“MONSTROUS AND ILLEGAL PROCEEDINGS”: LAW ...

local police, Martinez traveled to the disputed tract. He then negotiated a settlement that
permitted Perez to remain on the land under a contract with Pereira. 94
Through his actions, Martinez secured legal recognition of Pereira’s property rights
from Perez. Obtaining such a declaration of legal title often was more important to
landowners like Pereira than formal occupation. Much like trading relations and personal
reputations, property rights often hinged on what honorable vecinos in the forum believed to
be true. Publicly declaring ownership to the community therefore was critical. 95 The case is
silent as to how Martinez specifically obtained Perez’s signature. We can speculate, however,
that when confronted by the local police and a blanco attorney with connections to
prominent civilian and military leaders around Salto, Perez had to accept the offer.
With Martinez bolstering his reputation by securing Bastos’ property rights through a
mixture of legal actions and force, Perez turned to courts to challenge the attorney’s actions
by attempting to undermine his legal standing in the town. In his struggle, Perez could
count on Jacinto Llupes. The disputed property was around the settlement of Mataojos.
Llupes was the frontier commander in that district. The commander viewed Martinez’s
actions as an intrusion into his own authority to determine property rights within his
jurisdiction. He accused Martinez of favoring his own factional allies at the expense of local
vecinos under his purview. 96
Llupes launched a vicious assault in the Salto press against Martinez, challenging
Martinez’s reputation as a figure able to dispense justice in any matter. Llupes began by
asserting that Martinez had no standing in the town: “Martinez is such a well-known person
94 Ibid., 15-20.
95 Graciela Garcia, "O Domínio da Terra: Conflitos e Estrutura Agrária na Campanha
Rio-Grandense Oitocentista" (M.A., Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 2005).
96 Juico de imprenta promovido por D. Miguel Santos Martinez c. D. Jacinto Llupes, AGN-SJ.
Salto. Penales, No. 66 (1862).
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