José C. Paz
Encyclopedia
José Clemente Paz was an Argentine
statesman, diplomat and journalist, founder of the La Prensa
newspaper.
Paz was born in Buenos Aires
and started his education in that city but was forced to move to Rosario
due to the civil war fought in Argentina. In July 1859 the Buenos Aires squadron of Admiral Murature was attempting to pass Rosario on the river. Paz, just 16 years old, approached the Rosario positions and shouted, "¡Viva Buenos Aires!" at which point the soldiers began to fire on him. Paz saved himself by jumping into the Paraná River
and swimming to the Buenos Aires ships, thus returning to the city of his birth.
In Buenos Aires Paz enlisted in the Buenos Aires forces commanded by Bartolomé Mitre
and in 1860 he distinguished himself at his young age at the Battle of Pavón
. At the end of the war he decided to enter politics, and worked for the party of Adolfo Alsina
and began studies in law. In 1865, during the War of the Triple Alliance
, he founded the Society for the Protection of Invalids, a corps of nurses to treat the injured that arrived at the Port of Buenos Aires and move them to the Hospice for Invalids, also founded by Paz. To pay for the costs of these organisations, he set up a newspaper, El inválido argentino. On 18 October 1869 he founded La Prensa
.
In 1871, Paz decided to organise a charity to help those suffering from yellow fever
. That year the newspaper's chief reporter fell sick with yellow fever and Paz had him cared for at his own house.
In the 1874 revolution, Paz found himself on the side of Mitre once again. He was forced to live in exile in Montevideo
, where he completed his studies in law. He returned to Argentina and became a national deputy in 1879. He resigned his seat to become diplomatic representative to Madrid
1883-85, then to Paris
1885-1893.
Paz returned to Argentina to manage the newspaper, and, though he relocated to Monte Carlo
in 1900, he commissioned the building of a palace in the Retiro
area of Buenos Aires. Designed by French architect
Louis Sortais, the Paz Palace
was begun in 1902 and completed in 1914. The Palace runs along the south west side of Plaza San Martín
in downtown Buenos Aires and, housing over 6,000 m2 (65,000 ft2) of space, it remains the largest single house ever built in Argentina. Its construction, however, outlived Paz, who died in Monaco in 1912. He was placed in a grand mausoleum in La Recoleta Cemetery
, with a sculpture by French artist Jules-Felix Coutan
.
Paz was featured on an Argentinian post stamp.
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...
statesman, diplomat and journalist, founder of the La Prensa
La Prensa (Buenos Aires)
La Prensa is an Argentine daily newspaper.Based in Buenos Aires, it was founded on 18 October 1869 by José C. Paz. La Prensa ranked among the most widely circulated dailies in Argentina in subsequent decades, earning a reputation for conservatism and support for British interests in Argentina...
newspaper.
Paz was born in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and started his education in that city but was forced to move to Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
due to the civil war fought in Argentina. In July 1859 the Buenos Aires squadron of Admiral Murature was attempting to pass Rosario on the river. Paz, just 16 years old, approached the Rosario positions and shouted, "¡Viva Buenos Aires!" at which point the soldiers began to fire on him. Paz saved himself by jumping into the Paraná River
Paraná River
The Paraná River is a river in south Central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina for some . It is second in length only to the Amazon River among South American rivers. The name Paraná is an abbreviation of the phrase "para rehe onáva", which comes from the Tupi language...
and swimming to the Buenos Aires ships, thus returning to the city of his birth.
In Buenos Aires Paz enlisted in the Buenos Aires forces commanded 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:...
and in 1860 he distinguished himself at his young age at the Battle of Pavón
Battle of Pavón
The Battle of Pavón was a key battle of the Argentine civil wars fought in Pavón, in Santa Fé Province, Argentina, on September 17, 1861, between the Army of Buenos Aires, commanded by Bartolomé Mitre, and the National Army, commanded by Justo José de Urquiza...
. At the end of the war he decided to enter politics, and worked for the party of 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:...
and began studies in law. In 1865, during the War of the Triple Alliance
War of the Triple Alliance
The Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
, he founded the Society for the Protection of Invalids, a corps of nurses to treat the injured that arrived at the Port of Buenos Aires and move them to the Hospice for Invalids, also founded by Paz. To pay for the costs of these organisations, he set up a newspaper, El inválido argentino. On 18 October 1869 he founded La Prensa
La Prensa (Buenos Aires)
La Prensa is an Argentine daily newspaper.Based in Buenos Aires, it was founded on 18 October 1869 by José C. Paz. La Prensa ranked among the most widely circulated dailies in Argentina in subsequent decades, earning a reputation for conservatism and support for British interests in Argentina...
.
In 1871, Paz decided to organise a charity to help those suffering from yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
. That year the newspaper's chief reporter fell sick with yellow fever and Paz had him cared for at his own house.
In the 1874 revolution, Paz found himself on the side of Mitre once again. He was forced to live in exile in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, where he completed his studies in law. He returned to Argentina and became a national deputy in 1879. He resigned his seat to become diplomatic representative to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
1883-85, then to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
1885-1893.
Paz returned to Argentina to manage the newspaper, and, though he relocated to Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
in 1900, he commissioned the building of a palace in the Retiro
Retiro, Buenos Aires
Retiro is a barrio in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Located in the northeast end of the city, Retiro is bordered on the south by the Puerto Madero and San Nicolás wards, and on the west by the Recoleta ward.-Urban character:...
area of Buenos Aires. Designed by French architect
French architecture
The history of French architecture runs in parallel with its neighbouring countries in Europe, with France being home to both some of the earliest pioneers in many architectural styles, and also containing some of the finest architectural creations of the continent.-Roman:The architecture of...
Louis Sortais, the Paz Palace
Paz Palace
The Paz Palace is a former mansion in Buenos Aires, Argentina, housing the Military Officers' Association, a social club maintained by the Argentine military.-Overview:...
was begun in 1902 and completed in 1914. The Palace runs along the south west side of Plaza San Martín
Plaza San Martín (Buenos Aires)
Plaza San Martín is a park located in the Retiro neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Situated at the northern end of pedestrianized Florida Street, the park is bounded by Libertador Ave. , Maipú St. , Santa Fe Avenue , and Leandro Alem Av....
in downtown Buenos Aires and, housing over 6,000 m2 (65,000 ft2) of space, it remains the largest single house ever built in Argentina. Its construction, however, outlived Paz, who died in Monaco in 1912. He was placed in a grand mausoleum in La Recoleta Cemetery
La Recoleta Cemetery
La Recoleta Cemetery is a famous cemetery located in the exclusive Recoleta neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It contains the graves of notable people, including Eva Perón, Raúl Alfonsín, and several presidents of Argentina.- History :...
, with a sculpture by French artist Jules-Felix Coutan
Jules-Felix Coutan
Jules-Felix Coutan was a French sculptor and educator.- Life :As a student at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Coutan was awarded the Prix de Rome in 1872; after his return to Paris he executed the fountain group France Bearing the Torch of Civilization for the Exposition Universelle , one of the two...
.
Paz was featured on an Argentinian post stamp.
See also
- List of people on stamps of Argentina
- José C. Paz, Buenos AiresJosé C. Paz, Buenos AiresJosé C. Paz is a city, the capital of José Clemente Paz Partido, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It forms part of the Greater Buenos Aires urban area and is located around 35 km north-west of Capital Federal. It was named after José C. Paz, a journalist and diplomat.-External links:...