(1783-1830)
[Footnote 9: Copyright, 1894, by Selmar Hess.]
[Illustration: Bolivar. [TN]]
So far as the world knew, the birth of Simon Bolivar at Caracas,
Venezuela, on July 24, 1783, was of no greater importance than that of
any other child. Perhaps but one person entertained the slightest
thought that he would ever be the hero of many battles and the liberator
of his countrymen; and that person was his mother. A mother, as a rule,
always in her imagination anticipates a brilliant future for her boy. If
Bolivar's mother was not an exception to this rule, surely her highest
anticipations were fully realized in the wonderful career of her son.
His father, Juan Vincente Bolivar y Ponte, and his mother, Maria
Concepcion Palacios y Sojo, were descendants of noble families in
Venezuela. Nothing unusual occurred in his school-boy days to
distinguish him from others of his age and rank. He was attentive to his
studies, warm-hearted, generous, and always a favorite among his
associates. When he had made sufficient advancement in his studies at
home, and had arrived at the proper age, he was sent to Madrid, where he
remained several years, during which time he completed his education.
Bolivar was now a full-grown man, and as a source of needed recreation
after years of hard study, he spent some time in visiting places of
special interest in the south of Europe. On his journey he stopped for a
time at the French capital, where he witnessed the closing scenes of the
French revolution. This was the hour of Napoleon's greatest glory. He
was the acknowledged military hero of the age. All France bowed at his
feet. Is it not probable that here was where Bolivar caught the
inspiration that led him to make an effort to be to his own country,
what Napoleon was to France? From Paris Bolivar returned to Madrid,
where, in 1801, he married the daughter of Don N. Toro, uncle of the
Marquis of Toro, in Caracas. He soon sailed with his young bride for his
native country, but it was only a little while until she fell a victim
to yellow fever. The sudden and unexpected death of his young wife, to
whom he was intensely devoted, so shattered his health and frustrated
his plans, that he wended his way back to Europe, where he remained
until 1809, when he returned through the United States to his own
country. His remembrance of the closing scenes of the French revolution,
and the realization as he passed through the United States of the
blessings of her free institutions, no doubt account in some measure for
the fact that, as soon as he reached Venezuela, he joined the movement
then crystallizing into an aggressive warfare for independence, and a
larger degree of freedom for his own countrymen.
In 1810 he received a colonel's commission from the revolutionary junta,
and was associated with Luis Lopez Mendez in a mission to the court of
Great Britain, which was rendered fruitless by England announcing her
position in relation to the troubles in Venezuela as one of strict
neutrality. On July 5, 1811, Venezuela formally declared her
independence from the mother-country. This brought on a clash of arms at
once.
The Spanish troops under Monteverde, owing to a lack of concert of
action on the part of the "patriots," forced Bolivar, with his little
band of volunteers, to abandon the important post of Puerto Cabello, and
flee to Curacao, which was reached in safety, while Monteverde at the
head of the Spanish troops gained control of Venezuela.
Chafing under defeat, Bolivar, in September, 1812, repaired to
Carthagena, where a commission was given him to make war upon the
Spanish troops along the Magdalena River. Although his army numbered but
500 men, he succeeded in driving the enemy, not only from the country
along the Magdalena River, but entered Venezuela, and forced his way
westward to the important towns of Merida and Truxillo, where the people
gladly welcomed him and rallied to his support. Encouraged by his
success, and embittered by the brutalities of the enemy, as he pressed
forward he issued his noted proclamation of "War to the death."
He soon routed Monteverde's army at Lastoguanes, forcing him to take
refuge in Puerto Cabello, while Bolivar pushed forward, entering Caracas
in triumph August 4, 1813. But the tide of battle soon turned. The
Royalists concentrated all their available force, and a number of bloody
battles ensued, and finally Bolivar's men, inferior in numbers, were
badly defeated near Cura. The fall of Caracas soon followed, and before
the close of the year 1814 the Royalists were again in full possession
of Venezuela. Though defeated, Bolivar was not dismayed. He had great
faith in the righteousness of his cause, and his consciousness of this
fact seemed to give him that courage which never knows defeat.
He next went to Tunja, where the revolutionary congress was in session,
and notwithstanding the misfortunes of war and the bitter opposition of
a few personal enemies, his enthusiastic reception showed that he still
retained the confidence and respect of the people. He was soon given
command of an expedition against Santa Fe de Bogota, where Don
Cundinamarca had refused official recognition of the new union of the
provinces, which, without any conflict of arms, was crowned with success
by the surrender of the rebellious leaders. For this service Bolivar
received the special thanks of Congress. The Royalists having captured
Santa Martha, Bolivar was ordered to retake it, but failed in his
attempt.
In May, 1814, he resigned his commission, and went to Kingston, Jamaica,
where an attempt was made to assassinate him, which resulted, by a
mistake, in the murder of another. Later on he went to Aux Cayes, in
Hayti, where President Petion assisted him in organizing an expedition
which, though it succeeded in reaching the main-land in May, 1816,
eventually failed. But Bolivar's past experience had taught him not to
go wild over a victory, nor be discouraged by a defeat, so he returned
to Aux Cayes, where he secured reinforcements, and in December landed
his troops, first at Marguerite, and then at Barcelona. At this point a
provisional government was formed and all the available military force
was promptly organized, and placed in readiness to resist the invasion
of Morillo, who was at the head of a strong, well-disciplined army of
Royalists. The opposing forces met on February 16, 1817, and a desperate
battle, lasting three days, ensued, resulting in a complete rout of the
Royalists, who, while retreating in great disorder, were assailed with
such impetuosity by small bands of patriots, as to make their overthrow
complete.
Being now the undisputed commander-in-chief, Bolivar seemed
irresistible. Victory after victory crowned his efforts, until he
established his head-quarters at Angostura, on the Orinoco. From this
point, after a thorough reorganization of his forces, he pressed forward
over the Cordilleras, and effected a junction with the army headed by
General Santander, commander of the Republican forces in New Granada.
The armies thus united proved to be invincible. The entire march was
characterized by a succession of victories, ending in a complete
overthrow of the enemy on August 7, 1819, at Bojaca, which gave him full
possession, not only of Bogota, but of all New Granada. This brilliant
achievement attracted the attention of the civilized world then, and as
we read about it now, it forcibly reminds us, in its conception, the
skill and rapidity of its execution, and its results, of the wonderful
march of Sherman from Atlanta to the sea. Taking advantage of the great
prestige his marvellous victories had given him with the people, he
procured the passage of a fundamental law, December 17, 1819, uniting
Venezuela and New Granada under one government, to be known as the
Republic of Colombia, of which Bolivar was made president.
Bolivar was now at the head of the grandest army he had ever commanded.
The Royalists, under Morillo, having been beaten at several points,
induced Bolivar, at Truxillo on November 20, 1820, to consent to an
armistice for six months, which he did; no doubt with the hope that
meantime a treaty of peace might be effected and the war thus brought to
an end.
Subsequent events, however, gave strong reasons to believe that the
armistice was a mere ruse to gain time while Morillo could be recalled
and General Torre placed in command. Bolivar, no doubt incensed by this
apparent trick, determined, upon the expiration of the armistice, to
strike a blow that would not soon be forgotten; which he did at
Carabolo, by attacking and completely routing General Torre's command,
compelling the fleeing fragments to seek shelter in Puerto Cabello,
where two years after they surrendered to Paez. This practically closed
the war in Venezuela. On August 30, 1821, the constitution of Colombia
was adopted amid great rejoicing, with Bolivar as president and
Santander as vice-president. But there was more work to do, and no one
could do it so well as Bolivar. He determined that nowhere should the
Royalists have a foothold in the whole country. He attacked them at
Pichincha, in Ecuador, and after a desperate struggle they were forced
to retreat in disorder, while victorious Bolivar with his enthusiastic
followers triumphantly entered Quito, June 22, 1822. Next Lima was
taken, but owing to the dissensions among the Republican factions in
Peru, Bolivar was compelled to abandon the city, which was again
occupied by the Royalists, while he withdrew to Truxillo.
Having thoroughly reorganized his forces, and gotten everything in good
condition for an aggressive warfare, he again assaulted the Royalists
with unrelenting vigor, driving them before him, and finally
administering a crushing defeat on the plains of Junin, August 6th;
after which he returned to Lima, leaving Sucre, who had already
displayed great military skill and bravery, to complete the work. This
he did, by gaining a great victory at Ayacucho, which completely
dispersed the Royalists, reducing their possessions in Peru to the
Castles of Callao, which Rodil, after a little over a year's successful
resistance, was compelled to surrender.
Upper Peru having detached itself from Buenos Ayres, was organized as a
separate state under the name of Bolivia, in honor of the man who had
accomplished so much for its freedom, and who by the first Congress of
the new republic, which convened in August, 1825, was made perpetual
Protector, and requested to prepare for it a constitution.
The country having been freed from armed resistance on the part of the
Royalists, it next became Bolivar's duty to provide laws for the proper
government of the people. Time proved this to be a more difficult task
than meeting an open enemy on the field of battle. Many local leaders
had been developed during the struggle for independence, among whom no
little ill feeling was aroused by their scramble for recognition. Then
there were some who were jealous of Bolivar's great popularity and
influence with the people. They were busy in trying to turn public
opinion against him by telling the people that he would use his power to
add to, rather than lighten, their burdens. This feeling was intensified
when he presented his plan of government for Bolivia to Congress on May
25, 1826, accompanied by an address in which he doubted the wisdom of
extending the right of franchise indiscriminately to the people, and
showed clearly his preference for a centralization of power, by
proposing a president for life clothed with supreme executive powers,
including the right to name his successor. It was charged by his enemies
that this would be a monarchy in fact, and a republic only in name.
Meantime Paez, military commander in Venezuela, refused to recognize the
constituted authorities, and assumed an attitude of open rebellion. But
the presence in a short time of Bolivar, his old commander, followed by
a personal interview and a decree of general amnesty, resulted in a
complete restoration of peace and loyal adherence to the government.
Bolivar and Santander having been re-elected to the respective offices
of president and vice-president, Bolivar, before the time fixed by law
for him to take the oath of office, resigned the presidency of the
republic, with a view to retiring into private life, and thus refuting
the charges made against him by personal enemies, that he was simply
working in his own interest, and for his own personal aggrandizement.
But in response to Santander's earnest appeal, and a resolution of
Congress urging him to resume his position as president, Bolivar went to
Bogota, and there took upon himself the oath of office.
He soon issued three decrees: One granting general amnesty, another
calling a national convention at Ocana, and a third for the
establishment of constitutional order throughout Colombia. All eyes were
now turned to the national convention at Ocana, which was to assemble in
March, 1828. This was made the more important by the fact that it was to
determine whether Bolivar's plan for a strong centralized government,
backed up by ample military force, or a government controlled more
directly by the great body of the people, should prevail. The events of
the past year had served rather to strengthen Bolivar's position, and
the action of the convention seems to have crystallized it into law, for
a decree soon followed, dated August 27, 1828, giving to Bolivar supreme
power over Colombia, which he continued to exercise until his death,
which occurred at San Pedro, on December 17, 1830.
Thus closes the life of one of the most remarkable characters the world
has ever known. He possessed the intrepid courage and dash of a Sherman,
the unrelenting firmness of a Grant, and the tenderness of a Lincoln.
Local revolts against lawful authority always yielded to his personal
presence and counsel. We fail to find in his history a single act of
cruelty recorded against him. His proclamation of "War to the death,"
was a military necessity. The Royalists had shown no mercy to his
soldiers. They had refused to treat them as prisoners of war. They had
fired upon his flag of truce. They gave no quarter to revolutionists,
but put them to death wherever found. And there was but one alternative
left, and that was, unpleasant as it must have been to a man of such
kindly nature, to meet such brutalities by a threat of retaliation in
kind. The proclamation was not prompted by a spirit of cruelty, but
rather by a love for humanity. It had the effect which he no doubt
intended it should, and that was to secure the same treatment for his
soldiers when captured, that the civilized world acknowledged due to
prisoners of war. He was in no sense mercenary. He expended nine-tenths
of his fortune for his country's freedom, and when voted a million
dollars by Congress he promptly declined it. He was always magnanimous,
even to his bitterest enemies. He died comparatively poor. His remains
sleep at Caracas, the place of his birth. His soul is with God.
Monuments have been erected to his memory, one at Caracas and another at
Lima. But his life-work has erected a monument in the hearts of his
countrymen that will never perish. He sowed the seed for the harvest of
a better government and higher civilization for all Spanish America. The
influence of his example is not confined to his own country, but is felt
throughout the civilized world. To-day, among the brightest and best of
the world's good and great men, may justly be placed the name of Simon
Bolivar.
[Signature of the author.]