The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-29
The Paraguay Claims and Commander
Page.

On the eve OF leaving Buenos Ayres for the United
finished the work assigned me in the ex
poration OF the waters Of La Pata-I read in number
Of the New York Times the "opnion' Of the American
Commissioner in the arbitration Of the American
company against the Paraguay government.
The astonishment produced in that community by such
a decision may well be imagined land no one could be
astonished than win her President lopez when II
known that the people familiar with the facts and
circumstances involved; and the question was often
(ather often agreeable to American),
Wha means this decision Of your American Commission
err Can it rues In this country would be called
Of bargain and sale, but in yours it cannot Old Lopez
will be more yranncal than ever since he finds his
duct in such outrageous excused and sanctioned
by the American Commissioner and wo to the American
who has the temerity to set foot in Paraguay" Very
difficult questions answer, and comments equally
humiating.
And here in this connection most pertinent question
does very naturally present itsef-How comes it that
after deliberaton on and examination Of that
Paraguay question (when the very natural asperes pro-
uced by the barbarous attack upon the Water Witch may
have somewhat cooled DOWN by the able head and his
Of the State Deparmentafter the report made
in Of this examination to the President Of the
United States properly characerzng the outrages per-
petrated which he Judges offensive, unjust and OPP
pressve 10 require that the URted States should not
only demand reparaon for the insult TO the nations Gag
but indemnity for the wrongs and losses sustained by the
American company after the Presidents call upon Con-
gross for authority, ways and means of enforcing the
demand after tho granting of these, and the subse
quent dcspatching Of q squadron against Paraguay;
after this been done certainly in gnorance)
by those branches Of supposed TO be compe
tent Judge In such cases. the President Secretary
of State and Congress, before whom and by whom this
after the Paraguay had acknowledged its
indebtedness to the company in the proposition to pay
Immediately 10000 ounces equal to about $3.50 ,ooo)-
pretty good evidence Of indebtedness at east far
how then, ask that il remains for the Com
issoners alone ascertain that the President Secre
tary Congress, all entirely in error, the claim
myth and that consequentlythe case being reversed
the government Of Paraguay, and not the company is
entitled damages, for suppose defamation Of cha
racter9
My object at this time is not TO criticse the
sopinion' Of the American Commissioner; for whatso
ever may be my opinion (and confess to
small degree Of astonishment), that is none of
my business, farther than,' American
citizen my share of the modification occasioned
by so much about nothing and might be thought
presumptuous in so humble individual myself
learned and able defence of the Of the
Paraguay government but inasmuch as my dispatches
to the State and Navy Departments the subject Of the
forceably breaking up Of the business OF the American
Company by the Paraguay government, In 1864, have
been considered Of importance enough TO be quoted BY
the Commission evidence in the case have right 10
complain and protest against the unfair and studied
in which extracts have been made from them to
subserve a special purpose.
These dispatches contain, SO far my knowledge ex
tended at that tme-for by no means claim for
them a history Of the affair in details succinct
count Of the facts and circumstances attending the
rupture between the government Of Paraguay
and the agents Of tia American company. They
dcsirn IN
mpartially, IL the whole truth and II adduced
evidence should have been taken a. a unA, and mot
selected from suit the taste designs Of either side
II could never have been imagined they would be 80
used the American side OF the argument TO
, the Paraguay side Of the question exclusively.
Those communications condemn the conduct Of the
company agent, hut they do not sanction approve
that Of the Paraguay government. On tne contrary,
vernment OF the United States that the company Is en-
titled TO indemnity for the wrongs and losses II has suf
fercd under the expressions Of the Paraguay
and in few words, prescribe the mode BY which and
the means necessary to insure immediate redress.
COMPANY il should not have been left to
has been done In Mr.. Commissioners "opnion'' -
that they approve of the course Of the Para
quay government. In them both sides repre-
sented to the government, and II the American
Commissioner had been the Paraguay advocate perhaps
should not have been much aetonshed at the per
sstent Of the whoe truth but have attributed
II TO the zeal and right which every lawyer claims sup
pose TO make his appear the better side. But this
suppose; however this may be- 1t is presumed 70 be for
the satisfaction Of justice, and the public must judge Of
the justice Of the argument and decision frsn the evil
dence How obligatory then the part 4 the Commits
sion to set forth all the facts Of the se the "whclc
truth
viii cndeavor to supply to some extent this omis-
sion by extending little farther the quotations from tho
AsrSc1oS, PARAGUAY, Sept 20, 1854
To m SECRETARY OF THE NAVY
The Of this government towards the company,
part q our government not only n the way Of recama
ton, but should there TO reside in the country
American citizens their protection from oppression asd
marcatment would not be secured 10 the m unless by
the presence Of man-of-wsr. Az TO the property u
the company, which their agent does not take away and
the losses they have may sustain in tho interruption
az their business these arc matters for the home govern
ment to settle.
Again, TO the Secretary 81 the Navy
AsuScoS, PARAGUAY, Sept %, 1854.
one Of them The Americans connected with the company
would get out Of dhc country The tyrannicai course
of this government csn scarcely be imagined ny those
who are with cannot but indulge
the hope express IN. wish the Honorable Secretary
q The Navy that our government may take
81 aggression and tyranny will not be submitted
20, when exercised on American citizsns.
should be most happy TO carry out instructions 81 the
honorable tho Secretary, In relation to demanding ndem
nihcafon for the losses the American company has
tanned should he think n matter 81 sufficient i'm.
p-rtance to instruct the Commodore about
Tho same despatch prcscrbes how this could be done
AgpinsynopeaiR Report TO the Secretary Of the Navy,
August 4, 1885,
The time has elapsed when the ndiguity offered the
IA (aluding that Of tarbsrism to be found only
~ the dark agcshe attack the Water waich) should
have been avenged but trust has not passed when
the government Of Paraguay shall be made responsible
for the pecunry losses sustained by those American ct
and causcd by the exercise Of the most tyrannca
power
The above viii show that my dispatches 70 the Navy
Department do not altogether the Paraguay
government which would be Inferred from The argu.
mcnt OF the American Commissioner, and u he
supposed that the opinion somewhat influenced by
the selections he thus carefully made. those extracts win
further show that the dispatches from which they are
taken could not in manner, evidence a the c1ac
have led g the decision finally arrived by the Com
mission
The opaicn" furthermore adds force the declaration
often made, that nothing accomplished ~ the mis-
sion 70 Paraguay. backed by quite formidable squadron,
formidable Cor M least FOR the whole navy afnst
would not constitute formidable sqiadrun). ~ way
" correcting us impression. beg leave 20 say may
With certainty now enumerate two points gained First
ga assurance W writing from the Paraguay government
that the expedition for the exploration Of the trhua
ries 81 the river In Plata should be molcscd on IL
passage through waters claimed by Paraguay. Second
Iei the iamy Of Clancy 1.-THE poor fellow who was slot
down viii - the helm OF the Water witch. when IA
the work - scientific exploraion) should he paid
thousand dollars. II Is therefore 70 assert