第 67 节
作者:点绛唇      更新:2021-02-21 16:26      字数:9322
  had taught not only Europe but America as well; was the
  right of people to their own ‘‘nationality。''
  Napoleon; who respected nothing and nobody; was utterly
  ruthless in his dealing with national and patriotic aspirations。
  But the early revolutionary generals had proclaimed the new
  doctrine that ‘‘nationality was not a matter of political
  frontiers or round skulls and broad noses; but a matter of the
  heart and soul。'' While they were teaching the French children
  the greatness of the French nation; they encouraged Spaniards
  and Hollanders and Italians to do the same thing。 Soon
  these people; who all shared Rousseau's belief in the superior
  virtues of Original Man; began to dig into their past and found;
  buried beneath the ruins of the feudal system; the bones of the
  mighty races of which they supposed themselves the feeble
  descendants。
  The first half of the nineteenth century was the era of the
  great historical discoveries。 Everywhere historians were busy
  publishing mediaeval charters and early mediaeval chronicles
  and in every country the result was a new pride in the old
  fatherland。 A great deal of this sentiment was based upon the
  wrong interpretation of historical facts。 But in practical politics;
  it does not matter what is true; but everything depends
  upon what the people believe to be true。 And in most countries
  both the kings and their subjects firmly believed in the glory
  and fame of their ancestors。
  The Congress of Vienna was not inclined to be sentimental。
  Their Excellencies divided the map of Europe according to the
  best interests of half a dozen dynasties and put ‘‘national
  aspirations'' upon the Index; or list of forbidden books; together
  with all other dangerous ‘‘French doctrines。''
  But history is no respecter of Congresses。 For some reason
  or other (it may be an historical law; which thus far has
  escaped the attention of the scholars) ‘‘nations'' seemed to be
  necessary for the orderly development of human society and
  the attempt to stem this tide was quite as unsuccessful as the
  Metternichian effort to prevent people from thinking。
  Curiously enough the first trouble began in a very distant
  part of the world; in South America。 The Spanish colonies
  of that continent had been enjoying a period of relative independence
  during the many years of the great Napoleonic wars。
  They had even remained faithful to their king when he was
  taken prisoner by the French Emperor and they had refused
  to recognise Joseph Bonaparte; who had in the year 1808 been
  made King of Spain by order of his brother。
  Indeed; the only part of America to get very much upset
  by the Revolution was the island of Haiti; the Espagnola of
  Columbus' first trip。 Here in the year 1791 the French Convention;
  in a sudden outburst of love and human brotherhood;
  had bestowed upon their black brethren all the privileges hitherto
  enjoyed by their white masters。 Just as suddenly they had
  repented of this step; but the attempt to undo the original
  promise led to many years of terrible warfare between General
  Leclerc; the brother…in…law of Napoleon; and Toussaint l'Ouverture;
  the negro chieftain。 In the year 1801; Toussaint was
  asked to visit Leclerc and discuss terms of peace。 He received
  the solemn promise that he would not be molested。 He trusted
  his white adversaries; was put on board a ship and shortly
  afterwards died in a French prison。 But the negroes gained
  their independence all the same and founded a Republic。
  Incidentally they were of great help to the first great South
  American patriot in his efforts to deliver his native country
  from the Spanish yoke。
  Simon Bolivar; a native of Caracas in Venezuela; born in
  the year 1783; had been educated in Spain; had visited Paris
  where he had seen the Revolutionary government at work; had
  lived for a while in the United States and had returned to his
  native land where the widespread discontent against Spain;
  the mother country; was beginning to take a definite form。
  In the year 1811; Venezuela declared its independence and
  Bolivar became one of the revolutionary generals。 Within
  two months; the rebels were defeated and Bolivar fled。
  For the next five years he was the leader of an apparently
  lost cause。 He sacrificed all his wealth and he would not have
  been able to begin his final and successful expedition without
  the support of the President of Haiti。 Thereafter the revolt
  spread all over South America and soon it appeared that Spain
  was not able to suppress the rebellion unaided。 She asked for
  the support of the Holy Alliance。
  This step greatly worried England。 The British shippers
  had succeeded the Dutch as the Common Carriers of the world
  and they expected to reap heavy profits from a declaration of
  independence on the part of all South America。 They had
  hopes that the United States o?America would interfere but
  the Senate had no such plans and in the House; too; there were
  many voices which declared that Spain ought to be given a
  free hand。
  Just then; there was a change of ministers in England。
  The Whigs went out and the Tories came in。 George Canning
  became secretary of State。 He dropped a hint that England
  would gladly back up the American government with all the
  might of her fleet; if said government would declare its
  disapproval of the plans of the Holy Alliance in regard to the
  rebellious colonies of the southern continent。 President Monroe
  thereupon; on the 2nd of December of the year 1823; addressed
  Congress and stated that: ‘‘America would consider
  any attempt on the part of the allied powers to extend their
  system to any portion of this western hemisphere as dangerous
  to our peace and safety;'' and gave warning that ‘‘the American
  government would consider such action on the part of the
  Holy Alliance as a manifestation of an unfriendly disposition
  toward the United States。'' Four weeks later; the text of the
  ‘‘Monroe Doctrine'' was printed in the English newspapers and
  the members of the Holy Alliance were forced to make their
  choice。
  Metternich hesitated。 Personally he would have been willing
  to risk the displeasure of the United States (which had
  allowed both its army and navy to fall into neglect since the end
  of the Anglo…American war of the year 1812。) But Canning's
  threatening attitude and trouble on the continent forced him
  to be careful。 The expedition never took place and South
  America and Mexico gained their independence。
  As for the troubles on the continent of Europe; they were
  coming fast and furious。 The Holy Alliance had sent French
  troops to Spain to act as guardians of the peace in the year
  1820。 Austrian troops had been used for a similar purpose in
  Italy when the ‘‘Carbonari'' (the secret society of the Charcoal
  Burners) were making propaganda for a united Italy and had
  caused a rebellion against the unspeakable Ferdinand of
  Naples。
  Bad news also came from Russia where the death of Alexander
  had been the sign for a revolutionary outbreak in St。
  Petersburg; a short but bloody upheaval; the so…called Dekaberist
  revolt (because it took place in December;) which ended
  with the hanging of a large number of good patriots who had
  been disgusted by the reaction of Alexander's last years and
  had tried to give Russia a constitutional form of government。
  But worse was to follow。 Metternich had tried to assure
  himself of the continued support of the European courts by a
  series of conferences at Aix…la…Chapelle at Troppau at
  Laibach and finally at Verona。 The delegates from the
  different powers duly travelled to these agreeable watering
  places where the Austrian prime minister used to spend
  his summers。 They always promised to do their best
  to suppress revolt but they were none too certain of their
  success。 The spirit of the people was beginning to be ugly and
  especially in France the position of the king was by no means
  satisfactory。
  The real trouble however began in the Balkans; the gateway
  to western Europe through which the invaders of that
  continent had passed since the beginning of time。 The first
  outbreak was in Moldavia; the ancient Roman province of
  Dacia which had been cut off from the Empire in the third
  century。 Since then; it had been a lost land; a sort of Atlantis;
  where the people had continued to speak the old Roman tongue
  and still called themselves Romans and their country Roumania。
  Here in the year 1821; a young Greek; Prince Alexander
  Ypsilanti; began a revolt against the Turks。 He told his followers
  that they could count upon the support of Russia。 But
  Metternich's fast couriers were soon on their way to St Petersburg
  and the Tsar; entirely persuaded by the Austrian arguments
  in favor of ‘‘peace and stability;'' refused to help。 Ypsilanti
  was forced to flee to Austria where he spent the next seven
  years in prison。
  In the same year; 1821; trouble began in Greece。 Since
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