[88] I shall not only not repeat none of the Cenci-like stories told of this lady and her father, and current in every mouth on the Plata, but tell something of a very different kind from Mr. Bonelli, adding, however, that it is the first of the sort I ever heard, and I am quite sure it will be looked upon as rare news in Buenos Ayres, though Mr. M’Cann also says something similar, viz.—
This severe and bloodthirsty man had a daughter, and it is pleasing to turn away from the contemplation of the many vices which disfigure his character to those beautiful traits of humanity and tenderness which distinguished hers. Manisiletta was loved and honoured by all; pity lurked within her soul, and every attribute of womanly feeling was there. This good creature, with tears and supplication, often prevailed with the harsh tyrant when other means were useless. At her entreaties, many a life was spared, and many a prayer of gratitude has ascended to heaven for the rescue of a father or a brother from his impending fate, at her kind interference.
[89] In January 1831, the provinces of Buenos Ayres, Entre Rios, Corrientes, and Santa Fé, entered into a federal compact, to which all the other provinces at subsequent periods became parties. The union was a voluntary alliance. No general constitution was promulgated, and the adhesion of the several members was left to be secured by the resources of the person who might obtain the direction of affairs. This Argentine Confederation, like the republic which it had succeeded, soon fell into a state of anarchy, and it was not till the election of General Rosas as governor or captain-general, with almost absolute power, in 1836, that even temporary quiet was secured. By this arrangement the provincial government of Buenos Ayres was invested with extraordinary powers, and temporarily charged with the transaction of all matters appertaining to the common interests of the confederation, and the carrying out of its business with foreign nations. Rosas had previously served as governor and captain-general of Buenos Ayres for the usual term of three years, and had obtained unrivalled influence in that province, chiefly through his military powers, as displayed against the Indians. His decision and energy secured for awhile internal peace, and the provinces began to recover from the effects of the long prevalent anarchy. But cruelty and despotism marked his sway at home, and his ambition, which continually prompted him to endeavours to extend his power over the whole country watered by the Plata and the Parana, led him into disputes with foreign powers: and these ultimately brought about his downfall. His commercial policy had for its object to secure for Buenos Ayres the monopoly of the trade of the Plata, his political policy to obtain a like territorial superiority.
On the death of Francia, dictator of Paraguay, he refused to acknowledge the independence of that power, insisting that it should join the Argentine Confederation, at the same time he refused to allow the navigation of the Parana by vessels bound to Paraguay. Lopez, the new dictator of Paraguay, therefore entered into alliance with the Banda Oriental, now called Uruguay, with which Rosas was at war. These powers applied for assistance to Brazil. The war was prolonged until the whole country on both sides of the Plata and the Parana was in a state of confusion. On the earnest appeal of the merchants and others interested, Great Britain volunteered her mediation, but it was rejected by Rosas, who marched his troops within a few miles of Monte Video, which his fleet at the same time blockaded. The emperor of Brazil now interfered, and sent a special mission to request the interposition of the courts of London and Paris. The British and French governments in February 1845, decided on sending plenipotentiaries to the Plata to offer their mediation, and to announce their intention to enforce a cessation of hostilities if needful, by an armed intervention. The offer was rejected by Rosas, but readily accepted by his opponents. The united fleet of England and France at once commenced operations by seizing the fleet of Rosas which was blockading Monte Video, and the island of Martin Garcia which commands the entrances of the Parana and the Uruguay. The harbour of Buenos Ayres was at the same time declared under blockade, and the combined fleet prepared to open the Parana, and to convoy as far as Corrientes any merchant vessels that might desire to ascend that river. Rosas on his part made hasty preparations to intercept the fleet by planting batteries with parks of heavy artillery at Point Obligado; and placing three strong chains across the river, supported by 24 vessels and 10 fire-ships. On the 19th of November 1845, the combined fleet, consisting of eight sailing and three steam vessels, forced the passage with trifling loss to itself, but entirely destroying the batteries, and considerably injuring the army of Rosas. On the return of the fleet, with a convoy of 110 vessels, it was encountered at San Lorenzo by a very powerful battery which Rosas had erected in an admirable position, in the full expectation of destroying a large number of the merchant vessels, and of crippling the naval force. The battery commanded the river, and was difficult of attack by the steamers, but it was speedily silenced by a rocket-brigade, which had been the previous night secretly landed on a small island in the river. The combined fleet escaped with trifling loss, the rocket-brigade lost not a man; but four of the merchant vessels which, through unskilful pilotage, ran ashore, were burnt to prevent them falling into the hands of Rosas. The loss to the Argentine army was very great. Again plenipotentiaries were sent out by the combined powers, but Rosas refused to yield; and England withdrew from the blockade in July, 1848. It was however continued by France until January, 1849. On the final withdrawal of the two great powers in 1850, Brazil determined on active interference. The power of the Dictator, General Rosas, essentially despotic, and devoted to the maintenance of the supremacy of Buenos Ayres, had moreover become intolerable to the provinces which desired a federal and equal union. Accordingly, towards the close of 1850, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay entered into a treaty, to which Corrientes and Entre Rios, as represented by General Urquiza, became parties, by which they bound themselves to continue hostilities until they had effected the deposition of Rosas, ‘whose power and tyranny’ they declared to be ‘incompatible with the peace and happiness of this part of the world.’ Early in the spring of 1851 a Brazilian fleet blockaded Buenos Ayres, and soon after an Argentine force commanded by Urquiza crossed the Uruguay. The struggle was now virtually terminated. General Oribe, who commanded the army of Rosas at Monte Video, made a show of resistance, but it was merely to gain time in order to complete his arrangements with Urquiza, and he soon after capitulated. His soldiers for the most part joined the army of Urquiza, who, at the head of a force amounting it is said to 70,000 men, crossed into Buenos Ayres. A general engagement was fought on the plains of Moron, February 2, 1851, when the army of Rosas was entirely defeated. Rosas, who had commanded in person, succeeded in escaping from the field; and, in the dress of a peasant, he reached in safety the house of the British minister at Buenos Ayres. From thence, with his daughter, he proceeded on board H.M.’s steamer Locust, and on the 10th of February sailed in the Conflict steamer for England.
But the fall of the tyrant did not bring peace to the unhappy country. Urquiza, by the governors of the provinces assembled at San Nicolas, was invested with the chief power, and appointed Provisional Director of the Argentine Confederation. The Chamber of Representatives of Buenos Ayres, however, declared against him, and protested against the proceedings of the convention on the ground of the superior privileges of Buenos Ayres being menaced. Urquiza dissolved the Chamber, and insurrection broke out. Civil war, with all its aggravated evils, thereupon ensued. [See memoir of Urquiza.]
[90] General José Maria Paz, minister of war, to whom I had the pleasure of a personal introduction, is a man of benevolent aspect and quick address. He is a native of Buenos Ayres, and commenced his military career during the war of independence against Spain, in which he greatly distinguished himself. In the campaign against Brazil, in 1825, he commanded a brigade in the army of General Alviar, and added to the laurels he had already won. When General Rosas seized upon the supreme government of Buenos Ayres, General Paz was among those who opposed his usurpations; but in one of the engagements which followed he was taken prisoner, and kept a long time in confinement. Having at length obtained his liberation, he commanded in the province of Corrientes, and defeated General Echague at the battle of Cargaassu, in which he displayed the greatest tact and ability. He commanded the garrison of Monte Video during the memorable siege that city sustained from the forces of Rosas and Oribe, and is generally esteemed one of the ablest, and the most honourable, truthful, and humane of the South American chiefs.
[91] The English and foreign merchants residing in this city have established an English club-house, where a limited number of beds is provided for bachelor members. This fine establishment is conducted by a committee of gentlemen, and contains every possible convenience, including a reading and news-room, as well as one for billiards; and, in fact, economy, comfort, and every facility of commercial intercourse, have been consulted in all its arrangements. The foreign population of this city includes a great number of shopkeepers, who form quite a little Paris of elegant shops. Hatmakers, tailors, coiffeurs, modistes, and bootmakers predominate amongst the French; merchants, storekeepers, publicans, and boarding-house keepers amongst the English; and amongst the Italians, warehousemen and captains of small craft trading to the inland ports on the mighty Plata. The immigration of Irish to this place must have been on a very extensive scale, since all the hotel and boarding-houses, which are invariably European, have them in their employ. They are also to be found in great numbers on the farms in the neighbourhood of the capital, which are held by Englishmen, and which supply the city regularly with butter, eggs, and milk. The difficulty in finding a washerwoman is indescribable, and would scarcely be credited. I had to send my servant in all directions before he could find one, and then I discovered that I could enlist her in my service only on these conditions—first, that I should await her leisure, and next that I should pay at the rate of three or four royals for each article!—Bonelli.
[92] The remarks made in reference to the description of trade carried on with Monte Video may be considered as applicable in a great degree to Buenos Ayres. The following is the latest published official statement of the imports into the United Kingdom from the Oriental Republic in 1851:—untanned hides, 10,247 cwts.; seal-skins, 12,008; tallow, 8,664 cwts. In the same year the imports from the Argentine Republic were as follows:—untanned hides, 261,653; lamb skins, 55,744; nutria skins, 7,417; tallow, 135,856 cwts.; wool, 853,194 lbs.; unwrought copper, 127 cwts.; cotton goods, 90l. value; India silk handkerchiefs, 432 pieces; brandy, 18 galls.; Spanish wines, 56 galls.; French ditto, 19 galls.; tobacco, 18 lbs. Buenos Ayres is the great source of our supply of hides, and the quantity of tallow imported thence is only exceeded by the supplies we obtain from Russia and our Australian colonies. The latter source being now closed by war, and likely to be so as long as the Eastern difficulty continues, our trade with the Plate in that respect becomes of course proportionably important.
[93] In reference to the correspondence between England and the River Plate, Buenos Ayres had long enjoyed considerable advantage over the Uruguay; but both are now on the same footing in this respect. One great reason of the little interchange of correspondence between Great Britain and Monte Video has been the high rate of postage; but such cause is now removed by a Treasury warrant, (dated February 24th, 1854,) directing that on every letter not exceeding half an ounce in weight, posted in or addressed to any part of the republic of Uruguay, to or from the British islands and colonies, or transmitted from Uruguay to any foreign country, through England, there shall be charged 1s. If the letter exceeds half an ounce in weight, the postage is 2s.; exceeding one ounce, 4s.; exceeding two ounces, 6s.; exceeding three ounces, 8s.; and for every ounce above four ounces, two additional rates of postage. Fractions above four ounces to be charged as an additional ounce. Books and magazines to pay the following rates:—not exceeding half a pound in weight, 6d.; above that weight, 1s. per pound, and all fractions charged as an additional pound. The postage must be prepaid in stamps, and the packets must be open at the ends or sides, contain printed matter only, and not exceed twenty-four inches in length, breadth, or depth. British and Uruguayan newspapers may be sent direct to and from the United Kingdom and the Uruguay at the rate of 1d. each.
[94] Our present diplomatic relations with the Disunited Provinces of the Plata are of a peculiarly embarrassing and uncertain kind, owing to Urquiza being the ostensible head of the Confederation, though not of its most important province, Buenos Ayres. This anomalous state of things long occasioned proceedings on the part of our representative there, Captain R. Gore, R.N., that have naturally and almost unavoidably produced some strong opposition and animadversion. Into the justness of these strictures it is not the business of the author to inquire; and, accordingly, he contents himself with supplying some few data of the antecedents of the functionaries about to be enumerated. First, the gallant gentleman just named, whose salary as consul-general is 1600l., with the usual 1l. per day as chargé d’affaires. He is fourth brother of the Earl of Arran, and sat for the borough of New Ross in 1841 and 1847, when he declared himself ‘a cordial supporter of the Melbourne ministry,’ and an ‘advocate for free trade and the abolition of monopolies.’ He was appointed chargé d’affaires and consul-general in the Uruguay in 1846, and transferred to Buenos Ayres in 1851. Our Buenos Ayrean consul, whose salary, I believe, is 600l., is Mr. M. T. Hood, who was employed for some years in the consulate-general at Monte Video, appointed vice-consul there in 1841, acting consul-general there in 1846, and consul-general at Buenos Ayres in 1847. Our Buenos Ayrean vice-consul is Mr. T. Parish, to whom I shall have to express a sense of my obligations in a subsequent chapter. As regards the diplomatic representation in this country of the Argentine Confederation, like the Uruguay, and for much the same reason, it is confined merely to the consul-general in London, Mr. George F. Dixon, Great Winchester-street, City, the minister, Don Manuel Moreno, having for some considerable time left England, where he had resided for many years during the supremacy of Rosas. The consuls and vice-consuls for the Argentine Confederation are Liverpool, Mr. Hugh C. Smith; Dover, Mr. S. M. Latham; Falmouth, Mr. Alfred Fox; Plymouth, Mr. J. Luscombe; and Glasgow, Mr. George Young.