Government decree., May 24, 1875

Government decree.

The government hereby approves the sentence of the above council of war, which has been conducted with all due forms and legality. And moreover it considers—

• That the court has vindicated military discipline, so essential for the public security, and followed the precepts of the military code.
• That peace and order are now so firmly established from one end to the other of the republic as to warrant the same clemency as already shown by us on the close of the revolution, so as still further to encourage the development of trade and progress under the auspices of security and public confidence.
• That the government and the nation can never forget the services of the prisoners during the Paraguayan war, and especially the principal part performed by Ex-Brigadier Mitre in the consolidation of the Argentine Republic.
• That, nevertheless, the honor of the Argentine army and its glorious traditions of fidelity call for some punishment on those commanding officers who seduced the troops under their orders, abandoned the frontier posts, and left the Christians exposed to Indian depredations:

Therefore, to commemorate the glorious anniversary of our political emancipation by an act of clemency and conciliation, the President of the republic, in accord with his council of ministers, decrees the modification of the above sentence in this manner:

Ex-General B. Mitre and Ex-Colonels Gonsalez, Vidal, and Charras are to be set at liberty without suffering the terms of exile ordered by the court.

Ex-General Rivas, who was commander-in-chief of the south frontier, Ex-Colonel Ocampo, also of the south frontier, and Ex-Colonel Murga, of the Bahia Blanca frontier, are to be banished for eighteen months instead of eight years.

Ex-Colonel Machado is pardoned the military offense, but handed over to the federal, court for having shot two civilians, as he confesses; as also on the charge of having lanced Tomas Toledo, according to the act of accusation by the mother of said Toledo.

Brigadier Emilio Mitre and Colonel Frederic Mitre are to be cautioned for the language used by them in their defense.

Let orders to the above effect be sent to the comandancia general.