Manuel Antonio Sanclemente
Encyclopedia
Manuel Antonio Sanclemente Sanclemente (1814–1902) was President of Colombia
between 1898 and 1900.
, Valle del Cauca Department
on September 19, 1814. He died in Villeta
, Cundinamarca
on March 19, 1902, during his house arrest. He studied Law at the University of Cauca
in Popayán
. He graduated as a lawyer, in 1837.
of the Supreme Court of Colombia
in 1854. During the administration of President Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
, Sanclemente was appointed Secretary of Government and Minister of War, position that he would serve between April 1, 1857 and July 18, 1861.
for vice-president. The Consejo Electoral (electoral commission) certified the results in favor of Sanclemente and Marroquín on July 4, 1898. They were elected for a six years presidential term. The day of the inauguration, August 7, 1898, Sanclemente was sick and not feeling well enough to take the oath as President. Thus, his Vice-Presidente Marroquín, hat to take the oath in his place. A few weeks later, Sanclemente notified the Senate that he intended to assume his office as President on November 3, 1898. The Senate in turn informed the House of Representatives of his intentions. The House objected to that date, but instead proposed November 5, for his inauguration. This childish wrestling by the House was nothing else but to show his displeasure with Sanclemente. The Senate did not agree with the House. Thus, on November 3, Sanclemente expressed that if the House would not assemble with the Senate in a joint session of Congress, he would take his oath before the Supreme Court. And in fact he did. A few days later, the House recognized his inauguration.
On October 1899, the Colombian Liberal Party
launched a mayor assault, with all its human, political and military power, against the government of Sanclemente, just like the revolution that Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera
had launched against the government of Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
in 1860. This was the beginning of the tragic and famous civil war known as the Thousand Days War
.
The revolt started in Santander
and spread out through the entire country. The principal revolutionary Generals of the liberal party were Gabriel Vargas Santos, Rafael Uribe Uribe, Benjamín Herrera, Foción Soto and Lucas Caballero. Defending the government were the conservative Generals Ramón González Valencia
, Alfredo Vásquez Cobo, Jorge Holguín
and Pedro Nel Ospina
. The civil war lasted for three years, until November 1902, and left thousands dead, millions in monetary losses and a profound resentment among the people. Both sides won and loss many battles, but at the end, the conservative government was triumphant.
On July 31, 1900, in the midst of the civil war, the last coup d’état of the XIX Century would take place. President Sanclemente advanced in years, not in good health and not fully fit to govern the country in the middle of a devastating civil war. While Sanclemente was resting in his summer retreat, in the town of Villeta
, a group of influential politicians and high ranking military gathered in Bogotá
determined to place him under house arrest. Sanclemente was notified of this situation on August 3. Among the military and political leaders that conjured the coup d’état were the future presidents of Colombia Miguel Abadía Méndez
, José Vicente Concha
and Ramón González Valencia
and vice-president José Manuel Marroquín
.
President of Colombia
The President of Colombia is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Colombia. The office of president was established upon the ratification of the Constitution of 1819, by the Congress of Angostura, convened in December 1819, when Colombia was part of "la Gran Colombia"...
between 1898 and 1900.
Early life
Sanclemente was born in BugaBuga, Valle del Cauca
Buga formally Guadalajara de Buga is a city and municipality in the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia. It is famous for its Basilica del Señor de los Milagros, which houses an image of Christ called El Señor de los Milagros .-History:Guadalajara de Buga is one of the oldest cities in...
, Valle del Cauca Department
Valle del Cauca Department
Valle del Cauca is a department of Colombia. It is in the western side of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean, and it is considered one of the most important departments in the Republic of Colombia. Its capital is Santiago de Cali...
on September 19, 1814. He died in Villeta
Villeta
Villeta is a city of Paraguay, in the Central Department, on the banks of Paraguay River. It is an important industrial center and port.-Toponymy:...
, Cundinamarca
Cundinamarca Department
- Origin of the name :The name of Cundinamarca comes from Kundur marqa, an indigenous expression, probably derived from Quechua. Meaning "Condor's Nest", it was used in pre-Columbian times by the natives of the Magdalena Valley to refer to the nearby highlands....
on March 19, 1902, during his house arrest. He studied Law at the University of Cauca
University of Cauca
TheUniversidad del Cauca is a public institution of higher education among the 10 best universities in the country, currently in the process of institutional certification and accreditation CNA. Located in the city of Popayán, capital of the department of Cauca, Colombia...
in Popayán
Popayán
Popayán is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in southwestern Colombia between Colombia's Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range...
. He graduated as a lawyer, in 1837.
Political career
Sanclemente was elected to the position of MagistrateMagistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
of the Supreme Court of Colombia
Supreme Court of Colombia
The Supreme Court of Colombia in Bogotá is the highest judicial body in civil and penal matters and issues of criminal and civil procedure in Colombia...
in 1854. During the administration of President Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
Mariano Ospina Rodríguez was a Colombian politician, journalist and lawyer, founder of the Colombian Conservative Party and later President of Colombia between 1857 and 1861 during the Granadine Confederation.- Biographic data :...
, Sanclemente was appointed Secretary of Government and Minister of War, position that he would serve between April 1, 1857 and July 18, 1861.
The Presidency
In 1898, Sanclemente runs for President of Colombia, at age 84. The conservative candidates for this election were Sanclemente for president and José Manuel MarroquínJosé Manuel Marroquín
Jose Manuel Marroquin Ricaurte was a Colombian political figure and President of Colombia.- Biographic data :José Manuel Marroquín was born in Bogotá, on August 6, 1827. He died in the same city on September 19, 1908.- Early life :...
for vice-president. The Consejo Electoral (electoral commission) certified the results in favor of Sanclemente and Marroquín on July 4, 1898. They were elected for a six years presidential term. The day of the inauguration, August 7, 1898, Sanclemente was sick and not feeling well enough to take the oath as President. Thus, his Vice-Presidente Marroquín, hat to take the oath in his place. A few weeks later, Sanclemente notified the Senate that he intended to assume his office as President on November 3, 1898. The Senate in turn informed the House of Representatives of his intentions. The House objected to that date, but instead proposed November 5, for his inauguration. This childish wrestling by the House was nothing else but to show his displeasure with Sanclemente. The Senate did not agree with the House. Thus, on November 3, Sanclemente expressed that if the House would not assemble with the Senate in a joint session of Congress, he would take his oath before the Supreme Court. And in fact he did. A few days later, the House recognized his inauguration.
On October 1899, the Colombian Liberal Party
Colombian Liberal Party
The Colombian Liberal Party is a center-left party in Colombia that adheres to social democracy and social liberalism.The Party was founded in 1848 and, together with the Colombian Conservative Party, subsequently became one of the two main political forces in the country for over a century.After...
launched a mayor assault, with all its human, political and military power, against the government of Sanclemente, just like the revolution that Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera
Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera
Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera y Arboleda was a Colombian general and political figure. He was president of Colombia four times. The first time was as president of Republic of New Granada from 1845 to 1849. During the Colombian Civil War of 1860-1862 he led liberal forces in a civil war against...
had launched against the government of Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
Mariano Ospina Rodríguez was a Colombian politician, journalist and lawyer, founder of the Colombian Conservative Party and later President of Colombia between 1857 and 1861 during the Granadine Confederation.- Biographic data :...
in 1860. This was the beginning of the tragic and famous civil war known as the Thousand Days War
Thousand Days War
The Thousand Days' War , was a civil armed conflict in the newly created Republic of Colombia, between the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and its radical factions. In 1899 the ruling conservatives were accused of maintaining power through fraudulent elections...
.
The revolt started in Santander
Santander Department
Santander is a department of Colombia. Santander inherited the name of one of the nine original states of the United States of Colombia. It is located in the central northern part of the country, east of the Magdalena River, bordered to the south and southeast by Boyacá, to the northeast by Norte...
and spread out through the entire country. The principal revolutionary Generals of the liberal party were Gabriel Vargas Santos, Rafael Uribe Uribe, Benjamín Herrera, Foción Soto and Lucas Caballero. Defending the government were the conservative Generals Ramón González Valencia
Ramón González Valencia
Ramón González Valencia was a Colombian conservative, military officer and statesman. He participated in the civil wars of 1876, Colombian Civil War of 1895, and the Thousand Days War.- Biographic data :...
, Alfredo Vásquez Cobo, Jorge Holguín
Jorge Holguín
Jorge Marcelo Holguín Mallarino was a Colombian politician and military officer, two time Acting President of Colombia for the periods between June, 1909 to August of the same year as interim president, and from November, 1921 to August, 1922...
and Pedro Nel Ospina
Pedro Nel Ospina
Pedro Nel Ospina Vázquez was a Colombian general and political figure. He served as president of Colombia between 1922 and 1926.- Biography:...
. The civil war lasted for three years, until November 1902, and left thousands dead, millions in monetary losses and a profound resentment among the people. Both sides won and loss many battles, but at the end, the conservative government was triumphant.
On July 31, 1900, in the midst of the civil war, the last coup d’état of the XIX Century would take place. President Sanclemente advanced in years, not in good health and not fully fit to govern the country in the middle of a devastating civil war. While Sanclemente was resting in his summer retreat, in the town of Villeta
Villeta
Villeta is a city of Paraguay, in the Central Department, on the banks of Paraguay River. It is an important industrial center and port.-Toponymy:...
, a group of influential politicians and high ranking military gathered in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
determined to place him under house arrest. Sanclemente was notified of this situation on August 3. Among the military and political leaders that conjured the coup d’état were the future presidents of Colombia Miguel Abadía Méndez
Miguel Abadía Méndez
Miguel Abadía Méndez was the 17th President of Colombia . A Conservative party politician, Abadía was the last president of the period known as the Conservative Hegemony, running unopposed and forming a one party Cabinet.- Political career :Abadía, as a young lawyer, was a professor and MP...
, José Vicente Concha
José Vicente Concha
José Vicente Concha was a Colombian politician who served as President of Colombia from 1914-1918. He was also a noted member of the Colombian Conservative Party.- Biographic data :...
and Ramón González Valencia
Ramón González Valencia
Ramón González Valencia was a Colombian conservative, military officer and statesman. He participated in the civil wars of 1876, Colombian Civil War of 1895, and the Thousand Days War.- Biographic data :...
and vice-president José Manuel Marroquín
José Manuel Marroquín
Jose Manuel Marroquin Ricaurte was a Colombian political figure and President of Colombia.- Biographic data :José Manuel Marroquín was born in Bogotá, on August 6, 1827. He died in the same city on September 19, 1908.- Early life :...
.