![Buenos Aires-Jura de la Constitución (1854)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Buenos_Aires-Jura_de_la_Constituci%C3%B3n_%281854%29.jpg)
The State of Buenos Aires ( es, Estado de Buenos Aires) was a
secession
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...
ist republic resulting from the overthrow of the
Argentine Confederation government in the
Province of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
on September 11, 1852. The State of Buenos Aires was never recognized by the Confederation; it remained, however, independent under its own government and constitution. Buenos Aires rejoined the Argentine Confederation after the former's victory at the
Battle of Pavón
The Battle of Pavón, a key battle of the Argentine Civil Wars, was fought in Pavón, Santa Fé Province, Argentina on 17 September 1861 between the Army of the State of Buenos Aires, commanded by Bartolomé Mitre, and the Army of Republic of t ...
in 1861.
Historical overview
Background
Regionalism had long marked the relationship among the numerous provinces of what today is
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, and the
wars of independence
This is a list of wars of independence (also called liberation wars). These wars may or may not have been successful in achieving a goal of independence.
List
See also
* Lists of active separatist movements
* List of civil wars
* List of o ...
did not result in national unity. Following a series of disorders and a short-lived Constitutional Republic led by Buenos Aires centralist
Bernardino Rivadavia
Bernardino de la Trinidad González Rivadavia (May 20, 1780 – September 2, 1845) was the first President of Argentina, then called the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, from February 8, 1826 to June 27, 1827.
He was educated at th ...
in 1826 and 1827, the
Province of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
would function as a semi-independent state amid an
internecine civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
.
An understanding was entered into by Buenos Aires Governor
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel José Domingo Ortiz de Rosas (30 March 1793 – 14 March 1877), nicknamed "Restorer of the Laws", was an Argentine politician and army officer who ruled Buenos Aires Province and briefly the Argentine Confederation. Althoug ...
and other
Federalist
The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters called themselves ''Federalists''.
History Europe federation
In Europe, proponents of de ...
leaders out of need and a shared enmity toward the still vigorous
Unitarian Party
Unitarianists or Unitarians (in Spanish, ''Unitarios'') were the proponents of the concept of a unitary state (centralized government) in Buenos Aires during the civil wars that shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1 ...
. The latter's 1830 establishment of the
Unitarian League
The Unitarian League ( es, Liga Unitaria) also referred to as the League of the Interior () was a league of provinces of Argentina led by José María Paz, established in 1830, aiming to unite the country under Unitarian Party, unitarian princip ...
from nine western and northern provinces would force Buenos Aires,
Corrientes
Corrientes (; Guaraní language, Guaraní: Taragüí, literally: "Currents") is the capital city of the Provinces of Argentina, province of Corrientes Province, Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about from ...
and
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos (, "Between Rivers") is a central province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires (south), Corrientes (north) and Santa Fe (west), and Uruguay in the east.
Its capital is Paraná ( ...
s into the
Federal Pact
The Federal Pact ( es, Pacto Federal) was a treaty first signed by the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos and Santa Fe on 4 January 1831, for which a Federal military alliance was created to confront the Unitarian League. Other p ...
of 1831, and enabled the overthrow of the Unitarian League.
The granting of the
sum of public power to Rosas in 1835 established a dynamic whereby leaders (''
caudillo
A ''caudillo'' ( , ; osp, cabdillo, from Latin , diminutive of ''caput'' "head") is a type of personalist leader wielding military and political power. There is no precise definition of ''caudillo'', which is often used interchangeably with " ...
s'') from the hinterland provinces would delegate certain powers, such as foreign debt payment or the management of
international relations
International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such as ...
to the Buenos Aires leader. The
Argentine Confederation thus functioned, albeit amid ongoing conflicts, until the 1852
Battle of Caseros
The Battle of Caseros ( es, Batalla de Caseros) was fought near the town of El Palomar, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on 3 February 1852, between the Army of Buenos Aires commanded by Juan Manuel de Rosas and the Grand Army (''Ejército ...
, when Rosas was deposed and exiled.
Establishment
The central figure in the
overthrow of Rosas, Entre Ríos Governor
Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza y García (; October 18, 1801 – April 11, 1870) was an Argentine general and politician who served as president of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860.
Life
Justo José de Urquiza y García was b ...
, was granted the power of a
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
by the Palermo Protocols of April 6, 1852. This provoked resistance in Buenos Aires, however, which then refused to ratify the
San Nicolás Agreement of May 31. The prospect of having the
Argentine Congress headquartered in
Santa Fe proved especially objectionable, and Urquiza's June 12 appointment of former President
Vicente López y Planes
Alejandro Vicente López y Planes (May 3, 1785 – October 10, 1856) was an Argentine writer and politician who acted as interim President of Argentina from July 7 to August 18, 1827. He also wrote the lyrics of the Argentine National Anthe ...
failed to turn public opinion in Buenos Aires. Colonel
Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre Martínez (26 June 1821 – 19 January 1906) was an Argentine statesman, soldier and author. He was President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868 and the first president of unified Argentina.
Mitre is known as the most versatile ...
rallied the Assembly against the San Nicolás Accords. The most contentious issue remained the
Buenos Aires Customs
The Buenos Aires Customs House (''Aduana'') is a government building and architectural landmark in the Montserrat section of Buenos Aires.
Overview
The French neoclassical building housing the Argentine General Customs Directorate (DGA) was commi ...
, which remained under the control of the city government and was the chief source of public revenue. Nations with which the Confederation maintained
foreign relations
A state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterally or through mu ...
, moreover, kept all embassies in
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
(rather than in the capital,
Paraná).
Governor López y Planes ultimately resigned on July 26, prompting Urquiza to seize the governor's post through a
Federal intervention
Federal intervention () is a power attributed to the federal government of Argentina, by which it takes control of a province in certain extreme cases. Intervention is declared by the President with the assent of the National Congress. Article 6 o ...
decree. His departure to Santa Fe on September 8 for the inaugural session of Congress prompted the
September 11 coup d'état against the provisional administration of Governor José Miguel Galán. Led in its military aspect by General José María Pirán and ideologically by Dr.
Valentín Alsina
Valentín Alsina (December 16, 1802 – September 6, 1869) was an Argentine lawyer and politician.
Biography
Early life
Alsina was born in Buenos Aires and studied law at the University of Córdoba. He occupied diverse posts in government, an ...
and Colonel Mitre, the September 11 revolt created the foremost threat to both the Confederation and Urquiza: Alsina ordered General Juan Madariaga to invade Santa Fe within days of the coup (though without success).
Naming the aging
Manuel Guillermo Pinto as governor, Alsina secured the allegiance of the deposed Governor Galán, as well as of a number of key Federalist figures such as former top Rosas advisor Lorenzo Torres. Alsina, who was elected governor by the Legislature on October 31, alienated Colonel Hilario Lagos, however. Lagos persuaded War Minister José María Floresto to leave Buenos Aires and, on December 1, initiated the
Siege of Buenos Aires. Alsina resigned and Pinto, who served as president of the Legislature, again took office as governor. The siege continued through June 1853, and Urquiza commissioned a naval
flotilla
A flotilla (from Spanish, meaning a small ''flota'' (fleet) of ships), or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet.
Composition
A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class ...
to
blockade
A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force.
A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are le ...
Buenos Aires (whose chief source of revenue was duty collected at the
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
). The commander of the flotilla,
U.S.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
-born Admiral
Jonas Halstead Coe, was bribed with 5,000
troy ounce
Troy weight is a system of units of mass that originated in 15th-century England, and is primarily used in the precious metals industry. The troy weight units are the grain, the pennyweight (24 grains), the troy ounce (20 pennyweights), and th ...
s of
gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
, however, on June 20, and following his relinquishment of the flotilla to Buenos Aires, Urquiza called off the siege on July 12.
Constitutional government
Jurist
Pastor Obligado
Pastor Obligado (August 9, 1818 – March 12, 1870) was an Argentine lawyer and lawmaker who served as Governor of the secessionist State of Buenos Aires from 1853 to 1858.
Life and times
Early life and career
Obligado was born in Buenos Aires ...
was elected governor by the Legislature on June 28, 1853. He obtained passeage of the Constitution of Buenos Aires on April 12, 1854, and initiated an ambitious public works program, installing the first
gas lamp
Gas lighting is the production of artificial light from combustion of a gaseous fuel, such as hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, propane, butane, acetylene, ethylene, coal gas (town gas) or natural gas. The light is produced either directly ...
s and
running water
Tap water (also known as faucet water, running water, or municipal water) is water supplied through a tap, a water dispenser valve. In many countries, tap water usually has the quality of drinking water. Tap water is commonly used for drinking, ...
system in the city, and establishing what later became the
Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires
Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires (''National School of Buenos Aires'') is a public high school in Buenos Aires, Argentina, affiliated to the University of Buenos Aires. In the tradition of the European ''gymnasium'' it provides a free education ...
, as well as a network of public primary schools for the largely illiterate population at the time. The 1854 constitution, drafted by
Dalmacio Vélez Sársfield, asserted the sovereignty of Buenos Aires, including its right to engage in its own diplomatic relations, as well as a
bicameral legislature and
freedom of worship
Freedom of religion or religious liberty is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance. It also includes the freedo ...
.
Obligado reformed the practice of
emphyteusis
Emphyteusis (Greek: implanting) is a contract for land that allows the holder the right to the enjoyment of a property, often in perpetuity, on condition of proper care, payment of tax and rent. The right encompasses assignment and of descent.
His ...
, whereupon land could then be sold at a regulated rate of 16,000 silver pesos (''pesos fuerte'', nearly at par with the
U.S. dollar
The United States dollar ( symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the officia ...
) per
square league (4,428 acres). He established a
national mint under the auspices of the
Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires
The Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires ( es, Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires), better known as Banco Provincia, is a publicly owned bank in Argentina and the second-largest in the country by value of assets and deposits.
History
The prog ...
, and subsidies for industry and commerce; on August 30, 1857, the recently established
Buenos Aires Western Railway
The Buenos Aires Western Railway (BAWR) (in Spanish: Ferrocarril Oeste de Buenos Aires), inaugurated in the city of Buenos Aires on 29 August 1857, was the first railway built in Argentina and the start of the extensive rail network which was ...
inaugurated its first line, designed by British engineer
William Bragge
William Bragge, F.S.A., F.G.S., (31 May 1823 – 6 June 1884)Stephen 1886:194 was an English civil engineer, antiquarian and author. He established a museum and art gallery, and collected a notably comprehensive library of the literature on toba ...
. A census conducted on October 17, 1855, found a population of 248,498 for the State of Buenos Aires, of which 71,438 lived in the capital.
In 1855 the Paraguayan government of
Carlos Antonio López
Carlos Antonio López Ynsfrán (November 4, 1792 – September 10, 1862) served as leader of Paraguay from 1841 to 1862.
Early life
López was born at Manorá (Asunción) on November 4, 1792, as one of eight children. He graduated from Real C ...
, annoyed that the Congress of the Argentine Confederation had refused to ratify the 1852 Treaty of Limits (by which the Argentine Confederation would have got the
territory of Misiones, but Paraguay would have got the
Chaco north of the
Bermejo River
The Bermejo River (Spanish, Río Bermejo) is a river in South America that flows from Bolivia to the Paraguay River in Argentina. The river is generally called Bermejo in spite of its different names along its way, but it also has its own Nativ ...
), established relations with the State of Buenos Aires and appointed a Paraguayan consul.
[, p.28.]
Persistent budget deficits in the Confederation led the Paraná government to establish the
Port of Rosario
The Port of Rosario is an inland port and a major goods-shipping center of Argentina, located in the city of Rosario, province of Santa Fe, on the western shore of the Paraná River, about 550 km upstream from the Atlantic Ocean.
Overview
...
, and to enter into
free trade agreement
A free-trade agreement (FTA) or treaty is an agreement according to international law to form a free-trade area between the cooperating states. There are two types of trade agreements: bilateral and multilateral. Bilateral trade agreements occur ...
s with the
Port of Montevideo
The Port of Montevideo ( es, Puerto de Montevideo), in the northern part of the Old City of Montevideo, Uruguay, is one of the major ports of South America and plays a very important role in the economy of Uruguay. Notably the port includes a nu ...
(to the detriment of Buenos Aires). Worsening relations led to the re-election of Valentín Alsina as governor at the end of 1858, and in February 1859, Alsina enacted
retaliatory tariffs against Confederate goods.
Tensions culminated in the
Battle of Cepeda of October 23, 1859. Buenos Aires forces, led by General Mitre, were defeated by those led by President Urquiza. Ordered by Congress in Santa Fe to subjugate Buenos Aires separatists by force, Urquiza instead invited the defeated to join negotiations, though he obtained Alsina's resignation. These talks resulted in the
Pact of San José de Flores
The Pact of San José de Flores (''Pacto Unión San José de Flores'', or ''Pacto de Unión Nacional'') was a treaty signed between the Argentine Confederation and the State of Buenos Aires on November 11, 1859, on the aftermath of the Battle of ...
of November 11, 1859, which provided for a number of constitutional amendments and led to other concessions, including an extension on the province's customs house concession and measures benefiting the Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires, whose currency was authorized for use as legal tender at the port (thereby controlling much of the nation's foreign trade).
Mitre ultimately abrogated the Pact of San José, leading to renewed civil war. These hostilities culminated in the 1861
Battle of Pavón
The Battle of Pavón, a key battle of the Argentine Civil Wars, was fought in Pavón, Santa Fé Province, Argentina on 17 September 1861 between the Army of the State of Buenos Aires, commanded by Bartolomé Mitre, and the Army of Republic of t ...
, and to victory on the part of Mitre and Buenos Aires over Urquiza's national forces. President
Santiago Derqui
Santiago Rafael Luis Manuel José María Derqui Rodríguez ( Córdoba June 21, 1809 – Corrientes November 5, 1867) was president of Argentina from March 5, 1860 to November 5, 1861. He was featured on the 10 australes note, which is now ...
, who had been backed by Urquiza, and all Federalist governors resigned, and the Argentine Confederation was replaced by the Argentine Republic on December 12, 1861. Mitre, who despite victory reaffirmed his commitment to the 1860 constitutional amendments, was elected the republic's first president on September 4, 1862, and remained
Governor of Buenos Aires
The Governor of Buenos Aires Province ( es, Gobernador de la Provincia de Buenos Aires) is a citizen of the Buenos Aires Province of Argentina, holding the office of governor for the corresponding period. The governor is elected alongside a vic ...
as caretaker until his October 12, 1862, inaugural.
References
Bibliography
*
*''Historical Dictionary of Argentina''. London: Scarecrow Press, 1978.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buenos Aires, State of
Former political divisions related to Argentina
Former countries in South America
History of Argentina (1852–1880)
Argentine Civil War
State of Buenos Aires
The State of Buenos Aires ( es, Estado de Buenos Aires) was a secessionist republic resulting from the overthrow of the Argentine Confederation government in the Province of Buenos Aires on September 11, 1852. The State of Buenos Aires was nev ...
States and territories established in 1852
States and territories disestablished in 1861
Former unrecognized countries
1852 establishments in South America
1861 disestablishments in South America
19th century in Buenos Aires