First Buenos Aires Secession from Argentina 1852-1859

After the defeat of Argentine dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas in 1852, his enemies were briefly united in a desire to forge a nation from the collection of provinces that emerged after independence. Émigré resistance leaders from the Rosas era became the intellectual framers of the new order. The provinces sent delegations to San Nicolas, in northern Buenos Aires province. The convention produced the San Nicolas Agreement, which endorsed liberal trade policies, public education, and the creation of a strong, centralized, constitutional government. Leaders in the city and province of Buenos Aires rejected the new order. A revolution began in Buenos Aires on September 11, 1852, which declared the province independent, the rebels electing Valentin Alsina governor. Justo Jose de Urquiza, the provisional president of Argentina, tried to subdue the city but after an unsuccessful campaign raised the siege on July 13, 1853. Buenos Aires refused to participate in the Constitutional Convention of 1853, and did not accept the newly drafted constitution despite its ratification by all the other provinces.

The Argentine Confederation carried on without Buenos Aires, though without control of Buenos Aires it was less attractive to investors. In 1853, Great Britain became the first country to recognize the newly formed confederation as the legitimate authority in Argentina. Urquiza became president of the confederation in 1854, and he made Concepcion del Uruguay (Parana), in the province of Entre Rios, the new capital. While trade and ranching did expand in the interior, foreign merchants continued to favor Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires retained for itself monies from tariffs on imported goods. Furthermore, Buenos Aires asserted its right to block all trade beyond its port although the city lacked the military power to enforce such blockades. Even so, the threat of conflict between Buenos Aires and the Argentine Confederation made it even more difficult to attract investment capital into the interior. Few ships sailed up the Parana. Most docked in Buenos Aires, where all the interior's produce could be obtained with less effort.

In 1859, Urquiza launched a renewed military campaign against Buenos Aires after it again refused to join the Argentine Confederation. A confederate army under his leadership defeated militia forces loyal to Buenos Aires, led by Bartolomé Mitre, at the Battle of Cepeda (October 23, 1859). Total casualties are estimated to have been 1000. After the defeat, the Alsina resigned, the new provincial leadership agreed to provide financial support for the confederation and to send representatives to the legislature of the Argentine Confederation at Parana, but Buenos Aires did not endorse the constitution. Constitutional amendments proposed by Buenos Aires were adopted by the Argentine Confederation on September 25, 1860.

References

History of Argentina, xiii, 49-50; Dictionary of Wars, 30-1; Correlates of War: Extra-State Wars (338); Justo Jose de Urquiza; Bartolomé Mitre.

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