GUAYAQUIL.
1822.
Up to this time the struggle for emancipation, both in the South and in
the North of the Continent had been the result of the instinctive desire
for independence which was common to all the people of Spanish America,
but towards the conclusion of this struggle, the peculiar idiosyncracy
of each separate people began to show itself in action, and the ideas
and personal interests of different leaders came into collision.
Nevertheless the fundamental principles of the Revolution remained
unchanged. The movement was essentially Republican, based on local
autonomy. The monarchical ideas of San Martin, and the dreams of Bolívar
of a continental union, left not a trace behind. The popular movements
of the North and of the South of the Continent, joined hands at Quito;
the diverse principles of the two great leaders came into conflict at
Guayaquil.
When the Province of Guayaquil declared herself independent, she placed
herself under the protection of the troops of San Martin and Bolívar,
and became an apple of discord between the two leaders. Both accepted
the Protectorate, San Martin with the idea of annexing the Province to
Peru, Bolívar with the intention of annexing it to Columbia. In
November, 1820, San Martin sent Guido and Luzuriaga to negotiate a
treaty of alliance, which should place the province under his control;
when they arrived the situation had changed. Guayaquil had sent 1,500
men against Quito, under the command of Luis Urdaneta, an officer from
Venezuela. Urdaneta easily overran the Province of Cuenca, but on
advancing towards the capital was met on the plateau of Ambato by
Colonel Gonzalez, with 600 regular troops, and was completely defeated,
on the 20th November. An Argentine officer named Garcia rallied the
dispersed troops and led them back against the enemy, but was also
routed on the 3rd January, 1821. Garcia was taken prisoner, and being
put to death, his head was exposed in an iron cage at one of the
entrances of the capital.
The city of Guayaquil was thrown into consternation at this disaster,
but the commissioners were well received, and Luzuriaga being placed in
command of the remaining troops, checked the advance of the enemy, until
the rainy season covered the low grounds with water and put an end to
military operations; after which the commissioners returned to Peru,
without having made any definite arrangement.
The division of Sucre, sent by Bolívar, arrived in May, 1821, and for a
time the influence of Columbia prevailed, but the defeat of Sucre and
the retreat of Bolívar from Pasto, turned the eyes of the people again
to San Martin, who had by this time taken the city of Lima. It was then
that San Martin decided to take a part in the war in Quito, and sent the
contingent which did such good service at Pichincha.
On the 16th December, 1821, the district of Puerto Viejo declared itself
a part of Columbia, and was supported by the Columbian officers. The
Junta of Guayaquil pronounced this an act of rebellion, and resolved on
measures of repression. Civil war appeared imminent, when Sucre
interposed, and by calming the zeal of his subordinates, restored
tranquillity.
On the 30th November, 1821, Salazar had arrived as Peruvian Minister,
with instructions from the Protector to adopt a waiting policy, which,
in the face of a resolute opposition, was to ensure defeat. The Junta,
which, as also the majority of the people, was in favour of annexation
to Peru, complained to Salazar of the overbearing conduct of the
Columbian troops, on which La Mar was sent from Peru to take command of
the provincial forces.
Bolívar, who was resolved to include in the new Republic of Columbia the
whole of the late Viceroyalty of New Granada, now sent Don Joaquin
Mosquera to Peru as Minister of Columbia, to arrange the question of
limits, and on the eve of marching against Quito, sent a note to the
Junta, saying that “the Government of Guayaquil knows that it cannot
remain an independent State; that Columbia cannot give up any of her
legitimate rights; and that there was no human power which could deprive
her of a hand’s breadth of her territory.”
The Province of Guayaquil had been at various times a dependency of the
Viceroyalty of Peru, but on the formation of the Viceroyalty of New
Granada it became definitely an integral part of Quito, which was a
dependency of the new Viceroyalty. During the disturbances of 1809 and
1810, Abascal, Viceroy of Peru, had for military purposes taken charge
of the province, as he had done of the outlying districts of Upper Peru,
which belonged to the Viceroyalty of the River Plate. But this
arrangement came to an end in 1819, by a decree from the Court of
Madrid. Without Guayaquil Quito was cut off from all communication with
the Pacific.
The Junta of Guayaquil appealed to San Martin, who replied that if they
boldly declared Guayaquil an independent State he would assist them by
force if necessary, but that he would make no complaint if they chose to
join the Republic of Columbia. At the same time he wrote to Bolívar,
asking him to let the people decide for themselves.
The attitude adopted by Bolívar was one of defiance; that adopted by San
Martin, if more correct, was not based either on good policy or on good
military tactics. Bolívar could not recede without consenting to the
mutilation of Columbia, a republic of his own creation. The direct
intervention of San Martin endangered an open rupture between them,
which would upset the plans of both.
Under these sinister auspices took place the interview previously
arranged between San Martin and Bolívar, at Guayaquil, which had been
postponed in consequence of the exigencies of the war.