781 



BOLIVAR, SIMON. 



BOLLANDUS, JOHN. 



762 



25th of the following May, the famous Bolivian code was presented to 

 the congress of Bolivia. On the 22nd of June, the great congress of 

 deputies from Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, and Guatemala was 

 convened at Panama. The object in view was the annual assemblage 

 of state representatives to discuss diplomatic affairs, and decide inter- 

 national disputes ; promote liberal principles, and ensure a union of 

 strength in repelling any foreign attack. In this first and only session 

 a great profusion of eloquence was displayed to little purpose, in the 

 philanthropic commendation of political liberality, religious toleration, 

 and the abolition of slavery. The code of Bolivar was adopted in 

 Bolivia, though not without partial dissatisfaction, on the 9th of 

 December 1826, the anniversary of the battle of Ayacucho, and 

 General Sucre was appointed president. It was soon afterwards 

 adopted by the congress of Lima, where Bolivar himself was made 

 under its provisions the president for life. 



In Colombia. Bolivar's long absence had occasioned the prevalence 

 of much dissafiection and party strife. General Paez, who, with his 

 numerous cavalry of wild Llaneros, had done much for the patriot 

 had excited in Venezuela an insurrection in favour of a federal 

 instead of the existing central government. Another portion of the 

 republic was determined to adopt the code of Bolivia, so that two-thirds 

 of Colombia were in a state of rebellion, which was daily increasing, 

 and blood was beginning to flow. The presence of the liberator beini? 

 thus demanded in the north, he departed from Lima, still leaving in 

 Peru his Colombian forces, and proceeded rapidly to Bogota, where 

 he assumed the extraordinary powers which are authorised by the 

 constitution in cases of rebellion ; but, at the same time, he proposed 

 to reduce the army from 40,000 to 6000; to diminish the number of 

 civil officers; to reduce the annual expenses from 14,000,000 dollars 

 to 3,000,000, and to sell the ships of war. All parties, however con- 

 flicting, desired the appearance of Bolivar. There was still a charm 

 in his name, and he was thought to be the only man who could save 

 the republic from ruin. Paez himself issued a proclamation from 

 Valencia, calling upon the people to " receive him as the thirsty earth 

 receives the fertilising dew of heaven." In the end of December, the 

 liberator arrived at Puerto Cabello, where he met General Paez ; but 

 instead of imposing any punishment for his rebellion, he confirmed 

 him in his command in Venezuela, and issued a proclamation of 

 amnesty to all the insurgent* ; a course of conduct that was readily 

 taken to be a proof of his having himself instigated the insurrection, 

 in order to f urni.-h a pretext for assuming the power of dictator. But 

 in the presence of Bolivar all disposition to rebel immediately dis- 

 appeared ; and in February 1827 he addressed to the senate a letter, 

 in which he states that " suspicions of tyrannous usurpation rest upon 

 my name, and disturb the hearts of Colombians. I desire to free my 

 fellow-countrymen from all inquietude, and therefore I renounce, again 

 and again, the presidency of the republic, and entreat the congress to 

 make me only a private citizen." The discussion of this matter was 

 prolonged by the collision of party opinions : in June it was finally 

 decided by a majority of members not to accept the resignation, and 

 Bolivar was consequently induced to retain his office. Still a very 

 great mistrust of his assurances continued to prevail ; and the 

 Colombian troops in Peru being informed that Bolivar was making 

 arrangements for the adoption of his code in Colombia, promoted a 

 violent insurrection. The Peruvians being equally dissatisfied with 

 their new institutions, on the 26th of January, 1827, a complete revo- 

 lution enaued in the governments of Lima and Bolivia ; so that the 

 code of Bolivar was rejected only six weeks after its adoption. Another 

 congress elected another president : the troops returned to Bolivar in 

 Colombia, and after assurance of contrition their conduct was forgiven. 

 Before a general assembly of Colombian representatives at Ocana, on 

 the 2nd of March 1828, an address was delivered by Bolivar, in which 

 he insisted upon principles similar to those developed in his code ; 

 and attributed the unprosperous state of the republic to the deficiency 

 of the executive power. A majority headed by the vice-president 

 Sautander, declared strongly against the proposition of creating Bolivar 

 dictator ; and the friends of Bolivar finding themselves in a minority 

 vacated their seats, by which the meeting was left without a quorum, 

 and thus became extinct 



In consequence of this event, a convention of the civil and military 

 inhabitants of Bogota resolved to confer upon the liberator the title 

 of Supreme Chief of Colombia, with absolute power to regulate the 

 whole affairs of government. On the 20th of June 1828 he accord- 

 ingly entered that city in magnificent state, and assumed au authority 

 which the contenders for the inviolability of the constitution most 

 daringly denounced. Shortly afterwards several assassins broke into 

 his chamber, and two colonels were shot dead in the struggle, while 

 Bolivar escaped only by leaping headlong in the dark from the balcony 

 of the window, aud lying concealed under a bridge. Santander, witli 

 several military officers who were convicted of having participated in 

 the conspiracy, was condemned to death, but eventually suffered only 

 banishment from Colombia. In 1829 the republic was disturbed by 

 violent factions : many military leaders were aspiring to supreme 

 command, and the efforts of Bolivar to prevent disunion excited insur- 

 rections. At the head of one was General Cordova ; another was 

 headed by General Paez. Venezuela afterwards separated from the 

 rest of the republic; Paez was made her president ; and a declaration, 

 signed by 4*6 leading men of Caracas, tho scene of eo many of 



Bolivar's splendid triumphs, denounced his ambition, and rejected his 

 authority. Under these circumstances a general convention, in January 

 1830, was held at Bogota, in order to frame a new constitution for 

 Colombia. The proceedings were opened by Bolivar, who, in a solemn 

 address, again tendered his resignation ; but, as on former occasions, 

 it was not accepted. He was entreated to retain his authority, and 

 assured that, "if you now abandon us, anarchy will succeed." He 

 had however finally determined to resign his station. He therefore at 

 ouce took leave of public life, and retired to Carthagena, broken down 

 and exhausted in mind and body ; and though a few mouths later 

 again solicited to resume the supreme authority, he persisted in his 

 refusal. 



In December 1S31 he sent to the people of Colombia a farewell 

 address, in which he vindicated his conduct, and bitterly complains of 

 calumny and ingratitude. A week after writing this address he 

 expired at San Pedro, near Carthagena, on Friday the 17th of December 

 1831 at the age of forty-eight. It is said that, in his last moments, he 

 conformed to all the rites of .the Catholic religion, that he manifested 

 great calmness aud resignation, and constantly showed the utmost 

 anxiety for the prosperity of his country. 



BOLLANDUS, JOHN, a learned Jesuit, was born at Thieueu 

 (Tirlemont) in the Netherlands, August 13th, 1596. He entered the 

 Society of Jesus at the age of sixteen, and became eminent in it as a 

 teacher both in the Netherlands and other countries. The share which 

 he took in the ' Acta Sanctorum,' or ' Lives of the Saints,' entitles him 

 to especial notice. 



The history of this work is not uninteresting, although the work 

 itself, otherwise than for occasional consultation, defies time and 

 patience. It consists of fifty-one volumes in folio, of the larger size 

 and bulk. It was first projected by Pere Heribert Rosweida, a Jesuit 

 then of the age of sixty, and was to extend no further than sixteen 

 volumes folio, with two volumes of illustrations. Rosweida began by 

 printing in 1607 an octavo volume, entitled 'Fasti Sanctorum,' con- 

 sisting of the manuscript lives of some saints which he happened to 

 find in tha Netherlands; but he died October 5th, 1629, before he 

 could accomplish what he had undertaken. The execution of his 

 project was then entrusted to Bollandus, now about thirty-four years of 

 age ; and he removed from Mechlin to Antwerp for the purpose. After 

 examining Rosweida's collections, he established a general correspond- 

 ence all over Kurope, instructing his friends to search every library, 

 register, or repository of any kind, where information might be found; 

 but becoming soon sensible of the weight of his undertaking, he called 

 in the assistance of another Jesuit, Godfrey Henschen of Guelderland, 

 younger than himself, more healthy, and equally qualified in other 

 respects. With this aid he was enabled to publish the first two volumes, 

 folio, Antwerp, 1643, which contain the lives of the saints of the month 

 of January, the order of the Calendar having been preferred. In 1658 



sent with Heuscheu to Italy and France, to collect manuscripts, but 

 he died before the publication of another volume, September 12th, 

 1665. After his death the work was continued by various hands, who 

 were called ' Bollandists.' Henschea aud Papebroch published tlie 

 lives of the saints of the mouth of March in three volumes, Autw. 

 1668 ; and those of April in three volumes, 1675. The saints of the 

 month of May occupy seven volumes, 1683-89. Henscheu's personal 

 labours had been concluded by his death, September llth, 1681 ; aud 

 Francis Baert aud Conrad Jauning supplied his place. The saints of 

 June fill six volumes, published between 1695 and 1716. Papebroch 

 died Juno 25th, 1714. The saints of July extended to seven volumes; 

 the two first by Jauning, Sollier, and John Pinei, published in 1719 

 and 1721 ; the title of the third volume had the addition of the name 

 of William Cuper; in the fourth volume, 1725, the name of Peter 

 Bosch was added ; and these names were continued in vol. v., 1727; 

 vol. vi., 1729; and vol. vii., 1731; August, 6 vols., 1733-43 ; September, 

 8 vols., 1746-62; October, to the 16th of the mouth, 6 vols., 1765-94; 

 up till 1770, when the third volume of October appeared, the editors 

 had been all designated as members of the Society of the Jesuits; and 

 the volumes were uniformly printed at Antwerp. The fourth volume 

 of October was printed at Brussels, the editors being all styled ' Presby- 

 teri Theologi.' The fifth volume was printed at Brussels in 1783. 

 The sixth volume (the last of the entire series), printed at the Abbey 

 ofTongerloo, 1794, is described as 'partim a Cornelio Byeo, Joanne 

 Bapti.-ita Fontono, presbb. Anselmo Berthodo Ord. S. Benedict! P. M. 

 partim a Joanne Bueo presb. Sardo Dyckio, Cypriauo Goorio, Mathia 

 Stalsio, Ord. Prsem. Cann. Kegul.' 



It is to be regretted that a work so full of curious information as 

 the ' Acta Sanctorum,' continued through a series of volumes for a 

 hundred and sixty-five years, should remain unfinished : but the 

 continuation was interrupted, probably for ever, by the entrance of 

 the French troops into Belgium iu 1794. 



Bollaiidus published separately : 1, 'Vita S. Liborii Episcopi,' Svo, 

 Antw. 1648. 2, 'Brevis Notitia Italia) ex Actis SS. Januarii et 

 Februarii,' Svo, Antw. 1648. 3, ' Brevis Notitia triplici status, Eccle- 

 siastici, Monastic!, et Ssecularis, excerpta ex Actis SS. vulgatis a 

 Bollando et sociis,' Svo, Antw. 1648. 



(Life of Bollandua prefixed to the first volume of the month of 



