Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-06-05

accidental disclosure. The effect II produced on
his mind vas terrible. lilo became difficult of &C.
cess and saw in all who sought his presence trail
tors and conspirators. His horse taking fright
day at an old cask, he arrested the master of the
house before which 1t was standing. Being
informed that it was tho intention of the conspra.
tors to assassinate him in the streets, which from
their narrowncss and gloom, would have greatly
facilitated the enterprise, he conceived the project
OF destroying the city, measure which he short
ly after executed Meanwhile, the unfortunate
conspirators were exposed TO the unmtgated bar
barity and relentless cruelty of the exaspcrated
Francia; they were compelled to go through a
strict examination, and il the questions that
put to the wrctched prisoner wcro not satisfactory
~ answered. he was transferred to the place OF tor
ture, barbarously named the Chamber of Truth,
where the victim scourgcd till pain had elicit.
cd from him tho wishcd-for replies; led cut to the
| place for execution, they were shot in groups of
four and fivc and died with courage worthy Of a
happier destiny, several o.. them in the agonics Of
death, exclaimng, "Viya la Patria"
| "Et dulcs morions reminscitur Argos"
This system of dcspotic cruelty wrought
traordinary change in the character of the Para.
guayans. Fear, suspicion, and ms,rust, gave
place to their former rankness and gaie,y of char
actcr; their tortulias deserted; the guitar
hung silent on the walls of their desolate dwell
ings; the alameda no longer resoundcd with lively
sallics of tho dark-eyed daughters of tho land.
When individual fell into disgrace, his
whole family involved in his ruin The sys-
tenn OF terror which reigncd in the capital
Practiscd with tcnfod severity in the provinces.
| To counterfeit, in some degree the unpopular CT
fects of the system, Francia declared as an atone
ment to the feelings of the natives crusade
against the Old Spaniards. Accordingly, in June
1871, he gave orders that all the Spanards resident
in Assumption should assemble at the government
house Wi hin three hours. These wrctched be-
ings, to the number Of three hundred, were then
conducted to prison, they were confined BY
fiftiea, in rooms which had but one general door
and one window for them all. The reasons alleg-
Id To-
sought to obsiruct the march Of the government
an accusation than which nothing could be more
unfounded. They were, after an incarceration of
some time finally liberated, condition of pay.
ing, within three days, 100000 Spanish dollars.
Francia's object was to ruin the Spanish families,
who had always formed tho most influential class
of society. Tho Paraguayans, with generosity
that did them honor, forgot their national antpa-
thies, and rendered them all the aid in their
power, in defiance of tho indignation of tho die
tator.
During the progress of the unrelenting cruelty
Of Francia, foreigners tho only persons to
whom he extended the slightest indulgence. OF
this class there about forty persons, the ma
jor part consisting of merchants, attracted there by
the prospects OF commercial gain. There was,
however, one among them in whose fate the whole
scientific world cannot but feel deeply Interested
the traveller Bonpland, the friend and companion
of the celebrated Humboldt Bonpland had form
ed an establishment in the ruined missions of En-
tire Rios, to prepare the Yerva Mate. This gave
great umbrage TO Francia who, under the pretext
that it was injurious to the trade of his dom,nions,
sent troop of soldiers, who, after massacrelng a
party of Indians, inflicted sabre wound on Bon.
pland, plundered his property, and without regard
to his sufferings, loaded him with chains and con.
Quoted him to Santa Maria, the left bank of the
Parana. Francia, on being apprised of the treat
ment he had received, ordered his irons to be
moved, his property TO be restored, and assigned
him a residence in place called the Cerrito, be-
tween Santa Maria and Santa Rosa. Here he re-
sided till the moment of his release from his long
captivity, devotng himself to agriculture beloved
and respected by the inhabitants of the district
whom, from his general knowledge and medical
Skill he has proved himself boncfactor. But Sc
parated as he was, from all the objects of his aec
tlons, often in want of the commoncst neccssaries
OF lfe unable to pursue his avorite studies his ST.
tuaton was truly lamentable. The more interest
that was exerted for his liberation, the Fran
, ella rejoiced in having him in his power. Having
received letter from our Consul at Buenos Ayres
demanding his liberation, he merely changed the
envelope of the letter and returned it, addressed
: simply, to Parish, English Consul at Buenos
Ayres." Through the interference of the Eek. EN-
pcror Don Pedro, did this celebrated traveller at
obtain his liberation; and Europe looks forward
with Impotence to his arrival fer enlarged inform.
alton on the natural history of Paraguay, and on
the character and views of its singular ruler.
Francla now determined to execute a project
that had been long slumbering in his mind-this
was nothing less than the total destruction of the
I city of Assumption, with the view of rebuilding il
: on more improved plan. In the accOmp lishment
: of this project, the Dictator presided in person
tracing with his own hand the plan of the new ele
n vations. All the houses that stood in the way OF
the new streets were RACED; still SO many difficult
: les presented themselves in the way of the work,
that It's operation but gradual. After the lapse
OF four years, the capital presented the aspect of
city that had suffered long siege. Yet so despot-
&c was his authority, that he experienced diff
Guilty in completing tho work. All classes were
obliged TO labor this grand operation and city
at last rose upon the ruins of the old one, more
beautiful and saubrious than the it had repa.
ced, and worthy, in every respect of becoming at
some future period the capital of mighty repub-
lie founded, by the hand of tyrant.
Thus finding himself unopposed from any quar-.
ter, change came owes his tyrannicaI spirit, and
CLEAN OF sunshine broke the horizon of bis
oppressed country. The death of his favorite &C.
cretary by suicide, sensbly affected him, and in
some degree wrought a favorable change on his
mind But however softened might have become
his general severity, an excess of his constitution
al malady every now and then awoke new terrors
In one of his fits, he ordered the sentinel on qua I'd
to shoot any who should fix his eyes upon the
house he inhabited. .'If you MISS" said he, in
giving this ruthless order, II shall not miss you u
presenting at the astonished sentinel loaded fire.
lock. This order spread CONSERVATION through
the city; and those who Obliged to pass his
residence, walked with their eyes fixed on the
ground.
Imagination can scarcely conceive the horrors
OF the prisons of Assumption at this period. In
these abodes of human wretchedneSs were seen
mingled in one undistngushed mass, Indiana and
nulattoes, blacks and whites; no distinction of
rank, 10 graduation of crime was observed The
condemned and the accused, the bandit and Tho
patriot, the debtor and the murderer were all
linked together in the same letters. The fema lie
prisoners were separated from the others by a
slight railing; and hore the picture assumes if
possible, darker shade. Young women of rank,
IN the full bloom of youth and beauty, asso-