MITRE, Bartolome (race'-tray), Argentine statesman, born in Buenos Ayres, 26 June, 1821. About 1836 he was persecuted by the dictator, Juan Manuel de Rosas, on account of some patriotic poems, and emigrated to Montevideo, where as captain he participated in the defence of the city during the first siege of 183S. He took part in conducting the journals "El Comercio," " El Iniciador," and "El National," was chief editor of '" La Nueva Era," and published in those papers his first poetical compositions. During the second siege he served again as lieutenant-colonel; but after the revolution of 1846 he emigrated to Bolivia, where he was made chief of staff of General Adolfo Ballivian, and served in the battles of La-lava and Behistre as commander of the artillery. He defended Ballivian's government in "La Epoca." and was director of the military college; but after Ballivian's downfall in 1847, as Mitre had refused to join the revolution, he was sent over the frontier to Peru, whence he went to Chili. Then he became editor of "El Mereurio," of Valparaiso, in 1849, and was also assistant editor of " El Progreso" in Santiago, but, on account of his opposition to the government, he was banished and went to Peru in 1851. He soon returned to Chili, and, when he heard of the rising in the Argentine Republic against Rosas, he joined the revolutionary forces of the interior provinces under Urquiza, and commanded the artillery in the decisive battle of Monte Caseros, 2 February, 1852. After the flight of Rosas, Mitre was elected deputy to the legislative assembly of Buenos Ayres, where he attacked energetically the vote of the governor, Dr. Lopez, in favor of the presidency of Urquiza, and, notwithstanding the persecution of the authorities, continued his violent opposition in the columns of " I, os Debates" till Dr. Lopez resigned, on 23 June, 18a2. Urquiza now declared himself dictator ; but Buenos Ayres.
