Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session of the Thirty-ninth Congress
Mr. Hovey to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to enclose herewith a copy of a speech delivered in Lima by General Prado, shortly after the battle of Callao.
This speech is peculiarly significant, and marks the President as no ordinary man.
He comprehends the condition of his country perfectly, and I have no doubt of his patriotism and honesty of intention.
The translation is very imperfect, and only shows gleams of the style of the original, which is also included.
General Castilla, who for many years was President of Peru, has lately arrived. His day for command has passed He is old, infirm, and seems to be content with the position of his country, and takes pride in claiming Prado as his protegé.
I have the honor to be your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.
Speech delivered by the Supreme Chief of the Republic.
Gentlemen: At these solemn moments, when Lima and Callao are full of enthusiasm, contemplating on their laurels the glory that our dear country reflects; at these moments, in which all the political bands disappear, and with them the emulations and petty hatred—in which from the first magistrate down to the last citizen, vying with each other, have contributed to the triumph of our arms; in these moments, I repeat, in which the sentiment is but one, and the country looks upon her children alike without making any distinction of rank or person, the President of the republic puts aside his officialship and mixes himself with the people from where he sprung. It is the citizen, gentlemen, who now addresses you; it is Colonel Prado who gives the nation an account of his acts. Perhaps you will notice the diversity of my ideas; you must not be astonished; it is not my head, it is my heart that opens my lips, impulsed by many and distinct feelings.
To be able to appreciate better our fortunate actuality, we must bring to mind our past misfortunes.
Since our independence of the 6th of November, our country wept for the misdeeds of her children, and the blood shed in our civil wars; but never wept so bitterly as on the 14th of April and the 27th of January, seeing her flag outraged, and her honor and wealth lying on the steps of a corrupted throne.
The doleful cry of the nation rent from her bosom, in her agony demanding in her children help, was heard throughout the republic, and Arequipa was the first that as a thunder answered to the call and was seconded by the others.
The nation then named me their chief, and, full of faith and courage, placed under my charge her honor, children, and wealth, trusting to my loyalty her safety and her rights. After eight months of a rude campaign, on the 6th of November, I corresponded to the national confidence, tearing with my sword the shameful page of the 27th of January. And the whole of the republic decked herself with her gayest colors and rejoiced at the triumph of her army, the fall of the vilest of governments, and the hope that after those days of ignominy and crime, the beautiful sun of her future would shine bright and radiant.
On the 28th of November the army and the navy, Lima and Callao, and shortly after, the whole nation, placed in my hands her destinies and power without limits.
The responsibility was too great for a single man; but five enthusiastic young men, full of patriotism and republican faith, came to my assistance; and to the present day, we, without dismay, carry on our shoulders, the heavy charge.
And what have we done? We have worked day and night, both for war and for peace; the suppression of expenses and commisions that were useless to the nation; the graces and bounties that gave rise to unjust and odious differences among individuals with equal rights; the suppression of ruinous affairs and abusive practices. We have introduced reforms in all the branches of the administration, economy in the budget, and honesty in the management of the public funds.
[Page 645]We have reduced to smaller proportions the payments which, for services, were made by the nation, inasmuch as she was unable to pay them, nor is there a nation able so to do.
We have established taxes and contributions in order that the country, subsisting of her own income, may have a sure, independent, and proper existence, and be not exposed to eventualities as she is at present, in order that the Huano revenue may be applied to pay the debt and to the defence of the territory and public works.
Gentlemen, it is not strange that, after so many years of demoralization and bad government, our reforms should hurt as they have done every class of our society, giving rise to bitter complaints, grave recriminations, and punishable projects against the government. Notwithstanding, the government will not draw back; he has made up his mind to sacrifice himself for the great interests of the country; he is undaunted and will overcome every obstacle that may come to embarass his career.
Now, gentlemen, answer for yourselves and for all the inhabitants of Peru; tell me, now that patriotism only speaks, and evil passions are silent, which of you who, with so much abnegation, has sacrificed during these days his interests, his blood, and his life for the country, is willing to refuse her the tribute which is only a day’s work in the month? Which of you, military or officials of all classes, is willing to refuse her the sacrifice of his rank or part of his rent, if that rank and rent are useless or unlawful?
With my hand on my heart, I tell you that the government has never acted wishing only to do injury to any one. If some have suffered, the country has received the benefit, and the injury suffered by an individual is nothing compared with the benefit of the country.
Thus we acted for peace; and what have we done for war? We have the offensive and defensive alliance of three of our sister republics, our navy crosses the seas obtaining triumphs, our principal ports are fortified, and our troops protect the coast; without injury or detriment we have looked for resources, and our chests, which we found empty, are now well provided with cash; the republic is all under arms, and alive that patriotism that a treacherous government would expressly allow to slumber, and the contempt of foreigners turned into warm sympathy. There is the 2d of May, a day in which you came into the field of glory prepared by the government; there are those laurels reaped by you, which will last during your life and that of your future generations; there is at last, green and strong, the tree of liberty, which you have irrigated with your blood. Please to God that this glory, these laurels, this liberty may never extinguish nor wither away. So it will be while you have strength in your arms, patriotism in your heart. It will be so while I live and keep this sword by my side.
The 2d of May, gentlemen, is the great day of the country, not only because we revenged her wrongs, raising her name and flag as high as heaven, but also because we have on her altar deposited our rivalries and party divisions. With the exception of those who signed the infamous treaty on the 27th of January, and of those accused with crimes and great fiscal responsibilities, we shall all be one, and united for the exterior defence, as well as for the interior peace of the republic.
Within my soul I hear a voice that tells me “the civil wars have forever disappeared in Peru.” My government, and to his example those that may come after him, will never stain the country with the blood of her children. As for me, I assure you, in the presence of God who hears me, that as the country spontaneously placed me in the post I now hold, in the very same way I will retire, as soon as they make their will known. To let me know their supreme will, their petition before their respective municipalities will suffice. Since I recognize this right in every one of the towns, and leave them in full liberty to practice it, no individual, no town, or village will have cause for insurrection.
The nation invested me with the dictatorial power that I exercise only during the circumstances; these still subsist while we learn where the Spanish vessels have gone to. We have cause to presume that they quit the Pacific. The very day that this presumption be confirmed I will call to elections and a congress. In the mean time it would be imprudent to distract our attention.
Now, let us greet with the purest effusion our dear sisters, the allied republics. God grant that the ties that at present unite us may never be loosened, and that our destinies may forever be confounded under one nationality.
Gentlemen, I have also to show, in the name of Peru, an homage of profound gratitude to the generous and noble firemen, French, Italians, and Germans, and in general to all our foreign hosts, who so spontaneously and cordially have helped us with their persons and their resources, suffering and rejoicing with us.
Live here, worthy and laborious foreigners, if foreigners can be called those who have embraced us with so much fraternity; those who have defended our country as if it were their own; those who have taken care of our wounded, coffined our dead, and succored our widows and orphans.
Live here with us, sheltered by our love and gratitude; we shall all be brothers, citizens of Peru. To have justice done, and protect your interests, you have no need of your governments, who abandoned you both in Valparaiso and Callao.
I come to an end. Modern Spain, the dull patrimony of an impure court, has brought to our shores the most unjust war. Peru has defended the holiest cause; weak as we are, we have conquered the strongest squadron that ever floated on our seas; with fifty guns, badly [Page 646] served, we have silenced three hundred, served by skilful and old gunners. How has this miracle been done ? If it is beyond human possibility, it is then the divine justice that, by us, has punished the crimes and the foolish vanity of the Castilian pride. It is the great power of God that chastises the pride and abuse of the mighty, and sinks a strong power at the feet of a new nation. God has saved the country and the lives of every one of us.
Citizens, let us uncover our heads in thanksgiving to the Lord.
After God, our country—gentlemen, long live the republic !