A.S.E. EL PRESIDENT DE LA HONORABLE CAMARA DEL SENADO. EXCMO. SEÑOR. EN NINGUNA CIRCUNSTANCIA ERA TAN NECESARIA Á LA REPÚBLICA LA AUGUSTA AUTORIDAD DEL CONGRESO, COMO EN ESTA ÉPOCA EN QUE LOS DISTURBIOS INTERNOS...[caption title and part of first line of text]

Caracas, February 6, 1827.. [2]pp. plus integral blank. Folio. Old fold; slight separation at fold. Light creasing. Very good. In a half morocco box. In this apparently unique broadsheet, Simón Bolívar tenders his resignation as president of Gran Colombia to the Congress in Caracas, Venezuela. By 1827 internal conflicts and political pressures were threatening the stability of the Republic Bolívar had created, Gran Colombia (present-day Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and parts of Peru). In an attempt to pacify dissenters and preserve the fragile federation, Bolívar addressed the Congress, offering to step aside and assuring the people that he had no plans to declare himself absolute ruler.

In this address Bolívar points to the fact that Gran Colombia is in an advantageous position, recognized by the United States and with Great Britain threatening war with Spain. Despite a rosy outlook, he notes that suspicions that El Libertador will exert himself as a tyrannical dictator continue to plague the political environment. Thus - in the tradition of George Washington - he is resigning from office. He writes (in translation): "In vain do I invoke the example of Washington to defend myself...." Though he is not innocent of ambition, Bolívar wishes to "remove my fellow citizens from the claws of this fury, and free them from uneasiness." Declaring his renunciation to be irrevocable, he writes: "My sword and my heart will nevertheless be for Colombia; and with my last breath I will ask heaven to grant her happiness."

Despite this declaration, the Congress refused to accept Bolívar's resignation. Unable to settle on a new constitution and form of government, the Constitutional Convention of 1828 fell apart, and Bolívar proclaimed himself dictator for life on August 27. Intended to be a temporary measure to stabilize the government, this move resulted in an assassination attempt just a month later. Bolívar died two years later of tuberculosis.

Not located in any of the usual sources, including Palau and OCLC. An important piece of South American history.