* Introduction to his life and work

* From 1810 to 1812

* From 1812 to 1815

* From 1815 to 1817

* From 1817 to 1820

* From 1820 to 1850

INTRODUCTION TO HIS LIFE AND WORK

From 1764 to 1810

Figure hero par excellence of National History, First Chief of the East and the first statesman of the Revolution of the Rio de la Plata, as has been rightly called.

Born June 19, 1764, son of Martin and Francisca Antonia Jose Artigas Arnal, as the game that looks to folio 209 of the First Book of Baptisms of the Cathedral of Montevideo, his grandfather, Juan Antonio Artigas, was one of the first City residents.

Concurrent as a child the Franciscan College, received a mediocre education at the time, and made young man, spent his youth to engage in rural labors in the campaign pits, where the authorities, little more than nominal, were unable to hold off the gauchos rebellious, and containing the progress and outrages of Indian groups minuanos charr’uas and more numerous, but not worse, than the Portuguese smugglers who infested the area.

The race could be called weapons of Jose Artigas, begins on March 10, 1797, when he joined the Corps Blandengues, military unit whose functions were, in principal, police and surveillance functions.

Entry was responsible for an item touring all of the fields, and rose successively to adjutant of militia cavalry and then a captain, until September 3, 1810 was given command of a company veteran Blandengues de la Frontera.

Its activity was continuing in the service order for the pledge of ranchers and residents of the bell, and sure guarantee of life and property.

In that race, which saw the essence of the popular reality to be imposed directives to his work as a public, had occasion to live almost a year, in close contact with Felix de Azara, Spanish naturalist and wise man of deep and varied knowledge, whose ideas on economic – social Artigas undoubtedly assimilated, then appear later in several of his conceptions of man in office.

Azara, in the years 1801 – 1802, played an official in charge of bounds on the border with Portugal.

The higher authorities of the colony, meanwhile, shared the general concept Artigas good and there are many and unequivocal evidence of the confidence and consideration of the Governor down, won the Spanish officials.

Liked and respected by the rural people, their courage and their conditions were present soldier, naturally, on the Creole element, penetrating well the meaning of equal justice and tolerance, characteristic, when Captain Blandengues.A English invasions went to war against foreigners “heretics” and the day he was taken by them Montevideo (3 February, 1807) and ran the field with the purpose of organizing to resist forces in the interior.

On a first team of three hundred men, recruited with the cooperation of salting Secco, grouping the laborers on the farms and the peasants who came to get their orders readily Artigas had elements of strength and, above all, the possibility to mobilize them and put them in action to ensure the quality and abundance of the assembled.

But it was not necessary to come to the fight, as the British evacuated the Rio de la Plata, in defeat, and the colonial dominion of Spain was able to resume their march to the same unfortunate and short-sighted stupidity of a stagnant regime in spontaneous dissolution.

When it comes to saving public interests are sacrificed individuals

From 1810 to 1812

Thus, the revolution of May 25, 1810 in Buenos Aires found Artigas had returned to his police duties in the campaign, but no stranger to new ideas to ferment.

Serving until then under the command of Brigadier Jose Muesas in Colonia del Sacramento, the captain left the Spanish ranks Artigas in February 1811, crossing the River Uruguay to Buenos Aires, accompanied by Rafael Ortiguera, Lieutenant of the same company, to offer his sword to the motherland.

Their contest, Mariano Moreno had already identified as valuable, it was accepted by the Revolutionary Council on February 15 when he came to perform, and Artigas was commissioned to prepare, from the border province of Entre Rios, the lifting of the Banda Oriental , using the effect relationships and reputation in his native land and virtually threads were lying.

The first announcements were for the people of Belen theater in the Upper Uruguay, and the shore of the creek Asencio, Soriano, and preparation was not excluded Artigas.

The expected time seemed to have sounded and the aid it provided the Board, which had effectively promoted to lieutenant colonel by the decree of March 9, 1811, arrived in the province a month just to have the command -9 April 1811 – to take personal action in the war, bringing their one hundred and fifty seats immediate command of the Battalion of Patricians.

Generally accepted truth that the landing has been produced by the current department of Colonia, in the Orphan Calera, views are very respectable considering that the route should be Artigas, out of Entre Rios, a path that brought him to camp Mercedes Hood Soriano, where settled the patriotic forces, whose leadership had been entrusted with the authorities in May to General Manuel Belgrano, on his return, defeated Paraguay.

Buenos Aires was called to answer for the failure of the expedition, General Jose Rondeau was the boss who would come to replace.

Artigas assumed leadership of the patriot vanguard starting march southward. Their presence resulted in a rapid escalation of insurrectionary sentiment as evidenced by the numerous additions of people in arms for their country, as seen in the entire length of the province, then known as Banda Oriental, soon found himself under control patriots.

Only the people of some importance, with Montevideo as the main stronghold, came under the obedience of the Spanish authorities. The first hostilities were soon produced, recorded gains for the country in the Colla, Porongos, Paso del Rey on the San Jose -21 April, and in the attack and seizure of the Villa de San Jose on 25, while his officers overcame the Spanish in Maldonado and San Carlos.

Artigas began then, both a career politician and soldier who was supposed to last only nine years, they are nothing, if one looks at a life that amounted to eighty-six, but that was enough for them, for their work and future gravity, can be considered as one of the most vigorous and comprehensive figures of continental history.

Moved its headquarters to San Jose, Artigas joined forces with those of his kinsman Manuel Antonio Artigas, and advancing with a thousand men on realistic operating in Canelones, got over them, commanded by Navy Capt. Jose Posadas, 18 May 1811, the victory of Las Piedras, pitched battle in the Spanish commander surrendered his sword to the soldier Montevideo and where it-in the words of Dean Funes, “showed great courage and a rest in the same action, with which he on and at the same time mitigate the strong and vehement passions of his troops. ”

The targets of the Eastern Province sounded, well, like the first accents triumph of the Revolution of May. Others, that the verses of the Argentine national anthem reminiscent of San Lorenzo, in the high banks of the Parana and Suipacha, in the far reaches of the viceroyalty, would echo the goals of San Jose and Las Piedras.

Continuing his march to the South, on 21 May of the same month the now Colonel Artigas appeared with his followers in the Hill, which overlooks height of about Montevideo, and demanded surrender to Governor Francisco Javier Elio, who commanded the most powerful place Spain’s strongest on the coasts of the Atlantic.

Spanish, of course, flatly rejected the envoy Artigas and had to be thinking about the formalization of the First Siege of Montevideo.

The new chief sent by the Revolutionary Council, General Jose Rondeau, newly arrived on 1 June Cerrito field, quickly taking the direction of the patriotic forces.

The invasion of a Portuguese army under the command of General Diego de Souza, who in July 11 and Maldonado Melo penetrated, and whose aid had gotten locked in Montevideo Spanish leader to promote common interests of the Bourbon dynastic Peninsula, joining the military setbacks experienced by the independent cause, whose troops under the command of Balcarce had been torn into Huaqui (Upper Peru) led to the Board of Buenos Aires to undertake negotiations with Javier de Elio.

Of the treatment, the armistice was October 20, 1811, which stipulated the lifting of the siege of Montevideo, maintained for nearly a half by weapons patriots, must withdraw from the Banda Oriental armies of Buenos Aires and Portuguese, in recognition of Spanish rule there. A result of this agreement the Eastern Province came to be subjugated and helpless, segregated from the fact that were called together.

The Board appointed Governor of Yapey’u Artigas, do not think he was our Captain destemido another solution to become a deputy head deeper into the ranks of the independent army. But Artigas, accepted the position to be trusted, firmly resolved to calm the leading mission coterraneas remove the people that it could call his own, to the Spanish yoke, and become the head of an entire people, surpassing Awful time, took place within its jurisdiction.

Northbound, near the Uruguay River along the coast, was behind by three thousand men of the army limited to immediate orders, but it was a caravan of fifteen thousand people of all ages and from all social classes, who set the historical terms special episode called The Exodus of the East Village.

Three months unheard march lasted from October to December 1811 and to reach the Salto del Uruguay, and put through the obstacle of the great river as a natural defense for the Portuguese. Artigas encamped with his people in the Ayu, on the right bank in missionary lands over which jurisdiction was governor.

From 1812 to 1815

The Oct. 20 agreement between the Spanish and locals, could not reasonably have Tempo, for the bad faith of the contracting parties was the secret of his weakness, and the Portuguese invaders in the Eastern Province he soon took such a boost that the authority of Buenos Aires was a real danger that this meant on the political map. Then he proposed strengthening Artigas camped in the Ayu, and deal in the province to the invaders.

Vigodet Gaspar, Elio substitute in the government of Montevideo claimed the October agreement and threatened to oppose that purpose with arms in hand. Triunviral government, which had replaced in Buenos Aires to the Board, acting with more energy than this, denounced the armistice on January 6, 1812.

The presence of the Portuguese at that time meant a serious complication and the government of the triumvirate, with the good offices of England’s representative at the court of Rio de Janeiro, was able to negotiate the treaty that adjusted the respective plenipotentiaries, John Rademaker and Nicolas Herrera signed at Buenos Aires on May 4, 1812. The evacuation of the province by troops of General Souza, although delayed by it as he could, was a fact at the end of August.

The field was free to settle the question of life or death between the Spanish and patriots, and in these circumstances, the General Sarratea with an army corps moved to Ayui to meet with Artigas, to agree how to bring the war immediately Banda East and resumed the fight.

The intrigue in the Ayu, started with the appointment of Sarratea, as it meant postponing the natural and recognized leader of the Banda, aggravated the situation causing the defection of some chiefs who had followed the Ayui Artigas, as Ventura Vazquez, Valdez, his chief of staff, at the same time encouraged desertions among the troops.

Notwithstanding this misconduct and the misunderstandings that resulted fatally, Artigas was made Sarratea orders and reviewing the Uruguay came back to his land, his soldiers and his people, Rondeau, head of the vanguard of the provinces, was the first to arrive in front of Montevideo, the actual setting Cerrito October 20, and giving effect to the second site that consignments patriots Jose E. Cultured had begun in some way and which was joined immediately to trace the independent army to the number of two thousand men.

On December 31, Year 12, rejecting Vigodet output, Jose Rondeau was victorious in El Cerrito.

On 20 January 1813, Artigas arrived at Paso de la Arena Santa Lucia, with his troops estimated at about five thousand people.

Sarratea besieging the camp arrived with little difference, thus emphasizing that prevention is looking into the military. Artigas, meanwhile, said it would remain on the sidelines of operations if that continued in office, and one of its leaders, the commander Fructuoso Rivera, realizing the hostility, seized the horses of the army. Rondeau, in full view of what happened, it was decided to cut their losses, and resulting in the month of February a meeting of heads-extra junior ordinance and seditious if you will-meant to Sarratea the need to relinquish control and away from the site.

Rondeau then assumed duties as General in Chief and Artigas, immediately, on February 26, 1813, came to the camp of El Cerrito to get their orders for the site.

At this moment the Spanish Vigodet, contained in Montevideo, Artigas considering possible remove the cause of his country, made in such a deft sense of trust poll with promises high command post, but rejected him as leader due.

The possession of the Eastern Province by the natives was a fact, and remain, to date, in office Constituent General Assembly held in Buenos Aires, Artigas felt the time had come to be represented at the conclave which legislated for everyone. On that understanding, the people of the Banda, previously invited to do so, they sent their deputies to the Congress of Pe~narol, Artigas opened its sessions in person, on 4 April 1813.

Members then went to the famous speech in which he abdicated in embracing powers had invested up to that day, beginning with these paragraphs: “My authority comes from you and it ceases to your sovereign presence. You are in the full enjoyment of your rights : “that is a result of my anxieties and worries, and see there also all the reward of my effort.”

After Buenos Aires to demand satisfaction for past wrongs and future guarantees, the Congregation resolved the appointment of five deputies to the Constituent Assembly in Buenos Aires, one corresponding to each of the five existing councils in the province, of which four were priests, and the fifth a former officer of Blandengues. Deputies went to his fate Eastern provided a concrete program, which had to adjust their behavior, which has passed into history under the name of Instruction Year XIII.

It was a political-legal piece of unparalleled scope and significance for the democratic foundations – Republican contained, true canon of a “Magna Carta” for the United Provinces. The key clauses Artigas Instructions were as follows:

* Absolute independence of the colonies;

* System confederation of provinces under a reciprocal agreement;

* Civil and religious liberty in its entirety;

* Freedom, equality and security of individuals in each province, which should form the basis of local and central government;

* Independence of the three branches of government;

* Provincial autonomy in its internal management, sovereignty, freedom and independence of the Eastern Province: annihilation of military despotism thanks to constitutional constraints;

* Excluding Buenos Aires as federal capital;

* Trade guarantees for certain eastern ports.

The congress in Buenos Aires, clearly centralist and oligarchic tendencies, were frightened by the possibility that it could bring to the debate tenets of such audacity, full of immense historical and doctrinal, and problems posed to them were not interested in solving.

Faced with a similar perspective and is claiming defects in the election, Congress did not accept the members of the Eastern Province: rejecting the men expected to reject the ideas.

“In the wild environment, where the common sense of men of the city saw only barbarism, social dissolution, rebellious energy to any constructive purpose,” says Rodo-was the great leader, and he alone, the virtue of democracy in training whose native instincts and propensities, forces could be harnessed as organic in the work of social and political foundation had to be met for the future of these peoples. ”

Frustrated all attempts to compromise with regard to the dismissal of the deputies. Artigas temporized still maintaining reasonable position, ready to enter the arena of compromise, which will be called.

Hence the idea of convening a new provincial congress. This was held in the Chapel of Maciel’s farm, on the banks of Arroyo Miguelete, 8 October 1813.

The work of these Assembly members, led by skillful politicians who acted behind the General Rondeau, he hit the ground with everything resolved in the Congress in April, reaching Artigas depose the government. But so far were on the move, which the Constituent Assembly in Buenos Aires did not dare to admit into its ranks the members of Chapel of Maciel.

Faced with this attitude of the politicians in Buenos Aires, Artigas, for the second time on January 20, 1814, withdrew from the site of Montevideo carrying more than three thousand men. Would extend the radius of its increasing influence on the coastal provinces, where he was recognized as a leader, and his steps were directed to the north, stopping in the town of Bethlehem.

Gervasio Antonio Posadas, Director of Buenos Aires, said the decree of February 11, declaring him a traitor and enemy of the country offering a prize of 6,000 pesos to him dead or alive. Artigas, meanwhile, declared war on Board, preparing to fight.

In those days, the Viceroy of Lima, General Pezuela, sent him a letter by itself suggesting the possibility of an agreement that favored the tax, Artigas, true to his monarch, held his rights. Artigas But it said: “VS have deceived and hurt my character, when you’ve been told that I defend his law … This will be decided by the weapons … I’m not sold, or want more reward for my efforts to see my country free of Spanish power … ”

Montevideo falling into the hands of the locals on June 20, 1814 appeared at a time that would solve the conflict. Torg, the head of his militia, claimed the place on behalf of Artigas, and Alvear response was the deployment of forces being caught in the vicinity of Las Piedras.

Organized by the victors new authorities in the city, and on June 16 came from Buenos Aires Nicolas Rodriguez Pe~na, delegate of the Board appointed Supreme Governor Intendant.

Posadas and his political friends, but were not willing to give Montevideo the Chief of the Orientals, not excluding the possibility of finding at least a modus vivendi. In that vein, after the “Mission Amaro – Candiotti,” the decree which put an outlaw Artigas was revoked on 17 August.

But the war situation was in fact, and the return of General Alvear Montevideo, momentarily away from the square, exacerbated the mood of the provincial component.

Artigas had his headquarters on pastures Arerungua, in the present department of Salto, Rivera Torg and while operating in the south with an excellent means of mobility, and after several partial matches where luck did not favor at all the managerial, Alvear agreed to enter into arrangements, willing to try to send emissaries Artigas Canelones.

But not proceeded in good faith, and the purpose was to gain time, pretending that they were withdrawing the troops. These forces, commanded by Soler, speedily made themselves felt in the area of Cologne and then in San Jose.

Colonel Manuel Dorrego, who heads a strong column, was ordered to march inland and in the course of his operations, he surprised Marmaraja Torg in the October 6, getting an easy win but misleading. Took out a full false idea about the power and strength of resistance of the host Artigas.

In that belief to beat decidiose Fructuoso Rivera and after several alternatives, reinforced both armies, the young Captain Artigas inflicted a tremendous defeat in Guayabos-the January 10, 1815 – which Dorrego barely escaped with fifty men , then fording the River Uruguay.

The Board, realizing that the game was lost, it was proposed compromise on the basis of recognition of the rights of the Eastern Province to govern itself. The delegate Nicholas Herrera soon covered the reality of things, and it was agreed that the place would be evacuated by troops from Buenos Aires, as was made on February 25, 1815. The next day came in Montevideo Torgue title Military Governor.

In the first local government, power was exercised successively by Torg and by Miguel Barreiro, according to delegation of Artigas, and its period was instituted the first flag and the first coat of arms of the Eastern Province.

At the same short period are also several generous initiatives of progress and order, as the creation of the National Library and revenue services and police reorganized.

From 1815 to 1817

The leader, meanwhile, remained in his camp Hervidero as an active factor in the events that were to develop in the vast stage of the provinces. These culminated in the uprising in Fontezuela directorial army, which saddled the fall of Alvear and the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly which met in Buenos Aires on April 16, 1815.

Colonel Alvarez Thomas, erected as the new Director, sought to agree its policy of Artigas Eastern Province who recognized as their natural leader, while those of Entre Rios, Corrientes, Santa Fe and Cordoba were governed by members who responded to their purposes.

A Federal League was virtually established, and Artigas plotting their courses with the title of Protector of the Free Peoples, looking for the organization under the democratic federal government, derived from the popular will, the basis of all sovereignty.

It is at such a time that Alvarez Thomas sent the great leader, several leaders of the defeated fraction, prisoners and hostages, to order his punishment. This not want to admit, with haughty nobility saying he was not “the executioner of Buenos Aires.”

As well it should be noted, in this crucial historical moment profiles statesman Artigas acquires that exceeds the simple title of chief of a province. His strong democratic directions, their ideas of government with just guessed formulas or concepts in other parts of the world, joining the vast expanse of the stage, making it a continental figure.

The two conflicting principles that are vying for primacy in the former Viceroyalty of La Plata are facing and clearly. Federalism with the Protector, which are built upon the Congress of Concepcion del Uruguay-July of year 15 -, and Unitarianism of Buenos Aires with its Board, which proclaims the independence of the United Provinces by the mouth of the Congress of Tucuman, July 9, 1816, drafting a constitution as unworkable and looking for a means of resolving the implant of a monarchy absurd.

It was not easy to predict to what ends might be reached in the fight, and unsafe for its strength, the men of Buenos Aires maneuvered in the sense of bringing the land to the Portuguese, who were masters of Brazil, straightening against charges of Artigas their existence and influence meant a powerful source of anarchy, whose fire could communicate to the southern provinces of the Kingdom.

The long-awaited opportunity to take possession of the left bank of the River Uruguay, to the nearest geographically to the vast South American colony, dream of the Portuguese monarchy, would become a reality, and the Eastern Province was invaded by four army corps . Were more than ten thousand men under the command of General Carlos Federico Lecor, experienced military and dubious political morality. In August 1816, the first Portuguese soldiers trod our soil.

The monarchy was coming Unitarianism that would cure the invasion of caudillo federalist, with tranquility and satisfaction of an accomplice.

Artigas was ready to resistance, only according to plan and that his enemies were to recognize excellent and the only way. But the victory turned away from the Patriots: Artigas Carumbe personally was defeated in the October 27, Rivera, his best lieutenant, had the same fate in India Muerta on 19 November.

Meanwhile, the invaders from the south penetrating progressed cautiously to Montevideo, whose council, not enough spirit, misled by promises of Buenos Aires, negotiated the December 8, 1816 the annexation of the United Provinces Banda to return for armed assistance these, according to Artigas rejected, and Buenos Aires would not meet either.

From 1817 to 1820

The year 1817 started in more lavish setbacks still staggering in January the infamous days of Catalan, 4; Aguapey, 19, and the loss of Montevideo, where Lecor winner came on 20, waving the flags of Portugal Citadel. The lobbyists, few of dignity, they were obedient and submissive abroad.

Meanwhile, Artigas, which required the Board is defined with the Portuguese against the enemy, there was no answer, then, are liable to the interests of the homeland of his inaction and his betrayal of common interests, he declared war November 13, 1817.

At that time, the Eastern Province was lost militarily: Bauza reputation as leaders and brothers had defected Oribe Artigas rows in October, and Torgeir Lavalleja were taken prisoner in February next year.

In 1819, the situation with the progress of the Portuguese worsened only reached after two years of war as uneven as bitter and bloody, and even on 4 December of a promissory sun shone for our victory in the battle of Santa Mary on January 22, 1820, Andres Latorre lost the battle of Tacuarembo, reverse that set up a disaster.

Regain the homeland on the coast of winning the war in Buenos Aires, was the only great idea he could imagine, and Artigas was using it to entice their last drive and his last effort.

With a small number of men on horseback would add maybe not 300 – waded through the last Uruguay, to seek assistance from the federal leaders of Entre Rios, Corrientes and Misiones, which had been formed by his side, and which he had been taught to win. But his former lieutenants had grown exponentially, and then had not only its own interests, but alarming ambitions of control and could not go entirely to a spirit called the old guard. The intrigue, promises and money from Buenos Aires and got wonderful results working. Artigas thus find only indifference or outright enemies as Francisco Ramirez, the Governor of Entre Rios, who openly defied and insolent.

Artigas, who was not the man capable of supporting similar attitudes without first played in full. He took his arms against the governor and beat him thoroughly in Las Guacha the June 13, 1820, but Ramirez, whose misconduct earned him the nickname “The Traitor”, which should accompany him forever in history, achieved thanks to remake troops and weapons that the government gave Sarratea from Buenos Aires and Artigas was defeated on in Bajada del Parana, Las Tunas and Abalos at the end of winter.

All hope was lost, “the great plan” could not be true, and this side of the river, Colonel Fructuoso Rivera, the last chief of the national resistance “had been in the precision of surrender to the hated foreigner.

From 1820 to 1850

Then, Artigas, through the Province of Corrientes was heading to Paraguay, ruled Dr. Rodriguez France. Embarking on the port of Candelaria, the former capital of Misiones, crossed the wide Parana on September 5, 1820, after parting with almost all of his companions, who played down on the left, and was to be submitted to the Paraguayan authorities .

News Gaspar Supreme Dictator of France after their arrival, it felt right from the start as his prisoner, and in this concept is always held, first in Asuncion where he stayed for a short time and then Curuguaty, black remote village was identified as a term of exile for several years by giving government the tyrant curious paying a salary equivalent to that of Captain Artigas reached in the armies of Spain. However, when he learned that the money invested in charity could about the Supreme suspended him the stipend.

He lived in that miserable corner almost nineteen years, until France disappeared from the world in 1840, always accompanied by his faithful brown and Lencina Ansina. Then, more free, but always having it in monitoring, replacement of the tyrant government allowed Ibiray relocate to stay in district next to the Assumption, which shortly thereafter, when Carlos Antonio Lopez came to perform the duties of president of a republic or least nominally, was included within the limits of the jurisdiction of the Holy Trinity.

In that house he had given the President within a large estate of his day went by the Protector, equal and monotonous, absorbed by the environment, living in a modest man of the people. There, the French traveler Alfredo De-mersay him from life, in late 1846 or early 47, the unique portrait of the hero who has survived.

The Lopez family-tested, seems certain care dispensed to the Protector, and ordinary people and poor of the contours, accustomed to daily treatment really believed it, calling it “Carai Marangat’u” predicate consecration which has resulted in imperfect version as ” Father of the Poor “when, as the representative of Paraguay said Dr. Boggino at a meeting in Falls Rotarian in 1939, the exact translation of the Guarani words with deeper meaning and no less praise him, meaning” Gracious Lord “.

The news that we have fairly specific and year of Paraguay are few, and instead the kind legends and lies abound and proliferate, but this is not the place to be discussed in the light of sound criticism.

Most important of all, that is what touches to the efforts that are tempted to reinstate the country Artigas is unclear issue, as the Paraguayan authorities of the time could have done and done anything, hidden to set up a tortuous maneuvers externality does not conform to the reality of the facts. Perhaps Artigas, in the depths of his captivity, he ignored the arrival of the Uruguayan delegates and their own efforts. It would take direct roles, which have not appeared so far to dispel these doubts, rather than second-hand references issued by the same authorities who had him in custody and under which we have to guess and infer.

Artigas ceased to exist on the same property that President Lee had surrendered, on 23 September 1850, probably defined senility and without pain, since there is no definite and specific version of the circumstances surrounding the death.

His remains, followed by three or four neighbors, were quietly buried in the Cementerio de la Recoleta, within walking distance of the fifth, and there were in the pit 26 of the area called Campo Santo of insolvency “, because nobody’s oblo two dollars to the right of priests charged.

In those red earth rested until the day that Dr. Estanislao Vega, our diplomatic agent sent by the government of President Flores, demanded and received from them five years later, on August 20, 1855, to return home , and deposited in the National Pantheon, where the splendors of the glory and come to restore historical justice on the urn that contains.

Shouted those lies, those lies of gaucho insolent, ignorant, malevolent and treacherous, printed up school books, ashamed today that wrote them.

For rehabilitation was not needed but one thing to study a spirit of impartiality and judge according to what emerged from the documents.

Focused and well studied, we can understand without violence Artigas, according to the statement made by an Argentine writer, had to be a credit to the grace of a high special favors that might allow “have been so rash in their ideas, so prudent in their judgments , so humble in their behavior, so austere in his life, so strong in adversity, so poor in the death and so great at all times. ”

Much maligned in our history, the controversy was primitive in regard to the personality of the Protector of the Free Peoples, “wrote Dr. Gustavo Gallinal-can be considered closed to us and figure stands on the borders, Lord every day a broader historical setting.

But neither have ended or will end the agitation, the clash, the removal of ideas about her figure, and not closed around any creative personality, whose acts and whose thoughts are projected into the future.

Meanwhile, to say the words of Hector Miranda, “his facts are there, solemn and eloquent, echoing forever in history. They show the patrician intellectual superiority, their power of spirit, the immensity of thought.”

Library Material Jose Artigas Gervacio

Jorge Pedoja