Availing himself
of the favourable moment, he obtained the enactment of the fundamental
law of the 17th of December 1819, by which the republics of Venezuela
and New Granada were henceforth to be united in a single state, under
his presidency, by the title of the Republic of Colombia. The seat of
government was also transferred provisionally to Rosario de Cucuta, on
the frontier of the two provinces, and Bolivar again took the field.
Being now at the head of the most numerous and best appointed army the
republicans had yet assembled, he gained important advantages over the
Spaniards under Morillo, and on the 25th of November 1820 concluded at
Truxillo an armistice of six months, probably in the hope that the
Spaniards would come to terms, and that the further effusion of blood
might be spared. If such were his views, however, they were
disappointed. Morillo was recalled, and General Torre assumed the
command. The armistice was allowed to expire, and a renewal of the
contest became inevitable. Bolivar therefore resolved, if possible, to
strike a decisive blow; and this accordingly he did at Carabobo, where,
encountering Torre, he so completely routed the Spaniards that the
shattered remains of their army were forced to take refuge in Puerto
Cabello, where two years after they surrendered to Paez. The battle of
Carabobo may be considered as having put an end to the war in Venezuela.
On the 29th of June 1821 Bolivar entered Caracas, and by the close of
the year the Spaniards were driven from every part of the province
except Puerto Cabello. The next step was to secure, by permanent
political institutions, the independence which had been so dearly
purchased; and, accordingly, on the 30th of August 1821 the constitution
of Colombia was adopted with general approbation, Bolivar himself being
president, and Santander vice-president.

There was, however, more work for him to do. The Spaniards, though
expelled from Colombia, still held possession of the neighbouring
provinces of Ecuador and Peru; and Bolivar determined to complete the
liberation of the whole country. Placing himself at the head of the
army, he marched on Quito in Ecuador. A severe battle was fought at
Pichincha, where, by the prowess of his colleague Sucre, the Spaniards
were routed, and Quito was entered by the republicans in June 1822.
Bolivar then marched upon Lima, which the royalists evacuated at his
approach; and entering the capital in triumph, he was inv