No. 9.
Mr. Osborn
to Mr. Fish.
Buenos Ayres, April 10, 1877. (Received May 16.)
Sir: The elections for provincial officers, which took place on Sunday, the first instant, were comparatively quiet in this city, except in the western part of the polls, known as “Balvanera,” where a riot occurred, when, from the house-tops and in the streets, fire-arms were used, and the result was, four men were killed and some eight to ten were severely wounded, some of whom have since died.
In the province of Santa Fé matters seem to have been more seriious. For some time there had been great uneasiness in the public mind; many prominent persons were arrested and the troops were called out.
As the province is in a state of siege, (as well as this,) it is very difficult to obtain any reliable data except what the government is pleased to give, but it appears from official dispatches that there were two battles near the city of Santa Fé, the capital of the province, between the rebels and the government troops. One of the government officers reports twenty of the rebels killed at the Paso las Conchas, while attempting to cross the arroyo in the face of his fire; and Commander Romero, also an officer of the government troops, reports a splendid charge of his cavalry, with eleven of the rebels killed, many wounded [Page 9] and prisoners. It appears that the rebels were led, the infantry by a man by the name of Cullen, and the cavalry by Colonel Iturraspe, and both were killed in the skirmishes or fights, and most of their followers were taken; while it is now reported that all is quiet in the province. Business affairs have been affected seriously by the political disturbances, and it will take them some time to recover.
I learn from very good authority that a rebellion against the government was to have broken out in this city at the same time as that at Santa Fé, and that two thousand men were ready to take arms, and that the failure was caused by the weakening of their leader, whose bravery and pluck oozed out when the time came for action.
It appears to me that this country is in a very critical condition, by reason of the commercial crisis, which does not improve; the long drought in the summer, which has seriously affected the fields; and now by the heavy rains of the past two weeks, which have flooded them; by the discontent in political matters, which has disturbed business affairs, sent up gold, brought down Argentine bonds, and rendered a European loan to the Argentine Government almost an impossibility to obtain.
The Argentine Congress meets next month, and the independent press insists that the President will, in his message to Congress, give the facts and a true statement of the condition of the country and the government.
I am, &c.,