its style of apparel, and every revolution of institutions has produced a change of costume. The Roman civilization had one style of dress; the Middle Ages another; the frock-coat was not worn in Europe until after the revival of letters. It is ever the most civilized nation that imposes its fashions on the rest of the world. All Christian nations now wear the coat, and when the Sultan of Turkey, Abdul-Medjid, desired to introduce European civilization into his dominions, he laid aside the turban and caftan for the frock-coat, pantaloons, and cravat.
The Argentine people know the violent opposition to civilized costume made by both Rosas and Facundo. One night, in the year 1840, a couple of mazorqueros[1] were dodging around the streets of Buenos Ayres in pursuit of a man who wore a coat, and at last he was seized by the throat, when he exclaimed, "I am Simon Pereira!" "Pardon, sir," said the men, "but you expose yourself by wearing this coat." "That is just, why I wear it; who else wears a coat? I do it to be known at a distance."
This Simon was the purveyor and agent of Rosas. But to finish the illustration of the spirit of the civil war by its symbols, I must refer to the history of the "red ribbon" of quite extensive notoriety.
In 1820, Rosas appeared in Buenos Ayres with his Colorados de las Conchas.[2] Twenty years afterwards, he colored the whole city with red; houses, doors, paper-hangings, tapestry, etc.; but finally he consecrated the color to official purposes, and made it a test of loyalty to the state.
