按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
f the colony and made the various provinces individually subject to Portugal he declined to notice。 With equal promptness he refused to heed an order bidding him return to Portugal immediately。 To a delegation of prominent Brazilians he said emphatically： 〃For the good of all and the general welfare of the nation； I shall stay。〃 More than that； in May； 1822； he accepted from the municipality of Rio de Janeiro the title of 〃Perpetual and Constitutional Defender of Brazil； 〃 and in a series of proclamations urged the people of the country to begin the great work of emancipation by forcibly resisting； if needful； any attempt at coercion。
Pedro now believed the moment had come to take the final step。 While on a journey through the province of Sao Paulo； he was overtaken on the 7th of September； near a little stream called the Ypiranga； by messengers with dispatches from Portugal。 Finding that the Cortes had annulled his acts and declared his ministers guilty of treason； Pedro forthwith proclaimed Brazil an independent state。 The 〃cry of Ypiranga〃 was echoed with tremendous enthusiasm throughout the country。 When Pedro appeared in the theater at Rio de Janeiro； a few days later； wearing on his arm a ribbon on which were inscribed the words 〃Independence or Death；〃 he was given a tumultuous ovation。 On the first day of December the youthful monarch assumed the title of Emperor； and Brazil thereupon took its place among the nations of America。
CHAPTER IV。 PLOUGHING THE SEA
When the La Plata Congress at Tucuman took the decisive action that severed the bond with Spain； it uttered a prophecy for all Spanish America。 To quote its language： 〃Vast and fertile regions； climates benign and varied； abundant means of subsistence； treasures of gold and silver 。 。 。 and fine productions of every sort will attract to our continent innumerable thousands of immigrants； to whom we shall open a safe place of refuge and extend a beneficent protection。〃 More hopeful still were the words of a spokesman for another independent country： 〃United； neither the empire of the Assyrians； the Medes or the Persians； the Macedonian or the Roman Empire； can ever be compared with this colossal republic。〃
Very different was the vision of Bolivar。 While a refugee in Jamaica he wrote： 〃We are a little human species； we possess a world apart 。 。 。 new in almost all the arts and sciences； and yet old； after a fashion； in the uses of civil society。 。 。 。 Neither Indians nor Europeans； we are a species that lies midway 。 。 。 。 Is it conceivable that a people recently freed of its chains can launch itself into the sphere of liberty without shattering its wings； like Icarus； and plunging into the abyss？ Such a prodigy is inconceivable； never beheld。〃 Toward the close of his career he declared： 〃The majority are mestizos； mulattoes； Indians； and negroes。 An ignorant people is a blunt instrument for its own destruction。 To it liberty means license； patriotism means disloyalty； and justice means vengeance。〃 〃Independence；〃 he exclaimed； 〃is the only good we have achieved； at the cost of everything else。〃
Whether the abounding confidence of the prophecy or the anxious doubt of the vision would come true； only the future could tell。 In 1822； at all events； optimism was the watchword and the total exclusion of Spain from South America the goal of Bolivar and his lieutenants； as they started southward to complete the work of emancipation which had been begun by San Martin。
The patriots of Peru； indeed； had fallen into straits so desperate that an appeal to the Liberator offered the only hope of salvation。 While the royalists under their able and vigilant leader； Jose Canterac； continued to strengthen their grasp upon the interior of the country and to uphold the power of the viceroy； the President chosen by the Congress had been driven by the enemy from Lima。 A number of the legislators in wrath thereupon declared the President deposed。 Not to be outdone； that functionary on his part declared the Congress dissolved。 The malcontents immediately proceeded to elect a new chief magistrate； thus bringing two Presidents into the field and inaugurating a spectacle destined to become all too common in the subsequent annals of Spanish America。
When Bolivar arrived at Callao； the seaport of Lima； in September； 1823； he acted with prompt vigor。 He expelled one President； converted the other into a passive instrument of his will； declined to promulgate a constitution that the Congress had prepared； and； after obtaining from that body an appointment to supreme command； dissolved the Congress without further ado。 Unfortunately none of these radical measures had any perceptible effect upon the military situation。 Though Bolivar gathered together an army made up of Colombians； Peruvians； and remnants of San Martin's force； many months elapsed before he could venture upon a serious campaign。 Then events in Spain played into his hands。 The reaction that had followed the restoration of Ferdinand VII to absolute power crossed the ocean and split the royalists into opposing factions。 Quick to seize the chance thus afforded； Bolivar marched over the Andes to the plain of Junin。 There； on August 6； 1824； he repelled an onslaught by Canterac and drove that leader back in headlong flight。 Believing； however； that the position he held was too perilous to risk an offensive； he entrusted the military command to Sucre and returned to headquarters。
The royalists had now come to realize that only a supreme effort could save them。 They must overwhelm Sucre before reinforcements could reach him； and to this end an army of upwards of ten thousand was assembled。 On the 9th of December it encountered Sucre and his six thousand soldiers in the valley of Ayacucho； or 〃Corner of Death；〃 where the patriot general had entrenched his army with admirable skill。 The result was a total defeat for the royaliststhe Waterloo of Spain in South America。 The battle thus won by ragged and hungry soldierswhose countersign the night before had been 〃bread and cheese〃threw off the yoke of the mother country forever。 The viceroy fell wounded into their hands and Canterac surrendered。 On receipt of the glorious news； the people of Lima greeted Bolivar with wild enthusiasm。 A Congress prolonged his dictatorship amid adulations that bordered on the grotesque。
Eastward of Peru in the vast mountainous region of Charcas； on the very heights of South America； the royalists still found a refuge。 In January； 1825； a patriot general at the town of La Paz undertook on his own responsibility to declare the entire province independent； alike of Spain； Peru； and the United Provinces of La Plata。 This action was too precipitous； not to say presumptuous； to suit Bolivar and Sucre。 The better to control the situation； the former went up to La Paz and the latter to Chuquisaca； the capital； where a Congress was to assemble for the purpose of imparting a more orderly turn to affairs。 Under the direction of the 〃Marshal of Ayacucho；〃 as Sucre was now called； the Congress issued on the 6th of August a formal declaration of independence。 In honor of the Liberator it christened the new republic 〃Bolivar〃later Latinized into 〃Bolivia〃and conferred upon him the presidency so long as he might choose to remain。 In November； 1896； a new Congress which had been summoned to draft a constitution accepted； with slight modifications； an instrument that the Liberator himself had prepared。 That body also renamed the capital 〃Sucre〃 and chose the hero of Ayacucho as President of the republic。
Now； the Liberator thought； was the opportune moment to impose upon his territorial namesake a constitution embodying his ideas of a stable government which would give Spanish Americans eventually the political experience they needed。 Providing for an autocracy represented by a life President； it ran the gamut of aristocracy and democracy； all the way from 〃censors〃 for life； who were to watch over the due enforcement of the laws； down to senators and 〃tribunes〃 chosen by electors； who in turn were to be named by a select citizenry。 Whenever actually present in the territory of the republic； the Liberator was to enjoy supreme command； in case he wished to exercise it。
In 1826 Simon Bolivar stood at the zenith of his glory and power。 No adherents of the Spanish regime were left in South America to menace the freedom of its independent states。 In January a resistance kept up for nine years by a handful of royalists lodged on the remote island of Chiloe； off the southern coast of Chile； had been broken； and the garrison at the fortress of Callao had laid down its arms after a valiant struggle。 Among Spanish Americans no one was comparable to the marvelous man who had founded three great republics stretching from the Caribbean Sea to the Tropic of Capricorn。 Hailed as the 〃Liberator〃 and the 〃Terror of Despots；〃 he was also acclaimed by the people as the 〃Redeemer； the First…Born Son of the New World！〃 National destinies were committed to his charge； and equestrian statues were erected in his honor。 In the popular imagination he was ranked with Napoleon as a peerless conqueror； and with Washington as the father of his country。 That megalomania should have seized