Manifesto of Orllie-Antoine I,
King of Araucania & Patagonia


King Orllie-Antoine I

* I *
Of all the errors committed by certain members of the press who have dealt with the question of my rights to the throne of Araucania and Patagonia, there are two which I am anxious to correct, for they are grave. One called me an "available king" and the other claimed that I could only re-enter my state with the intervention of the French government. I begin by declaring that I love my country too much to dream of increasing her troubles, and that I ask of her no other favor than to accept from my hand a colony having a climate as uniformly temperate as France, -- where one never hears talk of epidemics, or fevers -- rich in pasture, forests and mines, -- finally, having 1275 miles of coast on the Atlantic Ocean and nearly as much on the Pacific, being 600 miles across the middle. Where can one find a land which offers as much space and so many resources for emigration? This vast country contains only about two million inhabitants, and there could be established considerable markets for wool, hides, metals, etc. As for 2400 miles of coast, it is impossible to over-estimate its importance. An "available king," they say, and this is not at all hyperbolic, as I will prove in time by the concluding arguments, -- and now what are the facts?

* II *

Since I am so forced, I reproduce here the protest I addressed on January 27, 1862, to the charges d'affaires of the Foreign Office of Chile, in which is established in most preemptory way the imprescriptibility of my rights: "The authorities of Chile had me arrested and detained as a prisoner at Angeles. They gave as the reason of my detention that I planned to arouse the Indians of Araucania and to unleash them against Chile, to force the population found on the south bank of the Bio-Bio to cross over to the north bank.

"I protest, in front of you and the entire world, that I have never said such things to my subjects as are attributed to me, nor provoked any taking up of arms against Chile.

"The paupers who handed me over to Chilean authorities did so only for the 250 piastres [4,250 francs] promised by the quartermaster Cornelio Saavedra. Wanting to disguise their treachery, they have blamed me for the belligerent words of the Indians, who have many times told me that they regard the Chileans as their enemies, so much so that the population living on the north bank of the Bio-Bio River do not travel on the south bank, and that, if they do not like this, they will be made to do so by use of force. To all of this I replied that patience was necessary, and that as soon as I was named king, I would settle all amiably.


Cornelio Saavedra


"These, Sir, are the only words which left my mouth on this matter. I protest therefore, as I have since my arrest, against the violation of my individual liberty, the violation of my person and the rights which attach thereto, in particular as King of Araucania and Patagonia, and finally I protest the violation of the rights of the people, the natural rights which they have by birth, rights which they can use and dispose of as they see fit.

"Now the Indians of Araucania and Patagonia have freely proclaimed me their king and have adopted my flag of blue, white and green. We have made, the one and the other, only what we have the right to make. The Araucanians and Patagonians conferred upon me power, and I have accepted it.

"Chile has never had any right to these two countries, neither by conquest, or by voluntary submission; their laws have never been recognized there, therefore I am unable to violate them, either directly or indirectly.

"The Chilean government has recognized publicly and solemnly the independence of Araucania: it formed projects and drew up plans of conquest. Did it plan to conquer what was already its own? -- And what of the frontiers between Chile and Araucania: do these not signify the limits of Chile?

"All the writings concerning Araucania serve only to recognize and consecrate its independence. There is not a single Chilean who, in a conversation, could not be lead to such a recognition. But the Chilean government argues from its constitution: there it is written purely and simply that Araucania belongs to Chile. Agreed, but this article of the constitution is only a dead letter, since Araucania does not adhere to it, and Chile cannot make it adhere by force.

"Thus the Araucanians and Patagonians had the right to name me their king, and I had the right to accept, for myself and my family, the power which they conferred upon me, they who no nation had the power to stop."

* III *
And what is most clear and categorical? I added: "What does it matter that I suffered in prison? -- If I only feared the one not deceived myself regarding the importance of my words, and only the grandeur of the names not compromise the justice of the comparison, I would say in closing: Louis XI after Peronne, and Francois I after Pavie, were they less kings of France than before?" I am not deceived about the import of my words and the grandeur of the names I invoke, nor do I compromise the justice of the comparison by asking: "Louis XI after Peronne, and Francois I after Pavie, were they any less kings of France than before?" Chile's attack against me has not been able to weaken my rights; it has only cause the suspension of their exercise. At this moment, the people who have acclaimed me not only as their king, but also as their savior, only await my return to their midst for them to rise up all together and to follow in my footsteps, marching down the path of progress. Thus this is a case of clear-cut intervention by Chile. My state is open to me in all of its parts and my people call me by the voice of their chiefs. Why would I want to surround myself with bayonets?

* IV *
What I ask, not to assure my power, but to complete the work of civilization that I have undertaken, is an emigration of honest people. I appeal to all the disinherited of old Europe, those whose intelligence or arms are unfortunately idle, to come have a place in the sun. To the one, I offer administrative functions which will not be sinecures; to the other, I offer the earth which will become their property and the money needed to cover initial expenses of becoming established. This is a crusade worthy of the 19th century, a crusade of the idea and of work against ignorance -- on what the brave have loaned of themselves: I will not default. The journey is long -- it is sad to leave the motherland, without doubt, but what a compensation in exchange! Here, workers pass their whole lives in struggle against misery; there, they are assured of well-being. If the former lawyer has astonished the world by the suddenness of his enthronement, he will astonish it again all the more by the superiority of the colonization plan that he proposes to begin.

* V *
A final word. The legitimate complaints that I have against Chile will not force me to deviate one step from the route that I myself have traced out. I know the duties of my position, and I desire that the South American republic comprehend that it has an interest of the first order in maintaining peace with Araucania and Patagonia. I do not dream of attacking, but I intend to regain my rights.

Paris, December 6, 1863
Orllie-Antoine I


The King Orllie-Antoine cheered by the araucanian et patagonian Chiefs

Kingdom of Araucania & Patagonia 1