"Its limits extended from ten and a half degrees south latitude to Tierra del Fuego, and from the Cordillera of the Andes to the hills from whence flow the upper affluents of the Paraguay, Paranà, and Uruguay; this immense line terminating at the opening where the Rio Grande de San Pedro falls into the sea. This territory, equal to a quarter part of the whole of South America, comprehended the most beautiful fluvial system of the world, and might compete in fertility, riches, and natural beauties with the finest empire of the universe. It contained within its limits six out of the seven climates into which Humboldt has divided the globe—from the region where bloom the cinnamon and the spice-trees to far beyond the agricultural countries; thus it produced all that man requires for his sustenance, comfort, and delight."[14]
The first Viceroy, Don Pedro de Ceballos, landed at Buenos Aires on the 15th October, 1777; the last actual Viceroy was deposed by the people of Buenos Aires on the 25th May, 1810.
The Viceroyalty of Buenos Aires was divided into several provinces and "intendencias," which later on became provinces. Of the Viceroyalty Buenos Aires was the capital city, being the seat of the Viceregal government, and the general residence of the Viceroy. The province of Buenos Aires was thus under the immediate rule of the Viceroy. The other provinces were ruled by governors appointed by him, but were in their internal administration, completely independent of Buenos Aires.
The Spanish colonial system, not only prohibited direct commercial intercourse with foreign nations, but also imposed great restrictions upon the intercourse of the several provinces with each other, the aim of Spanish rule, being to secure the dependence of each separate colony upon herself.
The whole of these provinces were independent colonies, bound together only by their common allegiance to Spain, under the rule of one Viceroy. The conquest of Spain by Napoleon destroyed the only bond which held these provinces together.
The several events which followed the capture of Buenos Aires by Beresford in the year 1806, and which it is the object of this book to elucidate, gradually raised the citizens of Buenos Aires from a state of blind subservience to Spanish rule, taught them their strength, and accustomed them to criticise the acts of their rulers. Thus the revolution of the 25th May, 1810, was nothing more to them than the spontaneous outburst of popular will, a will which they had already exercised on previous occasions with most glorious results. But the provinces had undergone no such training. Thus, when the conquest of Spain was apparently complete, and the whole Viceroyalty was left without any legal authority, the citizens of Buenos Aires did not hesitate as to what they should do. They saw at once that the appointment of a new government rested with themselves, and, taking such means of expressing their will as they had already in other cases found efficient, they named the Junta Gubernativa. But upon the provinces the news of the conquest of Spain fell as a thunderbolt. The fall of Spain left them at the mercy of any ruler who should call upon them to obey.
Such was the condition of the masses of the Argentine people on the 25th May, 1810, but both in Buenos Aires and in the provincial cities, there was a small minority of educated men who had learned and had accepted with eagerness, the principles inculcated by the revolutionary leaders of France. "Le Contrat Social" and "Les Droits de l'Homme" were for these men the gospel.[15] It was they who directed the popular enthusiasm of Buenos Aires to one definite object, the establishment of a Junta composed for the most part of men of Argentine birth; it was they who throughout the provinces echoed the cry of "Liberty" raised by the patriots of the capital.
[14] "La Historia de la Republica Argentina," by Don Luis Josè Dominguez.
[15] Mitre.