the hispanic nations of the new world-第6节

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Up　through　the　passes　and　across　bleak　plateaus　the　little　army　struggled　till　it　reached　the　banks　of　the　rivulet　of　Boyaca；　in　the　very　heart　of　New　Granada。　Here；　on　the　7th　of　August；　Bolivar　inflicted　on　the　royalist　forces　a　tremendous　defeat　that　gave　the　deathblow　to　the　domination　of　Spain　in　northern　South　America。　On　his　triumphal　return　to　Angostura；　the　Congress　signalized　the　victory　by　declaring　the　whole　of　the　viceroyalty　an　independent　state　under　the　name　of　the　〃Republic　of　Colombia〃　and　chose　the　Liberator　as　its　provisional　President。　Two　years　later；　a　fundamental　law　it　had　adopted　was　ratified　with　certain　changes　by　another　Congress　assembled　at　Rosario　de　Cucuta；　and　Bolivar　was　made　permanent　President。

Southward　of　Colombia　lay　the　viceroyalty　of　Peru；　the　oldest；　richest；　and　most　conservative　of　the　larger　Spanish　dominions　on　the　continent。　Intact；　except　for　the　loss　of　Chile；　it　had　found　territorial　compensation　by　stretching　its　power　over　the　provinces　of　Quito　and　Charcas；　the　one　wrenched　off　from　the　former　New　Granada；　the　other　torn　away　from　what　had　been　La　Plata。　Predominantly　royalist　in　sentiment；　it　was　like　a　huge　wedge　thrust　in　between　the　two　independent　areas。　By　thus　cutting　off　the　patriots　of　the　north　from　their　comrades　in　the　south；　it　threatened　both　with　destruction　of　their　liberty。

Again　fortune　intervened　from　abroad；　this　time　directly　from　Spain　itself。　Ferdinand　VII；　who　had　gathered　an　army　of　twenty　thousand　men　at　Cadiz；　was　ready　to　deliver　a　crushing　blow　at　the　colonies　when　in　January；　1890；　a　mutiny　among　the　troops　and　revolution　throughout　the　country　entirely　frustrated　the　plan。　But　although　that　reactionary　monarch　was　compelled　to　accept　the　Constitution　of　1819；　the　Spanish　liberals　were　unwilling　to　concede　to　their　fellows　in　America　anything　more　substantial　than　representation　in　the　Cortes。　Independence　they　would　not　tolerate。　On　the　other　hand；　the　example　of　the　mother　country　in　arms　against　its　King　in　the　name　of　liberty　could　not　fail　to　give　heart　to　the　cause　of　liberation　in　the　provinces　oversea　and　to　hasten　its　achievement。

The　first　important　efforts　to　profit　by　this　situation　were　made　by　the　patriots　in　Chile。　Both　San　Martin　and　O'Higgins　had　perceived　that　the　only　effective　way　to　eliminate　the　Peruvian　wedge　was　to　gain　control　of　its　approaches　by　sea。　The　Chileans　had　already　won　some　success　in　this　direction　when　the　fiery　and　imperious　Scotch　sailor；　Thomas　Cochrane；　Earl　of　Dundonald；　appeared　on　the　scene　and　offered　to　organize　a　navy。　At　length　a　squadron　was　put　under　his　command。　With　upwards　of　four　thousand　troops　in　charge　of　San　Martin　the　expedition　set　sail　for　Peru　late　in　August；　1820。

While　Cochrane　busied　himself　in　destroying　the　Spanish　blockade；　his　comrade　in　arms　marched　up　to　the　very　gates　of　Lima；　the　capital；　and　everywhere　aroused　enthusiasm　for　emancipation。　When　negotiations；　which　had　been　begun　by　the　viceroy　and　continued　by　a　special　commissioner　from　Spain；　failed　to　swerve　the　patriot　leader　from　his　demand　for　a　recognition　of　independence；　the　royalists　decided　to　evacuate　the　town　and　to　withdraw　into　the　mountainous　region　of　the　interior。　San　Martin；　thereupon；　entered　the　capital　at　the　head　of　his　army　of　liberation　and　summoned　the　inhabitants　to　a　town　meeting　at　which　they　might　determine　for　themselves　what　action　should　be　taken。　The　result　was　easily　foreseen。　On　July　28；　1821；　Peru　was　declared　independent；　and　a　few　days　later　San　Martin　was　invested　with　supreme　command　under　the　title　of　〃Protector。〃

But　the　triumph　of　the　new　Protector　did　not　last　long。　For　some　reason　he　failed　to　understand　that　the　withdrawal　of　the　royalists　from　the　neighborhood　of　the　coast　was　merely　a　strategic　retreat　that　made　the　occupation　of　the　capital　a　more　or　less　empty　performance。　This　blunder　and　a　variety　of　other　mishaps　proved　destined　to　blight　his　military　career。　Unfortunate　in　the　choice　of　his　subordinates　and　unable　to　retain　their　confidence；　accused　of　irresolution　and　even　of　cowardice；　abandoned　by　Cochrane；　who　sailed　off　to　Chile　and　left　the　army　stranded；　incapable　of　restraining　his　soldiers　from　indulgence　in　the　pleasures　of　Lima；　now　severe；　now　lax　in　an　administration　that　alienated　the　sympathies　of　the　influential　class；　San　Martin　was　indeed　an　unhappy　figure。　It　soon　became　clear　that　he　must　abandon　all　hope　of　ever　conquering　the　citadel　of　Spanish　power　in　South　America　unless　he　could　prevail　upon　Bolivar　to　help　him。

A　junction　of　the　forces　of　the　two　great　leaders　was　perfectly　feasible；　after　the　last　important　foothold　of　the　Spaniards　on　the　coast　of　Venezuela　had　been　broken　by　the　Battle　of　Carabobo；　on　July　24；　1821。　Whether　such　a　union　would　be　made；　however；　depended　upon　two　things：　the　ultimate　disposition　of　the　province　of　Quito；　lying　between　Colombia　and　Peru；　and　the　attitude　which　Bolivar　and　San　Martin　themselves　should　assume　toward　each　other。　A　revolution　of　the　previous　year　at　the　seaport　town　of　Guayaquil　in　that　province　had　installed　an　independent　government　which　besought　the　Liberator　to　sustain　its　existence。　Prompt　to　avail　himself　of　so　auspicious　an　opportunity　of　uniting　this　former　division　of　the　viceroyalty　of　New　Granada　to　his　republic　of　Colombia；　Bolivar　appointed　Antonio　Jose　de　Sucre；　his　ablest　lieutenant　and　probably　the　most　efficient　of　all　Spanish　American　soldiers　of　the　time；　to　assume　charge　of　the　campaign。　On　his　arrival　at　Guayaquil；　this　officer　found　the　inhabitants　at　odds　among　themselves。　Some；　hearkening　to　the　pleas　of　an　agent　of　San　Martin；　favored　union　with　Peru；　others；　yielding　to　the　arguments　of　a　representative　of　Bolivar；　urged　annexation　to　Colombia；　still　others　regarded　absolute　independence　as　most　desirable。　Under　these　circumstances　Sucre　for　a　while　made　little　headway　against　the　royalists　concentrated　in　the　mountainous　parts　of　the　country　despite　the　partial　support　he　received　from　troops　which　were　sent　by　the　southern　commander。　At　length；　on　May　24；　1822；　scaling　the　flanks　of　the　volcano　of　Pichincha；　near　the　capital　town　of　Quito　itself；　he　delivered　the　blow　for　freedom。　Here　Bolivar；　who　had　fought　his　way　overland　amid　tremendous　difficulties；　joined　him　and　started　for　Guayaquil；　where　he　and　San　Martin　were　to　hold　their　memorable　interview。

No　characters　in　Spanish　American　history　have　called　forth　so　much　controversy　about　their　respective　merits　and　demerits　as　these　two　heroes　of　independenceBolivar　and　San　Martin。　Even　now　it　seems　quite　impossible　to　obtain　from　the　admirers　of　either　an　opinion　that　does　full　justice　to　both；　and　foreigners　who　venture　to　pass　judgment　are　almost　certain　to　provoke　criticism　from　one　set　of　partisans　or　the　other。　Both　Bolivar　and　San　Martin　were　sons　of　country　gentlemen；　aristocratic　by　lineage　and　devoted　to　the　cause　of　independence。　Bolivar　was　alert；　dauntless；　brilliant；　impetuous；　vehemently　patriotic；　and　yet　often　capricious；　domineering；　vain；　ostentatious；　and　disdainful　of　moral　considerationsa　masterful　man；　fertile　in　intellect；　fluent　in　speech　and　with　pen；　an　inspiring　leader　and　one　born　to　command　in　state　and　army。　Quite　as　earnest；　equally　courageous；　and　upholding　in　private　life　a　higher　standard　of　morals；　San　Martin　was　relatively　calm；　cautious；　almost　taciturn　in　manner；　and　slower　in　thought　and　action。　He　was　primarily　a　soldier；　fitted　to　organize　and　conduct　expeditions；　rather　than；　a　man　endowed　with　that　supreme　confidence　in　himself　which　brings　enthusiasm；　affection；　and　loyalty　in　its　train。

When　San　Martin　arrived　at　Guayaquil；　late　in　July；　1822；　his　hope　of　annexing　the　province　of　Quito　to　Peru　was　rudely　shattered　by　the　news　that　Bolivar　had　already　declared　it　a　part　of　Colombia。　Though　it　was　outwardly　cordial　and　even　effusive；　the　meeting　of　the　two　men　held　out　no　prospect　of　accord。　In　an　interchange　of　views　which　lasted　but　a　few　hours；　mutual　suspicion；　jealousy；　and　resentment　prevented　their　reaching　an　effective　understanding。　The　Protector；　it　would　seem；　thought　the　Liberator　actuated　by　a　boundless　ambition　that　would　not　endure　resistance。　Bolivar　fancied　San　Martin　a　crafty　schemer　plotting　for　his　own　advancement。　They　failed　to　agree　on　the　three　fundamental　points　essential　to　their　further　cooperation。　Bolivar　declined　to　give　up　the　province　of　Quito。　He　refused　also　to　send　an　army　into　Peru　unless　he　could　command　it　in　person；　and　then　he　declined　to　undertake　the　expedition　on　the　ground　that　as　President　of　Colombia　he　ought　not　to　leave　the　territory　of　the　republic。　Divining　this　pretext；　San　Martin　offered　to　serve　under　his　ordersa　feint　that　Bolivar　parried　by　protesting　that　he　would　not　hear　of　any　such　self…denial　on　the　part　of　a　brother　officer。

Above　all；　the　two　men　differed　about　the　political　form　to　be　adopted　for　the　new　independent　states。　Both　of　them　realized　that　anything　like　genuine　democracies　was　quite　impossible　of　attainment　for　many　years　to　come；　and　that　strong　administrations　would　be　needful　to　tide　the　Spanish　Americans　over　from　the　political　inexperience　of　colonial　days　and　the　disorders　of