Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-14

~ Oa-cenCeOATy Oh 1eOISe WdSElIBGOnS
birth there comes December II, 1880,
the centenary of the death of another
hero who modelled his life-work on the
Father of Our Country man who almost
with alteration studied the annals of Washing
ton, who was fired with enthusiastic zeal while
reading of July 4, 1776, who saw all the worth
of Valley Forge and felt the pangS of Arnolds
treason, whose keen heart was thrilled by the
victories at Princeton and Saratoga, whose
ambition was stirred by the surrender of Corn
wallis at Yorktown. Bolivar's life as states
man and as a citizen show he had meditated
long upon Washingtons Farewell Address and
had drawn therefrom many wholesome lessons
in creating and developing republic
On December II, 1880, at l O'Clock in the
afternoon, in his 48th year. 1.-The great man of
the South" the liberator par excellence, Simon
Bolivar, died He had been brought to a country
place, San Pedro Alejandrino, three miles from
Santa Marta, Colombia. A few days before
when he felt his life ebbing away he drafted
his last will and testament. "Colombans you
have seen my efforts to establish freedom where
tyranny once reigned. l have worked un-
selfiShly sacrificing my fortune and my peace.
I resigned my command when 1 was convinced
that you did not trust my loyalty. My foes
have availed themselves of your RIGHTEOUSNESS,
and they have trampled upon what to me is
most sacred and dear-my love of your inde-
pendence I have been a victim of my perSe-
cutors who have driven me unto death. for
give them.
las l am about to leave you my love prompts
me to give you my last wishes. I aspire to no
other glory than the union of Colombia; let all
strive for this greatest of blessings; let our
citizens obey the present government and
escape anarchy. Let the ministers of the
sanctuary send prayers to Heaven; let the
soldiers protect with their arms the sanction Of
social order.
"Colombians, my last wish is for the happiness
Of country. If by my death the spirit Of
DartiSanShD be DESTROYED and uniOYl
strengthened, with all peace shall I descend to
my grave"
EUROPE and both the Americas have pro-
claimed him of the greatest men in
history. 1t is interesting to note how the sew
e eral nations feel they can only find At COM
parison in telling how Bolivar resembles their
own national hero Daniel Webster in the name
of the Bunker Hill Association wrote in per-
sonal letter to Bolivar:
When we read of the enormous sacrifice
of personal fortune, the calmness in difficult
situations, the exercise without misuse of q
power greater than imperial power, the repeated
refusal OF dictatorship the simplicity of your
republican habits and the submission to the
constitution and law which has gloriouSly
distinguished the career of your excellency, we
believe that we see the image of venerated
Washington. At the same time that admire
greatest sympathy TO pay equal homage to the
hero and Liberator of the South"
even during his life Bolivar received the
highest tokens of esteem and admira ton from
such varied set the English poet, Byron;
the Irish orator Daniel OConnell; the French
novelist, Victor Hugo; the German philosopher
Humboldt; the Polish patriot Kosciusko; the
Swedish king Bernadotte: the Napoleonic ruler
of Spain, Joseph Bonaparte. He also enjoyed
the esteem of Lafayette and the Washington
family. In the MuSso Boliviano, Caracas, there
is kept miniature portrait Of George Wash
ington which Bolivar had regarded as his most
precious treasure-it is said that he often wore
it on his breast. This, with lock of WASH
ington's hair and some relics of Mount Vernon,
was sent him from the Washington family It
was sent during the year 1s25-lS26 when Gen.
Lafayette was making bis triumphant tour Of
the United States. The gifts from Mount YER
may have been sent at the suggestion Of
Lafayette, for they were accompanied by q
letter part Of which reads as follows:
My religious and filial devotion to Gen.
Washington could not be better recognized by
his family than by honoring me with the COM
mission they have intrusted to me- OF all
men living, and Of all men in history
Bolivar is the very one to whom my paternal
friend would have preferred to send this present.
What else I say to the great citizen whom
South America has honored with the name of
Liberator, confirmed in him by two worlds a
man endowed with an influence equal to his
seh-denial, who carries in his heart the sole
love of freedom and of the republic?"
WE are particularly interested in Bolivar's
reply to this letter; the original of which
is preserved in the Georgetown University
archives and Is reproduced above We submit