Our Catlwlic Heritage in T e:zflS
Gutii"ets in W aslungum. The arrival of Gutierrez could not have been more opportune. The State Department had shortly before sent specific instructions to the American ministers in Great Britain, France, Russia, and Denmark to promote the recognition of independence of the Spanish-American colonies. On December 10, 18n, just one day prior to the arrival of the self-styled ambassador of Mexico, Gutierrez, the House of Representatives had passed a resolution to the effect that Congress view with friendly interest the establishment of independent governments by the Spanish colonies in whose welfare the United States was interested as a neighbor.l The fate of the former Spanish dominions in America was a matter of much concern to the United States, for it was believed that their future development and welfare were inevitably bound to the rest of the western hemisphere economically, politically and ter- ritorially. The international situation was rapidly approaching a crisis. Napoleon, at the height of his power, was still holding Spain firmly in his grasp in spite of popular revolt. Great Britain, the implacable enemy of Napoleon, was allied to Spain. The United States was, therefore, caught between the two mighty contestants and their satellites, and her commerce was being choked off by the Napoleonic Orders in Council and the British Embargo. War with Great Britain was imminent. While the people of the United States naturally sympathized with the cause of the rebellious colonies of Spain, the policy of the Government called for territorial ex- pansion at the expense of the adjacent Spanish possessions. These con- flicting elements made President John Adams and Secretary of State James Monroe adopt a strange policy towards the revolting Spanish col- onies. In the struggle between them and the mother country the United States was to observe formal neutrality but unofficially was to help and encourage the revolting peoples. In the event of war with Great Britain, the policy of the United States was to call for the occupation of Spanish territories south of the United States in order to prevent their use as a base for attack by the English, or their possible transfer to some other European power. Little wonder, then, that Gutierrez was received with open arms. He was the third Spanish-American emissary to come for help. On December 11, 1811, the very day of his arrival, he spoke for two hours with Chief Clerk John Graham of the State Department. So impressed was Graham with 1 Wllllam Manning, Di-jlomatk Corres'1<Hlllme1 of t/,1 u,,ited, States Cone,,,,;,,, U,1 Jnd1jnul1nt:1 of t/,e Lati,,•Am1rktm Nations, I, 12.
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