The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-07
OBJ 1T U A nv.
General Jose Antonio Pacx.

|
residence In this city the celebrated soldier ana
| statesman who was once the idoized hero OF
| South America. General Paez was born in 1901,
in Venezuela, the country in whose history he has
| figured so conspicuously, and to whose fame he
has contributed so large share. His laures date
| back to theSheroic days OF Bolivar, called the
| sIiberator,n by whose side he fought against
| Spanish oppression. General Paez was q man OF
| the people. He pose from the humble occupation
OF cattle farmer to the highest place within the
| gift OF his countrymen. His early years were
| passed in the dreamy quiet OF Spanish America,
| but ere his manhood was attained Venezuela, in
common with all the other dependencies Of the
Spanish Grown, rose in revolt. and in his twenty
first year the young cattle farmer enlisted IN the
military organization raised for the patriotic strug-
| gle which breke out on the 10Th OF April, 1910.
| Overwhelming odds on the mother country's
side were triumphant at first, ana in 1872 the
patriot forces were compelled TO submit to the
| Spanish forces. Delusive hopes were for short
| time entertained by the victors hut their disap-
! pointment was close at hand. Paez had by this
| time been promoted to the rank OF sergeant of
cavalry and in 1873 when his illustricus country
| man Bolivar WAS threatening the Spanish army
from the New Grenadan frontier, he was appointed
captain by the Spanish commander, Don A. Tiscar;
but he was not to be won from the patriotic
cause he had espoused. Making his escape from
the loyasts he fed to his native province, where
he once more joined his old commander. In one of
| the many encounters which ensued the young par
tisan was taken prisoner ana was actually led out
to execution, but escaped by an extraordinary
| series of apparent accidents
We regret that our space will not permit us to
| follow the patriot general through all the varied
incidents OF his military We must leave his
famous action Of Mata de In Mel, where he utterly
! routed the Spaniard Lopez unnarrated. We can
scarcely do more than mention his splendid VIC
| tories over La Tore, acknowledgements sent out
| from Europe with heavy achievements
others, and we must pass over in silence the ope-
rations which he conducted, in connection with
| Bolivar, from 1919 to the year 1921 The arms OF
| Spain were now. however, visbly on the
decline; Venezuela and New Granada had
united themselves in December, 1S19 into one
| republic under the name OF Colombia,
and In 1927 the final blow dealt to the suprenl-
acy OF Spain by the wonderful charge OF the British
auxaries on the field OF Carabobo under the COM
spaniards had fortified themselves in position OF
fearful strength at the entrance OF valley de-
bouching upon the plain It was necessary to dis
| their right by footpath which was little known.
Through this ravine the British legion penetrated,
losing nearly all their officers, but the result was
the defeat and utter rout OF the royast forces.
Paez was raised at once to the rank Of Generalin-
| Chief The struggle still continued, however, and
it not untll 1880 that Venezuela became an in
| dependent republic In 1881 General Paez was
elected first President, and at the expiration Of his
term OF ONCE he resigned the cares OF government,
and retired into private life. enc event IN General
Paez's lie, which suggests comparison, yet stands
to General Canbys tragic end claims special notice
/ at the present time. The following is a condensed
account OF it taken from book entitled 'Tales and
Adventures in South and Central America, by Don
Ramon Paez,' son OF the illustrlous General:-
savage indian chief named Csneros,. at the
head OF band numbering 400 Indians,
waged fierce war against the government or
Venezuela, General Paez finding 1t impossible to
| by gentle dealing. He proposed an interview IN
whatever place or manner most agreeable
was Returned. Cisneros suspecting treac aTv'
! could not comprehend why man in the position
of General Paez should trust himself among saw
ages. second invitation was rendered him
| through some female emissaries, no man venturng
to penetrate his camp, and this time with better
the express condition that the General should find
| his way alone to the bandits haunt in the noun
one, but there was no help for it. Tnither General
| Paez directed his course Notwithstanding the
most strenuous opposition on the part q his
escorted him as far as the entrance to
the forest where they remained ZEN anxlously
in the instructions sent to him. General
Paez waaed Though the forest until he was
the Indian sentres. The challenge being sat
sfactorily answered, he was directed to pro-
| coed forward. Another shout made him conscious
at his head Onward he went expecting each mo-
| ment to hear the command TO fire: but to his sur
prise not word more was uttered until he reached
the headquarters OF the chief, whom he not only
persuaded to abandon his career of crime, but to
| disbacd his 400 Indians.
| Numerous marks OF distinction were bestowed
by European sovereigns upon the venezuelan hero
and patriot. In 1887, William w. OF England sent
magnificent sword to General Paez, and on the
blade were inscribed the following words 1.-THE
gift Of King William the Fourth to General Paez as
interested patriotism which has distinguished his
gallant and victorious career" In 1S43, Louis
the Gordon and insignia OF the Legion OF Honor. in
1885, oscar, King OF Sweden, the OF Marshal
Bernadotte, honored General Paez with the highest
testimonial ofesteem within his power, the .Grand
Cross OF the Military Order OF the Sword" accom-.
sive OF high regard and personal esteem.
In 1889 Paez was once more elected President
when his every effort was devoted to the pros
he left surplus Of ss oO 600 in the public treasury
once once more, he steadily refused, and lent his
influence to the election OF Jose T. M0nagas hoping
me amsaIh hv 81 t tnat %
and he consequently elected. But the hopes
OF Paez were not fulfilled. Monagas strove COM
plctey to revolutionze the republic, and in 1s4s he
actually went SO far as to coerce the House Of Rep
resentatives into Illegal proceedings The people
Sey hs pao stood forth To onpose
Monagas, but he was overpowered by numbers
the treasury was in the hands OF the President
and after brave struggle was taken prisoner
loaded with irons and sentenced to perpetna
exile. After many months weary imprisonment
lie escorted, May a. 1850, on board the steamer
Libertador and went into exile. In August, 1850,
General Paez arrived in New York, where, with
short intervals OF absence, he has made his home
ever SINCE In 1858 he was recalled by the vene-
zuelan people and government. The United States
placed two steamers at his disposal for the purpose
of conveying hun back to his native country There
he remained, however, only six months, being in
duced to leave on account of the jeal-
ousies OF the temporary ruler, General
Castro He returned to New York. Soon after
Castro was deposed, ana General Paez again re-
called. He obeyed the summons OF his people, and
remained three years in Venezuela, during which
time he, by universal request, assumed dctatoral
powers as constitutional government was i'm
uossble in country utterly demOrahzed and dis
tracted by civil war Finding that he could not
make peace among the contendng factions he left
his native country, never more to return, and
more took up his residence in New YORK, where he
| has remannd ever since. lie has nassed