The name is absent

236        Hispanic America

policy of mediation, in order to reconcile the mother
country with her colonists.

The rebellion of the Spanish expeditionary army in the
year 1820 really favored the achievements of independence
in South America, but it cannot be considered as a conse-
quence of the Napoleonic invasion; it was due rather to the
influence of the Spanish-American Revolution itself and the
spread of liberal ideas. This expedition would not have
been able to reestablish Spanish rule. If sent to Buenos
Aires, it would have met the same failure as the powerful
English expedition led by Whitelock in 1807. If it had
been sent to Venezuela, it would have failed before the
victorious army of Bolivar, and the same obstacles that
destroyed the army of Morillo.

If the Napoleonic invasion favored to a certain extent
the inauguration of South American independence, it was
in turn useful also to Spain. Spanish troops and Spanish
officers were trained in the struggle against Napoleon under
the good influence of the English Army. These veterans,
led by Morillo, the most distinguished Spanish general of
the time, when the war was finished, were sent to combat
the revolution.

In the year 1818 the countries of Europe decided to
help Spain in this struggle against her rebel subjects. The
South American Revolution was politically isolated. It en-
joyed only the platonic or romantic sympathy of some
liberals like Clay in the United States, or Mackintosh in
England. There was nothing similar to the French alli-
ance of the North American Revolution, and our agents
in Washington and in England were unable to get even
mere recognition.

It is true that we had the help of the privateers, Ameri-
can and English, but it was a factor of no decisive influ-

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