Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-10-15
The Paraguay Expedition.


By the Republic Of paraguay. slow that
the Administration is resolved not to do
things by halves. The size oethe feet
desi gned for this expedition is beginning
to attract considerable attention. The
armament, when completed, will consist
Of sixteen ships of war-eight steamers
Misunderstanding yesselsAallz manned
and equipped with every improvement of
modern military and naval science. Be-
sides the. 1egularcomplen1ent of seamen.
the feet will carry out large marine
force, which is intended to act also a land
f)rce. in case there is any necessity of re
sorting to thu mode of attack. By the
list Washington mails. we ascertain that
Judge Bowlin, the Commissioner of this
Government to Paraguay, has received
the instructions which are to govern his
mission. He is authorized to require Of
President Lopez an apology for the in
suit to our flag; to demand reparation for
the wrongs committed az inst citiz.ns OF
tie United States. particularly for their
forcible expulsion from the country and
to obtain from Lopez an acknowledgment
OF his obligation to satisfy all other de-
mands for redress. A board Of commits.
sioners shall be constituted for the pur-
pose of assessing the amount Of the in.
demnity. Commissioner Bowlia, is also
directing to try and negotiate CONNER
cial treaty with Paraguay, and obtain
some sure guarantee for the free and I'M
subsidized navigation Of the Rio de La
Plata and its tributaries, by securing the
removal Of the existing restrictions upon
the trade of those waters.
1t is contemplated that but one vessel
the Fulton-having the Commissioner on
board will at first proceed to Assumption
Should Judge Bowlin's mission be clown
ed with success, he will return immedi
ately to Washington. with the Conven.
tion. agreed upon. far ratification by the
United States Government. But if his
peaceable overtures are rejected by Par
aguay. then he will order Commodore
Shubrick to bring up the squadron under
his command; and enforce the determin-
ed policy Of the Administration by the
ulEimG ratio. Its immediate business dis
patched, the feet is ordered to show it,
self in several of the South American
harbors, and especially in those States
with which our Government is not upon
the most desirable terms of friendly in
IercouTse.
Such is succinct exposition of the
proximate objects of the Paraguay Expe-
ton. To refresh the memory Of our
readers, it may not be amiss to present
again a recapitulation of the causes which
led to the difficulty. These are thus sta.
ted in a late impression of the Boston
Post:
"a good understanding with this sin
gular Republic (Of Paraguay has long
been an object of desire with our govern.
-ment; and hence President Fillmore
in his 1852 message, announced with
satisfaction that treaty had been agreed
upon with this oriental republic' Should
it go into operation. the message reads.
1T will open TO the commercial enterprise
OF our citizens country of great extent
and unsurpassed in natural resources, but
from which foreign nations have been al
most wholly excluded. The Senate ap.
proved ;his treaty. and it was completed
March a. 1858. Lopez. the president.
was then friendly to this country; and
both parties having agreed to the terms
of this treaty. it was considered as sub.
stantially concluded. Hence President
speaks of the treaty as an accomplished
fact. and states that together with a trea.
~ with the Argentine confederation. it
secured to US the free navigation of the
La Plata and some Of its larger tribu!a.
ries.
But in 1858 a change came over the
mind Of President Lopez. He thrives by
mouoplies and the chances for private
speculations which they give; and on the
gains he derives by these means he sup~
ports his authority, which is of the most
arbitrary character. This year, compeIi-
ton. growing out Of this treaty. threaten.
ed to interfere with his profits This
competition arose in this wise: E. A.
Hopkins. resident Of those parts, was pre-
sented as United States Consul to Lopez
who received him in state, and in a
speech eulOgized our country for prompts
ly recognizing the independence Of Para.
quay. But Mr.. Hopkins had organized
trading company. and its operations be.
gan to interfere sadly with the private
gains OF Lopez. 1t introduced new spir.
it among the people. This inroad in
few months changed the feelings OF Lopez.
and hence the property OF this company
was seized. In 1854. Lopez formally re-
fused to exchange the notifications Of the
treaty. on the ground. as stated in au Of
fetal note of his foreign minister, that
the treaty was written in English. Two
years later. he still delaying the ratifica-
ton, special messenger was despatched
by President Pierce to obtain this; and
then it was refused on the ground that al
terations had been made in it. The truth
il. that Lopez never meant. after he saw
how competition was destroying his gums
to ratify the treaty and admit an extern
sion of commerce; but fell back ON the