The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-05-13

and the republic Of Paraguay, in connection
with the attack on the U. s. steamer Water
Witch, and with other matters referred TO
in the annual message Of the President, he
bs, and is hereby authorized to adopt such
measures and use such force as in his judg.
ment may be necessary and advisable, in the
event Of refusal Of just satisfaction by the
government Of Paraguay"
This resolution, offered by Senator Mason
expresses briefly and clearly the ground Of
offence our country has against Paraguay
and the measures ofredress proposed by the
government.
Paraguay is name that was once applied
to u large portion Of the vast regions Of
South America but has come 10 designate
only a compact territory 40 miles long 200
miles wide, and containing about $1,000
square q lies, and population Of not lar
from million, mostly defendants If Euro
peans from the north Of Spain. They have
a deep aversion 10 negroes and natives, and
carried il so far as to prohibit colorei
person in slG from entering church with
shoes on. They are mostly Roman Catho-
lies.
The following is the concise history OF
Paraguay us given in the books. II was
discovered by Sebastian Cabot, who sailed
up the Parana in 1926, and Assumption,
its present capital, was founded in 1886.
In conquering the natives the Spanish con.
qucrors parcclled them out among them as
slaves. In l5Si the first bishop oiParaguay
brought over a code Of laws for their pro
lection and in $50 the Jesuit missionaries
made their appearance in Paraguay, and,
-. ~ ear lsas ses..!,assSs- s.n' 1,csS, sac
ceeled in converting many of them and in.
ducing them to adopt the habits Of civiliza-
ton. There is much matter about these
missionaries and their wonderful success as
TO numbers but, after all, the reform was
not permanent. In 1867 the Jesults were
expelled, other priests took their place, and
the tokens Of progress disappeared The no.
tivcs were NOT elevated to the condition OF
an intelligent people.
Paraguay remained under Spain, a por-
ton of the vice royalty Of Buenos Ayres,
until 1910, when the South American rovo-
luton took place. A few years later our
country sent commissioner TO this region,
who reported to the Secretary Of State thu,
the events Of the revolution in Paraguay
differed from those Of every other province,
for they uniformly resisted the efforts Of the
other provinces TO unite with them. They
first assisted the Spanish authorities to rcpel
an invasion of the rev0lu,ionsts and then
expelled them and established government
OF their own. Their motives in 1915 were
not clearly known; whatever they may
have been they have hitherto con,riycd to
escape, in great measure, the evils Of civil
war" This country was then described to
be rich in resources full Of men and money
and quite independent Of foreign supplies.
This official report speaks OF Dr. Fran.
cias government, whose strange tyranny bc.
gan in lSlI and continued till lSi0-when
he died at the age OF 81. lie kept the
country free from civil wars KEEP, away all
foreigners and consolidated the various Gle.
ments into one nation. On his death, q
junta of five was established, which was soon
reduced to two, OF which Carlos Antonio
Totez was one. In 1876 lac was elected
President for life and he ]. now the ruling
power. His army consists Of about 10000
men. He is described as u complete dicia.
tor and grown old and TAT in tyranny. His
brother is the Bishop and his son is the Com.
mander.n Chief. so the government Of
Paraguay, civil, prie.tly and military, Is
family concern.
The great commercial even, Of modern
days is the opening oil the navigation by
the Argentine Confederation and Paraguay
Of the great river La Plata. Special tren-
ties were made by this country and Great
Britain with Paraguay in 1888 and on
their face is written complete. commercial
reciprocity aud after this Lieut.. Page was
engaged three years in the Water Witch in
a scientific expedition 70 survey the water.
Of the In Plata. Then MIR. Hopkins, son
Of Bishop Hopkins, Of Vermont. organized
company in Rhode Island TO carry on
trade with Paraguay, and as United States
Consul went TO Assumption. lie was sum.
marily expelled from this place. At this
time the Water Witch, then IN Paraguay,
did good service in protecting American cit
izens. a few month, later, this steamer
wa. proceeding up the Parana, ont Of the
jurisdiction Of Paraguay, on thu side Of Cor
fentfs, when nurderons hre was opened
upon her by order Vi Lopez, killing one man
and wounding Others. For this act repara.
ton has been asked, but refused and Presi-
den, Buchanan called the attention d Con
gress to the facis. Paraguay also has 70.
fused 10 rati!J the 1853 treaty Oh frivolous
pretences.
The outrage on our flag was uupfoyoked
and shond be redrezsed, and i, j. 70 he
hoped that Congress will cooperate with
the Executive 10 authorizing such measures
as the interests 81 the country may require.
Recently the Dictator has been, insolelt To
Brazil BIZ, the firm attitude 81 tbs coan-
try. no, unlikely has led him 10 settle mat
tiers with that nslgabOring power. IL wOuld
seem that the measure urged with 20 much
force by Senator Mason was Timely and
wise and we hoTe Congress will authorize il.
DgPAETURy o7 lyDiAss. - iesiesday
morning. delegation d iaDk'0wn Indians
numbering seventeen. L." ~, c,ty 10 Charge