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"One People, One Island, One Nation."
"One People, One Island, One Nation."
Jose Nunez de Caceres
Simon Bolivar
In the Spanish East, the war had yet affected the area in 1825. The Spanish were angry about living under the yoke of “negro” tyranny. When word spread, that France had landed troops in the West many Spanish Haitians saw it was the time of separation. However, the biggest problem that prevents a full secession was the Haitian troops in the east and that Black east Haitians heard that the French would come to bring back slavery. Guerrier made it clear that word would spread to blacks in east Haitians that France wanted to occupy the entire island to enslave the blacks again. However, Perrins dispatch reached many of the Spanish elites. It reached the hands of Jose Nunez de Caceres as well. He was the leader of the Spanish elite. He rejected it and told his fellow countrymen to help their fellow Haitians. The reason for the rejection was the tone of the letter. Charles X of France promised that the war will not affect them and that they would receive autonomy. However, the catch was that heavy taxes would lay on the island to pay for damages of the war and the previous war with Haiti! Also, those French forces have the authority to seize land property to pay for damages of the war. The biggest reason why the Spanish East did not join the French was the fact that the bombardment of Port Au Prince was horrifying. Many felt that France would do the same and who is to say the French would honor such conditions. Jose Nunez wrote a letter to Guerrier that the East Haitians will throw support for the regime against the French unless concession were made. Jose Nunez knew it wouldn’t be soon that France could land troops in East Haiti. Nunez knew even though Haiti was isolated from the outside world it needed help. And that help would come from a certain leader in South America. On August 18th, 1825 the congress of East Haiti agreed that they would fight alongside the Haitian government. Guerrier sent a young general by the name of Soulouque with 10,000 soldiers to strengthen the defense of the east. At the time there were about 15,000 Haitian soldiers with 4,000 local militias. Soulouqes job was to organize the mobilization of the levee en masse. Guerrier knew that Spanish support would not be a guarantee in the future.
Hinche Resolution-So it was on August 13th when he met Spanish elites in Hinche on a new contract. The Hinche resolution as it was called gave the Spanish east rights. It granted Spanish can be openly spoken. Spanish and French was the official language of the island. Laws the prohibited secret meeting and group travels were outlawed. It also allowed Spanish Haytians to have a voice in the government. One issue was the removal of the cattle tax which was lifted. They could run for public office. It also allowed Catholicism to be practiced openly. Opened the state university, and the end of night curfews. Another was that Spanish Haiti would be allowed to be officers in the military. Many of the mulatto elite were angry at Guerrier for what they saw was massive concessions to the East Haytians. Guerrier said of it “One people,One Island One Nation. Now is not the time to turn against each other. We need all the help we can get. The French will seek to divide us to weaken us. The Spanish Haitians are our brothers.” The Compact was signed in the presence of the Spanish elite. In the meeting, Juan Pablo Duarte and Jose Nunez de Caceres with Philipe Guerrier. The Compact was one the reasons the Spanish Haitians supported the Western half of the island. Guerrier knew that he needed the whole island to resist the French this time. Plus, he used this compact as a way to divide the separatist. The agreement satisfied the moderates who just wanted equal rights. Now the separatist would be a radical fringe group. However, this was not the end the radical separatist.
Enter El Libertador: 1825 in New Granada was a year of happiness but also a year of uncertainty, Simon Bolivar liberated Latin America and put forth an idea of new nation. However, he was to be faced with opposition. Bolivar wanted a centralist government but it was not popular. In 1825 it seemed the nation of Gran Colombia would cease to exist. There was an uprising in Venezuela and the fear was that Gran Colombia would collapse. Also, the biggest problem was that the federalist opposition was divided between those who wanted a strong executive branch and those who wanted a strong legislative branch. On April 15th, 1825 a constitutional convention was called upon in Caracas. There was an agreement that Gran Colombia would be a federation. The states of Venezuela, New Granda, Ecuador. To have governors and legislative branches. The confederation shared a common currency, central bank, nd army. The Central government had a president and a legislative branch. The Congress of Gran Colombia was unicameral. Each province sends four representatives to the Congress. The president was elected by by each province legislative branch. His power was limited. He was commander in chief in times of was and civil strife. He served two-year terms but had no limits to how many terms he can serve. He had the power to raise an army and navy. The legislative branch had the power to wage war, coin money, place taxes on foreign goods and apply taxes. They were not elected by the people but by provincial states assemblies. Simon Bolivar agreed to the constitution reluctantly. He famously said, “I will do what ever it takes to keep this nation united.” The constitution of 1825 was agreed on June 17th. The constitution divided the opposition to Simon Bolivar. Venezuelan secessionist was divided between two camps. One was was the liberal moderate faction who just wanted a confederation system and more autonomy. It wasn't that they wanted to leave Gran Colombia. It was just that they wanted more autonomy. The other camp was the radial secessionist who detested the idea of Gran Colombia and believed Venezuela should be a free independent nation. So when the constitution was agreed. The liberal faction went along with the new constitution. The radical secessionist, however, was enraged and started a failed short-lived regionalist insurrection in 1825-1826 led by Jose Antonio Paez. However, the insurrection did not garner the popular support it hoped it could have got. Bolivar himself went to face Paez and brutally crushed the insurrection. At the height of the Venezuela insurrection, he receives news that the French landed troops in Haiti to retake the island. This news disturbed him since he went to Haiti for aid and supplies to fight the Spanish. It also disturbed him because it could start a trend of European power attempting to retake their lost colonies especially Spain. Spain made it clear it will pursue its old colonies. Also, he hears of the Marchand Compact which the french Haitians gave the Spanish east more rights and representation in all facets of the government. Simon received the letter from Jose Nunez about aid and support. Simon had met with his advisers. Many were against aiding Haiti because they were black. Others said this would be an act of war against France and bring ruin to the new nation. One asked him “Do you think they can defeat the French. They will be crushed Charles X will not repeat the same mistakes of Napoleon.”
Bolivar looked and said “When people who were bondage made free again they will fight to the death for freedom. They will defeat the French as they are repeating the same mistakes. They underestimate them.”
Bolivar wrote letters to Jose Nunez Caceres on the issue of aid. Bolivar agreed to send weapons and supplies to Haiti. Bolivar thought this was the least he can do since it Alexandre Petion the former leader of Haiti who aided him in his own war against Spain. Bolivar was against European imperialism. And feared if Haiti fell then Latin America was next. The support from Gran Colombia was a major shot in the arm into the war effort. Bolivar wrote to Guerrier that he was going to declare war against France. Guerrier wrote back "No this is our fight. We have enough men to push the French back into the sea." Gran Colombia with aid from UK ships sent weapons and supplies to the Haitian resistance. The UK was not thrilled with France trying to reclaim lost colonies in the Americas. They saw it as a threat to their interest in the Caribbean. So UK ships in the America along with the few Gran Colombian ships send weapons to southern Haiti and the Spanish East far out the reach of French ships. This was to prevent clashes. Ports in Jacmel, Les Cayes, Santo Domingo were locations these ships landed to offload the weapons. This secret operation was never noticed by the French until the end of the war. This allowed Haitian defenders to get a steady supply of weapons even though the island was filled with forts already stocked with plenty of ammunition and artillery. Famed French military historian Piere Yves Le Drian said in his book on the war "Paradise of Hell-History of the Second French Expeditionary force 1825-1828," that "It was at this point France lost the war. The collusion of Gran Colombia and Great Britain to supply the Haitian fighters without the French military knowing proved that the war was poorly planned from the start."
Jose Nunez de Caceres
Simon Bolivar
In the Spanish East, the war had yet affected the area in 1825. The Spanish were angry about living under the yoke of “negro” tyranny. When word spread, that France had landed troops in the West many Spanish Haitians saw it was the time of separation. However, the biggest problem that prevents a full secession was the Haitian troops in the east and that Black east Haitians heard that the French would come to bring back slavery. Guerrier made it clear that word would spread to blacks in east Haitians that France wanted to occupy the entire island to enslave the blacks again. However, Perrins dispatch reached many of the Spanish elites. It reached the hands of Jose Nunez de Caceres as well. He was the leader of the Spanish elite. He rejected it and told his fellow countrymen to help their fellow Haitians. The reason for the rejection was the tone of the letter. Charles X of France promised that the war will not affect them and that they would receive autonomy. However, the catch was that heavy taxes would lay on the island to pay for damages of the war and the previous war with Haiti! Also, those French forces have the authority to seize land property to pay for damages of the war. The biggest reason why the Spanish East did not join the French was the fact that the bombardment of Port Au Prince was horrifying. Many felt that France would do the same and who is to say the French would honor such conditions. Jose Nunez wrote a letter to Guerrier that the East Haitians will throw support for the regime against the French unless concession were made. Jose Nunez knew it wouldn’t be soon that France could land troops in East Haiti. Nunez knew even though Haiti was isolated from the outside world it needed help. And that help would come from a certain leader in South America. On August 18th, 1825 the congress of East Haiti agreed that they would fight alongside the Haitian government. Guerrier sent a young general by the name of Soulouque with 10,000 soldiers to strengthen the defense of the east. At the time there were about 15,000 Haitian soldiers with 4,000 local militias. Soulouqes job was to organize the mobilization of the levee en masse. Guerrier knew that Spanish support would not be a guarantee in the future.
Hinche Resolution-So it was on August 13th when he met Spanish elites in Hinche on a new contract. The Hinche resolution as it was called gave the Spanish east rights. It granted Spanish can be openly spoken. Spanish and French was the official language of the island. Laws the prohibited secret meeting and group travels were outlawed. It also allowed Spanish Haytians to have a voice in the government. One issue was the removal of the cattle tax which was lifted. They could run for public office. It also allowed Catholicism to be practiced openly. Opened the state university, and the end of night curfews. Another was that Spanish Haiti would be allowed to be officers in the military. Many of the mulatto elite were angry at Guerrier for what they saw was massive concessions to the East Haytians. Guerrier said of it “One people,One Island One Nation. Now is not the time to turn against each other. We need all the help we can get. The French will seek to divide us to weaken us. The Spanish Haitians are our brothers.” The Compact was signed in the presence of the Spanish elite. In the meeting, Juan Pablo Duarte and Jose Nunez de Caceres with Philipe Guerrier. The Compact was one the reasons the Spanish Haitians supported the Western half of the island. Guerrier knew that he needed the whole island to resist the French this time. Plus, he used this compact as a way to divide the separatist. The agreement satisfied the moderates who just wanted equal rights. Now the separatist would be a radical fringe group. However, this was not the end the radical separatist.
Enter El Libertador: 1825 in New Granada was a year of happiness but also a year of uncertainty, Simon Bolivar liberated Latin America and put forth an idea of new nation. However, he was to be faced with opposition. Bolivar wanted a centralist government but it was not popular. In 1825 it seemed the nation of Gran Colombia would cease to exist. There was an uprising in Venezuela and the fear was that Gran Colombia would collapse. Also, the biggest problem was that the federalist opposition was divided between those who wanted a strong executive branch and those who wanted a strong legislative branch. On April 15th, 1825 a constitutional convention was called upon in Caracas. There was an agreement that Gran Colombia would be a federation. The states of Venezuela, New Granda, Ecuador. To have governors and legislative branches. The confederation shared a common currency, central bank, nd army. The Central government had a president and a legislative branch. The Congress of Gran Colombia was unicameral. Each province sends four representatives to the Congress. The president was elected by by each province legislative branch. His power was limited. He was commander in chief in times of was and civil strife. He served two-year terms but had no limits to how many terms he can serve. He had the power to raise an army and navy. The legislative branch had the power to wage war, coin money, place taxes on foreign goods and apply taxes. They were not elected by the people but by provincial states assemblies. Simon Bolivar agreed to the constitution reluctantly. He famously said, “I will do what ever it takes to keep this nation united.” The constitution of 1825 was agreed on June 17th. The constitution divided the opposition to Simon Bolivar. Venezuelan secessionist was divided between two camps. One was was the liberal moderate faction who just wanted a confederation system and more autonomy. It wasn't that they wanted to leave Gran Colombia. It was just that they wanted more autonomy. The other camp was the radial secessionist who detested the idea of Gran Colombia and believed Venezuela should be a free independent nation. So when the constitution was agreed. The liberal faction went along with the new constitution. The radical secessionist, however, was enraged and started a failed short-lived regionalist insurrection in 1825-1826 led by Jose Antonio Paez. However, the insurrection did not garner the popular support it hoped it could have got. Bolivar himself went to face Paez and brutally crushed the insurrection. At the height of the Venezuela insurrection, he receives news that the French landed troops in Haiti to retake the island. This news disturbed him since he went to Haiti for aid and supplies to fight the Spanish. It also disturbed him because it could start a trend of European power attempting to retake their lost colonies especially Spain. Spain made it clear it will pursue its old colonies. Also, he hears of the Marchand Compact which the french Haitians gave the Spanish east more rights and representation in all facets of the government. Simon received the letter from Jose Nunez about aid and support. Simon had met with his advisers. Many were against aiding Haiti because they were black. Others said this would be an act of war against France and bring ruin to the new nation. One asked him “Do you think they can defeat the French. They will be crushed Charles X will not repeat the same mistakes of Napoleon.”
Bolivar looked and said “When people who were bondage made free again they will fight to the death for freedom. They will defeat the French as they are repeating the same mistakes. They underestimate them.”
Bolivar wrote letters to Jose Nunez Caceres on the issue of aid. Bolivar agreed to send weapons and supplies to Haiti. Bolivar thought this was the least he can do since it Alexandre Petion the former leader of Haiti who aided him in his own war against Spain. Bolivar was against European imperialism. And feared if Haiti fell then Latin America was next. The support from Gran Colombia was a major shot in the arm into the war effort. Bolivar wrote to Guerrier that he was going to declare war against France. Guerrier wrote back "No this is our fight. We have enough men to push the French back into the sea." Gran Colombia with aid from UK ships sent weapons and supplies to the Haitian resistance. The UK was not thrilled with France trying to reclaim lost colonies in the Americas. They saw it as a threat to their interest in the Caribbean. So UK ships in the America along with the few Gran Colombian ships send weapons to southern Haiti and the Spanish East far out the reach of French ships. This was to prevent clashes. Ports in Jacmel, Les Cayes, Santo Domingo were locations these ships landed to offload the weapons. This secret operation was never noticed by the French until the end of the war. This allowed Haitian defenders to get a steady supply of weapons even though the island was filled with forts already stocked with plenty of ammunition and artillery. Famed French military historian Piere Yves Le Drian said in his book on the war "Paradise of Hell-History of the Second French Expeditionary force 1825-1828," that "It was at this point France lost the war. The collusion of Gran Colombia and Great Britain to supply the Haitian fighters without the French military knowing proved that the war was poorly planned from the start."
- Marcus Licinius Crassus
- Word Count: 1.6k