Duncan Stewart (Uruguayan politician) explained

Duncan Antonio Stewart Agell
Office:President of Uruguay
Status:Interim
Term Start:March 1, 1894
Term End:March 21, 1894
Predecessor:Julio Herrera y Obes
Successor:Juan Idiarte Borda
Office1:37th President of the Senate
Term Start1:1891
Term End1:1891
Predecessor1:Agustín de Castro
Successor1:Tomás Gomensoro Albín
Birth Date:1833
Birth Place:Buenos Aires, Argentine Confederation
Death Place:Montevideo, Uruguay
Spouse:Delfina García Vargas
Children:8
Party:Colorado

Duncan Antonio Stewart Agell (1833 – 1923), was a Uruguayan president of Scottish Argentine origin. He served as interim President of Uruguay for a brief time in 1894.

Family background

He was the son of a marriage between Scotsman Duncan Stewart (of Acharn) and Uruguayan Dorotea Agell. Little is known about his life, but it is known he was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1833. His niece Matilde Pacheco married José Batlle y Ordóñez, who was later to become a long-serving Uruguayan President. His grand-nephews César Batlle Pacheco and Lorenzo Batlle Pacheco each served as a Deputy and Senator, and Rafael Batlle Pacheco was a notable journalist.

Early political career

Later he moved to Uruguay, where he worked as a civil servant and later as a politician. He served as the Minister of Finance in the administration of Lorenzo Batlle from 1869 to 1872. In 1890 he was elected Senator. He served as the President of the Senate of Uruguay in 1891 and 1894.[1]

He was a member of the Colorado Party (Uruguay).

President of Uruguay (interim)

The presidential election of 1894 resulted in a political crisis. For twenty-one days (between March 1 and March 21) none of the candidates received the necessary 45 votes to become president. During this time, Stewart, president of the Senate, exercised power as President of Uruguay.

Finally, Stewart ceded the office to Juan Idiarte Borda who won the presidency with 47 votes, but who was to be assassinated while President.

Post-Presidency

He served as the President of the Chamber of Deputies of Uruguay in 1896.[2] Later, Stewart opposed the grab of power by Juan Lindolfo Cuestas and was not active in politics from that time.

He married Delfina García Vargas and had eight children with her. Duncan Stewart died in 1923, having lived through practically all of Uruguay's post-independence history.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Parlamentarios Uruguayos 1830-2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029204334/http://www.parlamento.gub.uy/htmlstat/PL/OtrosDocumentos/ParlamentariosUruguayos.pdf. dead. October 29, 2013. October 29, 2013. PRESIDENCIA DE LA ASAMBLEA GENERAL Y DEL SENADO PRESIDENCIA DE LA CAMARA DE REPRESENTANTES. www.parlamento.gub.uy.
  2. Web site: Parlamentarios Uruguayos 1830-2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029204334/http://www.parlamento.gub.uy/htmlstat/PL/OtrosDocumentos/ParlamentariosUruguayos.pdf. dead. October 29, 2013. October 29, 2013. PRESIDENCIA DE LA ASAMBLEA GENERAL Y DEL SENADO PRESIDENCIA DE LA CAMARA DE REPRESENTANTES. www.parlamento.gub.uy.