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The First Constitutional Accord
The meeting occurred during the evening of June 28 and into the early morning hours of June 29 in 1821. It was on the island of San Tomás off the coast of Arica. Its participants were Napoleon Bonaparte; Supreme Director of the Independent Republic of Chile Bernardo O’Higgins; General Simón Bolivar; General James Paroissien, representing the yet to be declared Republic of Peru; and Brother Guiliano of the Brotherhood of the Good Death as representative of the Pontiff.
It was here that Napoleon let it be known to the world that he was no longer in exile upon Saint Helena and that his intention was to unify the South American continent for the purpose of scientific discovery.
The foundation of the United Republics were lain.
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The Second Constitutional Accord
This is the meeting at which the actual constitution was written and agreed upon. It transpired over many years, and in many different places in South America: Caracas, Concepción, Lima, Buenos Aries, etc.
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Constitution
The constitution was signed by the first of the Republics (Chile, Peru, and Gran Columbia) on May 5, 1826. The constitution calls for free elections on this day every five years, but specifically imposes Napoleon Bonaparte I as President until the elections of May 5, 1831. At that time, he is just another candidate.
“As he did when elevated to First Consul, Napoleon mocks the people with the Semblance of a Republic and at the same time visits upon them the reality of despotism.” - Captain Basil Hall, Royal Navy, Pacific Squadron.
“. . . an entire continent where man is free to follow perfect liberty of conscience and thought, to make all men equal, and where a man's situation is provided by his own efforts and abilities regardless of race or religion.” - The Constitution of the United Republics of South America.
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Treaty of the Straights of Magellan (1833)
This Treaty ended hostilities between the United Republics and Great Britain after the Battle of the Horn. The crux of the Treaty was the Articles of Fair Passage. These allowed foreign mercantile traffic safe passage through the Straights of Magellan and certain provisioning rights for a reasonable fee, unlike the extravagant toll extracted by the Republics prior to the Treaty. In reality, this fee was only slightly less than the extravagant toll, the reduction having little effect on the Republics' coffers. The Articles of Fair Passage served only to heal Great Britain's wounded pride, which found at great shock and embarrassment that Napoleon was capable of enforcing the toll, even against their Royal Navy.
A horrendously complex and unwieldy document, the Treaty also contained a number of 'minor' provisions, including the complete ceding of the Falkland Islands to the Crown in exchange for the ceding of the isle of Saint Helena to the Republics (l'Empereur's idea of une petite amusmente), and certain provisioning rights of ships under both South American or British flag.
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Foreign Trade Act of 1828
This law regulates foreign commerce and gives the Republics authority to inspect foreign vessels in their waters for compliance. One of its principle purposes was to put an end to the illegal poaching of whales and seals that the North Americans and British engaged in with impunity for many years.
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Award for Meritorious Service to the Republics
This is the highest award given by the National Government. It includes a sizable land grant and the title ‘don’. With receipt of the title 'don,' the recipient is eligible to run for a seat in the Senate. Because of the legislative impact, prospective award candidates must be confirmed by both the Senate and the House of the People. Unlike the inherited title of Don, ‘don’ is a legal title that is not passed from father to son. It ends with the father. A don’s daughter is a dońita until she marries, then she takes the title of her husband.
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