The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-07
THE PARAGUAYAN DIFFICULTIES.

The Ltelhgeneer, in reply to our comments on its
first article this subject enters upon elaborate
review of the controversy between the governments
Of the United States and Paraguay, introducing
raj papers in support Of its original proposition, that
the more regular course of diplomatic procedure
should have been exhausted before an appeal was
made to force. We think we may, with great
deal of confidence the Inteigencer that there
is no occasion for its alarms in this connection, and
that the Irregular course of diplomatic procedure
will not be departed from When President Lopez de-
clined in November 1856, to exchange Publications
of the treaty he invited tho President of the United
States to send plenipotentiary to Paraguay ''to
new the negotiations ola treaty of friendship, COM
merce, and navigation" and Judge Bowlin now goes
as such plenipotentiary. 1t is only in the event of
failure of the negoationsof refusal on the part of
Paraguay to accede to satisfactory and honorable
settlement of the pending difculties-that resort
to force is contemplated. Diplomacy must first be
exhausted. AT the same time past intercourse
with Paraguay admonshed the President of the me-
cessty of conducting the negotiation under the most
favorable circumstances and the naval force in that
quarter has accordingly been strengthened to meet
any emergency. The wisdom Of this demonstration
we venture to predict will be amply indicated by
the satisfactory result Of negotiations thus avoraby
resumed. Under any other circumstances we might
anticipate another failure 1t was doubtless this con-
viction that influenced the President to bring the
subject to the attention of Congress in his annual
message in the following extract, which states the.
whole case in brief:
II regret to inform you that the President of Paraguay
has refused to ray the treaty between the United States
and that State amended by the Senate the signature
Of which mentioned In the message of my predeces
to Congress at the opening of its session in December
1853 The assigned for this refusal will appear
in the correspondence herewith submitted.
1t being desirable to ascertain the fitness of the river
La Plata and its tributaries for navigation by steam the
United States steamer Water Witch was sent thitbor for
that purpose in 1853 This enterprise was successfully
carried until February, 1855, when whilst in the
peaceful prosecution of her voyage up the Parana river
the steamer was fired upon by Paraguayan fort The
fire returned but as the Water Witch was of small
force, and not designed for offensive operations she re-
tired from the conflict. The preext upon which the at
tack made decree of the President of Paraguay
of October 1854 prohibiting foreign from
navigating the rivers of that State AS Paraguay how
ever the of bat bank of the river of that
name, the other belonging to Correntes State of the
Argentine Confederation the right of its government to
expect that such decree would be obeyed cannot be
acknowledged But the Water Witch was not properly
speaking vessel ofwar She small steamer en-
gagged in scientific enterprise intended for the advantage
Of commercial States generally. Under these crcum
stances constrained consider the attack upon her
as unjustifable and calling for satisfaction from the
Panguayah government
Citizens of the United States, also who were estab
sed in business in Paraguay have had their property
seized and taken from Them and have otherwise been
treated by the authorities in insulting and arbitrary
manner which requires redress
q demand for these purposes will be made In firm
but conciliatory spirit This will the more probably he
Granted If the Executive shall have athoritv To se
means in the event of refusal This is accordingly rec
commended
President Lopez had twice refused to exchange
Publications of the treaty, assigning one reason at
one time and another at the second application
both mere pretexts of the most frivolous character
The thirty-two amendments were alone referred to
in the letter from the Paraguayan Minister Of State
to Mr.. Fitzpatrick for declining to ratify
the treaty. But, if the outrages" of the Water
Witch and proceedings Of Mr.. Hopkins had also
been produced by way Of objections they would not
have strengthened the position of President Lopez
these "outrages,' estimated at valuation of "mil-
lions of dollars" being nothing more than frivolous
pretexts and to offset the claims against his govern
ment, TO avoid what he had determined not to do
If they had any real foundation, is it not probable
that Paraguay would have sent penipotentary to
the United States to demand an apology and indem-
nity2
We cannot perceive that the precise situation Of
the Water Witch at the time she was fred into from
Fort Itapiru-whether near the Paraguay or Cor
rientes bank Of the Parana rver-aiccts in the least
the merits of this affair. II is quite evident that