In Argentina, after Rivadavia’s resignation, Dorrego, leader of the federalists in Buenos Aires, became Director. The chief names until 1829, date of the advent of Rosas, are La Paz and Lavalle, as unitarians; Dorrego and the caudillos from the various provinces, as federalists. Lavalle, who had been the hero of Ituzaingó, put himself at the head of the unitarians and forced Dorrego to flee, capturing him later and putting him to death. It is now that Rosas comes to the fore, although Quiroga and the other caudillos all joined forces to help defeat Lavalle, who retired to Uruguay. La Paz, however, more than managed to hold his own in the provinces of the interior, defeating Quiroga twice with terrific slaughter. But he, too, was finally defeated and taken prisoner in 1831. Since 1829, Rosas had become the provisional governor of Buenos Aires, that is, the head, in so far as there was any head, of the Argentine government. One of his first acts as governor of Buenos Aires was to carry on an expedition against the Indians to the south of Buenos Aires, and extend the frontiers of the whites down to the Río Negro.
And now for a few words on Rosas himself. He is referred to as the Argentine tyrant and has been compared to Nero for his wanton cruelty. True it is that he committed many deeds of cruelty, yet the times and conditions in which he lived were such that stern measures were necessary. He was of noble family and one of the wealthiest men in Argentina. From his own estancias he could raise a cavalry corps of gauchos and keep it in the field. He made it a point to afford shelter to outlaw gauchos, and gathered about him a band of adventurous spirits ready to dare anything. His victories against the Indians increased his prestige, and in 1835 he was given supreme power by the Legislature in Buenos Aires. His control of the supreme power lasted until 1852. Immediately upon his assuming command, federalists were put in office everywhere instead of unitarians, who were forced to flee into exile. In the course of his long career, Rosas waged war for the re-annexation of Uruguay, which had become independent in 1827, after the battle of Ituzaingó. He incurred the enmity of France and England, and had to put down many revolts against his power. Lavalle played an important part in one of these and met his death at the hands of Oribe, who had aligned himself with Rosas. Throughout Rosas’ reign, for such was his administration, Argentine exiles kept alive the hope of overthrowing the tyrant. Sarmiento founded a newspaper, El Progreso, in Copiapó, Chile, which had for its object a campaign against Rosas. In it Sarmiento published for the first time in serial form his Facundo, selections from which are given in this book.
Rosas’ attempt to re-annex Uruguay deserves special mention. The five-year period of Uruguayan independence agreed upon by Argentina and Brazil had come to an end when Rosas came into power. Argentina was free to solicit the incorporation of Uruguay into the Argentine Confederation. Oribe, whom we remember as one of Artigas’ lieutenants, had become president of Uruguay after Rivera, and allied himself to Rosas against the Rivera faction, which had the support of the Argentine unitarian exiles. Oribe had to abandon Montevideo, which fell into Rivera’s hands only to be besieged by Rosas and Oribe. The war that ensued has been called the Great War. It lasted for eight years, from 1843 to 1851, and the entire burden of the struggle centered around the siege of Montevideo, one of the longest in history. During this long eight-year siege, Montevideo received the help of many adventurers and lovers of liberty, as Rosas and Oribe were regarded as oppressors who sought to dominate a weaker country. Garibaldi, famous in Italian history, played a prominent part in the defense of the beleaguered city as leader of a famous foreign legion composed of Italians and Frenchmen.
Eventually Rosas brought about his own downfall. Although a federalist, he slowly centralized all power in himself, thereby gaining the distrust of the other caudillos. Urquiza, the caudillo from Entre Ríos, led the revolt against Rosas, and at the battle of Caseros, in 1851, completely routed the forces of the tyrant. Flight was Rosas’ only resource, and he took refuge, with his daughter Manuela, on board the English frigate Centaur. He ended his days in England.
But not yet were discords at an end. The victor of Caseros convened a constituent congress at Santa Fé, to which Buenos Aires failed to send delegates, remaining a sovereign state in the same manner that Rhode Island did when she refused to become a party to the Constitution of the United States. Naturally, Urquiza became president, and the provinces prospered under his administration. Such a situation, however, could not endure for long.
Buenos Aires chafed under certain customs restrictions on her exports to the rest of the nation, and in 1859, under the leadership of Mitre, Buenos Aires attacked the confederation of provinces established by the congress at Santa Fé. As in 1820, Cepeda again marked the defeat of Buenos Aires at the hands of the federalists, although Mitre managed to save the army of Buenos Aires. With the mediation of Paraguay, a peace was patched up between the warring elements. Buenos Aires became a member of the Confederation, and her customs houses were put in the control of the federal government, and in 1860, Derqui succeeded Urquiza as president. In the meanwhile, troubles in the province of San Luis led to friction once more between Buenos Aires and the federalists. The rupture became open when Buenos Aires sent deputies elected according to local law and not according to the Constitution, and sent them to the congress convened by Derqui. Buenos Aires was declared in state of siege, and at Pavón, in 1861, Mitre led the forces of the capital to victory. The many wars had tired the nation, and all the provinces willingly gave Mitre the power to convoke a congress to settle all differences. This congress met on the 2d of May, 1862, and it was agreed that the city of Buenos Aires should be the seat of the federal government, as well as of the province of Buenos Aires itself. The election of Mitre to the presidency marked the beginning of a period of prosperity and solidarity for the country.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
López y Planes (Vicente), an Argentine poet, was born in Buenos Aires in 1784. He served as a volunteer during the English invasions and wrote a rhymed chronicle of the events of that stirring period. In 1810 he was attached to the Army of the North as secretary to its general, Ortiz de Ocampo, and took an active part in all the great movements of the Revolutionary Era. At the foundation of the University of Buenos Aires, he became the organizer and director of classical studies. He was the founder of the Bureau of Statistics and President of the Republic in 1827. Until 1852 he was the president of the Supreme Court. After the battle of Caseros, General Urquiza intrusted to him the organization of a provisional government, and he became governor of the province of Buenos Aires. Though he is best known as the author of the Argentine National Hymn, he is hardly less to be remembered for the many services he rendered his country in various official capacities from the time of the founding of the Republic to his death in 1856.
López (Vicente Fidel), Argentine jurisconsult, writer, and orator, was born in Buenos Aires in 1814. He was the son of the famous author of the Argentine National Hymn, López y Planes. Like many other Argentineans, he left his country during Rosas’ reign, returning in 1852 to devote himself untiringly to the work of regeneration. Among his works are to be found both purely literary and historical writings, such as: La Novia del Hereje o la Inquisición, his monumental work on the Conquista, an erudite and scientific work, and his Tratado del Derecho Romano. He also wrote a series of articles on the Argentine Revolution for the Revista del Río de la Plata. In 1874 he succeeded Gutiérrez as president of the University of Buenos Aires. He died in 1903 after a life devoted to the service of his country.
Sarmiento (Domingo F.) was born in San Juan in 1811 of humble parents. His father fought under San Martín in Chile. From early childhood he was left to his own resources, and has very often been called the Lincoln of Argentina. His love of books, his keen habits of observation, and a brilliant mind raised him from the humble position of clerk in a country store to the presidency of the Republic. During Rosas’ rule, he joined the great army of Argentine refugees in Chile, founding schools there and taking an active part in the political life of the country as the editor of El Mercurio and El Nacional, two important organs of the press. His first book was a primer, and his El Monitor de las Escuelas was the first educational periodical in South America. In 1842 he founded the first normal school on the Pacific coast, directing it for three years. Through the pages of El Progreso and El Heraldo Argentino he carried on a tireless campaign against the tyrant Rosas. His impetuous character and the violence of his attacks made him many enemies, and, on the advice of President Montt of Chile, he undertook a series of travels through Europe, northern Africa, and the United States. He became a great admirer of the institutions and government of the United States, and particularly of the educational ideas of Horace Mann, with whom he came into close contact. Together with Mitre he returned to Argentina on the eve of the battle of Caseros, in which he fought under the orders of Urquiza. During the years that Buenos Aires was separated from the rest of the Confederation, he was director of public instruction. After the battle of Pavón, he was ambassador to Chile and Peru, and later to the United States, where he wrote Las Escuelas, base de la prosperidad de los Estados Unidos, and published an educational review entitled Ambas Américas. Upon the completion of Mitre’s term of office in 1868, and while still an ambassador to the United States, he was elected to the presidency of Argentina. His administration was free from civil discord, and he carried out great reforms that made for the prosperity and progress of Argentina. He is especially remembered for the great impetus he gave to public education in Argentina. It can be said of him that he is one of Argentina’s greatest writers, and South America’s greatest educator. Among his most important works are: Facundo o Civilización y Barbarie, Recuerdos de Provincia, Ambas Américas, and Viajes en Europa, África y América. His death in 1888 was mourned all over South America, and was felt as a distinct loss among intellectual circles the world over.