The Express.
London, England, 1852-11-16 00:00:00

AFFAIRS OF THE RIVER PLATE.

(free the Daily Nan.)

Tux present awe from the River Plate only deve-
lops a new phase in a very old quarrel, sow admit-
ting probably of but one out of two solutions% the
separation of the province aliases* Apes free the
Argentine Confederation, or the eabjestioa of the
Confederation to the State ei Bassos Ayres. The
'intelligence, therefore, though startling and max-
petted us to time, has in it no essential sovelty either
of principle or oiobject. It is the drama of bygone
years iu the hands of new performing. But to
master the plot requires a little attention; for, like
that of all Spanish plays, it is somewhat intricate,
though full also of interest and surprise.
The Argentine Confederation, it is necessary to
remember, is a formal combination of separate States,
hating no constitution binding them together, and
without any special organisation charged with the
care of their general affairs. When' however,
Uatietz.t last year joined the lances of Entre Rios
(of which State ho has been governor since 1840, and
an excellent governor also) to the forces of Brazil for
the purpose of expelling Rosas from Buenos Ayres,
the various governors of the Upper States, meeting
at Santa Fe, constituted him Provisional Director of
the Confederation • and, on the expulsion of Roses,
Dr. Lopez, who succeeded him in the government of
the province of Buenos Ayres, adhered to that ap-
pointment. At the close of the war, UIICIVIZA, there-
fore, represented the whole Confederation. But he
represented it in the interests of the Upper States;
and between them and Buenos Ayres there have
always been strong antipathies, and perhaps real
diversities of interests.

From the first outbreak of the old Spanish colo-
nies the people of the interior have been jealous of
the superior advantages arising from position, rights.
greater population, and superior intelli;ence of the
countries lying in the mouth of the Plato ; and, with
a view to their own interests, dependant on co-equal
rights, they have been the advocates, adherents, and
soldiers of a Federal constitution. On the contrary,'
the great majority of the inhabitants of the seaboard
provinces were desirous of forming,--and did for
a while actually form,—a Unitarian government
having its scat at Buenos Ayres. It was, however,
overthrown, and Federalism prevailed. For twenty
years Itosos,—though in name and pretence the
loudest of all Federalists,— interposed between the
Upper Provinces ond the formation of a Federal con-
stitution, in order to retain the direction of the
foreign and general affairs of the whole body in his
own hands. But though in political nomenclature a
Federalist, and the reckless and savage persecutor of
the Unitarian party, Roses really governed on Uni-
tarian or centralising principles; for under him
Buenos Ayres not only monopolised the regula-
tion of the general affairs so far as it amid.
but the commerce also of the Confederating'.

At last Bosse was overthrown by his own political
party ; that is, by the country, or Federalist
and the movement against him aimed at three • ;
—the formation of a Federal constitution, for w
purpose URULIZA, immediately he triumphed, sum-
moned a Constituent Congress to meet at Santa Fe;
—the opening up of all the internal waters as indis-
pensable to a Federal system, as also to material
prosperity ;—and the reduction of Buenos Ayres to
the position of a State co-equal, but not superior, to
the other members of the Confederation.
The pride of Buenos Ayres rose against this pro-
ject ; and in the elections to the legislative assembly
of that province,—which Uncitlx.t permitted to follow
ROSAS'S expulsion,—the Unitarian party were gene-
rally successful. They commenced business in the
chambers by questioning the power of the new Go-
vernor of Buenos Ayres to sanction the appointment
of URQLIZA as Provisional Dictator of the Confede-
ration. lie retaliated against this attack on the
very origin of his power by dismissing the chamber
extending his dictatorship over the internal and
domestic affairs of the province of Buenos Ayres
itself. This, of course, gave still greater offence to
men who rarely forgive an injury.

While ruling Buenos Ayres, many of UAW/MA'S
measures were undoubtedly excellent; but, never-
theless, he committed serious faults ; ho was arbitrary
and intolerant ; he offended prejudices, and conciliated
no affections; he was there as conqueror, and made
the city feel that character. In quitting Buenos
Ayres for Santa Fe to meet the Constituent Congress,
' he leg very few friends in the city, and hosts of ene-
mies and critics. The Unitarian party availid them-
selves of this feeling, seduced the Corrientino contin.
gent hc had left behind, restored the Assembly to
power, and so complete was the response of the pro-
,vince to this movement of the city of Buenos Ayres,
that though Utturtz•'s first disposition was to re-
turn' suppress the revolt, and re-establish his autho-
rity, be was quickly compelled to abandon any such
thought. And the question now is, whether he will
be able to maintain himself in his own province, and
whether the states of Santa Fe and Corrientes will
adhere to his cause, with which their own would
appear to be associated.
In these remarkable transactions, the first thine
to be observed is, that the movement in Buenos
Ayres is wholly unconnected with the canes of
Roots. Oa the contrary, it is entirely the act of the
Unitarian party, which ROSAS so merciiteeli
cuted and massacred. That party is corn uses
of sense, wealth, and moderation ; and if they out-
line their objects to their own
_province they say,
even by its separation from the Upper liaise, essM
in the solution of the ever perplexing ganglion at the
Plate. The province of Buenos Arne is large
enough, rich enough, and populous essugli to form
a separate state; and is capable of d mg and
preserving its indepaidence. In thins myna it has
superior dmwta at distinct national mistime, to
those of the Banda Oriental, already a Iseparate re-
public. And if, as a separate state, it could form
friendly relations with the Upper States of the Pa-
rana and its tributaries, that certainly would be
the readiest and easiest mode of escaping
from the present difilcalties. And UZQUIZA,
to do him justice, seems ready to accept ew
i e a Nola-
lion ; for n his reclamation to the proviase ef Santa
Ft, he declares that even without Basso Alas, a
great, rich and powerful nation may be
The other important fact to be nothnd in than
occurrences—the recognition by the saw doldiseit
party in Buenos Ayres of the expiates, dais
up the River Parana to the treat sad 'Enr'
navigation of all countries,—would nem and to"
assist such a termination. For what Us Upgar Stele
chiefly want by Federalism is the free naviptlin
of these streams, in order that emir gagging=
may. be developed and their ormanniption d
foreign goods be untaxed by Buenos Ayres. And,
if it be possible—as this recognition of the principle
suggests it is—for Buenos tyres and the Upper Pro-
vinces to armee, the terms on which these rivers
shall be accessible to the mercantile navigation of
all nations, a great step towards future tranquillity
will be regained, and the benefits Usnerz• intended
to confer on the world by his decree of 25th August
will be secured.
This, however, is the most favourable as-
pect of affairs. It is quite possible that romp
—that darling Spanish pendsmay Nan
the Unitarian party now in paregalso Ellingson
Ayres to pursue URQVIZA beyond Askew' paseines,
and endeavour to destroy Federalism fa his pagan;
and, in that event, war would be inevitable. Ori-
more moderate, they may aim at uniting the pro-
vince of Santa Ft: to that of Buenos Ayres, with a
view of increasing the size and Importance of the
latter, a junction which would in all probability
produce bloodshed. On the other hand, it is not at
all impossible that, in the phantasmagoric changes
of South American polities, URQUIZA may have
been so seriously shaken in his power
these occurrences is Bosses Ayes, as to be enable
to maintain hinweLfeyea in his own State of Blare
Rica: a contingency which would be felt throughout
the Argentine Confederation.
But let us anticipate more favourable results than
any of these. Let us hope that • long career of
adversity and misfortune under RosAs may have
had beneficial effects on the temper ;andsedierersi s
of the Unitarian party which has thus reappeared in
the stage of Platine polities; that they w 1 abstain
from all attempts at domination over the provinces,
sure if indulged in to produce resistance ; that
content with having punished UM:IMA for the im-
petuosity he displayed in Buenos Apes, they will
kayo him alone to organize, if ho can, an Argentine
Confederation, independent of, but friendly to Buenos
Ayres; and that all the states watered by these
South American Misaissippis end Missouris will
unite in consecrating and carrying out the principle
of openieg them to the commerce of all nations.