Mariano Acosta
Encyclopedia
Mariano Acosta was an Argentine lawyer and politician.
landowner, and José Francisco Acosta, from Corrientes Province
. Opposed to the repressive regime of Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas
, Acosta emigrated to Europe
shortly after his secondary school graduation. He returned following Rosas' defeat at the 1852 Battle of Caseros
, and was elected to the Buenos Aires Province Legislature later that year. He served as a lieutenant
in the Patricios Regiment, and took part in Valentín Alsina
's successful pro-autonomy uprising in 1853 against the victor at Caseros, Justo José de Urquiza
.
He was returned to the Buenos Aires Legislature the following year and was named Commissioner of Immigration. A dispute with the new Governor, Pastor Obligado, kept Acosta out of public service from 1855 to 1860, when he was elected to the provincial constitutional convention. Acosta married in 1857; his wife, Remedios Oromi, was a niece of Remedios de Escalada
, the erstwhile wife of General José de San Martín
(leader of the Argentine War of Independence
). Governor Mariano Saavedra appointed Acosta Minister of Government in 1862, and he served as a member of the Veterans' Assistance Commission from 1866 to 1872. Acosta, in 1871, also served as a legal adviser to the newly-formed Western Railway, and as President of the Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires
.
Acosta returned briefly to the legislature, and in 1872, he was elected Governor of Buenos Aires Province. His tenure became known for its works of infrastructure, and among his varied public works initiatives, he appointed Argentina's first engineer
, Luis Huergo
, to plan an extensive road and canal building program. Governor Acosta promulgated a new provincial constitution in December 1873, and shortly afterwards, he was named running mate to the National Autonomist Party
nominee, Nicolás Avellaneda
.
Elected handily in September 1874, Avellaneda and Acosta were opposed by Bartolomé Mitre
, who maintained a rivalry with Avellaneda's benefactor, outgoing Vice President Adolfo Alsina
. Acosta devoted his tenure as Vice President to the coordination of the vigorous school-building proram President Avenalleda had inherited from his predecessor, Domingo Sarmiento. He also served as President of the Commission for the Repatriation of the Remains of General San Martín, which Avellaneda had created in 1874, and which fulfilled its objective in 1880; the Liberator of Argentina
and Perú
had died in France
in 1850.
Acosta retired from public life in 1880, and died in Buenos Aires in 1893, at age 68; a lay Franciscan
, Acosta was buried in that city's Church of St. Francis. Having established a town (Ramallo
) and a county (Almirante Brown
), Acosta had another town, Mariano Acosta, Buenos Aires, named in his honor.
Life and times
Acosta was born in 1825 to Magdalena Santa Coloma Lezica, the daughter of a prominent Buenos Aires ProvinceBuenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
landowner, and José Francisco Acosta, from Corrientes Province
Corrientes Province
Corrientes is a province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by : Paraguay, the province of Misiones, Brazil, Uruguay, and the provinces of Entre Rios, Santa Fe and Chaco.-History:...
. Opposed to the repressive regime of Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
, Acosta emigrated to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
shortly after his secondary school graduation. He returned following Rosas' defeat at the 1852 Battle of Caseros
Battle of Caseros
The Battle of Caseros was fought near the town of Caseros, more precisely between the present-day train stations of Caseros and Palomar in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on 3 February 1852, between the Army of Buenos Aires commanded by Juan Manuel de Rosas...
, and was elected to the Buenos Aires Province Legislature later that year. He served as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Patricios Regiment, and took part in Valentín Alsina
Valentín Alsina
*For the city, see Valentín Alsina, Buenos Aires.Valentín Alsina was an Argentine lawyer and politician.Alsina was born in Buenos Aires and studied law at the University of Córdoba. He occupied diverse posts in government, and had a successful civil career as an advocate and professor of law at...
's successful pro-autonomy uprising in 1853 against the victor at Caseros, Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza
Justo José de Urquiza y García was an Argentine general and politician. He was president of the Argentine Confederation from 1854 to 1860.He was governor of Entre Ríos during the government of Juan Manuel de Rosas, governor of Buenos Aires with powers delegated from the other provinces...
.
He was returned to the Buenos Aires Legislature the following year and was named Commissioner of Immigration. A dispute with the new Governor, Pastor Obligado, kept Acosta out of public service from 1855 to 1860, when he was elected to the provincial constitutional convention. Acosta married in 1857; his wife, Remedios Oromi, was a niece of Remedios de Escalada
Remedios de escalada
Remedios de Escalada de San Martín is a city located in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, within Lanús Partido, Gran Buenos Aires. It covers an area of 9,95 km² and the population was 83,636 in 1991; the demonym for its inhabitants is "escaladense."...
, the erstwhile wife of General José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
(leader of the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
). Governor Mariano Saavedra appointed Acosta Minister of Government in 1862, and he served as a member of the Veterans' Assistance Commission from 1866 to 1872. Acosta, in 1871, also served as a legal adviser to the newly-formed Western Railway, and as President of the Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires
Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires
The Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires is a publicly-owned Argentine bank and the second-largest in the nation, by value of assets and deposits.-History:...
.
Acosta returned briefly to the legislature, and in 1872, he was elected Governor of Buenos Aires Province. His tenure became known for its works of infrastructure, and among his varied public works initiatives, he appointed Argentina's first engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, Luis Huergo
Luis Huergo
Luis Augusto Huergo was an Argentine engineer prominent in the development of his country's ports.-Early career:...
, to plan an extensive road and canal building program. Governor Acosta promulgated a new provincial constitution in December 1873, and shortly afterwards, he was named running mate to the National Autonomist Party
National Autonomist Party
The National Autonomist Party was an Argentine political party during the 1874-1916 period. Created on March 15, 1874 by the union of the Autonomist Party of Adolfo Alsina and the National Party of Nicolás Avellaneda...
nominee, Nicolás Avellaneda
Nicolás Avellaneda
Nicolás Remigio Aurelio Avellaneda Silva was an Argentine politician and journalist, and president of Argentina from 1874 to 1880. Avellaneda's main projects while in office were banking and education reform, leading to Argentina's economic growth...
.
Elected handily in September 1874, Avellaneda and Acosta were opposed by Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre Martínez was an Argentine statesman, military figure, and author. He was the President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868.-Life and times:...
, who maintained a rivalry with Avellaneda's benefactor, outgoing Vice President Adolfo Alsina
Adolfo Alsina
Adolfo Alsina Maza was an Argentine lawyer and Unitarian politician, and one of the founders of the Partido Autonomista and the National Autonomist Party.-Biography:...
. Acosta devoted his tenure as Vice President to the coordination of the vigorous school-building proram President Avenalleda had inherited from his predecessor, Domingo Sarmiento. He also served as President of the Commission for the Repatriation of the Remains of General San Martín, which Avellaneda had created in 1874, and which fulfilled its objective in 1880; the Liberator of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Perú
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
had died in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1850.
Acosta retired from public life in 1880, and died in Buenos Aires in 1893, at age 68; a lay Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
, Acosta was buried in that city's Church of St. Francis. Having established a town (Ramallo
Ramallo, Buenos Aires
Ramallo is a town in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the Ramallo Partido. It is located on next to the Río Paraná.-Economy:...
) and a county (Almirante Brown
Almirante Brown Partido
Almirante Brown is a partido of the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, located at the south of the Gran Buenos Aires urban area, at coordinates .It has an area of 129.33 km² and 555,731 inhabitants , and its capital is Adrogué....
), Acosta had another town, Mariano Acosta, Buenos Aires, named in his honor.