The Portland daily press., 1867-04-24
The Argentine Rebellion,

| Brazil is left alone to deal with the Paraguay
ans. Six months ago Uruguay was compelled
to recall her small contingent and now, after
third desperate attack upon the hitherto irr-
pregnable Curupaity, the Argentine forces are
called away to put out the wildfire OF rebellion
which has been running through the western
Provinces since the last days of November.
The Provinces of Mendoza, San Juan, and La
Rioja, under the shadow of the Andes. and tbs
contiguous Provinces of San Luis and Cordoya
are all In turbulent state Cordova Is not
perhaps in open rebellion but has Governor
whose notions of State rights might have been
learned In Kentucky. When the National
troops approached Cordova, the Governor for
bade them to proceed and warned them that
their advance would be resisted by the Provin-
cial forces. At latest accounts they were NOV
ing forward, and a note from Buenos Ayres had
informed the Governor of Cordova that his op-
position was out of place
The rebellion began at Mendoza. The Gov
ernor of that province had been perhaps indis-
Greet in sending political opponents to prison
At last the opposition, seeing but one way to
overcome such arguments, got military lead
er, opened the prisons, appointed Charles John
Rodriguez Governor, and reported to the Gem
eral Government that they had taken posses
sion of the Province. The General Government
replied by sending Gen. Paunero in great
haste, with troops to put down what was be-
lieved to be only a riot. The rebels found
themselves thus placed in an attitude of hos
tility to the authorities at Buenos Ayres. and
boldly accepted the issue. The war with Para
quay weighed heavily upon the industries of
the country. A dollar in god was worth twenty
or thirty dollars in paper. There was steady
drain of laborers from every Province to recruit
the falling ranks Under these circumstances
the rebels raised the cry, mo more recruiting
for Paraguay"
8 Gen. Paunero Is described as a refined and
polite soldier, who has been under arms for
nearly forty years, and earned his rank by per-
sonal bravery on the field. Systematic in bis
plans and cool and resolute in execution, no
better officer could have been selected to quell
this unfortunate rising. He advanced to San
Luis with small force, but finding the aspect
more serious than had been supposed, prudent
ly fell back to Rosario without risking an en-
gagement. 1t was on the Goth of January that
the National Government issued its manifesto
premacy by suppressing the rebellion. The or
der OF events is not very perspicuously present.
ed in the South American dispatches 1t is
not quite clear whether Paunero's exp ,dition
to San Luis was made before or after the man
ifesto appeared. 1t occurred in January how
ever-so much is certain-and BY the first of
February it was plain that the prosecution of
the Paraguayan war must be abandoned-at
least for the present. The list of Provinces in
revolt, as given above, is taken from the Buenos
Ayres Standard of Feb. "a, but there is reason
to believe that 'Catamarca and Salta are also
controlled by the rebellious faction, and it has
been feared that Chill had encouraged the reb-
els.
vi the issue, under present circumstances,
there can be no doubt. President Nitro, who
mas been commanding the Argentine troops
in the field, returned to Buenos Ayres on the
9th of February. He had previously attended
to the organization at Rosario of the troops
destined to operate against the rebels Before
the veterans who will now be led by Paunero
the handful of armed 'gauchos" who have kent
the interior Provinces in terror will hardly
make stand 1t is political rebellion from
the inception, with some excuse no doubt In
Mendoza, and yet inexcusable under the cir
| cumstanees, with foreign and most Just wsr
actually raging When three years ago Lopez
insolently claimed the privilege of marching
over Argentine territory to attack Brazil, and
on receiving the remonstrancs of the Arpen-
tine Government, proceeded without a decla-
ration of war to seize all the steamers of The
Confederation within his reach, what course
remained to the Government at Buenos Ayres
but to attack the robber? 1t is the prosecution
of such war which has been impedsd by Do
| litical jealousies. 1t Is of the embarrassments
arising from such quarrel that the politicians
OF the interior Provinces have taken advant-
age. Those who remember how the Army 1
the Potomac received the news OF the New
| York riots can easily understand the present
temper of Paunero's troops.
President Mitre is man OF rare qualities
He IL deliberate, brave, reserved until ap-
preached, and then cordial, of few words, up
right and indefatigable. He 10 lawyer, a Do
ct, an author on military tactics, historian
and an orator He is fond Of books, and hs ha,
at home a magnificent library. On the centor
table OF his study he has large family Bible.
presented to him by the American Bible soci-
city. For many years ne has beer the head Of
his party, having always been at the head of
the Provisional or of the National Army,
since his first promotion. The iobbery aud
corruption necessarily occurring in the exigan-
cies OF war, have never been laid at his door
During his whole life he has been the cbampi-
on OF the people, and now probably no man in
the nation could so unite his party or engage
the confidence of the whole people.