Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 6, 1875, Volume I

No. 7.
Mr. Osborn to Mr. Fish.

United States Legation,
Buenos Ayres, November 13, 1874. (Received December 26.)

No. 29.]

Sir: The situation here now seems to be critical. At the breaking out of the rebellion it was believed by the best informed that it would soon be suppressed, or that a compromise would be effected, and peace and prosperity restored to the country. But to this date the rebellion has not been suppressed.

The government forces have not surrendered, and business is almost entirely suspended. The outlook now is that the contest for the control of the government will be protracted and ruinous to the country.

The government claims to have now under arms a force of forty thousand men. On the 7th instant, the government issued a decree calling out a “reserve army” of fifteen thousand men, to be stationed at Rosario.

The government forces are opposed by a force said to be inferior in number, commanded by General Mitre in person. The general, on the 25th of October, landed with a small force at Tuyu, about one hundred miles down the coast south from Buenos Ayres, issued his proclamation, (a copy of which I inclose with this,) and put himself at the head of the revolutionary forces in the field.

General Alsina, the minister of war, has been appointed commander-in-chief of all the government forces, and has taken the field in person.

The forces of the government are divided into two armies. The one is known now as the southern army, now at Dolores, about one hundred and twenty miles south of Buenos Ayres, and under the immediate command of Julio Campas. The other, the northwestern army, now at San Luis, under the immediate command of Colonel Roca.

General Mitre’s forces are divided so as to oppose these forces, and are respectively commanded by General Rivas and General Arredondo as his chiefs. Rumors of grand battles to be fought “manana” (to-morrow, very soon) have been afloat daily for weeks, and yet nothing of note has taken place in the way of fighting, save the dash of General Arredondo (rebel) into Mendoza on the 2d instant, beating the government forces under Governor Civit, the Mitrestas claiming it as a decided victory, and the government admitting a defeat and two hundred killed.

The respective fleets of the contending parties are about equal in number of vessels and power. Much has been promised by both in the way of naval engagements and the capture or sinking of vessels; but most of the time seems to be occupied in cruising up and down the Rio de la Plata, and the question is often asked, “Will they ever fight?”

The press is still kept under strict control by the government, and no military or political news is permitted to be published until it has been submitted to the war-office and permission granted.

A printed bulletin in the interest of the rebellion, without name or date, makes its appearance almost daily, denying the truth of almost everything published by the government, so far as military operations are concerned; hence, doubt and distrust are thrown over all information as to its reliability.

I have, &c.,

THOS. O. OSBORN.

[Inclosure in No. 29.]

GENERAL MITRE’S PROCLAMATION.

[From the Standard.—Translation.]

The steamer from Montevideo yesterday brought up the following proclamation from General Mitre, on putting himself at the head of the revolutionary forces in the field:

“Tuyu, October 26.

“Fellow-countrymen and Comrades in Arms: Being called by the citizens who invoke the national constitution with arms in their hands, protesting against the de facto authorities who have by fraud and violence seized the public destinies and robbed the people of their liberties, I have this day set foot on the sacred soil of my country.

“Armed citizens: From this moment I take the held at the head of the army of vanguard, now fighting for the recovery of popular rights in the province of Buenos Ayres. At the same time I assume the command and military direction of the armies and divisions that are fighting for the same cause in the Riverine provinces, in Cuyo, in the west and north of the republic, as well as in the fleet which carries the ensign of liberty in the waters of La Plata.

“Southern inhabitants of Buenos Ayres: You have, in union with the volunteers from the city and central departments and the frontier garrison, got up spontaneously an army of 9,000 men, sufficient to insure triumph. You thus show the rest of the republic that you are descendants of those who raised the cry of liberty in 1839, at Dolores, and responded as valiantly to the revolution of 11th September, 1852.

“Comrades in arms: I come to share your dangers and your glories; to lead you to victory, and recover our lost liberties. This is the only post I accept at the call of pariotism and duty. After the triumph which awaits us; as soon as we deposit our nag and laurels at the feet of the sovereign people, I shall retire into private life, without any office, and hang up my sword, to take the place of a private citizen.

National guards of Buenos Ayres: There was a memorable epoch at which I had the honor to summon you to arms and lead you to do battle for our infant liberties. Today, in my turn, I come at your call to recover the liberties founded in twenty-three years of struggle in republican life. I feel confident that, now as before, it will be your glorious lot to consolidate once and forever the rights of the Argentine people.

Argentine citizens: You can raise your head with legitimate pride. Revolution, which is a right against violence, and a patriotic duty under the sad circumstances at which we have arrived, was an imperious necessity, to save the body-politic, threatened by official corruption, and also to save our compromised dignity as a free people.

You must show the world that you are able to achieve and keep liberty, and that the rights of the Argentine people are not at the mercy of faithless authorities, who aspire to seat themselves by fraud and violence, depriving the citizens of the right to vote freely in the election of their true rulers.

It is not you who provoke the revolution, but those who have betrayed the sacred trust of public authority, which you confided to them for your service, with duly limited power, those who have revolted against the sovereignty of the people, the fountain-head of all power and right, and wish to impose on us a de facto authority, the offspring of compulsion, fraud, and usurpation.

You are the defenders of the violated constitutional law, and are about to revindicate the rights of an outraged people. Your noble attitude in face of so many scandals will remain as a striking lesson to teach peoples and governments how liberties once won are to be kept and defended, and how to treat those who betray high public trusts.

Citizens and comrades in arms: Our cause has the sanction of justice, and is authorized by the constitution. Its triumph is certain from the force of public opinion and the powerful elements sustaining it. The breeze of liberty carries our banners from La Plata to the Andes, from the Parana to the remotest confines of the north. We are the invincible defenders of right; to-morrow, after the triumph, we shall be its trusty guardians.

With these sentiments, and an unshaken faith in our great destiny to recover, preserve, and fructify the liberty which is the ground-work of peace, and which always triumphs in the struggles of democracy, be assured that you can always count on the decision and perseverance of your friend and countryman,

BARTOLOMÉ MITRE.

Tuyu, October 26, 1874.

My Dear Friend: At last, yesterday, I touched Argentine soil, and I land to put myself at the head of the army in this province, and all the other armies in the republic that will fight for our cause. We reached this port on the evening of 24th, and at once set about discharging, which was surrounded with difficulties. The enthusiasm of the camp-people could not be greater, and I could not have been better received. Truly, we have an army of from 9,000 to 10,000 men, well armed and mounted. I inclose my proclamation to the army.

The camps are good, and we hold the whole “caballada” of the province, the horses in splendid condition. The enemy has not crossed the Salado, and is suffering great desertions in Chascomus. The Salado is at swimming-mark, and the three passes on the river are kept by our forces.

Kind regards to all friends.

Yours, as ever,

BARTOLOMÉ MITRE.