The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-10-01
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BY JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN.

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BY JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN.
T>HIS is the centenary of the indie
pendence of Peru and Peru has been
celebrating the anniversary with pomp
and circumstance at its capital, Lima,
and elsewhere. Virtually all the lead
.e,n1A ing nations of the world, as well as
NDLiSsNN the smaller ones, were invited to par
fbEP WA ticpate in the celebration. Most OF
fH NM them accepted and took part.
N.Y. NH The United States sent the battle-
MJD&SST ships Oklahoma and Arizona and
VMMS$N special embassy headed by Albert
SU w Douglas. France, Italy and Spain al
so sent battleships; the French en-
bassy included General Mangin, the defender OF
Verdun. Great Britain sent Gen. Lord Dundonain,
grandson .ef that Lord Cochrane who played SO
large part in the liberation Of Peru. Argentina
sent two battleships, an embassy and regiment
of grenaders, the traditional descendants OF the
troops which accompanied Gen. Jose de San Mar
tin Peru's liberator. Eighteen nations sent en-
bassies and thirteen others sent special missions.
Possibly the principal feature Of the celebration
was the unwilling of equestrian statue OF Gen.
Jose de San Martin, (177S-1850), the Argentine
leader who was the leading figure In the campaign
for Peru's independence. San Martin was porn
in Argentine and served in Spain against the
French (1793-1811), attaining the rank OF ieuten-
ant colonel In 1872 he went to BuenOs Aires ana
joined the patriots who declared Argentines inde-
pendence In 1916. He did something new IN
striking at the Spanish in Peru by marching over
the Andes to Chile. He declined the office OF
supreme director OF Chile, after his march resulted
fp that country's freedom After his operations
had won Lima, he was proclaimed supreme pro-
tector of Peru. He resigned the office In 1022 and
took no further part in South American AFFAIRS
6 During the celebration the Peruvian government
Issued decree through President Leguia provid-
ing for the erection in Lima of monument to
George Washington as
y "A model of exemplary citizenship and in view
Of the fact that the political emancipation Of the
United States was the forerunner Of the indepen-
dence of the Hispano-American nations.
= This action OF the Peruvian government is well
taken and the decree is based on historical truth
Tie success Of the American Revolution Of 1776
and that OF France of 1889 encouraged the hopes
Of Sthe Hispano-American patriots who were
dreaming Of liberty. These hopes became brighter
still upon the conquest of Spain by France in
lS07S
p Moreover. the constitutions which were formed
In South. America during the protracted struggle
for independence from Spain were often modelled
upon the Constitution Of the United States. It ID
true however that since1830 constitutional devel-
opment in South America In general has been
away from the North American federal idea and
toward the socalled unitary system in which
large powers Sare vested in the national govern
ment In faet at present all the South American
constitutions are more or less unitary, with the
exception OF those OF the Argentine Republic, Bra
I'll and Venezuela.
In the beginning Spain entrusted the government
OF Spanish America to special agents Of the throne
called viceroys and captains generate Thus In IT'S
there were three viceroys in South America. One
In Bogata controlled the northwest the viceroyalty
Of New Grenada A second in Buenos Aires con-
troed the southeast. the yiceroyaty OF La Plata.
The third in Lima controlled large part Of the
west, the viceroyalty of Peru. One captain gen.
eral controlled Chile and another Venezuela. Bra
XII was Portuguese territory. Peru was the center
Of Spanish power So when the provinces began
to break away from Spain. it was those at dis
lance from Peru that first became free.
Venezuela was the first Of the Spanish American
political divisions to declare its independence from
Spain, In 1911 After the patriots under, Simon
Bolivar had defeated the royasts. state known
as Great Colombia was established In the north;
In 1880 1t broke into three states: Venezuela,
Colombia and Ecuador
In 1915 the United Provinces Of La Plata-the
historical antecedent OF the Argentine Republic
adopted declaration of independence. Then
came Peru and Bolivia By 1881 there we've, In
Spanish America nine independent states: ven-
ezuela. Colombia. Ecuador. Peru. Bolivia Chile.
Paraguay Uruguay and Argentine. Since then
the history Of these Independent states has been
marked by many revolutions and relationships.
Since Lima was the-centero Of Spanish power in
Amerfca. the independence Of Peru was essential
TO the continued Independence Of the free states.
Now IN Peru, although the Creoles transcription
Spaniarsis) were dissatisfied the bulk OF the pop
plation was not disloyal Uprisings IN 1911 and
1914 resulted only In the defeat and execution OF
the leaders Still. In 1917 Gen. joaquin de Ia