Bartolome Mitre to the 24th February, February 9, 1867

Memoranda of political events in the River Plate from the 9th to the 24th February, 1867.

February 9.—The police is actively engaged in making arrests in connection with the alleged revolutionary suppression of the night: before last. The Tribuna states that little importance is to be attached to the affair, whilst the Nacion Argentina makes the most of it, and insists it was the intention of the revolutionaries to assassinate the ministers Elizalde and Rawson, and the Governor Alsina.

The Brazilian minister Octaviano presented yesterday to the government at Montevideo his letters of recall.

February 10.—An order is published by the chief of police directing all citizens of the Uruguay republic who had held military employment in the same, but reside now here, to present themselves within 48 hours to the respective commissary of police, and give their names, rank, and domicile, under penalty of a line of 200 paper dollars, or six days’ imprisonment.

Señor Octaviano, in presenting his letter of recall the day before yesterday, at Montevideo, expressed the high regard entertained by Brazil for the Uruguay republic, and alluded to the sincere desire of the former to see the latter prosperous and independent. General Flores, in reply, expressed his regret at the departure of the minister, who, by the efficient discharge of his duties, has helped so much to make closer the bonds that unite the two nations.

February 11.—Two battalions from the Argentine army at Tuyuti arrived on the 9th instant at Rosario, destined for the interior, in support of General Paunero. On the 8th instant there was a stormy debate in the provincial house of representatives of Entre Rios, on the subject of the suppression of newspapers by order of the national government.

February 12.—Advices from Rio de Janeiro are to the effect that the Emperor is determined to push on the war with renewed vigor.

February 13.—It is reported that Admiral Viscount Tamandaré will shortly return to the liver Plata and resume supreme command of the Brazilian squadron.

The Tribuna contains a leading article strongly in favor of mediation and peace, and for a dissolution of the alliance. Don Mariano Varela, the provincial minister of finance, being one of the proprietors of the paper, the fact of his advocating so strenuously the mediation or the United States is very significant.

February 14.—The Tribuna of to-day has another powerful leader advocating peace through the mediation of the United States.

The Marquis de Caxias, steam transport, with the Argentine troops on board from the seat of war to Rosario, burst one of her boilers in the port of Corrientes on the 9th instant. The list of killed and wounded is officially reported as 106, of which more than half were among the killed.

February 15.—On the 12th instant Don Tomas Fortimafco de Brito presented to General Flores, in Montevideo, his credentials, withdrawing him from the post of charge d’affaires, and accrediting him as special plenipotentiary, vice Octaviano, retired. The usual decrees have been promulgated by the Uruguay government, recognizing Mr. de Brito in his new capacity. His successor as charge d’affaires is Don Julio Henrique de Mello Alvini.

From the interior we hear that a portion of Arredondo’s force has reached Rio Cuarto and effected a junction with General Paunero, whose position is still very critical.

Arrests here in town and in the country are still the order of the day.

The Tribuna has another remarkable leader on the question of the mediation of the United States and peace with Paraguay.

February 16.—1,400 more Argentine soldiers having been sent from Tuyuti to Rosario in addition to the 1,200 that marched with Colonel Arredondo, President Mitre himself arrived in Rosario, on the 13th instant, in the Guarda National, Argentine war steamer, with a bodyguard of 300 men. Thus about 3,000 of the Argentine contingent have been already withdrawn from the allied army, to be employed against the Mendoza reaction. Marquis de Caxias has succeeded President Mitre as commander-in-chief of the allied army.

News has come of riots in the town of Cordova portending a revolutionary rising in the whole province.

The Tribuna still continues to advocate for mediation and peace.

February 17.—The Tribuna, in a leading article relative to President Mitre’s arrival in Rosario, and of his having been obliged to give up the command-in-chief of the allied army, argues that the alliance is de facto dissolved, since the equilibrium at headquarters no longer exists, and one of the principal provisions of the alliance, that the direction of the war should be confided to a republican state, being no longer carried out, the alliance itself must cease, or else there would be a well-founded apprehension for an absolute preponderance of Brazil in the war.

The Standard publishes President Mitre’s order of the day on leaving the allied army, as follows:

The President of the republic and General-in-chief of the army to his companions in arms:

Soldiers: While you have been sustaining with bravery the glory of the Argentine flag in front of the foreign enemy that dared to insult it, and pouring out your precious blood at its foot to secure to the republic the blessings of liberty and peace, some traitors, taking a cowardly advantage of your sacrifices, have committed the crime of disturbing the public peace in open rebellion against the law. I can assure you that the rebellion shall be promptly suffocated and the treason adequately punished, for which object some of your companions have already marched, and who will be sufficient to secure the peace of the republic; but if not, a sufficient number will be despatched, until the institutions of the country shall triumph. I also assure you that whatever may happen, and at whatever cost, the war in which we are engaged will be prosecuted vigorously with the powerful elements now at the command of the allied armies, until it shall reach a glorious termination.

In order to achieve this important result in the shortest possible time, I am obliged to separate myself temporarily from you—you at whose side I have shared for the space of two years the perils and glories of this memorable campaign. Soon I trust to return to share them again with you, until we shall obtain the crowning triumph.

I leave in command the same generals, chiefs, and officers as have always led you to victory, and whose orders you must obey now as before, showing the same courtesy, the same valor, and the same discipline as have made you the admiration of the whole republic. Until I return to share again your noble labors, I salute you as your general and friend,