Sebastián Correa
Daniela Mendoza
Edith Roy
Brock University
Bolívar-Pétion Correspondence
1
Bolívar to Pétion
Kingston, December 19, 1815.
To President Pétion
Supreme Chief of the Republic of Haiti
Mr. President:
For quite some time I have wished for the honour to communicate with Your Excellency, to manifest the profound feelings of esteem and gratitude that your distinguished talents and boundless kindness towards my unfortunate compatriots have inspired in me. However, I have always been afraid of distracting you, for even a moment, from the important matters that occupy your time.
Fortunately for me, Mister President, circumstances oblige me to appeal to the refuge of all republicans in this part of the world: I must visit the country to which Your Excellency’s wisdom brings happiness. In order to return to my homeland, I must first travel through yours. Fortune offers me an opportunity to meet and pay my respects to Your Excellency personally (if Your Excellency would permit it). I will introduce myself to you the moment I arrive in Les Cayes, where some friends await my arrival to discuss the affairs of South America.
I hope, Mr. President, that our emotional affinities regarding the defence of the rights for our common patria will help me benefit from the effects of your inexhaustible benevolence towards all of those who never appealed to it in vain.
With the greatest gratitude, Mister President, I have the honour of being Your Excellency’s most humble and obedient servant.
Bolívar
Certified according to the original
B. Inginac, Secretary-General.
2
Bolívar to Pétion
Les Cayes, January 21, 1816
To His Excellency, Mister President of Haiti
Mister President:
I cannot begin to express how deeply it pains me to distract Your Excellency’s attention from the important matters pertaining the salvation of the Haitian people; but given that Your Excellency is the father of all true republicans, I am encouraged to ask for your protection.
I plead that Your Excellency gains an understanding of the circumstances afflicting us. The intrigue of a Spaniard and the ambition of a Frenchman have led us to fear the loss of hope for the liberation of America, if Your Excellency does not support us amidst such misfortune.
Mister Villeret will have the honour of paying you my most humble respects and presenting to you the most exact information, if Your Excellency's kindness finds is deserving to hear it.
Mister President, accept the testimonies of my admiration and the highest consideration that make me Your Excellency's most humble and obedient servant.
Bolívar
3
Bolívar to Pétion
Les Cayes, January 29, 1816
To His Excellency, Mister President of Haiti
Mister President:
My gratitude has no limits given the honour that Your Excellency has bestowed upon me through the letter you have written and the kindness you have afforded me. From the bottom of my heart, I say that Your Excellency is the first of the benefactors of the world! One day America will proclaim Your Excellency as its liberator; especially those who still cry out even under the republican yoke. In advance, Mister President, accept the support of my nation!
Zea, our botanist, is preparing the seeds of the flowers and plants for Your Excellency, with a description for their cultivation. Since a final draft of the description has not yet been written, I forego the pleasure of sending it to Your Excellency with the dragoon. However, I hasten to send to you the medication bottles to fight rheumatism. If these were filled with the sentiments of my heart, they would not give you health but the immortality that awaits Your Excellency.
With the most profound veneration, Mister President, I have the honour of being Your Excellency’s most humble and obedient servant.
Bolívar
Certified according to the original
B. Inginac, Secretary-General.
4
Bolívar to Pétion
Les Cayes, February 8, 1816
To His Excellency; Mister President of Haiti
Mister President:
I am overwhelmed by your generous favours. Mister Villaret has returned aided splendidly by Your Excellency. Your Excellency always demonstrates great magnanimity and indulgence.
Our affairs are nearly arranged and without a doubt we will depart in a fortnight. I now await only your last favours, and, if it is possible, I will go myself to express to you my most profound gratitude.
With Mister Inginac, your worthy secretary, I dare still to make new petitions.
In my proclamation to the people of Venezuela, and in the decrees that I must issue for the freedom of the slaves, I do not know if it will be permitted to express the feelings of my heart towards Your Excellency and to leave for prosperity an undeniable monument of your philanthropy.
I do not know, I say, if I may name you the author of our liberty. I plead that Your Excellency express his will in this matter.
Colonel Valdés addresses a petition to you, that I take the liberty to entrust to your generosity.
Accept, Mister President , this respectful testimony of the high consideration that gives me the honour of being Your Excellency’s most humble and obedient servant.
Bolívar
5
Bolívar to Pétion
Les Cayes, March 4, 1816
To His Excellency, the President of Haiti
Mister President:
I send Lieutenant coronel Chapía, my aide-de-camp, who will have the honour to deliver this dispatch to Your Excellency. Please accept, Your Excellency, my gratitude for all that your kindness has done in support of my projects, as well for Your Excellency’s decisions concerning the supposed Mexicans, whose designs were but to divert resources from my expedition in order to destroy it.
I am obliged to trouble Your Excellency once again by asking for new aid. Your Excellency will understand the urgency of my request for the fulfillment of my projects. I count on the generosity and benevolence of Your Excellency and hope that the interest that Your Excellency has shown towards me will serve as an excuse for my imposition.
Here is a description of what I require, which I plead Your Excellency to consider with the utmost attention:
4,000 rifles, without counting the 3,000 for which orders have already been issued.
100,000 cartridges (at least);
30,000 pounds of gunpowder;
30,000 pounds of lead.
Adding this new request to the ones Your Excellency’s benevolence has already granted us, the expedition, which without these supplies would be delayed and even impossible to carry out, will set sail immediately.
Your Excellency, please, kindly continue according me your benevolence, and to the cause of my nation the interest that you feel for it. Having Your Excellency’s support and endowed with your favours, I am sure to succeed.
America, filled with gratitude, will preserve an eternal memory of Your Excellency.
Mister President, accept this tribute of my utmost consideration and believe in the feelings of appreciation with which I have the honour of being your most humble and obedient servant.
Bolívar
6
Bolívar to Pétion
UNION ARMY—GENERAL ARMY STAFF
Carúpano General Headquarters, June 10, 1816
To His Excellency, The President of the Republic of Haiti
Mister President:
It is my honour to inform Your Excellency of the details of our military operations after departing from Les Cayes.
During our voyage, we seized several Spanish vessels; and upon our arrival at Margarita, the enemy’s naval forces that blockaded the north port were defeated and captured after a bloody combat that lasted two hours, and in which we lost some brave men. Commander Brión was wounded during the scrimmage but he has now recovered.
The Spaniards abandoned their positions in the interior of the island, and have taken refuge in Pampatar Castle. We have withdrawn from this patriotic island, leaving behind sufficient forces to defend it and to contain the Spaniards.
We have taken this mainland city by force; the Spaniards that occupied it fled after a weak resistance. All of the creoles that served them, enlisted under the national flag. The day after our arrival, some vessels containing European goods as well as provisions of all sorts fell into our possession.
Our troops hold the line to Güiria. Its inhabitants are decided supporters of our cause.
I have sent General Mariño to Güiria and general Piar to Maturín to raise forces. We have already received some detachments and I hope that the rest will be sufficient to take possession of Cumaná and of the province.
Immediately after our arrival, we proclaimed the absolute freedom of all the slaves.
It is my honour to send Your Excellency the proclamations I have issued in Margarita and in this city.
Allow me, Mister President, to express all my gratitude for the interest you have taken in our nation and for all the favours that you have bestowed us, and which we will never forget.
It is my honour, Mister President, with the highest regard, to remain your most humble and devoted servant.
Bolívar
7
Bolívar to Pétion
Carúpano General Headquarters, June 27, 1816
SIMÓN BOLÍVAR
Supreme Chief of the Republic, Captain General of the
Armies of Venezuela and of New Granada, etc.
To His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Haiti
Mister President:
A few days after my arrival to these shores I had the honour to inform Your Excellency of our favourable results. Allow me today to hasten to tell you of the arrival of a large detachment of patriots from Güiria and its vicinity. Their courage and patriotism assure me of the imminent occupation of the entire province of Cumana.
The plainsmen [llaneros] are completely loyal to our cause; I hope to receive some detachments from them in a few days.
I regret, Mister President, that at this moment our resources do not allow us to fulfill the commitments that we have contracted with our benefactors however, the news that we have just received from the interior give me hope that we will be able to fulfill them promptly.
Please, Mister President, accept once again this expression of my eternal gratitude for the kindness that Your Excellency has bestowed upon me and accept this testimony of my highest consideration, with which I have the honour of remaining your Excellency’s most humble and obedient servant.
Bolívar
Certified in accordance to the original.
Secretary General B. Inginac.