234 Hispanic America
suppression of the loyalist reaction, and the creation of
new nationalities.
It is worth while to note that the men of action, the
heroes, in the Carlylian sense of the word, who conducted
the movement successfully, created armies and defeated
the Spaniards, were entirely opposed to the exaggerated
ideology of the intellectual leaders. San Martin and Bol-
ivar were both declared enemies of the ultra-democratic
ideals and federal institutions proclaimed in the earlier
period of the struggle for independence. Both were aware
of the inability of the federal government to conduct the
struggle, and of the difficulty of establishing federal insti-
tutions in South America. They demanded a strong and
unified government. They were our first political realists,
and they succeeded in spite of the obstacles created by the
imported political theories and institutions.
San Martin had very deep-rooted monarchic convictions
and up to the last moment tried to get a prince of the Span-
ish royal family for the throne of Peru.
Bolivar said very clearly that America was not prepared
for the advanced institutions of democracy and federation;
he believed that we wanted a new and original form of
government in accord with our geographic and historical
conditions. Bolivar followed the influence of the English
institutions rather than the French or American ideas. He
proclaimed the necessity of a very strong and lasting exec-
utive, a hereditary senate, and the creation of a high moral
and intellectual institution, dedicated to preside over the
spiritual and ethical development of the country.
We may say that European and American ideas had
their influence only in the liberal and democratic enthusiasm
of the cultured class. This enthusiasm was limited to this
class. At the top the leaders had ideas of their own, and