the hispanic nations of the new world-第15节

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serviceable　than　his　soldiers。　Accordingly　the　dictator　of　many　a　day；　fallen　from　his　former　estate　of　highness；　decided　to　abandon　his　serenity　also；　and　in　1854　fled　the　countryfor　its　good　and　his　own。



CHAPTER　VI。　PERIL　FROM　ABROAD

Apart　from　the　spoliation　of　Mexico　by　the　United　States；　the　independence　of　the　Hispanic　nations　had　not　been　menaced　for　more　than　thirty　years。　Now　comes　a　period　in　which　the　plight　of　their　big　northern　neighbor；　rent　in　twain　by　civil　war　and　powerless　to　enforce　the　spirit　of　the　Monroe　Doctrine；　caused　two　of　the　countries　to　become　subject　a　while　to　European　control。　One　of　these　was　the　Dominican　Republic。

In　1844　the　Spanish…speaking　population　of　the　eastern　part　of　the　island　of　Santo　Domingo；　writhing　under　the　despotic　yoke　of　Haiti；　had　seized　a　favorable　occasion　to　regain　their　freedom。　But　the　magic　word　〃independence〃　could　not　give　stability　to　the　new　state　any　more　than　it　had　done　in　the　case　of　its　western　foes。　The　Haitians　had　lapsed　long　since　into　a　condition　resembling　that　of　their　African　forefathers。　They　reveled　in　the　barbarities　of　Voodoo；　a　sort　of　snake　worship；　and　they　groveled　before　〃presidents〃　and　〃emperors〃　who　rose　and　fell　on　the　tide　of　decaying　civilization。　The　Dominicans　unhappily　were　not　much　more　progressive。　Revolutions　alternated　with　invasions　and　counterinvasions　and　effectually　prevented　enduring　progress。

On　several　occasions　the　Dominicans　had　sought　reannexation　to　Spain　or　had　craved　the　protection　of　France　as　a　defense　against　continual　menace　from　their　negro　enemies　and　as　a　relief　from　domestic　turmoil。　But　every　move　in　this　direction　failed　because　of　a　natural　reluctance　on　the　part　of　Spain　and　France；　which　was　heightened　by　a　refusal　of　the　United　States　to　permit　what　it　regarded　as　a　violation　of　the　Monroe　Doctrine。　In　1861；　however；　the　outbreak　of　civil　war　in　the　United　States　appeared　to　present　a　favorable　opportunity　to　obtain　protection　from　abroad。　If　the　Dominican　Republic　could　not　remain　independent　anyway；　reunion　with　the　old　mother　country　seemed　altogether　preferable　to　reconquest　by　Haiti。　The　President；　therefore；　entered　into　negotiations　with　the　Spanish　Governor　and　Captain　General　of　Cuba；　and　then　issued　a　proclamation　signed　by　himself　and　four　of　his　ministers　announcing　that　by　the　〃free　and　spontaneous　will〃　of　its　citizens；　who　had　conferred　upon　him　the　power　to　do　so；　the　nation　recognized　Queen　Isabella　II　as　its　lawful　sovereign！　Practically　no　protest　was　made　by　the　Dominicans　against　this　loss　of　their　independence。

Difficulties　which　should　have　been　foreseen　by　Spain　were　quick　to　reveal　themselves。　It　fell　to　the　exPresident；　now　a　colonial　governor　and　captain　general；　to　appoint　a　host　of　officials　and；　not　unnaturally；　he　named　his　own　henchmen。　By　so　doing　he　not　only　aroused　the　animosity　of　the　disappointed　but　stimlated　that　of　the　otherwise　disaffected　as　well；　until　both　the　aggrieved　factions　began　to　plot　rebellion。　Spain；　too；　sent　over　a　crowd　of　officials　who　could　not　adjust　themselves　to　local　conditions。　The　failure　of　the　mother　country　to　allow　the　Dominicans　representation　in　the　Spanish　Cortes　and　its　readiness　to　levy　taxes　stirred　up　resentment　that　soon　ended　in　revolution。　Unable　to　check　this　new　trouble；　and　awed　by　the　threatening　attitude　of　the　United　States；　Spain　decided　to　withdraw　in　1865。　The　Dominicans　thus　were　left　with　their　independence　and　a　chancewhich　they　promptly　seizedto　renew　their　commotions。　So　serious　did　these　disturbances　become　that　in　1869　the　President　of　the　reconstituted　republic　sought　annexation　to　the　United　States　but　without　success。　American　efforts；　on　the　other　hand；　were　equally　futile　to　restore　peace　and　order　in　the　troubled　country　until　many　years　later。

The　intervention　of　Spain　in　Santo　Domingo　and　its　subsequent　withdrawal　could　not　fail　to　have　disastrous　consequences　in　its　colony　of　Cuba；　the　〃Pearl　of　the　Antilles〃　as　it　was　proudly　called。　Here　abundant　crops　of　sugar　and　tobacco　had　brought　wealth　and　luxury；　but　not　many　immigrants　because　of　the　havoc　made　by　epidemics　of　yellow　fever。　Nearly　a　third　of　the　insular　population　was　still　composed　of　negro　slaves；　who　could　hardly　relish　the　thought　that；　while　the　mother　country　had　tolerated　the　suppression　of　the　hateful　institution　in　Santo　Domingo；　she　still　maintained　it　in　Cuba。　A　bureaucracy；　also；　prone　to　corruption　owing　to　the　temptations　of　loose　accounting　at　the　custom　house；　governed　in　routinary；　if　not　in　arbitrary；　fashion。　Under　these　circumstances　dislike　for　the　suspicious　and　repressive　administration　of　Spain　grew　apace；　and　secret　societies　renewed　their　agitation　for　its　overthrow。　The　symptoms　of　unrest　were　aggravated　by　the　forced　retirement　of　Spain　from　Santo　Domingo。　If　the　Dominicans　had　succeeded　so　well；　it　ought　not　to　be　difficult　for　a　prolonged　rebellion　to　wear　Spain　out　and　compel　it　to　abandon　Cuba　also。　At　this　critical　moment　news　was　brought　of　a　Spanish　revolution　across　the　seas。

Just　as　the　plight　of　Spain　in　1808；　and　again　in　1820；　had　afforded　a　favorable　opportunity　for　its　colonies　on　the　continents　of　America　to　win　their　independence；　so　now　in　1868　the　tidings　that　Queen　Isabella　had　been　dethroned　by　a　liberal　uprising　aroused　the　Cubans　to　action　under　their　devoted　leader；　Carlos　Manuel　de　Cespedes。　The　insurrection　had　not　gained　much　headway；　however；　when　the　provisional　government　of　the　mother　country　instructed　a　new　Governor　and　Captain　Generalwhose　name；　Dulce　（Sweet）；　had　an　auspicious　soundto　open　negotiations　with　the　insurgents　and　to　hold　out　the　hope　of　reforms。　But　the　royalists；　now　as　formerly；would　listen　to　no　compromise。　Organizing　themselves　into　bodies　of　volunteers；　they　drove　Dulce　out。　He　was　succeeded　by　one　Caballero　de　Rodas　（Knight　of　Rhodes）　who　lived　up　to　his　name　by　trying　to　ride　roughshod　over　the　rebellious　Cubans。　Thus　began　the　Ten　Years'　Wara　war　of　skirmishes　and　brief　encounters；　rarely　involving　a　decisive　action；　which　drenched　the　soil　of　Cuba　with　blood　and　laid　waste　its　fields　in　a　fury　of　destruction。

Among　the　radicals　and　liberals　who　tried　to　retain　a　fleeting　control　over　Mexico　after　the　final　departure　of　Santa　Anna　was　the　first　genuine　statesman　it　had　ever　known　in　its　history　as　a　republicBenito　Pablo　Juarez；　an　Indian。　At　twelve　years　of　age　he　could　not　read　or　write　or　even　speak　Spanish。　His　employer；　however；　noted　his　intelligence　and　had　him　educated。　Becoming　a　lawyer；　Juarez　entered　the　political　arena　and　rose　to　prominence　by　dint　of　natural　talent　for　leadership；　an　indomitable　perseverance；　and　a　sturdy　patriotism。　A　radical　by　conviction；　he　felt　that　the　salvation　of　Mexico　could　never　be　attained　until　clericalism　and　militarism　had　been　banished　from　its　soil　forever。

Under　his　influence　a　provisional　government　had　already　begun　a　policy　of　lessening　the　privileges　of　the　Church；　when　the　conservative　elements；　with　a　cry　that　religion　was　being　attacked；　rose　up　in　arms　again。　This　movement　repressed；　a　Congress　proceeded　in　1857　to　issue　a　liberal　constitution　which　was　destined　to　last　for　sixty　years。　It　established　the　federal　system　in　a　definite　fashion；　abolished　special　privileges；　both　ecclesiastical　and　military；　and　organized　the　country　on　sound　bases　worthy　of　a　modern　nation。　Mexico　seemed　about　to　enter　upon　a　rational　development。　But　the　newly　elected　President；　yielding　to　the　importunities　of　the　clergy；　abolished　the　constitution；　dissolved　the　legislature；　and　set　up　a　dictatorship；　in　spite　of　the　energetic　protests　of　Juarez；　who　had　been　chosen　Chief　Justice　of　the　Supreme　Court；　and　who；　in　accordance　with　the　terms　of　the　temporarily　discarded　instrument；　was　authorized　to　assume　the　presidency　should　that　office　fall　vacant。　The　rule　of　the　usurper　was　short…lived；　however。　Various　improvised　〃generals〃　of　conservative　stripe　put　themselves　at　the　head　of　a　movement　to　〃save　country；　religion；　and　the　rights　of　the　army；〃　drove　the　would…be　dictator　out；　and　restored　the　old　regime。

Juarez　now　proclaimed　himself　acting　President；　as　he　was　legally　entitled　to　do；　and　set　up　his　government　at　Vera　Cruz　while　one　〃provisional　president〃　followed　another。　Throughout　this　trying　time　Juarez　defended　his　position　vigorously　and　rejected　every　offer　of　compromise。　In　1859　he　promulgated　his　famous　Reform　Laws　which　nationalized　ecclesiastical　property；　secularized　cemeteries；　suppressed　religious　communities；　granted　freedom　of　worship；　and　made　marriage　a　civil　contract。　For　Mexico；　however；　as　for　other　Spanish　American　countries；　measures　of　the　sort　were　far　too　much　in　advance　of　their　time　to　insure　a　ready　acceptance。　Although　Juarez　obtained　a　great　moral　victory　when　his　government　was　recognized　by　the　United　States；　he　had　to　struggle　two　years　more　before　he　could　gain　possession　of　the　capital。　Triumphant　in　1861；　he　carried　his　anticlerical　program　to　the　point　of　actually　expelling　the　Papal　Nuncio　and　other　ecclesiastics　who　refused　to　obey　his　decrees。　By　so　doing　he　leveled　the　way　for　the　clericals；　conservatives；　and　the　militarists　　to　invite　foreign　interve