An oligarchy grew up in Buenos Aires at first that sought to rule the rest of the original viceroyalty in almost as arbitrary a manner as Spain herself had done. This caused constant friction with the other cities, each of which aspired to be an independent province. Military chieftains arose here and there who defied the authority of that oligarchy. Civil war broke out in numerous places, and bloody encounters took place followed by much devastation. Within a few years nearly all the provinces were practically independent of Buenos Aires and there were a half dozen centres of authority, although that city did not yield in her pretensions. San Martin was peremptorily ordered to return, but refused. Belgrano attempted to lead his army there, but they revolted and abandoned him, joining the local forces. The outside provinces themselves split up through local differences. Cordoba lost Rioja, from the old intendencia of Salta seceded Tucuman, Santiago del Estero and Catamarca, and Cuyo split up into Mendoza, San Juan and San Luiz. Buenos Aires itself was subdivided, losing Uruguay, Corrientes, Santa Fé and Entre Rios. Thus were formed the provinces which have since become the units of the Argentine confederation. The outside provinces were willing to unite with Buenos Aires on an equal basis, but the people of that city would not consent on such terms.

For years no really constructive statesman appeared out of the confusion and selfishness of the oligarchies. At last there loomed above all the personality of Rivadavia, who undertook the reformation of the laws and their administration. He introduced numerous reforms and founded a number of charitable institutions, and infused a more modern spirit into the government. A congress met in Buenos Aires in 1825, in which all the provinces were represented by delegates. By this time the independence of the Argentine Confederation had been acknowledged by all of the leading powers except Spain. Rivadavia and his followers gained control of this assembly. In the following year he was elected president, although this selection did not mean much because of the power of the military chieftains, called caudillos. Buenos Aires was not satisfied because of his plan to place the city under the direct control of the federal government, much as Washington in the United States. At the same time war broke out with Brazil. That country attempted a blockade, but the doughty Irish sailor, William Brown, made this ineffective. He destroyed a large part of their fleet. General Alvear defeated the Brazilians at Ituzaingo, and this victory caused great rejoicing. Negotiations for peace followed soon afterwards. Rivadavia’s envoy agreed to allow Uruguay to remain a part of the empire of Brazil, and this treachery aroused such a wave of indignation that he was compelled to resign. He was succeeded by Dorrego. Dorrego did not rule long in peace. The standard of revolt was raised in Buenos Aires and General Lavalle declared himself as governor. Dorrego fled to the interior, but was pursued. He was finally captured and, without even the form of a trial, was shot by the direct order of Lavalle. This precipitated a bloody civil war which soon desolated Argentina. The gauchos arose in revolt, and a series of campaigns began in different sections of the country. It is the leader of the southern gauchos who stands out as the strongest historical character of this period.

One of the most picturesque figures in Argentine history is Juan Manuel Rosas, a native of the province of Cordoba, who soon became the chief figure in Argentine affairs. This man ruled the new nation with an iron hand for almost two decades. He became an absolute tyrant and the most bitterly hated man in the country. Descendant of a wealthy family he devoted himself to pastoral pursuits from early life. By the time he was twenty-five he was the undisputed leader of the gauchos on the southern pampas, and had a full regiment of the half-breed horsemen of the plains at his back and ready to do his bidding. He had been fairly well educated and had ability, but this talent was not supported by character. He can best be compared with the notorious Santa Anna, of Mexico, in his greed for power, his cruelty and his craving for homage. Another similar type was the half-savage Carrera of Guatemala.

Rosas first appeared in public life at the head of a troop of gaucho cavalry, in a revolution that began in 1818. During the civil war he gave valuable aid to the Federalist cause. After a decisive defeat of the famous General Lavalle in 1829 he was appointed governor over the province of Buenos Aires with the rank of Captain-General, and this made him nominal head of Argentina. This event gave this monster his first taste of power and whetted his insatiable appetite for more. The remaining provinces were gradually subdued and one after another came under the authority of this dictator, although thousands of lives were lost in the conquest. As a rule no quarter was given, and the losing side generally fought it out to the last man. On one occasion five hundred prisoners were shot in cold blood at Tucuman. From the year 1832 the power of Rosas became absolute. Says Mr. Akers: “Unitarian advocates were hunted down like wild beasts. Rosas became suspicious of his own generals, and one by one they disappeared. Quiroga was assassinated at Cordoba; Lopez died suddenly in Buenos Aires; and Cullen, Reinafe and Heredia were sentenced to death. Under the tyranny of Rosas human life had small value. If any man was a danger to the dictatorial régime he was murdered by a band of assassins retained for this purpose. Expression of public opinion was rendered impossible. Men dared not think for themselves, much less put into words their abhorrence of the dictator.”

The attempt of Rosas to close the Paraná to foreign commerce led to a blockade of Buenos Aires by French and English warships in 1845, so that this attempt failed. He also endeavoured to annex Uruguay, but foreign influence prevented this also. These acts made him intensely jealous of foreign governments. Nevertheless, with all foreign powers against him, and with powerful forces in his own land opposing him, he ruled Argentina with despotic tyranny for eighteen years. Rosas placed his political favourites at the head of the provincial governments, but he was not able to keep them loyal to his interests. His arbitrary acts alienated his best friends. The longer he ruled the more united became all other factions. A common hatred of the tyrant overshadowed all other differences of opinion. Foreigners were excluded from the provinces, everything imported or exported was required to be transhipped at Buenos Aires in order that duties might be collected. It was not long until the whole population was ready to support a rebellion. The provinces which had placed this tyrant in power finally overthrew him.

The chief lieutenant of Rosas for many years had been General Urquiza, whom he appointed governor of the province of Entre Rios. The administration of Urquiza was successful, and he could always be counted on to raise troops for Rosas from among the ranchmen of that province. Urquiza was a “caudillo”, but had no particular thirst for power. At last, in 1846, the rupture with the tyrant came, and from that time on Urquiza led the fight against Rosas. Three times his efforts failed, but the fourth time in alliance with some Brazilian and Uruguayan troops he crossed the river with an army of twenty-four thousand, the largest army ever assembled on South American soil up to that time. Rosas awaited Urquiza at Buenos Aires and trusted all to a single battle. Of his army half deserted him and many of his officers betrayed him. The result was a disastrous defeat for the tyrant-dictator. When General Urquiza entered Buenos Aires, Rosas fled the country. Clad as an English sailor he escaped to a British man-of-war and was conveyed to England. He lived on a farm near Southampton until his death on the 14th of March, 1877, upon the proceeds of his ill-gotten wealth.

CHAPTER XVI
THE ERA OF DEVELOPMENT

The great question that was ever disturbing peace in Argentina was the fight between the Federalists, those who favoured a centralized power, and the Unitarians, who wanted the provinces to remain supreme. It was similar to the problem of states’ rights as against a strong union, which was not settled in the United States until a disastrous civil war had been waged between the two factions. The question first arose under Rivadavia, who allowed it to drift along. It did drift, and became more formidable each year until it became the pivot around which all struggles centred, and was the primary cause of forty years of strife and much bloodshed. The province of Buenos Aires was always a strong adherent of the Unitarian idea, for that meant its continued supremacy by reason of its overshadowing strength. For that reason the other provinces rejected it. As the city of Buenos Aires enlarged, the question became more and more formidable. The mooted theme caused Rivadavia to resign his office; it made possible the disastrous dictatorship of Rosas; it hampered Presidents Urquiza and Mitre in the reforms attempted by them. It was not until Buenos Aires was forcibly organized into a Federal District that this cause of perpetual friction disappeared.