Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/643

Rh In 1SS1 he was re-elected for a second terra, but in 1883, when President Barrios brought forward again the scheme of a Central American confed- eracy, with a view of becoming its leader, Soto. out of personal jealousy, opposed the idea strniu- oii^ly. and retired in May to San Kraneiseo, whence he attacked Barrios in several pamphlets. A tri- umvirate had meanwhile taken charge of the ex- ecutive, and after Soto's formal resignation, 15 Oct., IN*::. Gen. Bogran, Barrios's intimate friend and follower, was elected president. Soto came later to New York, where he schemed against Bo- gran, and in February, 1886, an alleged filibuster- ing expedition for Honduras was captured in the steamer " City of Mexico " by the U. S. sloop " Ga- lena " and brought to Key West. Soto then left New York for Costa Rica, and thence despatched in August of the same year an expedition of seventy- seven men, under the leadership of the officers that had been captured in the "City of Mexico," to stir up a revolutionary movement. But in Honduras none seemed inclined to join the enterprise, the expe- dition was defeated and captured near Comayagua, and the four leaders were shot in that city on 18 (id.. 1886. Soto then left Costa Rica, and re- turned to the United States. SOTOMAYOR, Cristobal de (so-to-mah-yohr'). Spanish officer, b. in Spain in the last quarter of the loth century ; d. in Guanica, Porto Rico, 25 July. 1511. He arrived in Santo Domingo with the ex- pedition of Diego Columbus in August, 1509, and the -ame year went to Porto Itico with the expedi- tion of Juan Ceron, who had been appointed gov- ernor. In 1510, when Ponce de Leon obtained from King Ferdinand the appointment of gov- ernor of Porto Rico, Sotomayor entered his service and became his lieutenant, assisting in the founda- tion of Caparra and the conquest of the island. Toward the end of 1510 he discovered on the southwest of the island a great bay, on the coast of which he founded the city of Guanica, from which that bay afterward took its name. One year afterward he founded on the north coast another town, which was called after his name, Sotomayor. In 1511. when the cacique Agueynaba, aided by the C'aribs, revolted, the city was surprised during the night of 25 July and set on fire, and Soto- mayor, after a brave resistance, met his death with the greater part of the garrison.

SOTOMAYOR, Pedro de. Central American linguist, V). in Guatemala in 1554; d. there in 1631. He was the son of the Spanish post-commander of his native city, but in 1581 entered the order of St. Francis, and soon became professor of theology and learned in the language of the natives. He was elected in 1612 provincial of his order. He wrote " Arte, Vocabulario, y Sermones Guatemal- tecos " and " Historia de los Varones ilustres del Orden de San Francisco, del Reino de Guatemala." which are preserved in manuscript in the Francis- can convent of Guatemala.

SOUBIN, Pierre, surnamed LE MARSEILLAIS (soo-bang), French buccaneer, b. in Marseilles about 1625; d. at sea near Cuba in 1676. He served on a Dutch merchant vessel, and, being captured in Cuban waters by a Spanish man-of-war, was com- pelled to enlist among the crew, but in 1652 he deserted, joined the buccaneers in Tortugas, and soon rose to be a leader. After 1665, in asso- ciation with other chiefs, he participated in the pillaging of Puerto Cabello. San Antonio de Gib- raltar, and of the Isthmus of Darien. Afterward, joining Sir Henry Morgan, he was placed at the head of a division and led the assault on Puerto del Principe, but, as Morgan kept the larger share of the booty, Soubin left him in disgust. In 1671 he participated in the expedition to Panama. served in the fiiM division, and led the assault on the fortress of San Lorenzo, on < 'hagres river. Joining Moyse Van Vin in 1672, he ravaged the coast of Cuba, besieged the city of Maracaibo, which paid them a ransom, pillaged the pearl-fish- eries near Rio Ilacha. and continued the war against the Spaniards till his death.

SOTBLETTE, Carlos. Venezuelan soldier, b. in Caracas in 1790: d. there, 11 Feb., 1870. He received an excellent education, and, on the proclamation of independence in 1810. entered the patriot service. In 1811 he became secretary to Gen. Francisco Miranda, and, after the capitulation of the latter in 1812, retired to his property in the interior. Afterward he joined Bolivar in the western provinces, and entered Caracas with him. 7 Aug.. 1813, luit after the defeat of La Puerta on 15 June, 1814. he fled to Barcelona and Margarita. When that island fell into the hands of Morillo, Soublette went to Cartagena, where he participated in the memorable defence of that fortress against Morillo. He then went to Hayti and joined Bolivar's expedition in 1816, being second in command of a division during the campaign of 1816. When Marino pronounced against Bolivar, Soublette joined the latter. and as his chief of start' occupied Angostura. 17 July, 1817, and was a member of the congress that met in that city. Soon after the occupation of Bogota, Soublette was sent with part of the army to Apure, and on the way defeated the enemy in Las Cruces. After the occupation of Caracas, 14 May. 1821, he was sent to Barcelona, where he organized the Army of the East, which assisted in the victory of Carabobo on 24 June. When Bolivar left for Bogota on 1 Aug., he appointed Soublette vice-president, in which place he showed great talent as an administrator. In 1825 he was appointed intendant of the department of Magdalena, and in 1826 Colombian secretary of war under the vice-presidency of Santander. In 1829 he was sent by Bolivar to Venezuela to try to prevent the separation of the Colombian republic, but when he saw the impossibility of maintaining the union he accepted an election to the constituent assembly of Venezuela, and as president of that body was one of the chief promoters of a liberal constitution. Gen. Paez called him to his cabinet as secretary of war. and in 1834 he was sent by President Vargas as minister to England, France, and Spain. He was about to conclude with the last-named power a treaty for the recognition of the independence of Venezuela when, in 1836, he was recalled by his election as provisional president, on the resignation of Dr. Vargas. From 1839 till 1842 he was again secretary of war under Gen. Paez, and in the latter year he was elected constitutional president. In 1847 he retired to his estate, but, after the forcible dissolution of congress in 1848, he protested against Monagas's unconstitutional proceedings, and was obliged to emigrate to New Granada, where he lived till 1858. By a special act of congress he received his pay as general of Colombia. He look no part in the political commotions of his country, and after the fall of Monagas in 1858 he was recalled and ordered to put down the revolution in the western provinces, but when his conciliatory measures were not approved he resigned, retiring to his farm. Under the short administration of Paez in 1862 he was again a member of the cabinet, and several times was elected to congress. He was more than a party-leader, and is regarded as among the most honorable statesmen of Venezuela.