Salvador María del Carril

Salvador María del Carril
Born	San Juan, Argentina
Died	10 January 1883(1883-01-10) (aged 84) Buenos Aires, Argentina
Occupation(s)	Jurist, politician
Years active	Early 19th century – 1877
Known for	First Vice President of Argentina, Governor of San Juan Province, Finance Minister, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Argentina

Salvador María del Carril (August 5, 1798 – January 10, 1883) was a prominent Argentine jurist and political figure, recognized as the nation's inaugural Vice President.

Early years

Originating from San Juan, Argentina, del Carril pursued legal studies at the University of Córdoba during his teenage years. Under the guidance of Dean Gregorio Funes, he obtained his juris doctor degree in 1816 at just 18 years old. Subsequently, he relocated to Buenos Aires, then the capital of the United Provinces of South America, where he briefly engaged in journalism before joining the Finance Ministry.

In 1822, General José María Pérez de Urdininea, serving as Governor of San Juan Province, appointed del Carril as Minister of Government. When Pérez de Urdininea was reassigned by General José de San Martín to Bolivia, del Carril succeeded him as Governor of San Juan.

Governorship of San Juan

Taking office in January 1823 at age 24, del Carril initiated a program focused on modernization that included constructing roads, bridges, water systems, and public facilities. He implemented the province’s first printing press and newspaper, conducted San Juan’s initial Agricultural Census, and established a charitable organization. As the province’s first governor with a legal background, he created its judicial framework and in 1825 enacted the "May Charter," San Juan’s first constitution.

The progressive May Charter ensured freedom of worship and enforced church-state separation by closing monasteries, which incited strong resistance from the Catholic Church. This opposition culminated in del Carril’s deposition on July 26, with the May Charter publicly burned in protest.

Role in national politics

Del Carril earned the esteem of influential Buenos Aires legislator Bernardino Rivadavia, who became Argentina's first President in 1826 and appointed him as the country’s initial Finance Minister. Amid financial difficulties caused by the Cisplatine War, Argentina depended on loans from London-based Baring Brothers, with del Carril offering export goods as security. He introduced the Argentine peso fuerte, a pioneering local currency backed by gold convertibility; however, this currency primarily benefited exporters and those with access to hard currency, restricting widespread circulation and complicating war funding. Del Carril’s mismanagement of Rivadavia's National Bank played a role in social unrest that ultimately led to Rivadavia’s resignation in 1827.

Shortly thereafter, the national government dissolved and was replaced by the Argentine Confederation. Del Carril opposed populist Buenos Aires Governor Manuel Dorrego and supported a conservative uprising led by General Juan Lavalle. Following Lavalle’s violent 1828 coup against Dorrego, del Carril resumed roles as Finance and Foreign Minister. A counter-rebellion by General Juan Manuel de Rosas, an ally of Dorrego, triggered new elections; however, del Carril’s interference in these elections contributed to Rosas’ return to power and forced del Carril into exile in Montevideo.

Exile and return

During his exile, del Carril remained a steadfast adversary of Rosas, actively supporting an unsuccessful 1830 incursion into Entre Ríos Province and engaging in negotiations with the Governor of Corrientes Province. Despite enduring financial difficulties, he married Tiburcia Domínguez y López Camelo and fathered seven children. Following France's blockade in 1838, imposed after a journalist was killed in Buenos Aires, del Carril was appointed Supply Commissioner for the French Navy fleet operating in the Río de la Plata, a position that brought him considerable wealth amid some controversy.

The 1843 deposition of his ally, Uruguayan President Fructuoso Rivera, compelled del Carril to seek refuge once again, this time in Brazil. He developed a correspondence-based alliance with Entre Ríos Governor Justo José de Urquiza and returned to Argentina after Urquiza's victory over Rosas at the 1852 Battle of Caseros.

Vice Presidency

Del Carril participated as a delegate in the assembly that ratified the 1853 Argentine Constitution. However, Buenos Aires legislators rejected the new constitution, and residual hostility from the Rosas period prevented his reinstatement as Governor of San Juan. His connections to the Buenos Aires-focused Unitarian Party and his rapport with Urquiza—who was mistrusted by Buenos Aires—led to his selection as Urquiza's vice-presidential candidate in the November elections. Their joint ticket triumphed in the electoral college, symbolizing national unity.

In his administration, President Urquiza appointed del Carril to balance Federalist Interior Minister (Home Secretary) Santiago Derqui. Del Carril became a prominent advocate for Buenos Aires interests but, due to deteriorating relations with allies in San Juan, failed to gain Urquiza's backing for his 1860 presidential ambitions. Instead, Urquiza endorsed Derqui, whose resignation and exile in 1861 escalated tensions with Buenos Aires. Del Carril acted as mediator between Urquiza and Buenos Aires rebel leader General Bartolomé Mitre, who appointed him to the Argentine Supreme Court after winning the presidency in September.

As a conservative jurist, del Carril consistently upheld expansive executive authority, including support for state of siege decrees and capital punishment. This judicial philosophy led to his appointment as Chief Justice in 1870 by Mitre’s successor, President Domingo Sarmiento. He retired quietly in 1877. Controversy emerged in 1881 when historian Ángel Carranza published letters revealing del Carril’s involvement in advocating for Governor Dorrego’s execution during the 1828 coup, including counsel to fabricate claims of due process: "if we should need to lie to posterity, we lie." Del Carril spent his final years in seclusion until his death in Buenos Aires at age 84.

Epilogue

Del Carril accumulated substantial wealth through ownership of more than 130,000 hectares (330,000 acres) of fertile land in La Pampa Province, valued at approximately one million dollars at that time. Marital discord arose due to his wife’s spending habits; he legally separated her debts from their joint finances. Following his interment in an elaborate crypt at La Recoleta Cemetery in 1883, Mrs. del Carril commissioned sculptor Camilo Romairone to create her bust positioned facing away from his. She passed away in 1898.