...
Let us drown in the abyss of time the year 1826.... I have not known
what has happened. Colombians, forget whatever you know of the days of
sorrow."
Paez humiliated himself to the point of asking that he be tried, but
Bolivar would not permit it. He even praised Paez for his self-denial,
going so far in his generosity as to call him _savior of the country_. This
generosity was censured, especially by the people of Nueva Granada, and
was considered a weakness on the part of Bolivar. It was thought to be an
indication that he feared his authority would not be sufficiently strong
to carry him through the dangerous business of disciplining a man with
so large a following as Paez. But this was not so. Bolivar had, upon
the occasion of Piar's treachery, shown himself capable of decisive, if
difficult action; but his preference was always for justice tempered
with mercy. That he felt no weakening in personal power is shown by the
following incident: At a banquet where Paez and his partisans formed the
great majority of those present, a man started a debate which gave Bolivar
opportunity to make very energetic declarations, and even to utter the
following words:
"Here is no other authority and no other power than mine. Among all my
lieutenants I am like the sun; if they shine it is because of the light
I lend them."
Silence followed these words; everybody, including Paez, realized that
Bolivar could make himself respected whenever he wished.
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