No. 18.
Mr. Osborn
to Mr. Evarts.
Buenos Ayres, June 14, 1880. (Received July 15.)
Sir: Public affairs here are in a state of the utmost confusion. The President and a part of his cabinet are at Belgrano with about 7,000 troops. The capitol house, post-office, and custom-house, have been abandoned by the national authorities, and possession of them has been taken by the provincial authorities.
The port has been closed by proclamation of the President; vessels are permitted to come into port and anchor, but are not permitted to discharge or load.
The President has a majority of the senate with him at Belgrano, but the Vice-President refuses to go there to preside over it. The supreme court of the nation refuses to leave this city, and in reply to the proclamation of the President removing the seat of government to Belgrano, decides that the President has no authority to remove the seat of government by a simple decree, and that his proceedings are unconstitutional. This decision has not been made public, and I understand that the court is divided in opinion.
On account of the refusal of the speaker of the chamber of deputies and a few of the Roca members to leave the city, the President has not been able to obtain a quorum of the chambers at Belgrano.
The Tejedor wing of the chamber of deputies meets every day at the chambers in this city, but as it cannot obtain a quorum it transacts no business.
The governor prevented the removal of the records of Congress and furniture to Belgrano.
The governor has declared this city in a state of siege. All communication by telegraph and rail with the outside has been cut off. The national troops have destroyed the railroad tracks running out of the city, and the telegraph lines. The provincial troops are making intrenchments about the city and barricading the streets.
[Page 25]On the 9th instant, after a conference of Ex-President Sarmiento and others with the President, a commission composed of one of the justices of the supreme court, one cabinet minister, and a member of the commercial board, was appointed, and left for Rosario, to have a conference with General Roca and to make a final effort to bring about some arrangement to preserve the peace and to prevent civil war and bloodshed. As no communication by telegraph with Rosario is possible, a steamer, on the 11th instant, brought us the first and most hopeful news; but since then, although the commissioners have not returned, a steamer arrived here on the 12th, bringing the report that in all probability no arrangement will be accomplished.
On the 12th, the electors in all the provinces save this voted for President and Vice-President. The report is that the vote was cast for Roca as President, and Madero, a citizen of this province, as Vice-President.
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The reports from the upper provinces are that revolution and anarchy exist in, almost all of them.
As yet there has been no fighting between the national forces and the forces of this province, although the governor has about 6,000 under arms, and the picket lines are not more than one mile apart.
On the 10th instant, I telegraphed Admiral Bryson, commanding our squadron, at Montevideo, that a state of revolution existed, and that the presence of his vessels in this port may become necessary any hour. The admiral arrived in this port on the 12th instant, and is with me now. We have had an interview with the President and his ministers to-day at Belgrano; arrangements were made by the admiral to salute the Argentine flag on the 16th instant at 12 m., and the salute to be returned, gun for gun.
I have, &c.,