The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-27

The Recent Conflict in Buenos Ayres.
The following letter, from an eyewitness,
refers to the situation in the Argentine Con-
federation up to the time of the last Presiden-
tlal election, and gives an insight into the
trouble which will be of interest to our mer-
chants engaged in South American affairs:
BUENos AYREs, June IL.
Your have probably seen Geographic &C
counts of the state of affairs in Buenos Ayres.
and very likely before this gets to you you will
know the result of all the trouble. But the
details are most interesting. The Governor of
the province OF Buenos Ayres, Tejedos, is a
candidate for President, and likely to be de-
feated; in fact, it is almost certain; but the
President has used SO much unlawful authori-
tY in the matter that it is doubtful if the vote
will express the real mind of the people. The
candidate supported by the President is Roca,
not citizen of Buenos Ayres, and not a par
ticularly able man, but popular in the other
provinces Anticipating trouble, the Presi-
dent has been buying and distributing arms at
the national expense; but while he has liber-
ally supplied the provinces favorable to his
party, he has denied arms to the province of
Buenos Ayres. This led to the raising and
arming of troops by Teiedos, the governor,
and various other acts in violation of tho con-
stitution. The immediate cause of the recent
rupture twas the landing of more arms for
Buenos Ayres, on which occasion the national
government sent troops to prevent their land
ing, and the provincial government sent troops
to insure 1t. The latter being the stronger.
the arms were landed, and the government
looked on. The President then abandoned the
capitol in Buenos Ayres, and took up his posi-
ton outside, where he is collecting troops, hay-
ing first declared Tejedos rebel. The latter
denies that he has done anything unconstitu-
tional, and appeals to Congress. Congress is
divided into parties and cannot come to any
decision. Neither President nor governor have
followed the constitution, except when it was
perfectly convenient. Both of these declare
they are arming in defence of the constitution.
and each one says he will not be the first to
provoke quarrel or strike asblow And yet
both are raising armies and doing all they can
to anger each other. Where it will end no.
body knows, but it looks now like civil war
and general separation of all the provinces
The President has called on all the estate
militia" or provincial battalions from the diff
ferent provinces; but they are mostly made up
OF convicts. So they are more likely to shoot
their officers and run away than to fight for
the government which has convicted them.
All the able-bodied men over seventeen years
of age have also been called for in four prov.
inces, of which Entire Rios is one. These are
all undrilled and undisciplied, and perhaps
half are in favor of Buenos Ayres and the rest
will run away if they can. They are now be-
ing drilled night and day. Proclamations by
three or four times day. Buenos Ayres is be-
ing fortified, and the sympathy there is almost
universal for Tejedos.
Probably the national government is in the
right, but Buenos A.yres has three-fourths of
the power and five-sixths of the wealth of the
nation, so that it leaves the President in a bad
place. l believe that what Buenos Ayres
wants is to secede from the Republic, and so
be rid OF its poorer associates who are hanging
on to it and have been getting rather burden
prefer to do so, but if not it will fight. In the
event OF war it is almost certain that the
province would beat the nation, and already
the national bonds have gone down almost out
OF sight, while the money of the Provincial
Bank OF Buenos Ayres has not varied at all,
except in some OF the provinces where it was
in circulation in lack Of anything else The
chamber Of commerce of Buenos Ayres has
made every effort for peace and is still trying.
But the whole country has gone half crazy,
and they no not know what they want or
what they will do Tomorrow the pres-
dental electors cast their votes, and after the
result is declared by Congress. if that body is
still in existence, something decisive must be
done. Thus far, mails and telegraphs have
continued con, to work regularly, but how long it
the President is that after five days the port of
Buenos Ayres shall be closed to Incoming YES
sells, and after ten days to outgoing vessels.
But IS the port is not yet in the power alone of
the President, it is rather presuming in him
to say much about it. The 'tnavy" was all
aground in the mud six or eight miles from
the city at last accounts, and the river still
falling. Every one believes it will be impossi-
BILE to close the apEt SO soon, and there are
thousands who say that in ten days everything
will be settled again. After what 1 have seen
of Spanish blood | should not be surprised at
anything, but 1 don't believe things will run
smoothly again for good many months to
come. Matters are complicated by the fact
that the "heroes" of at least three revolutions
are still living, and have not forgotten their
wrongs, SO that they are only waiting their