The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-01-30

In Brazil or reduced 10 servltude In the Argentine or
Oriental republic; not 10 continue any act OF atrocy
warning your Excellency that the failure OF your answer
the continuation Of prisoners OF war in service against
s o. ar ,n sny new
against prisoners will put an end 70 any consideration OF
Difference on my part which have till nov kpown now
TO use, and, although with repugnance, all Argentine.
Brazilian and Oriental czens whether prisoners or war
or not found in the territory Of the republic or IN
yss rs army n will r IN aer per-
await your Excellencys answer In the peremptory
term oil hhy days to be delivered at the Passo ia
FRANCISCO s. LOPEZ
PRESIDENT HITRE PRESIDENT lopez
HEADQUARTERS, OPPOSITE BELLA VISTA, Nov, d 1865
To his Exccency the President Of the ReMbl, Of Para
quay, MARSHAL d. Francisco :. LoPEy.,-
! received the communication our Excelency ad.
dressed to me General in-ChioI Of tho allied army
from your headquarters at Hurita under date OF the
goth inst, in which, after rdesvng to facts that you
suppose net in accordance Hith the laws Of war; perpe
traed by the allied arm against the Paraguayan pris
oners OF the battle o. Yatay surrender Of Uru-
guayars well others which your Excelency cnume-
rates. your Exceency invites me to the observance Of
those laws intmatng that You will use reprisals If the
contrary be the case
Is my duty to inform you in answer, that all the facts
which your Exceliency mentions, also the grave
charges against the sentiments of humanity and self
dignity the part Of the allied armies against the Para
guayans in arms who have fallen into their power are
some entirely false and others dshgured all perchance
owing to passionate and supposed information trans
misted to your Exccllency and II is remarkable that a
moment Of reflection should not have convinced your
mind OF the falsity of such information.
The government of my country, well ms those Of
the empire Of Brazil and Oriental republic having been
placed IN the imperative duty Of sallying forth in de-
fence OF Their honor dignity and tho integrity of their
territory reacherousy attacked by your Excelency
most unusual manner among civilized nations assault
ing, during complete peace their land forcatons and
their Ships without previous declaration Of war; which
certainly gives character of piracy to such aggrcssons
ana having TO save from death and the most barbaous
depredatons the lives property of their respective
citizens both in the imperial provinces Of Matte Crosse
and Rio Grande and in the Argentine of Corientes
have endeavoed to make that defence under strict
lection TO the prescriptions Of right of nterna-
tional war And they have done So not only
through duty and honor, but also because having
seen with indignation and repugnance the vo-
lence and crimes Of all kinds committed by
your Excellencys forces in the villages and other
points of Brazilian and Argentine territory which Won
have had the fortune to occupy, though momentar
y could not incur the same crime they accused you Of
neither could they ought they to present before the
civilized and Christian world any other example but that
which they accustomed to do with their armies who
had and have the noble mission of obtaining redress
their national honor and not of pillaging defenceless
people and private property your Excelencys forces
have done both banks of the Uruguay they
trod Argentine and Brazilian SOIL far the villages of
Uruguayana and Passo dos Livres which they attained
leaving these villages and all the country around
pletey destroyed, large portion of the spos having
been transported and placed at the disposal Of your Ex
cellency in Paraguay, and by your ORDERS proved
dressed at Serent mes % Colonel aa
commander OF those Paraguayan forces, which
original communications are in the hands Of
lency sent into this province Of Corentes and which
vanced as far as the Passo de Sta Luza has committed
acts still more arocous, carrying violently away all the
cattle of thousands Of FARMS setting FIRE to habitaons
and leaving thousands Of families without a shelter in
tho wide praries which they have devastated; carrying
Their inhumanty, or rather your Excellencys whose
orders were invoked for such end, far the bar
bary Of tearing away from their homes prisoners Of
Paraguay the innocent consorts and tender children Of
the patriotic and brave cheftans belonging the Argep.
tine army, who had remained in the different points
occupied by your Excellency's forces believing
you now invoke in favor Of Paraguayan prisoners;
we have the right to doubt the sincerity of him
who has forgotten them, your Excellency has
done, even with women and children All these facts,
which Of public and evident notoriety will be an
consented to them, and consequently your Exceency
will have to answer Tor them not only before the allied
ths ho" wora that bss hes 20" OUT ao before
cry Of exccraton against you.
The wounded and prisoners saved from the conflicts in
which the allied armies have been triumphant have
been the first eived and treated in the army hospitals
on par with the wounded Of the allied army; and
could say they have been even more favored, by the
compassion and pity they naturally inspired as much by
the state Of nakedness and misery which they were
found, as by their position OF unfortunate victims
Of -advised ruler, who has led them TO death in
a war a. unfounded as II Is unjust provoked by a
caprc0us and arbitrary will Thus Il Is that far from
army treating them with severity they have all been
treated with humanity and benevolcnce, many having
TO different towns and portion Of them destined pas
sve service IN the field hospitals where their own com.
have had ngress into the ranks of the allied army but
by their own will and their having requested it, favor
which could not be denied them, when their country
men in the territory Of the allied nations had sponta
neorsy begged TO be armed soldiers and their right
as such had been acknowledged.
note contains What have said is SUFFICIENT moi on,y
to destroy them but also to the responsibility
for acts Of barbari'y TO fall on him who has com
mitted them, and shat, unfortunately, have occur.
same in regard to the isolated facts - which ich
hoc NJ. h,,xs
and exaggeraton OF others notorious that II would
be idle to enter upon refutation Of Them much more
be decided by arms Your ExceIlency will comprehend
that this is not a time for recrimnations
In terminating will add that ! cannot understand
Paraguayan descrter, Juan Gonzalez II such deserter
has existed it being remarkable that for the honor
In that republic you should have consigned In serious
note and with your signature, the fear Of the dagger
hat n 20
capable Of attempting TO take my life in
SUI such manner, because being in the habit
the enemy have had to encounter, am compelled to
do the same towards your Exceency As consequence
abuses which your Excellcncy may commit and which
ne spirit Of your note makes me forcsee formally de-
sTe 70 your Eacslsncy that the safeguard Of the lives
ellency may have taken by chance or treachery and
lot in an open and loyal struggle, in which your Excel
your Excsllsncy should employ means NOT
war Excellency viii have placed yourself deIbe
ratey outside Of the practice protection OF the law oS
-FOUR Escecncy nsnuatcs for then n will be eviSens
hat u your deliberate purpose make the evils of
war become more cruel, and which the allied Powers
which resolution they will keep themselves IL being
heir urn and tranquil purpose not 70 lay aside their
,lete reparaton Of their wrongs leaving the vndcsou
y them, aner the will Of God, to the power Of their