“EL LIBERTADOR”

Evening Star, Issue 18532, 15 January 1924, Page 1

“EL LIBERTADO R”

SIMON DE BOLIVAR. SOUTH AMERICA'S STRUGGLE FOB. FREEDOM. “ El Libeiitadoi- ” ft grateful people styled Simon de Bolivar, and'as such he will go down In history. His was the most outstanding personality in the struggle for freedom (in South America, and'yet to describe his character and appearance fully is a far from easy task. According to contemporaries, ho was lean of limb and body, bis cheek bones stood out prominently in an ovai-sliapod, face, while his eyes were large, black, and penetrating. When in a good humor (his manner was pleasing «md attractive, but when impatient, irritated, or contradicted he was at' no pains to oomoeal his displeasure, and he could make himself extremely disagreeable. No matter in what peculiar circumstances he found himsdli placed, he was always distinguished a.s the most dominant ,personality. . What a varied career was his! One year sees, him in Madrid playing tennis with the Prince of Asturias, another scaling the Granadian Andes with his army, or again .he reclines in a canoe on the bosom of the Orinoco River dictating to his secretary Constitution ho is preparing for the Free State of Venezuela, .* Simon do Bolivar was born at Caracas on July 24, 1783. His parents .were of, noble descent, and owned rich copper mines, as well as numerous haciendas -n the valleys of Venezuela, and on. their decease when Simon was still very young his inheritance -amounted to the'large sum of four million pesos. Bolivar’s tutor was Simon Rodriguez, who was always more or less associated-with the liberator, and wbo was afterwards to become the first director of public instruction in Bolivia under tlio wlso decrees of his former pupil. The condition of the Spanish- Indies at this time was deplorable. Of the Americas only the North was free, and in Central America, and South America, Spain ruled with a. tyrannical! hand, and treated the cdlonifes merely as sources of revenue. Trade was subject to heavy duties, and its nature was regulated so as not to adversely affect the tra.de of the homeland. Every fresh trade restriction meant more revenue to Spain land more oppression to • the colonies, and if a comparison be mode with the United States the sufferings of 'tho Spanish colonies at once be-cor.(?- the more severe. Bolivar then grew up in an atmosphere of victimisation ; and who knows but, what ho , had already given, thought to the_ obvious remedy when, in 1797, he enlisted in the white militia and applied himself so studiously to matters military that he soon gained" promotion. _ In 1799, like other members of - the aristocratic creole families, he ''vent to (Madrid to. complete his education. Bolivar's first trip to Europe is worthy of note because of his love affair. He became passionately fond of Maria Teresa, a daughter of the Marquis of Toro, but their marriage was delayed owing to tho youth of the lovers. Bolivar, too, incurred the displeasure of the Government, and he left Spain towards the end of 1801, but returned in 1802, w-hen Charles IV.'granted him a permit to marry, a permit indispensable to officers of Bolivar's rank. The happy couple embarked for Venezuela, but soon after I heir landing Maria Teresa was seized with yellow fever, and on January 2, 1803, she died. Her death was a .hard blow to .Bolivar, who years later wrote: “I loved my wife much, and at her death 1 1 took an oath never more to marry. . . . The death of my wife , placed_ mo at an early age on the road to politics; it caused me to follow the chariot of Mars instead of tho plough -of Ceres.” Bolivar attempted to forget his sorrow in travel and study. ' Ho visited the United States, and investigated and appreciated their liberty. He travelled through most of the European countries, and also spent some time in studying the works of Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Rousseau, w-rit-(ings produced in the glow of French lib* jerty, and their revolutionary effect seems to have been very pronounced, for Bolivar, I in company with Rodriguez, whom he had I met in Vienna, scaled the heights of the | Aventine (Mount, and there dedicated hirn- ! self to the task of liberating America from the Spanish yoke. The colonies were seething with discontent ■ when Bolivar arrived, and be threw himself wholeheartedly into tho revolution headed by Miranda. In bis capacity of colonel of militia ho was - given command of. tho Venezuelan fortress of Puerto Cabello, but owing to lack of support he was forced to retire. ■ Ho became very dissatisfied with the manner in which the revolt was being led, and, aided byothers holding similar opinions, he seized Miranda and threw him in a dungeon, where the unfortunate ex-leader was afterwards found by the Spaniards. This incident has often been quoted as a foul stain' ,on tho name of Bolivar, but as Miranda was about to leave tho country after capitulating to an inferior force Bolivar may, have had good grounds for resentment. With tho 1 passing of Miranda, Bolivar bc-camo-uudisputably the greatest figure in .South American affairs, and it was well that it should be so. Time has justified such a contention. Bo'livar’s courage was magnificent, his serenity in battle was amazing. He rode through the ranks rallying his men by his own superb example. A liberator indeed. Defeat left him undismayed, and there was a saying current that “ when vanquished Bolivar is more terrible than when he conquers.” Such was the man who was about to embark on tho long campaign which, though pregnant with difficulties which even he did not anticipate, was to end in glorious victory'and to give freedom to five nations. Bolivar had a fond; dream of a confederacy of South American States, but ho reckoned without the mountains, which formed a well nigh impassable natural barrier, and he -also failed to perceive that South Amefifans were lacking in a common national spirit. Whatever discrepancies in Bolivar’s views have been disclosed in tIIo melting pot of time, his supreme military genius remains undoubted.

In 1812, on his promotion to the post of military leader, Bolivar repaired to, the present day Republic.of Colombia, or New Granada, as it was then known. Sis efforts were everywhere successful, and, flushed with his success, although his i force only numbered 500 men, he decided j to carry the war into Venezuela in hopes of freeing that province. The decision made, he issued, from the mountain town ! of _ Trujillo, a proclamation breathing the spirit of the man and irresistible in its . appeal for volunteers in the cause of freej dom. It was gloriously defiant, and in- ' tensely patriotic. “ Spaniards and Cauaj rians count on death, even though you I are neutral, if you do not work actively for the liberty of Venezuela! American's ; count on life, even though you are culpiable!” That spirit imbued the array of the liberator, and, within three months, Venezuela, too, was free. Everything went smoothly for a time, but the Spanish Government was not going to allow the Indies to thus slip from' its grasp, and accordingly, in 1815, 10,000 Spanish soldiers landed at Caracas. Such a force was overwhelming, and Bolivar was forced to flee to Jamaica. I He made an attempt to land in VenoI zuela in 1815, but this proved abortive. In the following year, nothing daunted, he made a fresh sally, which was successful jin every way. In August, 1819, Bolivar

crossed the Cordilleras and effected a junction with an army organised in New Granada by General Santander, and by means of a decisive victory, which ha gained at Boyaca, the .whole of New, Granada was freed._ A march was mada against Venezuela in 1821, and on June 23 of that year the liberator reviewed the Republican army at Tinaquillo, and then marched to the heights of Buena Vista,' from which position- he could survey the * enemy drawn up -in battle array on tho plains of Carabobo. The Spaniards were completely routed in tho battle which followed, and Bolivar says, in a letter to » Santander■“ Yesterday a splendid victory signalised tho political birth of the Republic of Colombia.” The ’Colombians were overjoyed, and Bolivar was authorised to take whatever steps ha thought necessary for tho expulsion of tiro remaining Spanish troops from America. He then marched into the province of Ecuador, and on through lower and upper Peru. His triumph was complete, and Spanish rule in South America became a thing of the past. Much has been written concerning Bolivar’s motives—much'that is both favorable and otherwise. San Martin, the great Peruvian contemporary of Bolivar, has tersely summed up his impressions of the liberator. “ Public opinion accused him of excessive -ambition and an ardent thirst for command—a reproach which he himself has completely justified. People credited him with great disinterestedness, and that justly for ho died in poverty.” He was always the planning politician, but his scheming was never to the detriment of his native land, and was doubtless forced upon him in no little degree by the slanders and suspicions of his colleagues in the task of liberation. Ninetenths of his fortune went in the service of his country, and when. the liberated nations offered him a gift of 1,000,000 dollars he gracefully declined it. A lifetime spent in the service o! a cause can have'no greater reward than the consummation of that cause, and Bolivar lived to see provinces of Venezuela, Now Granada, and Ecuador united as a free nation under the name of Great Colombia, with himself ‘as its first President. ..He was also elected President of the republics of Peru and Bolivia, tho latter nation being formed in Upper Peru, and named Bolivia in honor of,tho liberator. Bolivar, too, became the first member of tho order of the “ Liberators of Veneznlea,” and had the honor of designing the insignia of the order—a star with seven radii, representing the seven provinces of Venezuela.

While great was the reward of this remarkable man in the heyday of victory, yot his closing days were inexpressibly sad. Revolts took place, and the leaders of the various departments of State were striving their uttermost to depose Bolivar •» order to secure more benefits for themselves. Venezuela and Ecuador . broke away and set up separate administrations, and Bolivar, in his disgust, exclaimed: — “ There is no faith in America j neither among' men nor among nations. , Their treaties are paper; their Constitutions are books; their elections are combats; liberty is anarchy,- and life is a torment.’* An .unsuccessful attempt, was made on his life, and at this last ungrateful thrust Bolivar, now sick and steadily declining in health, despairingly renounced the office of Liberator-president of Colombia, and planned to leave South America . for ever and reside in the British West Indies. But it was not, to bo, for early in December,. I 83 0? the ■ liberator, acoom : parried by >■ few military friends, was carried on »• litter into the town of Santa Marta-, arid on December 17 he died of pulmonary tuberculosis. Boilvar's farewell message is characteristic of the man: “ Colombians! My last wishes are for the happiness of my native land. If my death helps to clicck'tbe growth of factions and to consolidate the-union I shall rest tranquilly in the sepulchre.”