The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-09
EDITORS CORRESPONDENCE
From our regular correspondent
Nry Xapu Ort 7

ers to give brief sketch of that portion of South
America.
If we look at the map of that part of the CONT
nen', we sha see great promonory of land stretch
ing out INTO the Atlantic, called the Cape Of 81.
Rogue; about halfway between which and Cape
Horn Is seen the great mouth Of the river La Plata
This Is the great river south of ST. Roaue as the
Amazon Is the great river north Of IT, The La Plata
is 80 miles WIDE at Its mouth, having Buenos Ayres
on its southwest side, while Montevdeo is on its
northeastern side. IL is about 1872 miles in length.
or to the junction Of the Parama and Uruguay, in
Corrienies.
As we examine the map, we shall find the gene
raj course of the streams, of which the La Plata is
composed, passing from northwest to southeast !;
parallel with which, lie the confederated provinces
This confederacy, having Buenos Ayres for its Capri
tai, is bounded north by Bolivia, east by Paraguay,
Brazil, and Uruguay, (being separated from them by
the rivers Parama and Uruguay south by Patago
MIA and the Atlantic ocean, and west by the Cordil-
leras, which separate them from Chili-the highest
peak Of which is IL, 900 feet.
The city of Buenos Ayres good air) is situated
on the southwest bank Of the Rio La Plata. II is
l25 miles southwest of Montevideo. Its popula-
ton is estimated at 100000. 1t is built on a high
bank of Is or 20 feet above the river. Its streets
are laid off in uniform manner; the principal of
which are paved, having sidewalks, &c. Of its
10000 are said to be foreigners consist
ing Of English, French, Germans, and Americans.
The English have introduced many improvements
in building, &c. In the best Streets the houses are
set back, having gardens in front and in rear of
them. The portion of the city inhabited by ne
groes and mestizos is said to be dirty, mean, and
wretched in the extreme.
II contains large public square, large cathedral,
a town hall, &C., with government Offices &C., be-
sides large number of smaller churches converts,
and nunneries. Il has one Episcopal church, and a
Presbyterian chapel. II also contains founding
hospital and an orphan asylum, with other benevo-
lent institutions. The materials used for building
are composed of fine white stone obtained near by
The university is one of the most celebrated in
South America. Ii occupies an extensive building
recently fitted up at great expense for The IL
brary contains % 900 volumes Of books well select
ed, arranged in six rooms There are also an acade-
my and other schools. Several newspapers are
published, both in Buenos Ayres and the provincial
towns-especiay at Cordova where there is an
other university The press is considered quite free
The people Of Buenos Ayres appear more eager
to initiate and to adopt the Improvements of more
America. II is said to be rare TO meet lad in the
streets Of Buenos Ayres who cannot read and
write. A people thus circumstanced, cannot be
30 much as some would have it that
RosAs Expresses them.
Vessels drawing l6 or II feet Of water cannot
roadstead and employ lighters.
The exports of Buenos Ayres in 1887 were about
$6, 100000, Of which the article of hides alone
amounted to over S3,000,000 Among other things,
a large quantity Of nutria skins are exported They
are taken from singular animal called the coyport.
The fur OF these skins being fne and much cheaper
than beaver they have for several years entered into
the composition Of fur hats in England and this coun
try The only objection to its is the fact that
il will not retain its dye 80 well as the beaver.
imagine few fur hats are made at the present
day free from nutria fur. Wool has, of late years.
- H. Il
only about 5000 pounds were sent to Great Brit
ain In 1897 the export had increased to 2000,
600 of pounds. The facilities for raising sheep on
the pastures of the immense pan,pas must be very
great II is said SO abundant were these animals du-
ring the Spanish regime, that royal edict was is
them into brick-kilns for fuel'a The breeds Of
sheep, with an Improvement Of wool, have taken
place of late years. The imports are chiefly from
Great Britain, France, the United States, and Ger
many. They amounted, in 1887, to about ~ ,000,-
900,
Buenos Ayres was first settled by the spanards
in 1884; but the first settlers were driven off by the
Indians permanent settlement was formed in
1880. In l776 it was erected into vce-royaty,
and was made to include the present Argentine re-
public with its IA Provinces the mostnoed of which
are Buenos Ayres, Cordova, Mendoza, San Luis,
Corrientes, &c, together with Paraguay and Uru-
guny. For many years il was made dependency
Of Peru, with which it carried on vast trade in
mules, &c. In 1910 the revolution broke out, and
in 1916 La Plata declared its independence of the
mother country. Uruguay, with Montevideo for
its capital at first belonged to the Argentine repub
lie, till 1921, when il was taken by Brazil and in
corporaied in that empire under the title of Csplat-
ma. In 1926 it declared its independence, which
was acknowledged in 1928. The Argentine repub-
lie formed plan Of conederacy like that Of
the United Staes-the provinces representing our
states Their Congress is called Jnnta, composed
,Inec oh =. Il
titled besides to two deputies, who compose kind
of senate Each province processes, for certain pur
poses independence of the Others and has its gov
ernor and general assembly elective by the people.
In 1895, General Rosas was unanimously elected
President by the jta, but he refused to accept Of
fee unless extraordinary powers were given him;
which were granted. Since then, he has remained
President The constitution gives him power to
make all appointments, whether judicial, civil, or
military; but he and the ministers are responsible for
their measures, and are liable to impeachment.
The lower classes, as is to be expected are much
sunk in ignorance, and little trouble is taken to OBJ
tain their assent to strong mans pretensons, be-
yond that Of brute force This republic may not be
as free that of the United States but il is much
more SO than other South American states. The
people are improvable; and, occupying a temperate
climate, if let alone, would make great ad vances |
Be their government what it may, or the character
of Rosas what 1t may, so long as his acts square
with the constitution and the powers legally grant
ed him by the people, no one has right to COM
plain. He is the legal head Of the republic, against
whom France and England are operating in favor
of an illegal and insurrectionary interest. But
wherefore the right OF France and England to inter-
fere at all
During the Argentine with Brazil, the re-
public had an army in the field Of 10000 troops,
and an extensive body of militia.
The city and province Of Buenos Ayres alone |
support the government the other provinces con- |
trbung nothing towards the general expenses of
the confederation.
The revenues in 1887 were estimated at about
IL millions of dollars. The public debt was 49,
81, 166 dollars, bearing 6 per cent interest The
population of the whole republic only amounts to
about 100000 inhabitants. 1t is evident there
fore, that the government of La Plata, or the Ar
gentne republic, is incapable of offering the slight
resistance to Anglo Gallo dciaion and that Re-
sas, the constitutional President, will be forced to |
yield to their high-handed interference.
Uruguay, which has occasionally been the bone of