▁and , ▁with ▁the ▁en act ment ▁of ▁the ▁Constitution ▁of ▁Argentina ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁Alc ort a ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Argent ine ▁Senate . ▁He ▁formed ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁modern ▁Senate ' s ▁first ▁Committee ▁on ▁Custom s ▁Reg ulation ; ▁as ▁such , ▁wrote ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁first ▁Law ▁of ▁Ex prop ri ation ▁and ▁influenced ▁policy ▁over ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁most ▁divis ive ▁institutions : ▁custom s . ▁The ▁reg ulation ▁of ▁the ▁Port s ▁of ▁Buenos ▁Aires ▁and ▁those ▁along ▁the ▁Par an á ▁River , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁distribution ▁of ▁custom s ▁re venue , ▁remained ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁greatest ▁thre ats ▁to ▁national ▁unity ▁as ▁late ▁as ▁ 1 8 8 0 , ▁and ▁Alc ort a ▁supported ▁the ▁proc ure ment ▁of ▁foreign ▁credit ▁to ▁maintain ▁the ▁Par an á ▁custom s ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁to ▁less en ▁Argentina ' s ▁dependence ▁on ▁re venue ▁from ▁se cess ion ist ▁Buenos ▁Aires . ▁A ▁respect ed ▁ar b iter ▁of ▁the ▁many ▁conflicts ▁surrounding ▁custom s ▁collection , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁powerful ▁Com merce ▁Trib unal ▁and ▁Government ▁Ad vis ory ▁Council . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁noted ▁supp orter ▁of ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁domestic ▁credit , ▁which ▁he ▁hoped ▁could ▁avoid ▁excess ▁reli ance ▁on ▁the ▁often ▁us ur ious ▁lo ans ▁obtained ▁in ▁Paris . ▁His ▁treat ise , ▁B anks ▁and ▁Their ▁Use ful ness ▁in ▁Argentina , ▁helped ▁lead