SPAIN AND SPANISH AMERICA. 391 But it was otherwise with the Central and Southern Ameri- Ch. 29 can colonies. There, the Spanish rule had become absolutely A. D. intolerable. Every office, from the highest to the lowest, was 1823 engrossed by the families of European Spaniards. Contribu- to tions of the most arbitrary description were levied on behalf 1825. of the mother country, and corruption of the grossest kind disgraced all the courts of law. When to grievances such as Spanish these were added restraints on all kinds of industry, and pro- can Cohibitions on trade with other nations, it need excite no sur-lonies. prise that the colonists became determined, at whatever cost, to achieve their independence. The war for this end, which commenced as early as 1810, lasted fifteen years, during which time the colonies, one by one, gained the object of their ambition. Buenos Ayres became free in 1816; Chili in 1818; Peru in 1821; Guatemala in the same year; and Mexico in 1824. Ameri nition ning's The final recognition of the colonies by the mother country, as independent republics, wa greatly facilitated by Recogthe negotiations of Mr. Canning with the Court of Spain, in by the year 1823; it was in relation to the success of these Spain. important transactions that the minister uttered his famous boast, that he had "called a new world into existence to redress the balance of the old." In the autumn of this year he made his memorable speech at Plymouth on the policy of Great Britain, a speech which has rarely been Mr. surpassed in beauty. "Our ultimate object," said he, "is Canthe peace of the world; but let it not be said that we cultivate speech peace either because we fear, or because we are not prepared at Plyfor war. The resources created by peace are the means of war. In cherishing these resources, we but accumulate those means. Our present repose is no more a proof of our inability to act, than the state of inertness and inactivity, in which I have seen those mighty masses that float in the waters above your town, is a proof they are devoid of strength, and incapable of being fitted for action. You well know how soon one of those stupendous masses, now reposing on their mouth. 392 A. D. BOLIVAR THE HERO OF THE WAR. Ch. 29 shadows in perfect stillness-how soon, upon any call of patriotism or necessity, it would assume the likeness of an animated 1826 thing, instinct with life and motion; how soon it would ruffle, to as it were, its swelling plumage; how quickly it would put 1830. forth all its beauty and its bravery, collect its scattered Simon elements of strength, and awake its dormant thunders. Such The hero of the war in South America was Simon Bolivar. Bolivar This remarkable man, who was born in the city of Caraccas, in the year 1783, but educated in Europe, long conducted the contest with little or no aid from others. At length, however, his gallantry excited public sympathy, and he succeeded in gathering round his standard numerous volunteers, both English and American. These men rendered important services during the struggle, and guided by the genius and energy of their leader, did much towards bringing it to a conclusion. In the year 1826, Bolivar was chosen President for life of the republic of Peru. He died in 1831, full of honours, and justly regarded as having deserved, more than any other individual, the title of Liberator of his Country. Portugal and her Co The history of PORTUGAL and her colonies during the period we are noting was not dissimilar from that of Spain. The lonies. Portuguese, like the Spaniards, proclaimed a constitution in 1820, and convened a Cortes. Having done this, and constituted a Provisional Government, their next step was to intreat their King, John VI., who, when Napoleon seized on Portugal, had removed with his family to Brazil, to return and rule over them as a Constitutional Monarch. To this he assented; but not before he had given the Brazilians a Constitution, and rendered them independent of the mother country for ever. In 1822 he landed at Lisbon, having previously sworn to uphold the new system. The King was faithful to his oath; but the spirit of re-action, fomented as in Spain by the priests P F PORTUGAL AND HER COLONIES. 393 A. D. and nobles, obliged him in 1824 to modify his course. At Ch. 29 his death, which took place in 1826, the crown devolved on his eldest son, Dom Pedro, who was then governing Brazil 1822 under the title of Emperor, a dignity conferred upon him by to the Assembly of Deputies, who, in October, 1822, in conse- 1830. quence of an attempt made by the Portuguese to set aside the acts of King John, and again to subject the country to Portugal, had then met, and declared Brazil an Independent State. sion of Maria Dom Pedro, instead of accepting the Crown of Portugal on the death of his brother, declared his preference for the coun- Accestry of his adoption, and resigned his claim in favour of his Donna daughter, Donna Maria. The rule of the young Queen was, however, too liberal for the parties that had overthrown the Constitution; and in July, 1828, Dom Miguel, the younger brother of Pedro, and the head of the "Apostolicals," as they called themselves, succeeded in an attempt to usurp dominion and re-establish despotism. The Emperor of Brazil, naturally indisposed to acquiesce in this violation of right, immediately declared war against his brother, and, aided by England, succeeded in 1834 in regaining the throne for his daughter, who, in 1836, married, as her second husband, Prince Ferdinand of Saxe Coburg. The Brazilians under their Emperor still enjoy all the blessings of the Constitution granted them in 1821; and Portugal is governed on constitutional principles by her present monarch, Pedro V. States GERMANY, and the smaller States of the North, from the year 1815 to that of 1830 suffered little change. Austria, of Ger governed by Prince Metternich, contrived to keep its hetero- many. geneous subjects for the most part in good humour, crushing with iron hand every attempt made by the discontented to improve their political condition. Prussia made some slight advances in the path of liberty. In the year 1823 a law was passed, instituting Provisional Assemblies, to which certain privileges, including the assessment of taxes, were appended; 394 A. D. GERMANY AND RUSSIA. Ch. 29 but in the absence of general representation, this failed to satisfy the people. Sweden and Norway, under the rule of 1815 Bernadotte, remained happy and prosperous; and Denmark, to in the enjoyment of a partially representative system, steadily 1830. advanced in national prosperity. The Empe ror ander. RUSSIA, which had for many years been assiduously pursuing the track marked out for her by Peter the Great, became, after 1815, a preponderating power. The Emperor Alexander, the first to whose lot it fell to guide his country through the dangers of the Napoleonic era, was every way qualified to perform his part with advantage, both to Alex- himself and to his people. Calm and mild in manner, and habitually thoughtful and religious, he united in a singular degree the wisdom of the serpent with the resolution of the warrior. Satisfied that when the rest of Europe had been sufficiently humbled, the policy of Napoleon would be, as he had himself expressed it, to "drive the Russian back to his forests," he early broke the alliance with France, and, having made peace with England, remained neutral, till the moment arrived when he found that he could interfere with the greatest effect. That period came in 1805, when he joined the Allies, and, under the pretext of furthering the common cause, seized policy. the opportunity of occupying Wallachia and Moldavia. The successes of the French induced him, a few years afterwards, for a time to change his course, and in 1808 we find him allied with Napoleon, and at war with England and Sweden. By this policy, carried on for four years, he contrived to obtain from Sweden the whole of Finland; and from Turkey, -a country which he never ceased to harass,—the cession of Bessarabia. His astute Head of the alliance In 1812, Alexander again turned his arms against France, and became, in the great European coalition against Napoleon, against one of the most powerful of his enemies. After the ruin of Napo- that great conqueror, the Russian Emperor steadily pursued the arts of peace, occupying himself incessantly in schemes for the internal improvement of his country, and taking care, at leon. THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER. 395 the same time, to increase the influence he had obtained in the Ch. 29 various councils and congresses which followed the close of the A. D. war. On the 1st of December, 1825, he died, while on a tour 1825. of inspection at Taganrog, on the Sea of Azoff, and Nicholas, his younger brother, mounted the throne. That Alexander was a kind and benevolent ruler cannot be His charac disputed. The improvement he effected in the condition of general the serfs; his zeal in the cause of education; and the encou- ter. ragement he invariably afforded to philanthropic enterprise, whether directed to the improvement of prisons, the establishment of hospitals, or the circulation of the Scriptures, all prove that his efforts were sincere and well intended. The difficulties he had to contend with were many, but his endeavours to do good were untiring; his success in checking local tyranny, in promoting commerce and agriculture, and in advancing the general cultivation of all classes, if not equal to his hopes or wishes, was, perhaps, as great as could, under the circumstances, have reasonably been anticipated. sion of The accession of Nicholas was marked by an insurrection, Acceswhich called out all the courage and energy that were so Nichosingularly characteristic of the new monarch. He instantly las. appeared in person,-put down the revolt with fire and sword, executed or banished the conspirators, and was from that hour implicitly obeyed. Stern in character, and absolute in rule, Nicholas had no sympathy whatever with the advance of liberalism in Europe, and at once threw his immense influence into the scale of arbitrary power. Poland, which had been promised, and had indeed received, a constitution from Alexander, soon felt the difference between the two monarchs. Great dissatisfaction had long been manifested by the Poles with the rule of Constantine, who, as Grand Duke, had repeatedly violated all the forms of law, and, in a variety of ways, outraged the feelings of the people. Under State of his government the press, which had been declared free, was subjected to a censorship; personal liberty was invaded; troops were quartered on the people; and the constitution, Poland. |