Encyclopædia americana. A popular dictionary of arts, sciences, literature, history, politics and biography, a new ed.; including a copious collection of original articles in American biography; on the basis of the 7th ed. of the German Conversations-lexicon. Ed. by Francis Lieber, assisted by E. Wigglesworth ...

176 BOLIVAR-BOLIVIA.
monument of glory. (Restrepo's Colorm- containing his general views upon the
bta, vols. 3-6; Columbia, vol. 2; Amer. subject of government. By this code, the./n. Register, vols. 1 and 2.) —There has powers of government are distributed into
lately appeared a work, entitled Iemoirs four sections-the electoral, legislative,
of Simon Bolivar, and of his principal Gen- executive and judicial. The electoral body
erals, with an Introduction, &c., by general is composed of persons chosen, for a periH. L. V. Ducoudray Holstein; Boston, od of four years, by the citizens at large,
1829. The book is a violent philippic at the rate of one elector for every hundred
against B., and evidently colored too highly citizens. The legislative power resides
to be a safe authority. It does not be- in three chambers, the first of tribunes,
come the biographer to adopt the views the next of senators, and the highest of
of a political partisan, nor to pronounce censors. The tribunes are to be chosen
a decisive judgment until the career of for a period of four years, half of the
his subject is closed. chamber being renewed every second
BOLIVIA; the name of a country in year; and the senators for eight years,
South America. It is bounded N. W. half of their body being renewed every
by Peru, N. E. and E. by Brazil, S. by fourth year. Between these two bodies,
Buenos Ayres or the United Provinces of the ordinary duties of legislation are apSouth America, and W. by the Pacific portioned in a manner peculiarly artificial
ocean and Peru. It is elevated and moun- and inconvenient, together with various
tainous, giving rise to several large tribu- other functions of a judicial and executive
taries, both of the Amazon and La Plata. character. The censors are for life, and
It includes lake Titicaca. It contains rich their business is to watch over the govsilver mines, of which those of Potosi, ernment, to accuse the executive before
that were formerly very productive, are the senate, to regulate the press, educathe most celebrated. The town of Chu- tion, and the arts and sciences, to grant
quisaca, or La Plata, is the capital. Some rewards for public services, and to deof the other principal towns are Potosi, nounce the enemies of the state. The
Charcas, Oropesa, Oruro, La Paz and Co- executive power resides in a president for
chabamba. The population has been re- life, a vice-president and four secretaries.
cently estimated at 1,000,000 or 1,200,000. The president commands all the military
— This republic dates its origin from the and naval forces, and exercises the whole
battle of Ayacucho, fought Dec. 9, 1824, patronage of the government, nominating
in which general Antonio Jose de Sucre, all the civil and military servants of the
at the head of the Colombian forces, de- state, officers of the army, navy and treasfeated the viceroy La Serna, and insured ury, foreign ministers, and the vice-presithe independence of the country. It con- dent, who is to be his successor: he is,
sists of the provinces known under the moreover, without any responsibility for
Spanish government as Upper Peru, and the acts of his administration. The judithen governed as a dependency of the cial power is regulated so as to secure the
viceroyalty of Buenos Ayres. Olaneta due administration of justice; and the
maintained a show of opposition for a private rights of individuals are carefully
short time after the battle of Ayacucho; protected by suitable guarantees. This
but Sucre quickly drove him into the form of constitution, it is evident, would
province of Salta, where his forces were give the executive such preponderating
dispersed by the Buenos Ayrean authori- power, that all the measures of governties, in April, 1825. No obstacle now re- ment would, in fact, be subject to his will,
mained to prevent the organization of an and he would be, to all intents and purindependent government. A congress poses, the elective prince of a monarchy,
assembled at Chuquisaca, in August, 1825, limited in theory, but absolute in operaand resolved to establish a separate repub- tion. This code was presented to the
lic, independent both of Lower Peru and constituent congress of Bolivia, which
of Buenos Ayres, to be named Bolivia, in assembled at Chuquisaca, in May, 1826,
honor of the liberator Bolivar. Among and by that body adopted as the constituother testimonials of their gratitude to- tion of the republic. The 9th of Decemwards him, they requested him to prepare ber, the anniversary of the battle of Ayathe draft of a constitution for the republic, cucho, being fixed upon as the period
lodging the authority of president, mean- when it should be carried into effect, Suwhile, in the hands of Sucre. Bolivar cre resigned his discretionary authority
accordingly prepared the project of a con- into the hands of congress, and solicited
stitution, which he presented to them them to appoint a native of the country
May 25, 1826, accompanied by an address, to be his successor. But they resolved