Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1866-12-01
South America.
The War In Paraguay.

Il
Comparatively little isknownabout this strur-
gle, or the character oftlle people or the Gov
ernment, that are engagedin it. The following
correspondence ofthe Ne,U YORK Horld. un-
der Buoncs Ayers date of the 18th Sept, will
throw some light on these points, and will be
read with interest: Ir H.. .-r 90
The marvel of this age is the pertlnac-
ity with which the plucky little Repub-
lie OF Paraguay withstands the force by
land and sea of three powers whose terri
tory covers about,as much of the surface
of the earth as does all Europe Brazil,
by army and navy, the Argentine Rep,b-
lie, witha levy oftroops, and Uruguay,
with every soldier she has, are combined
to overthrow Lopez, the President of
Paraguay. The effort has taxed the en-
ergles OF these nations for more than a
year. Immense treasures have been ex-
pended, and i'll the fifteen active months
over eighty thousand men have been un.
der arms, and u small navy of iron clads
have been usedsby the allies. And Par
aguay still lives
All the. world knows. that we have
been accustomed to make light of Para
quay. No one expected a Paragran to
fight, He lives i'll idleness or works,sfor
the government and cup ofnativc tea,
and an orange, with a round of roast beet,
will be for him princely fare. The tea
he will dry himself, the orange is wild,
and after the hide is'takcn for commerce
the beef is reckoncd in the way. a tent
of rushcs or of rude sticks will be an am
pie house for him, and as for schools, elec-
tions, Postotfices, these are innovations
that do not find adherents among the
masses at all.
Ts Among such m iiicrt people one would
suppose the President to rule as a kind of
patriarch, and to sway the. large family
by a slow ditfusing, but an all powerful
law. This is not So. They rest from the
atrocities imposed by tyranny. They
have so often done and thought wrong,
and so otteiI'been awfidly ipnnishedfor it
that they make safety and vacuity synon-
ymous. I
Z lhe President'issthe hardest working
man in the Republic. There is no law but
his will. The executive power absorbs
all the departments, so there isnot bill
to be paid, nor letter to be answered,
that does not pass through his hands.
His will is The law Of the land No ma
tive can leave the country without his |
permission; nor can n foreigner settle |
there witlioutlhis consent. ,'Onc attempt
ing to outwit him in this would suffer-
sorely for it. No one can marry except
ms he approves he may wait for months |
and then receivean untavorable answer
NO native can give party at his house
without obtaining permission. Every |
fact, great and small, is reportedSt him
No editors sanctum was ever so finely |
posted in local events as is the President |
OF Paraguay. "A fTyb 1TS4F |
The knowledge is turned into account |
in the trade of the country. Every i'm
migrant and visitor must report his name,
business, goods on hand, ready cash, sc,
&c, and when he goes to leave he must |
do the same, when his balance sheet is
carefully examined. To export specie
one must pay ten porl cent, duty, Mt he
may pay native teas, hides, tobacco, tiul- |
Der DC, whose producer has al.a.lv 81 |
a heavy duty on it: and thus the t...sl
Of the country is increased, and arl tie |
silver and goldIimportcd a.u ..y a the !
country. Nearly all the fneia "a the !
belong. to the .Stare, T. G., to the |
President, and nearly alIjhe noises in |
the capitol pay rent directly to I.4n. SO
bis hand isippen ,sall things. 1t is a
hand ofpower, and, like gravitation, press
es equally upon all places.
The Congress, assemblies once in five |
years, 'ahdis allowed to'remah IN session
live days, to examine and pass upon all |
the acts of the preceding FIVE years :, to |
decree laws, and order Disbursements
Every proposition ever presented by the
President has passed unanimously.
These pecilliarlties have. aeniaineds sln-
changed from the days of Francia, and
through the life of the second President