the hispanic nations of the new world-第5章
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！
straw hats over the mouths of the guns； could not stand their ground。 Hidalgo was captured and shot； but he was succeeded by Jose Maria Morelos； also a priest。 Reviving the old Aztec name for central Mexico； he summoned a 〃Congress of Anahuac；〃 which in 1813 asserted that dependence on the throne of Spain was 〃forever broken and dissolved。〃 Abler and more humane than Hidalgo； he set up a revolutionary government that the authorities of Mexico failed for a while to suppress。
In 1814； therefore； Spain still held the bulk of its dominions。 Trinidad； to be sure； had been lost to Great Britain； and both Louisiana and West Florida to the United States。 Royalist control； furthermore； had ceased in parts of the viceroyalties of La Plata and New Granada。 To regain Trinidad and Louisiana was hopeless： but a wise policy conciliation or an overwheming display of armed force might yet restore Spanish rule where it had been merely suspended。
Very different was the course of events in Brazil。 Strangely enough； the first impulse toward independence was given by the Portuguese royal family。 Terrified by the prospective invasion of the country by a French army； late in 1807 the Prince Regent； the royal family； and a host of Portuguese nobles and commoners took passage on British vessels and sailed to Rio de Janeiro。 Brazil thereupon became the seat of royal government and immediately assumed an importance which it could never have attained as a mere dependency。 Acting under the advice of the British minister； the Prince Regent threw open the ports of the colony to the ships of all nations friendly to Portugal； gave his sanction to a variety of reforms beneficial to commerce and industry； and even permitted a printing press to be set up； though only for official purposes。 From all these benevolent activities Brazil derived great advantages。 On the other hand； the Prince Regent's aversion to popular education or anything that might savor of democracy and the greed of his followers for place and distinction alienated his colonial subjects。 They could not fail to contrast autocracy in Brazil with the liberal ideas that had made headway elsewhere in Spanish America。 As a consequence a spirit of unrest arose which boded ill for the maintenance of Portuguese rule。
CHAPTER III 〃INDEPNDENCE OR DEATH〃
The restoration of Ferdinand VII to his throne in 1814 encouraged the liberals of Spain； no less than the loyalists of Spanish America； to hope that the 〃old King〃 would now grant a new dispensation。 Freedom of commerce and a fair measure of popular representation in government； it was believed； would compensate both the mother country for the suffering which it had undergone during the Peninsular War and the colonies for the trials to which loyalty had been subjected。 But Ferdinand VII was a typical Bourbon。 Nothing less than an absolute reestablishment of the earlier regime would satisfy him。 On both sides of the Atlantic； therefore； the liberals were forced into opposition to the crown； although they were so far apart that they could not cooperate with each other。 Independence was to be the fortune of the Spanish Americans； and a continuance of despotism； for a while； the lot of the Spaniards。
As the region of the viceroyalty of La Plata had been the first to cast off the authority of the home government； so it was the first to complete its separation from Spain。 Despite the fact that disorder was rampant everywhere and that most of the local districts could not or would not send deputies； a congress that assembled at Tucuman voted on July 9； 1816； to declare the 〃United Provinces in South America〃 independent。 Comprehensive though the expression was； it applied only to the central part of the former viceroyalty； and even there it was little more than an aspiration。 Mistrust of the authorities at Buenos Aires； insistence upon provincial autonomy； failure to agree upon a particular kind of republican government； and a lingering inclination to monarchy made progress toward national unity impossible。 In 1819； to be sure； a constitution was adopted； providing for a centralized government； but in the country at large it encountered too much resistance from those who favored a federal government to become effective。
In the Banda Oriental； over most of which Artigas and his horsemen held sway； chaotic conditions invited aggression from the direction of Brazil。 This East Bank of the Uruguay had long been disputed territory between Spain and Portugal； and now its definite acquisition by the latter seemed an easy undertaking。 Instead； however； the task turned out to be a truly formidable one。 Montevideo； feebly defended by the forces of the Government at Buenos Aires； soon capitulated； but four years elapsed before the rest of the country could be subdued。 Artigas fled to Paraguay； where he fell into the clutches of Francia； never to escape。 In 1821 the Banda Oriental was annexed to Brazil as the Cisplatine Province。
Over Paraguay that grim and somber potentate； known as 〃The Supreme One〃El Supremopresided with iron hand。 In 1817 Francia set up a despotism unique in the annals of South America。 Fearful lest contact with the outer world might weaken his tenacious grip upon his subjects； whom he terrorized into obedience； he barred approach to the country and suffered no one to leave it。 He organized and drilled an army obedient to his will。。 When he went forth by day； attended by an escort of cavalry； the doors and windows of houses had to be kept closed and no one was allowed on the streets。 Night he spent till a late hour in reading and study； changing his bedroom frequently to avoid assassination。 Religious functions that might disturb the public peace he forbade。 Compelling the bishop of Asuncion to resign on account of senile debility； Francia himself assumed the episcopal office。 Even intermarriage among the old colonial families he prohibited； so as to reduce all to a common social level。 He attained his object。 Paraguay became a quiet state； whatever might be said of its neighbors！
Elsewhere in southern Spanish America a brilliant feat of arms brought to the fore its most distinguished soldier。 This was Jose de San Martin of La Plata。 Like Miranda； he had been an officer in the Spanish army and had returned to his native land an ardent apostle of independence。 Quick to realize the fact that； so long as Chile remained under royalist control； the possibility of an attack from that quarter was a constant menace to the safety of the newly constituted republic； he conceived the bold plan of organizing near the western frontier an armycomposed partly of Chilean refugees and partly of his own countrymenwith which he proposed to cross the Andes and meet the enemy on his own ground。 Among these fugitives was the able and valiant Bernardo O'Higgins； son of an Irish officer who had been viceroy of Peru。 Cooperating with O'Higgins； San Martin fixed his headquarters at Mendoza and began to gather and train the four thousand men whom he judged needful for the enterprise。
By January； 1817； the 〃Army of the Andes〃 was ready。 To cross the mountains meant to transport men； horses； artillery； and stores to an altitude of thirteen thousand feet； where the Uspallata Pass afforded an outlet to Chilean soil。 This pass was nearly a mile higher than the Great St。 Bernard in the Alps； the crossing of which gave Napoleon Bonaparte such renown。 On the 12th of February the hosts of San Martin hurled themselves upon the royalists entrenched on the slopes of Chacabuco and routed them utterly。 The battle proved decisive not of the fortunes of Chile alone but of those of all Spanish South America。 As a viceroy of Peru later confessed； 〃it marked the moment when the cause of Spain in the Indies began to recede。〃
Named supreme director by the people of Santiago； O'Higgins fought vigorously though ineffectually to drive out the royalists who； reinforced from Peru； held the region south of the capital。 That he failed did not deter him from having a vote taken under military auspices； on the strength of which； on February 12； 1818； he declared Chile an independent nation； the date of the proclamation being changed to the 1st of January； so as to make the inauguration
