our country. By thus disavowing our dependence on Spain, we solemnly appeal to Heaven for the rectitude of our intentions, and we do protest before the sacred majesty of God himself, that in all our measures we have ever been actuated by motives motives pure and honourable, and where great dispatch is required, that we have no other design in the signatures of the president, auview than the preservation of our-thenticated by his secretary, wik selves, and the protection of our be sufficient. 5. In matters that common country. And we do most are decided by the junta, the prehumbly supplicate that Being who sident and ten members will form decides the fate of nations, to smile a quorum, but in affairs of high on our exertions, and to bless and import to the government, every protect this our newly established member must concur in the meaempire. sure. 6. In statements and official papers, addressed to the whole junta, the members are to be styled 2. Declaration of the Junta of their excellencies, but no such dis La Plata. tinction is to be paid to the men bers individually. 7. The military are to pay the same honours to the junta, as before to the viceroys, and on other occasions they are to take the same rank. 8. The president is to receive the same compliments as is bestowed upon the junta in a body, and on all occasions and cir cumstances. 9. Matters relating to the disposal of places are to be laid before the junta as before to the viceroys, without prejudice to the alterations necessary from the alteation of affairs in the peninsula. 10. Each citizen is allowed to send to each member, or the whole junta, and to state what he thinks conducive to the cause of public happiness and security. The provisional junta of government of the provinces of Rio de la Plata, in the name of king Ferdi nand the Seventh, communicates the following order, respecting the mode of conducting public business: 1. The junta will meet daily in the royal fort, where the president will reside, and business will be transacted from nine in the morning till two in the evening, and from five till eight at night. 2. All the concerns of the treasury will be conducted there in the offices of the respective department. 3. The department of secretary of state is under the direction of Dr. D. Juan Jose Passo, and that of war under the direction of Dr. D. Mariano Moreno. 4. In the decrees on subjects relating to the capital, on in- Buenos Ayres, May 22, 1810. ferior matters, and in certain cases D. MORIANO MORENO, of Lincoln, who had repaired to Putney, that they saw no danger, no disease, but great weakness, in consequence of the gout, and they thought he might recover in a few: weeks. They stated the necessity MR. PITT's health experienced of quiet; but the approaching a rapid decline in the autumn of 1805; and he was recommended to go to Bath, having, in a former illness, derived great benefit from the waters of that place, which, it was hoped, might still have a beneficial influence on a frame now reduced almost to the last stage of debility. He accordingly went thither in December. Soon after his arrival he had a fit of the gout, and thought himself better for a short time. But the gout appeared again during his stay at Bath; and he never afterwards recovered even a moderate degree of strength. His appetite almost entirely failed; and, it being deemed improper for him to drink the waters, he left Bath, and was in such a debilitated state, that he was four days on the road to Putney, at which place he arrived on the 11th of January, accompanied by Sir Walter Farquhar, his medi cal attendant. When a consultation was held the next day, with Dr. Baillie and Dr. Reynolds, they told the Bishop meeting of parliament, and thes state of Mr. Pitt's affairs, were such as to leave him little prospect of enjoying it. Mr. Pitt felt better on the Suns day, and on the Monday morning he took an airing in his coach; but in the evening, Lord Castlereagh and Lord Hawkesbury having ob tained permission from the physi cians to visit him, entered upon some points of public business, probably relating to the dissolution of the new confederacy, by the. peace of Presburgh (which had beeu concluded about three weeks before) which visibly agitated and affected him. Mr. Pitt, after this interview, observed, that during the conversation he felt some sensation in his stomach, which he feared it might be difficult to remove. On Tuesday, the 14th, Mr. Pitt again went out in his carriage, for the last time. His strength was manifestly diminished. On his return, he saw his brother, Lord Chatham; and on Wednesday, the 15th, Mr. Rose was admitted to him for a few few minutes, and was very much stricken by his emaciated appearance. He was able to take but very little nourishment; his powers of digestion were greatly impaired; and scarcely any thing would remain on his stomach. He seldom spoke, and displayed an anxiety to follow the directions of his physicians, "to be as quiet as possible, and completely to divest his mind of all public business." He desired the Bishop of Lincoln, who remained with him from the period of his return from Bath to the day of his death, to open all his letters, and to communicate only such parts of them as he should consider necessary for him to know. On the 17th, the physicians admitted that Mr. Pitt was much weaker, but still maintained that there were no unfavourable symptous. At the same time, they declared their opinion, that he would not be able to attend to business in Jess than two months, and expressed a doubt of his ability to take an active part in the House of Commous during the winter. treme debility, occasionally wandered. Sir Walter Farquhar passed the night by his bed-side, and at four o'clock on Wednesday morn ing, be called up the Bishop of Lincoln, telling him he was much alarmed, and could now no longer object to any communication which the bishop might think proper to make him. The bishop, who appears never to have entertained those hopes which the medical attendants encouraged, had continu ally pressed the physicians to permit him to intimate to Mr. Pilt, that his situation was precarious, in order that he might receive his instructions respecting his affairs and papers, and call his attention to religious duties; but they had constantly affirmed, that they saw no danger, and could not sauction any proceeding which might create agitation of mind; as such agita tion might be productive of serious mischief. The bishop immediately went to Mr. Pitt's bed-side, and told livi he found it to be his duty to m form him, that his situation was se The Bishop of Lincoln was, na- considered as precarious, and returally, very urgent with the phy-quested his leave to read prayers to sicians to allow him to apprise Mr. Pitt of the probable duration of bis confinement, in order that he might decide on the propriety of resigning, or of retaining his office. But the physiciaus were unanimously and decidedly of opinion, that nothing should be said to their patient on the subject. Mr. Pitt daily grew worse; and on Monday, the 20th, the physicians declared the symptoms were unpromising, and bis situation was hazardous." In the evening of that day he became much worse; and his mind, as is usual in cases of ex him, and to administer the sacrament. Mr. Pitt looked earnestly at the bishop for a few moments, and then, with perfect composure, turned his head to Sir Walter Farquhar, who stood on the other side of the bed, and slowly said, "How long do you think I have to live?” The physician answered, he could not say, and expressed a faint hope of his recovery. A half smile on Mr. Pitt's countenance shewed that he placed this language to its true account. In answer to the bishop's request to pray with him, Mr. Pift said, "I fear I have, like too many other other men, neglected prayer too much to have any ground for hope that it can be efficacious on a death bed-but"-rising as he spoke, and clasping his hands with the utmost fervour and devotion-" I throw myself entirely" (the last word being pronounced with a strong emphasis) upon the mercy of God, through the merits of Christ!" The bishop assured him, that the frame of his mind, at this awful moment, was exactly such as might reasonably be expected to render prayer acceptable and useful. The bishop then read prayers, and Mr. Pitt joined in them with calm and humble piety. He repeatedly expressed, in the strongest manner, his sense of his own unworthiness to appear in the presence of God; disclaiming all ideas of merit, but with a conscience clear and undisturbed. He appealed to the bishop's knowledge of the steadiness of his religious principles, and said it had ever been his wish and endeavour to act rightly, and to fulfil his duty to God and to the world; but that he was very sensible of many errors and failures. He declared that he was perfectly resigned to the will of God; that he felt no enmity towards any one, but died in peace with all mankind; and expressed his hope, at once humble and confident, of eternal happiness, through the intercession of his Redeemter. Mr. Pitt desired that the settlement of his affairs and papers might be left to his brother and the bishop of Lincoln. Adverting to his family, he said, "I wish a thousand, or fifteen hundred a-year to be given to my nieces, if the public should think my long services deserving it; but I do not presume to think that I have earned it?" He expressed great concern about Lady Hester and Mr. Stanhope; but his anxiety, on their account, seemed to be abated by the recollection that they had a father. He ate tempted to give some written direc tions respecting the disposal of his papers; but finding himself unable to write legibly, he resigned the pen to the bishop, who wrote what Mr. Pitt dictated. Mr. Pitt afterwards read what was written, and signed the different papers, in the presence of Sir Walter Farquhar, and several of the servants, who had remained in the room a part of the time in which Mr. Pitt was engaged in religious duties, and heard this great and good man profess the faith, and hope, and charity of an humbly pious christian. Mr. Pilt was much exhausted by these exertions, and Very soon grew much worse. About two o'clock on the Wednesday afternoon be suffered much for some time, and seemed to struggle for breath. He then fell into a kind of stupor, but remained sensible almost to the last. About a quarter past four on Thursday morning, the 23d of January, 1806, the anniversary of that day on which, five-and-twenty years before, he had first become a member of the British senate, he breathed his last, without struggle, and without pain. He was then in his forty-seventh year. As a statesman, the resources, as well as the firmness of Mr. Pitt's mind, have been amply demonstrated by the measures which he adopted, to meet the various and unforeseen difficulties with which this nation was surrounded during the |