SECRETARIA DE GOBERNACION. 
(SECRETARIAT OF GOVERNMENT. ) 
Some idea has already been given on page 221 of the numerous changes 
which the department of interior, or government, underwent between 1821 
and 1867. In summary they were as follows: From 1821 to 1837 the interior 
and foreign departments were united in the Secretaria de Relaciones Exte- 
riores y Interiores. In 1837 they were separated, the interior relations going 
to the new Secretaria del Interior (with justice and ecclesiastical affairs 
attached). In 1841 they were reunited in the Secretaria de Relaciones y 
Gobernacion.’ By decree of May 12, 1853, a separate Secretaria de Goberna- 
cion was for the first time established, with functions essentially as they are 
today. Combined again in 1861 with the Department of Foreign Relations, 
in 1867 it again became separate and has remained so ever since. 
The close historical connection between the different departments has led to 
more or less mixing of their archives. Thus numerous records of functions 
now performed by the Secretaria de Gobernacién are to be found in the 
archive of the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores and in the archives of the 
department of Justicia that have been transferred to the Archivo General y 
Publico. By decree of Feb. 23, 1861, the archive of the suppressed department 
of Negocios Eclesiasticos was to be divided between the Department of For- 
eign Relations and of Government, according as they related to internal affairs 
of the clergy or to relations with the papal court. It is evident that this decree 
was not completely carried out. (Cf. p. 374.) 
As is the case in the other secretariats, all but the more recent and incom- 
pleted records of the Secretaria de Gobernacion, unless it be secret papers, are 
in the Archivo General of the department. Admission is gained through the 
Ministro de Gobernacion, who is also the Vice-President of the Republic. 
The historical development of the secretariat, as outlined above, has re- 
sulted in the separation of the records into two groups, at the year 1867, which 
I shall call “ Old Records ” and “ Recent Records ”’. 
OLD RECORDS. 
In 1899 the older papers of the archive were separated from the rest to be 
sent to the Archivo General y Publico “ in fulfillment of the law of November 
19, 1840”. They have not yet been sent, but may be at any time. It is prob- 
able that if they are transferred they will retain the same classification which 
they now have. The inventory of the papers made at the time the transfer was 
ordered shows 477 legajos of documents falling mainly between 1821 and 
1867. It is transcribed below as the best means of giving a general idea of the 
classes of business transacted and of records accumulated by this department 
during the period named. The order of items is that of the inventory. 
Yndiferente (Miscellaneous). 1820-1866. 74 legajos. 
Tranquilidad (Tranquility). 1822-1866. 65 legajos. 
Hospitales (Hospitals). 1821-1861. 6 legajos. 
* The “affairs of government” administered by the department at this time are 
enumerated in Dublan y Lozano, IV. 30. 
? Ibid., VI. 400-401. 
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