The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-01-23
SIMON BOLIVAR
CAREER OF THE SOUTH AsIERf-
CAN LiBERATOR.
Like Washington. His Ruling Pas.
sion Was Patriotism-His Signal
Service to Our Far South
ern Neighbors.
1HERE is m equestrian statue
OF Simon Bolivar, the Ven.
ezuelan Liberator, in the

trance. II was presented to the munic-
ipality of New York twelve years ago
in the name OF the President and peo-
pie of the Republic of Venezuela, and
was the work OF an unrenowned Venez-
uelan sculptor. There is another
equestrian statute of Bolivar in the
capital of Peru; there is Bolivar
monument in the capital OF Venezuela I;
and the Republic of Bolivia was called
by that name seventy.one years ago in
honor of Bolivar. IL was TO Bolivar
that all of these three South American
countries owed their deliverance from
Spanish rule, and each of them pays
honor to his memory as its liberator.
Bolivar was native of Caracas, the
capital of Venezuela, and he died in
the prime of his life, in the month of
December. sixty-five years ago, after
his work of liberation had been com.
pleted in South America.
As the name OF George Washington
is loved in the United States. so is that
of Bolivar in Venezuela, and in Peru,
and III Bolivia. In Caracas there are
statues of both Bolivar and Washing
ton, as in New York there are statues
of both. The ruling passions of both
men were patriotism and the love of
freedom, though in several personal
qualities the two were unlike each
other.
II was in his capacity rs liberator
that Bolivar rendered the very highest
service in Spanish America. His
country, and all but one of the other
countries of the southern continent,
were provinces of the Spanish mon
archy, governed by agents sent from
Spain; their affairs were administered
in the interest of Spain, for the en-
richment of Spain; the Spanish rule
was tyrannical and corrupt the people
were despoiled. Bolivar drew the sword
for delivcrance and independence he
won successes wherever he waged
war; he carried his flag southwark
from the Caribbean Sea along the
slopes of the Andes; Spain fed
from his presence; foreign = mi
nation fell before him; one ean.nisn
province after anC.lhsc," was relieved
from tne yoke of the European mon
arUay, which had been borne for CEN
turies; and, largely through his heroic
an! persistent efforts, the whole of
Spanish South America became chain
OF republics, far better of under re-
publican governments than they ever
were under the despotism of Spain.
This was the prime service OF Simon
Bolivar; (; and it is no wonder that his
name is acclaimed from Caracas to
Lima.
We have said that Bolivar was in
many respects unlike our Washington.
But we do not care at this time to
mark the differences between the two
men. Bolivar's love of power and
dictatorial disposition were elements
of his creole character which did not
prove disadvantageous to his cause
during his stormy and victorious
career. We desire to keep in mind
here but the one all important fact,
that it was mainly through his achieve.
ments that vast domains in South
America were at last relieved from
their long thraldom to European
Power, enfranchised and turned into
self-governiug republics.
1t was while yet u young man that
Bolivar entered into the struggle for
independence. The story of his cam
paigns in the Spanish viceroyalty OF
New Granada is n thrilling one. 1t
was in 1919, after many victories over
Spain had been won, that Venezuela
and New Granada were united in
republic under the name of Colom-
bia, and Bolivar was made President.
1t was three years afterward, when
the enemy had taken his departure,
and constitutional government had
been established, that the revolu.
tionists of Peru asked his assistance in
driving the Spanish army from that
country. He marched southwark upon
Lima, entered the city Ill triumph,
was chosen dictator, crossed the Andes,
defeated the Spanish forces there, rec
ognized the Government, and re-
signed the dictatorship. The Spanish
provinces which now constitute the
Republic of Bolivia also asked his aid
after taking his name; and not the
least OF the services which ne rendered
in their cause was the preparation of
IA code of laws. The subsequent
career of the Liberator, after he had
returned to his own country, was
troublous, and he resigned the Presi-
dency in 1880, few months before his
death, at the age of forty-seven. He
had earned his title. Spain had been
driven from South America. "Among
the facts, says one of his biographers,
(Which stand forth strongly in his
favor, are these: That he conquered
the in dependence OF three countries.
and secured their recognition by
other Nations; that he gave them
laws which provided for the better
administration of justice; that he
died no richer from having had the
control of the treasures OF Colombia.
Peru and Bolivia; and that ne ex-
pended in the peoples service nearly
all the large fortune which lie inner