THE ABDICATION OF SAN MARTIN.
1822.
During the absence of San Martin at Guayaquil an event had occurred at
Lima which must have confirmed him in his intention of retiring from
public life. The people had risen against the Government, and though the
movement was not directed against him, it showed him the instability of
his power. Before his departure the Council of State had consulted him
as to what they should do in case of the death or incapacity of his
delegate, Torre-Tagle. San Martin left with them a sealed paper, in
which he appointed General Alvarado to that post in case it became
vacant.
On the 25th July fifty citizens of Lima, at the instigation of
Riva-Agüero, presented a petition to Torre-Tagle, asking him to dismiss
his minister Monteagudo, whose tyrannical procedures and private
immoralities had disgusted everyone. At the same time they addressed a
note to the municipality, asking them for support in delivering the city
and the country at large from “the oppression and despotism under which
they suffered”; and one of their number was sent to notify the
Government that in case this petition was not complied with they would
convene an open Cabildo.
Riva-Agüero, who was president of the municipality, acceded to their
request, and demanded the immediate imprisonment of the obnoxious
minister. Government replied that they would take the matter into
consideration next day.
At half past ten at night the people assembled in crowds at the gates of
the municipal building and round the government house, calling loudly
for the deposition of the minister. Monteagudo resigned. The
municipality demanded his imprisonment, which was decreed, and
Monteagudo remained under arrest in his own house.
Meantime the army remained quietly in barracks, Alvarado not choosing to
interfere, although he wrote to the municipality that if the disorders
continued he might be compelled to take steps to restore tranquillity.
But the popular excitement day by day increased. As one of their own
leaders said, “The peace-loving Peruvians appeared to have changed into
raging lions.” National sentiment was aroused against the foreigners who
ruled them, republican sentiment against the monarchical proposals of
the Government. Fly-sheets of the most seditious tendency circulated
from hand to hand.
On the 29th the municipality again met and demanded the banishment of
Monteagudo. He was banished.
On the 20th August San Martin returned, and was received with enthusiasm
by the people. Riva-Agüero and the principal leaders presented
themselves and assured him of their adhesion, but he was not deceived.
He saw that they were tired of his rule, that the army was no longer
devoted to him, that he had erred in the choice of his deputy, and of
his ministers, and that he himself was no longer necessary, and might
even become an obstacle to the complete independence of the country. He
could only re-establish his authority by means of repression, which were
repugnant to him; he preferred to leave the Peruvians to work out their
destiny for themselves. Then it was that he wrote the memorable letter
to Bolívar, of which mention was made in the last chapter.
Also he wrote to O’Higgins, alleging bad health as the cause of his
retirement:--
“I am tired of hearing them call me tyrant, that I wish to make myself
King, Emperor, the Devil. On the other hand, my health is broken, this
climate is killing me. My youth was sacrificed to the service of Spain,
my manhood to my own country. I think I have now the right to dispose of
my old age.”
Twenty-five years later the publication of his letter to Bolívar
disclosed the true motive of his retirement. He sacrificed himself from
duty, and from necessity, and kept silence.
But he did not purpose to leave Peru defenceless. He set to work with
the greatest activity to place the army on the best possible footing. At
the end of August he had more than 11,000 men under arms, and expected
1,000 men from Chile to join in an expedition against the intermediate
ports, and drew up a plan for the next campaign, which would probably
have been decisive if he had led the troops himself.
On the 20th September, 1822, the first Constituent Congress of Peru was
installed with great pomp. San Martin, in its presence, took off the
bi-coloured sash he wore as the emblem of his authority, made a short
speech, laid six folded sheets of paper upon the table, and retired amid
the plaudits of the Assembly. The first sheet being opened was found to
be a renunciation of all future command.
Congress passed a vote of thanks “to the first soldier of Liberty,” and
named him generalissimo of the land and naval forces of the Republic,
with a pension of 12,000 dollars a-year.
San Martin accepted the title and the pension, but refused to serve,
giving good reasons therefor:--
“My presence in Peru after the powers I have wielded would be
inconsistent with the dignity of Congress, and with my own. I have kept
the promise I made to Peru, but if some day her liberty be in danger I
shall glory in joining as a citizen in her defence.”
Congress then voted him the title of “Founder of the Liberty of Peru,”
with the right to wear the sash he had laid down, and with the rank of
Captain-General; decreed to him the same pension as Washington had
enjoyed; that a statue should be erected to him with inscriptions
commemorative of his services; that a bust of him should be placed in
the National Library he had established; and that he should receive all
the honours due to one of the actual executive.
Up to this time San Martin had said no word to anyone of his intention
to leave the country, but that same evening at his country-house he told
Guido, who had gone there with him. Guido expostulated with him, and
tried all means to dissuade him from his intention, till at last he told
him in confidence his real reasons for going:---
“There is not room in Peru for both Bolívar and myself. He will shrink
from nothing to come to Peru; it may not be in my power to avoid a
conflict if I am here. Let him come, so that America may triumph. It
shall not be San Martin who will give a day of delight to the enemy.”
It was ten o’clock; his orderly announced that all was ready; the
General embraced his faithful friend, mounted on horseback, and rode
away through the darkness. Next morning Guido found a letter of farewell
from him lying at the head of his bed, and Alvarado received another,
but San Martin had embarked that same night on the brig _Belgrano_, and
had left Peru for ever.
All that he took with him were 120 doubloons, the standard of Pizarro,
and the golden bell of the Inquisition of Lima. In Chile he had the farm
which had been given him, and a small sum of money left with a friend,
most of which was lost. The Government of Peru, hearing of his poverty,
sent him 2,000 dollars, with which, after an illness of two months in
Chile, he crossed to Mendoza early in 1823, and while living there as a
farmer, heard of the banishment of O’Higgins, and of the death of his
own wife.
The reasons for his sudden departure were for long a mystery to all,
except to Bolívar and to Guido. Some looked upon it as an act of
self-abnegation, some as one of desertion. Time has solved the problem.
The step was taken after mature reflection, and was the result of deep
insight into his own character, into those of the men about him, and
into surrounding circumstances. Bolívar was master of the situation, he
recognised this fact, and left the field open for him to put the seal to
their joint labours in his own way.
On the night of his departure he issued a farewell address to the
Peruvian people, in which no mention was made of these facts. He gave no
sufficient reason for so leaving them, and this caused much obloquy to
be thrown upon his name. But he did so wittingly, for the disclosure of
the true character of Bolívar would have predisposed the Peruvians
against him, and his aid was necessary to their complete deliverance.
The public life of San Martin ends here, but the remains of the army
which he had organized for the liberation of Chile, continued its
glorious career in Peru until the emancipation of South America was
accomplished.