CHAPTER III POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF THE UNITED STATES IN HISPANIC AMERICA The influence of the United States upon the Spanish-American revolution—Vicente Rocafuerte disseminates United States political ideals—Mexico's Constitutions of 1824 —IierlaterConstmtutloDs—Central American Constitutions—Manuel Garcia do Setia as a propagandist—Venezuela's Declaration of Independence and first Constitution—Later Venezuelan Constitutions—The translations of Miguel dc Pombo—The Constitutions of Nov, Granada—United States Constitutions in Peru—Camilo lienrquez in Chile— The Chilean Constitutions—North American political ideals in the Provinces of Ia Plata—The Uruguayan Constitution of 1830—Manuel Dorrego—Early Argentine Con- stitutions—Juan B. Alberdi and Argentina's Constitution of 1853—Paraguay's Consti- tution of 1870—Republican ideas in monarchical Brazil—The Brazilian Constitution of 1891. The earliest political influence of the United States upon the Hispanic-American nations was exerted during the protracted Revolution which separated the Spanish-American colonies from the motherland. In that age of transition intellectual reactions between the United States and Spanish America began. We shall accordingly notice the participation of some citizens of the United States in the movements which culmi- nated in the independence of the Spanish-American nations. That participation was promoted by certain revolutionary leaders: Aguirre, Carrera, Mina, and Miranda. During the kaleidoscopic transformations of the Spanish-American Revolts- lion the Revolution of the English colonists in North America served as an inspiration to certain leaders. Two illustrations must here suffice. In a rare pamphlet entitled Leitre mix Espog;io!s-Américains, which was written by Father Juan Pablo Viscardo y Guzmnti, a Jesuit who had been exiled from South America, that priest said, "The valor with which the English colonists in America fought for the liberty that they gloriously enjoy shames our indolence; we yield the 60 POLITICAL INFLUENCE 01 palm to them as the first people in the New World who have been crowned in their independent sovereignty." A Spanish translation of this letter was distributed by Francisco de Mi- randa when his expedition landed in Venezuela in 1806.2 In an article entitled the "Emancipation of Spanish America," which this knight-errant of Spanish-American liberty published in the Edinburgh Review in 1809, he suggested that it was largely due to his participation in the North American Revolution as a captain in the Spanish forces which attacked Pensacola and the Bahamas that there originated iii his mind the project of liberat- ing his native land from the rule of her Spanish masters.' When Francisco de Miranda visited the United States in the autumn of 1784 he met Alexander Hamilton, Henry Knox, and perhaps General Washington. To Hamilton and Knox Miranda certainly disclosed his plans for the liberation of his native land from Spanish rule. According to Hamilton's own statement, the Venezuelan held several conversations with him about Spanish America. To judge by letters which Miranda subsequently sent to Knox, those two men held several confer- ences regarding South American emancipation. Yet there is not sufficient evidence at hand to justify the statement at- tributed to Miranda to the effect that he laid his revolutionary plans "before Generals Washington, Knox, and Hamilton, who promised him every assistance and gave him assurances of rais- ing troops in the province of New England, provided he could persuade Great Britain to assist with her navy." It is likely, however, that Hamilton and Knox dropped as- surances which led the South American to believe that they would aid him in his ambitious design. For when Miranda had been selected in 1792 by leaders of the French Republic to direct an expedition which should revolutionize Spanish America from the base of Santo Domingo, lie tried to interest General Knox in this plan.' Five years later when he was pleading with I Republished in villanueva. Napoledn i In tndeprndenc,a de Anzénoa, p 818. 'Robertson, "Francisco de Miranda and the Revolutionizing of Spanish America" in American llthoncgl Association Repon, 1907, vol.'. p. 387. 3 "Emancipation of Spanish Ameri," in Edinburgh Review, vol. xn,, p.986. 'Robertson, "Francisco do Miranda," Joe. cit, 1007, vol.,, p. 251. 'Ibid.. pp. 290, 201. 69 HISPANIC–AMERICAN RELATIONS the English government to launch an expedition against Spanish America, Miranda strenuously attempted to engage Hamilton and Knox, as well as President Adams, in his revolu- tionary plans.° A striking illustration of the participation of citizens of the United States in the Spanish-American Revolu- tion was the enlistment in the United States of some two hundred men in the unsuccessful expedition which Miranda led against the coast of Venezuela in 1806. That participation was gratefully commemorated by the Venezuelan government in 1896 by a decree providing for the erection of a monument at Puerto Cabello in memory of ten North Americans who were captured there by the Spaniards and executed.8 High in the list of those foreigners who tried to promote the liberation of Mexico is the name of Xavier Mina, who had won a reputation as a brave guerrilla warrior in the Spanish struggle against Napoleon. After the restoration of Ferdinand VII in 1814. Mina fled from Spain to England; and in May, 1816, he left England for the United States. There he gathered re- cruits for an expedition against the Spanish royalists in Mexico. In the autumn of 1816 he sailed front for the island of Santo Domingo; he then proceeded to Galveston, and thence, by way of Rio Bravo del Norte, to Soto la Marina on the Mexican Gull, where he effected a landing. When Mina began his ill-fated attack on Spanish rule in Mexico he had about three hundred comrades,—a number of these were evidently citizens of the United States. At the very time when Mina launched his expedition from Baltimore, there was in that port a Chilean who was seeking aid for the cause of South American independence. This was General José Miguel Carrcra, who had arrived in the United States early in 1816, and assumed the title of commissioner of the government of Chile. By dint of energy, enthusiasm, and perseverance Carrera interested some citizens of the United 'Robertson, "Francisco de Miranda." lot. cit. 1907, ol.1, pp. 320-30. Aid p. 367. i Thario de Came., February 20, 1890. MarnAn, !Iistona cit Si ix,co, vol iv. pp. 425-37. For a brief description of titeepe- rlitions or Miranda and Mina, see Robertion. Rise of the Spnniah-Amcncari Rrpvbl its, pp 45-47. III, 112. POLITICAL INFLUENCE 68 States in his cause. Thus he was enabled to secure and equip on credit four vessels for service in the Chilean revolution. One of those vessels, the Clifton, carried almost a thousand muskets. Early in December, 1816, that vessel sailed from Baltimore for Buenos Aires. Exact figures concerning the number of citizens of the United States who sailed in Carrera's expedition are not at hand; but it appears that of thirty officials on board the Clifton, about six were "North Amcricans."'° Manuel ilernienejildo de Aguirre, who pleaded for the recognition of the United Provinces of la Plata with Secretary Adams, also undertook, as directed by instructions front the governments of Chile and Ia Plata, to purchase war vessels in the United States." Through his efforts two armed vessels, the Curiacio and the Jioriaco, bearing munitions were dis- patched to South Aineriea"—vessels which ultimately joined Chile's squadron in the Pacific Ocean." Some adventurous citizens of the United States served with distinction in the Spanish-American struggles for independence. The scope of this work permits that only a. few examples may be mentioned. A leader of Anglo-American guerrillas named John D. Bradburn acted as an intermediary in the negotiations between Guerrero and Iturbide near Iguala. 11 Alexander i\iaeauley joined the patriot forces in South America, partici- pated in some of their victories in New Granada, but was cap- tured by the royalists and shot at Pasto in 1813." The valu- able naval services performed by Captain John D. Daniels during the revolution later induced the congress of Venezuela to grant him a pension." José 1\J. Villamil—who had become a citizen of the United States by the annexation of Louisiana— played an important réle in the revolt against Spanish rule in the presidency of Quito." In naval campaigns of Chile's war 1 Vienna Mackenna, El ostradsmo de foe Cartons, pp. 80-92, and pp.Ol, 92, n ii Palorreque, Onjenes de la diplomacia arjentzna, vol. a, pp. 125-36, San Martin. Doc,nnento, del arc/iwo, vol. viii, pp. 184-88. San Martin Documcnlos del arc/iwo, vol. iv, pp 601, 602 For further details on Aguirre, see Robertson, Rise of the Spanish-American Re- public,, pp 105, 196 "Bustainante, Cnadro histOneo d, 1. revolncidn mexica,'a, vol. v, pp. 97, 99 "Chandler, Inter-American Acquaintances, p 116. i I Cutepa de leyes de Ven&nela, vol.'. p. 599. "Bulletin of the Pan American Union, vol. nyu,, pp. 24-27. 64 HISPANIC—AMERICAN RELATIONS for independence Charles W. Wooster won glory as the com- mander of a frigate and subsequently became rear admiral of the Chilean navy. 18 Signal though such achievements were, yet it would seem that the aid secured by Spanish-American revolu- tionists from the United States was less important than that obtained from England. - But those citizens of the United States who joined the insur- rectionary armies made the Republic of the North seem like a living example to some Spanish Americans. Thus the in- fluence of North American pamphlets and state papers was reenforeed. As early as March 23, 1798, Pedro Carbonell, captain general of Venezuela, warned the government of Spain that a certain agitator named Juan Pieornell was printing in the West Indies the "American Constitution" for distribution in the Spanish colonies." Although some of Hidalgo's companions had looked longingly to the North and had hoped to establish diplomatic relations with the United States, yet there appears to have been no defi- nite attempt to disseminate her political ideals in Mexico during the early revolution.