Francisco Suárez

“ Arena, the capataz from Entre-Rios, thin, slight, and nervous, a man who had, as he said, in his youth known how to read and even guide the pen; but now “things of this world had turned him quite unlettered, and made him more familiar with the lazo and the spurs.” The mulatto Pablo Suarez, active and cat-like, a great race-rider and horse-tamer, short and deep-chested, with eyes like those of a black cat, and toes, prehensile as a monkey’s, that clutched the stirrup when a wild colt began to buck, so that it could not touch its flanks. ”

“ Suarez was living, and not very badly hurt, it was true; but every man’s hand seemed to be against the foreigner who had tried to kill him. Maseden was puzzled, at first, by this excess of patriotism on the part of the citizens of Cartagena and San Juan generally. ”

“ Then he turned to Washington, who had followed Suarez to the quarter-deck.
"Bring me my night coat, Washington, and my rifle. Suarez, have the gig lowered. I am going ashore."
"Alone, captain?"
"Alone."
"And may I ask the captain where at this hour of the night?"
"To Gomez."
"Take a file of my men, O'Connor. The country between here and Cubitas is full of Spaniards."
"Thank you, Morgan. I have good, true men of my own who know the country as well as I do myself, but they would only hamper me. I [Pg 108] must make speed—speed, do you hear? Suarez, why do you stand there like a wooden Indian? ”

“ Meanwhile dark shapes moved quickly, but silently, across the deck as the men took their quarters. The mate aroused O'Connor from his reverie.
"All is ready, sir," he said.
"Very good, Suarez. I think I know what her game is now. She's beating the coast for just such hidden spots as this lagoon. Get word at once to the men on the point to watch carefully for the approach of a launch or small boat. There is to be no demonstration unless they find the inlet. In that case let them see that no one gets out again. And Suarez, the machete—no guns. ”

“ Dead, because he supported dear old Domenico Valdes, the murdered president, and one of the few honest, God-fearing men in a rotten little South American state which would have been swept out of putrid existence long ago were it not for the policy of the Monroe Doctrine. Maseden knew that no power on earth would save him now, because Suarez and he could not exist in the same community, and Suarez was supreme in the Republic of San Juan—supreme, that is, until some other cut-throat climbed to the presidency over a rival’s corpse. ”

“ By this time the civil business of the tribunal was greater than that of the royal Audiencia and it necessarily fell into confusion, while matters of faith were neglected. Suárez asked the Suprema for help and it was rendered after the customary fashion, for the fiscal Ponte was appointed inquisitor and an old professor of law, who had sought the priesthood, Gaspar Ibañez, was made fiscal. Quarrels arose immediately, for Ibañez received his commission by private hand and was sworn in immediately, while that of Ponte came by the galleons. ”

“ But Suarez y Navarro is a soldier: he looks not behind. He keeps bravely onward, evidently deluding himself with the belief that the main point has been gained by mystifying the reader, and impressing him with the idea that midst the haze looms some portentous blot which must entomb the opponents — the tyrant Santa Anna and his crew — and relieve by contrast, at least, the brightness of his own sacrificed zeal and ability. ”

“ Had a strong man been present to take his place, the death of Suarez might have been of benefit to the country. But such a one was not at hand, and before the funeral ceremonies were over the audiencia assumed gubernatorial powers under the presidercy of Dr Luis de Villanueva. [4] Their evil rule was of short duration, however. Suarez' private report, and information of the doings of the audiencia, had their effect upon the king, and in 1583 the archbishop of Mexico, Pedro de Moya y Contreras, was appointed visitador. ”

“ And I think that in this repudiation Father Suarez will have the sympathy of every man of common uprightness, to whom it is certainly "incredible" that the Almighty should have acted in a manner which He would esteem dishonest and base in a man. ”

“ If you don’t come at all I’ll know it’s too dangerous, and will be there again at dawn, at noon, and at sunset to-morrow. Pick up some news in Cartagena. You will be told, of course, that I have shot Suarez. Be careful to show your horrified surprise, and ask if the dear man is really dead. If he is, try and find out who is in power. Of course there’s a bare chance that Porilla may be made president, in which case I might be given a fair trial when an American man-of-war is anchored in the roads.... ”

“ After giving this news Pero Lopez went on to inform Vaca de Castro. The Factor Illan Suarez, tired with the journey and enraged at the news, was leaning against a pillar in his lodging when Captain Diego de Aguero said in a loud voice: “I do not care to wait until we meet the Viceroy. If he wants to take away my Indians let him do so at once, my son will not be in want of food, for he has property on which he can live.” ”

“ He is conducting affairs firmly and successfully, though against great difficulties in the province, and has issued several proclamations calling upon the people to sustain him in maintaining order and tranquillity. It is said that a rupture has occurred between the Brazilian authorities and the Oriental government, in regard to the execution of late treaties made and ratified by President Suarez. ”

“ If a squad of Indians mounted guard there, the reappearance of Suarez in his war paint, backed by the alarm of a night attack from the sea, might mystify the enemy sufficiently to permit of a landing, while the frequent reports of the revolver would certainly lead to a counter demonstration by Courtenay. Suarez was the only man on the Kansas who could act as guide, and the penalty of his refusal would be instant death. She had provided a strong, sharp knife to cut the thongs which fastened the canoes to their anchor-stones. For the rest, she trusted to the darkness. ”

“ Among those who had settled in Cuba was a family from Granada, Suarez by name, consisting of a widow, her son Juan, and three daughters, remarkable for their beauty. They had come with the vireyna María de Toledo, and Gomara is so ungallant as to say that their object was to secure rich husbands. [14] Scores of hearts are laid at their feet, but the marriage obligation is evaded by the more promising men of the colony, for the Suarez family has a somewhat clouded reputation. In one of them Velazquez takes a tender interest; some say he marries her. [15] Cortés fancies another ”

“ Quotations of Suarez. 19. Suarez, who discusses all these important problems of his second book with acuteness, and, for his circumstances, with [Pg 526] an independent mind, is weighed down by the extent and nature of his learning. If Grotius quotes philosophers and poets too frequently, what can we say of the perpetual reference to Aquinas, Cajetan, Soto, Turrecremata, Vasquius, Isidore, Vincent of Beauvais or Alensis, not to mention the canonists and fathers, which Suarez employs to prove or disprove every proposition. ”

“ Diego Suarez then, seeing their forces quite repulsed out of the city, the most part of the elephants hurt, and the rest so scared with the noise of the great ordnance, as it was impossible to make them return unto the wall, counselled the King to sound a retreat, whereunto the King yielded, though much against his will, because he observed that both he and the most part of the Portugals were wounded. ”

“ Lorenzo Suarez de Mendoza, conde de la Coruña, received an enthusiastic welcome in the capital on the 4th of October, 1580, as the fifth viceroy of New Spain, the ceremonies being conducted with unusual pomp. With the increase of the Spanish population, and the development of stock-raising and mining, wealth and luxury had assumed magnificent proportions, and the viceregal dignity swelled accordingly. ”

“ When this same man killed Faustino Hernandez, shooting him to death with the help of Belisario Suárez, they made a great feast, in which, among others, Miguel S. Loayza, Luis Alcorta, Belisario Suárez, Olivarez, and Dagoberto Arriarán took part, celebrating the graces, valour, and courage of the assassins. It is worthy of note that the Barbados negro, King, and the white, Olivarez (the one-eyed man) , were the ones who shot the unfortunate Hernandez in the head ”

“ Carl Schurz on the second of next month, by a banquet to be given by some of his admirers and friends, has just reached me here in San Francisco, and I hasten to express to you my sincere regret that I cannot be present in compliance with your kind invitation.
No American in our day or generation has more thoroughly comprehended the duties of citizenship in this republic. In every relation of life, Mr. Schurz has, by example, as well as precept, taught that duties as well as privileges rest upon every citizen. ”

“ Don Suero was fascinated by his love and by the words of that cunning and ambitious peasant girl; not so much, however, as to suddenly abandon his aristocratic feelings and his pride of birth. For Don Suero, although one of the vilest of men, believed himself to be one of the noblest cavaliers of Spain, not considering that nobility of birth is valueless when nobleness of heart is absent. Who was Sancha, that the Count of Carrion could bestow his hand on her? ”

“ Gradually, as the city became clean, as prices fell, as payment for work came in, as illness decreased, as law became fairly administered by the Cuban officials themselves, a certain awe {117} and veneration grew for the invaders and their big, hardworking head. It was a revelation, unbelievable yet true, unknown yet a fact, which opened up to the minds of these long-suffering, incompetent people the first vision of an existence which has since through the same agency of General Wood become a fact throughout the whole island, so that Cuba is to-day a busy, healthy, self-governing state. ”

“ Many persons approached, forming a circle round us; but suddenly the trampling of horses was heard, and all turned towards the path from whence the sounds proceeded, and then we all trembled when we saw the Count, Don Suero, who was riding on, not far from us, with a brilliant company of pages and cavaliers, and who kept his gaze riveted on me with an attention which terrified me. The blind man let his instrument fall on the ground when he heard the name of Don Suero, and began to tremble in such a way that those who were standing around felt compassion for him. ”

“ On which side was the more violence and treachery it would be hard to say. Indeed, as Sir Arthur Helps observes, “in this melancholy struggle it is difficult to find anybody whom the reader can sympathize much with.”’”
Then, once more Francisco Pizarro entered Cuzco in triumph, this time wearing an ermine robe that had been presented to him by Hernando Cortés, and again he devoted himself to organizing his government and extending the Spanish dominion over the distant provinces. The number of his compatriots had increased to eight thousand. ”

“ Francisco's own grandfather had given his life for his patria during the ten years' blockade of Buenos Aires, when the French and English forces combined to overcome General Rosas, who then commanded the city. His mother and his uncle, the Colonel Juan Carlos Lacevera, were then little children, but they were fired with a patriotism that comes only to those who have given of their own flesh and blood for native land. ”

“ The name of that gallant leader, who received special mention in the list of honor, was Francisco de Caprian. General Castro had no longer any reason to doubt his loyalty to Venezuela, and the president greeted him with the promise that his conduct had chased away the shadows upon his family name.
The result of this victory for the government at La Victoria was such that Matos, the head of the insurgents, gave up active command, while Castro prepared for a triumphal return to Caracas. ”

“ Francisco, after the battle of Agacucho, in which he served under Bolivar, returned to Chili, where he was engaged by Rivadavia's agents to go to Mendoza and organize a force to dislodge Facundo Quiroga, who had taken possession of San Juan. For Quiroga, having heard something of the agitation among the Catholics, lost no time in raising a black flag with a red cross upon it, and the words, "Religion or Death!" though it is very certain that he did nothing for the benefit of religion anywhere, and equally true that violence and death constantly followed his footsteps. ”

“ These men all know that the responsibilities we assumed in driving the Spaniards out of Cuba had been defined with precision in advance. No foreign nation was in the least likely to mistake our intentions there. If we had not made known our intention to assume the responsibilities that fell to us by the result of the Manila fight anybody might and somebody would have taken steps, possibly disagreeable, to find out or determine what was to be done with those islands. But Mr. Schurz is self-deceived. ”

“ Bolívar refused to heed these calls, and continued his life of poverty, embittered and saddened by the news received that Antonio José de Sucre, his beloved friend and lieutenant, the hero of Pichincha and Ayacucho, had been murdered on his way to Quito, on the 4th of June, while crossing a mountain called Berruecos. It is difficult to conceive how Sucre could have had enemies, he who was perhaps the purest and kindest figure of all the American War of Independence, all generosity, forgiveness and benevolence. ”