In 1823 a congress of the states of Central America was summoned to meet in Guatemala City. This congress assembled in June as the Asamblea Nacional Constituyente and remained in session nearly two years. It founded the United Provinces of Central America, but difficulties soon set in between the different provinces. A constitution was framed and promulgated in 1825 for which the constitution of the United States was taken as a model. Arcé was proclaimed the first president in the same year and was soon after recognized by most of the leading powers. Conflicts arose very soon between the federal and local authorities in Guatemala City, which city had been made the capital of the confederation. The vice-president, Flores, retired to Quezaltenango, where he was attacked by an infuriated mob of natives on the 13th of October, 1826. He sought refuge in the pulpit of the parish church from whence he was dragged by a mob of women and literally torn to pieces. The Indians had been aroused by a Spanish priest who attributed a pestilence to him. A reign of religious fanaticism soon followed and troops from San Salvador invaded Guatemala to restore order. Convents and monasteries were suppressed by the government, but Arcé found himself unable to preserve order, and resigned the presidency.
In 1799, there was born in Honduras a child named Francisco Morazan, who was destined to be the greatest figure in this Central American Confederation. His father was a Frenchman and his mother a native Creole woman of that country. We know little of his youth except that he managed to acquire a fair education for that age. He grew up to be a man of impetuous but not sanguinary temperament, and was possessed of great decision and perseverance. His bearing was free and manly; his manner was frank and open; his domestic life was exemplary. After holding several minor offices in Honduras he became secretary-general of that province, then Senator and jefe, or governor, but his bent was that of a warrior. Revolution broke out at La Antigua, in Guatemala, and this province then placed itself under the protection and leadership of General Morazan, who had an army of about two thousand men, and who had espoused the cause of the malcontents. With this small force Morazan besieged Guatemala City, the capital of the federation, and the city soon capitulated. General Morazan thereupon assumed the power of state and used much vigour, but was just. He afterwards wrote, “No one was put to death or had money exacted from him.” This was an almost unheard of leniency in Central America, but he had no cause to regret this magnanimity, even though there was much blood to avenge and there were many grievances to punish.
A period of reaction followed, for the servile conservative party, which had been hitherto dominant, fell. It seemed almost as though Morazan had been called by Providence itself. Some cruel measures by his followers and supporters followed, but the best authorities do not blame him personally for those acts, as he seemed to be above petty measures for the purpose of revenge. It was even decreed that all salaries that had been paid for several years be refunded to the national treasury and harsh means were taken to collect them. A few months later another man was elected president by the new congress that had been chosen, although Morazan was the real power behind the throne, but at that time he preferred the military command. Many prisoners were exiled, the archbishop and a number of friars expelled, and all monastic institutions, except one, were suppressed by the new government. Because of fear of trouble from Spain all property of Spanish subjects was ordered sequestered until that country formally recognized independence.
It was ever a struggle between the church party and the anti-clericals. On one side were arrayed the sincere adherents of the church and the clergy, many of whom were bigoted as well as covetous. In the other party were the honest patriots and those who expected to reap emolument from the confiscation of church property. In addition there was a floating class of professional revolutionists who threw their lot with whichever party promised the greatest reward, and the bandits who would rob a church as cheerfully as a lonely traveller on the road.
A PEON.
It is difficult to realize how long it takes to throw away temporal and spiritual fetters, even though they are self-forged. The people of Central America felt lost without harness and reins, whip and spurs, as soon as a little freedom had been gained. They did not know what to do with their liberty which many interpreted to mean license. They thought it consisted of wranglings for place, of wars of brothers against brothers, of priests against people. A self-styled aristocracy and ignorant rabble both contributed to the discontent.
They had copied the letter and not the spirit of American institutions. The scheming politicians would hesitate at nothing to attain private ends or personal aggrandizement. The aristocracy were impetuous by nature and impatient of restraint, while the peons were indolent and accepted whatever condition fell to them.
Finally, in 1830, Morazan was elected president at the regular election and assumed office on the 16th day of September. Ignoring all precedents this new ruler turned his first attention and efforts to further education. Peace reigned for a short time, but the demon of political strife was soon let loose again. The former president, who had just failed of re-election, invaded Guatemala with about a hundred discontented ones from Mexico, and another revolutionist entered the country from the opposite border with a couple of hundred negroes from Honduras, but both were defeated by the prompt measures of the government. Yet in this victory was actual defeat, for the dissolution of the confederation really dated from this time. Congress adopted some liberal measures at the instance of Morazan, among which were absolute freedom of conscience and the right to worship God according to the dictates of conscience, both of which measures showed an advanced spirit of toleration. This liberty, however, angered the clericals who did not favour the progressive policies of Morazan. Furthermore, and this was the most powerful influence, the smaller states were jealous of Guatemala, because of her predominance both in population and area, and they demanded an equal voice in the government. It was one of the same troubles that confronted the colonies during the early days of the republic. Beginning with the withdrawal of Nicaragua, in December, 1832, all the provinces formally withdrew from the confederation within a few months.
A scourge of cholera in 1837 was taken advantage of by certain fanatics of the clerical party, who made the ignorant rabble believe that the waters had been poisoned in order to destroy the natives and make room for foreigners. That such a movement should be successful seems almost incredible in this day and age, but its effect soon spread over the whole land, and the government was helpless when opposed by blind fanaticism. Cries for vengeance were heard on every side, and many physicians were put to death with cruel tortures, such as being compelled to swallow the entire contents of their medicine chests. Rafael Carrera, whose hostilities resembled highway robbery rather than civilized warfare, soon became the head of the revolt, aided by a certain class of priests who termed him the “Protecting Angel Rafael.” The government put a price on Carrera’s head and the following notice was posted throughout the country: