the hispanic nations of the new world-第8章

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ard　for　a　recognition　of　the　liberal　regime。　Fearful　of　being　displaced　from　power；　the　viceroy　with　the　support　of　the　clergy　and　aristocracy　ordered　Agustin　de　Iturbide；　a　Creole　officer　who　had　been　an　active　royalist；　to　quell　an　insurrection　in　the　southern　part　of　the　country。

The　choice　of　this　soldier　was　unfortunate。　Personally　ambitious　and　cherishing　in　secret　the　thought　of　independence；　Iturbide；　faithless　to　his　trust；　entered　into　negotiations　with　the　insurgents　which　culminated　February　24；　1821；　in　what　was　called　the　〃Plan　of　Iguala。〃　It　contained　three　main　provisions；　or　〃guarantees；〃　as　they　were　termed：　the　maintenance　of　the　Catholic　religion　to　the　exclusion　of　all　others；　the　establishment　of　a　constitutional　monarchy　separate　from　Spain　and　ruled　by　Ferdinand　himself；　or；　if　he　declined　the　honor；　by　some　other　European　prince；　and　the　union　of　Mexicans　and　Spaniards　without　distinction　of　caste　or　privilege。　A　temporary　government　also；　in　the　form　of　a　junta　presided　over　　by　the　viceroy；　was　to　be　created；　and　provision　was　made　for　the　organization　of　an　〃Army　of　the　Three　Guarantees。〃

Despite　opposition　from　the　royalists；　the　plan　won　increasing　favor。　Powerless　to　thwart　it　and　inclined　besides　to　a　policy　of　conciliation；　the　new　viceroy；　Juan　O'Donoju；　agreed　to　ratify　it　on　conditionin　obedience　to　a　suggestion　from　Iturbidethat　the　parties　concerned　should　be　at　liberty；　if　they　desired；　to　choose　any　one　as　emperor；　whether　he　were　of　a　reigning　family　or　not。　Thereupon；　on　the　28th　of　September；　the　provisional　government　installed　at　the　city　of　Mexico　announced　the　consummation　of　an　〃enterprise　rendered　eternally　memorable；　which　a　genius　beyond　all　admiration　and　eulogy；　love　and　glory　of　his　country；　began　at　Iguala；　prosecuted　and　carried　into　effect；　overcoming　obstacles　almost　insuparable〃and　declared　the　independence　of　a　〃Mexican　Empire。〃　The　act　was　followed　by　the　appointment　of　a　regency　to　govern　until　the　accession　of　Ferdinand　VII；　or　some　other　personage；　to　the　imperial　throne。　Of　this　body　Iturbide　assumed　the　presidency；　which　carried　with　it　the　powers　of　commander　in　chief　and　a　salary　of　120；000　pesos；　paid　from　the　day　on　which　the　Plan　of　Iguala　was　signed。　O'Donoju　contented　himself　with　membership　on　the　board　and　a　salary　of　one…twelfth　that　amount；　until　his　speedy　demise　removed　from　the　scene　the　last　of　the　Spanish　viceroys　in　North　America。

One　step　more　was　needed。　Learning　that　the　Cortes　in　Spain　had　rejected　the　entire　scheme；　Iturbide　allowed　his　soldiers　to　acclaim　him　emperor；　and　an　unwilling　Congress　saw　itself　obliged　to　ratify　the　choice。　On　July　21；　1822；　the　destinies　of　the　country　were　committed　to　the　charge　of　Agustin　the　First。

As　in　the　area　of　Mexico　proper；　so　in　the　Central　American　part　of　the　viceroyalty　of　New　Spain；　the　Spanish　Revolution　of　1820　had　unexpected　results。　Here　in　the　five　little　provinces　composing　the　captaincy　general　of　Guatemala　there　was　much　unrest；　but　nothing　of　a　serious　nature　occurred　until　after　news　had　been　brought　of　the　Plan　of　Iguala　and　its　immediate　outcome。　Thereupon　a　popular　assembly　met　at　the　capital　town　of　Guatemala；　and　on　September　15；　1821；　declared　the　country　an　independent　state。　This　radical　act　accomplished；　the　patriot　leaders　were　unable　to　proceed　further。　Demands　for　the　establishment　of　a　federation；　for　a　recognition　of　local　autonomy；　for　annexation　to　Mexico；　were　all　heard；　and　none；　except　the　last；　was　answered。　While　the　〃Imperialists〃　and　〃Republicans〃　were　arguing　it　out；　a　message　from　Emperor　Agustin　announced　that　he　would　not　allow　the　new　state　to　remain　independent。　On　submission　of　the　matter　to　a　vote　of　the　cabildos；　most　of　them　approved　reunion　with　the　northern　neighbor。　Salvador　alone　among　the　provinces　held　out　until　troops　from　Mexico　overcame　its　resistance。

On　the　continents　of　America；　Spain　had　now　lost　nearly　all　its　its　possessions。　In　1822　the　United　States　had　already　acquired　East　Florida　on　its　own　account；　led　off　in　recognizing　the　independence　of　the　several　republics。　Only　in　Peru　and　Charcas　the　royalists　still　battled　on　behalf　of　the　mother　country。　In　the　West　Indies；　Santo　Domingo　followed　the　lead　of　its　sister　colonies　on　the　mainland　by　asserting　in　1821　its　independence；　but　its　brief　independent　life　was　snuffed　out　by　the　negroes　of　Haiti；　once　more　a　republic；　who　spread　their　control　over　the　entire　island。　Cuba　also　felt　the　impulse　of　the　times。　But；　apart　from　the　agitation　of　secret　societies　like　the　〃Rays　and　Suns　of　Bolivar；〃　which　was　soon　checked；　the　colony　remained　tranquil。

In　Portuguese　America　the　knowledge　of　what　had　occurred　throughout　the　Spanish　dominions　could　not　fail　to　awaken　a　desire　for　independence。　The　Prince　Regent　was　well　aware　of　the　discontent　of　the　Brazilians；　but　he　thought　to　allay　it　by　substantial　concessions。　In　1815　he　proceeded　to　elevate　the　colony　to　substantial　equality　with　the　mother　country　by　joining　them　under　the　title　of　〃United　Kingdom　of　Portugal；　Brazil；　and　the　Algarves。〃　The　next　year　the　Prince　Regent　himself　became　King　under　the　name　of　John　IV。　The　flame　of　discontent；　nevertheless；　continued　to　smolder。　Republican　outbreaks；　though　quelled　without　much　difficulty；　recurred。　Even　the　reforms　which　had　been　instituted　by　John　himself　while　Regent；　and　which　had　assured　freer　communication　with　the　world　at　large；　only　emphasized　more　and　more　the　absurdity　of　permitting　a　feeble　little　land　like　Portugal　to　retain　its　hold　upon　a　region　so　extensive　and　valuable　as　Brazil。

The　events　of　1820　in　Portugal　hastened　the　movement　toward　independence。　Fired　by　the　success　of　their　Spanish　comrades；　the　Portuguese　liberals　forthwith　rose　in　revolt；　demanded　the　establishment　of　a　limited　monarchy；　and　insisted　that　the　King　return　to　his　people。　In　similar　fashion；　also；　they　drew　up　a　constitution　which　provided　for　the　representation　of　Brazil　by　deputies　in　a　future　Cortes。　Beyond　this　they　would　concede　no　special　privileges　to　the　colony。　Indeed　their　idea　seems　to　have　been　that；　with　the　King　once　more　in　Lisbon；　their　own　liberties　would　be　secure　and　those　of　Brazil　would　be　reduced　to　what　were　befitting　a　mere　dependency。　Yielding　to　the　inevitable；　the　King　decided　to　return　to　Portugal；　leaving　the　young　Crown　Prince　to　act　as　Regent　in　the　colony。　A　critical　moment　for　the　little　country　and　its　big　dominion　oversea　had　indubitably　arrived。　John　understood　the　trend　of　the　times；　for　on　the　eve　of　his　departure　he　said　to　his　son：　〃Pedro；　if　Brazil　is　to　separate　itself　from　Portugal；　as　seems　likely；　you　take　the　crown　yourself　before　any　one　else　gets　it！〃

Pedro　was　liberal　in　sentiment；　popular　among　the　Brazilians；　and　well…disposed　toward　the　aspirations　of　the　country　for　a　larger　measure　of　freedom；　and　yet　not　blind　to　the　interests　of　the　dynasty　of　Braganza。　He　readily　listened　to　the　urgent　pleas　of　the　leaders　of　the　separatist　party　against　obeying　the　repressive　mandaes　of　the　Cortes。　Laws　which　abolished　the　central　government　of　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。