“MONSTROUS AND ILLEGAL PROCEEDINGS”: LAW ...

authority to contain the more radical federalists like López Jordán and avoid a rupture in his
fragile alliance with Mitre’s national government.
Urquiza once again attempted to placate both sides in the Uruguayan conflict to limit
its impact in the Argentine Republic. Urquiza opened Entre Ríos to blancos fleeing from
Flores and the colorados across the river. Deposed Uruguayan President Aguirre, Diego
Lamas, Lucas Piris and other prominent blancos gathered in eastern Entre Ríos under
Urquiza’s protection. Urquiza wrote to Mitre that providing asylum for “persons of all
political strips was also a calling for this Province, and even Rosas had to respect it.” 15 At
the same time, Urquiza openly advised Mitre to remain neutral in the pending conflict
between Paraguay and the Brazilian empire. He wrote that the republic should exercise its
authority “to influence the outcome of this foreign [extraña] conflict without being
enveloped in someone else’s [ajeno] interest.” 16 There may have also been an implicit threat.
By sheltering the blancos, Urquiza made clear that he could still throw his support behind the
dissident federalist cause. In effect, Urquiza implied that he would remain loyal to Mitre in
exchange for autonomy in conducting his own local affairs, as well as the ability to regulate
and protect cross-border relationships. Renewed military conflicts threatened the delicate
balance Urquiza was attempting to construct. However, it could also topple Mitre’s efforts
to establish porteño hegemony over the new Argentine state. Urquiza was quite blunt on this
point, writing to Mitre that “[o]ur still incipient political organization could fail like on other
occasions and perhaps more terribly if we adopt sterile efforts towards imprudent and
agitated passions.” 17
15 Bosch, Urquiza y Su Tiempo, 635.
16 Ibid., 618.
17 Mitre and Mitre, Archivo Mitre, v. 2, 95.
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