The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-11-25
IMPORTANT FROM PARAGUAY.

Official Documents Received Mt Wash
tnrton-Ninister Washburn - In ter
view of Commander Kirkland with
Lopez.
The Navy Department OF Washington is in
receipt OF voluminous dispatches from Rear
Admiral Davis, commanding the South Atlantic
squadron, giving full particulars of the expedi-
ton of the United States steamer Wasp to Para
quay to relieve Minister Washburn, together
with letters giving much information as to the
situation of affairs The dispatches are of such
q nature that they cannot be made public. 1t
may be mentioned, however, that nothing ap-
pears to justify the apprehension expressed in
the papers as to the treatment of Alr. Bliss and
another member of the legation (Mr. Master
man) as will be seen by the subjoined extract
from Commander Kirhdand's letter. Mr. Wash
bum and family wer, received on board the
Wasp on the 10th OF September, that vessel
remaining at her anchorage until the 18th, her
commander in the meantime having had o
friendly interview with Lopez. Commander
Kirkland says:
On the morning OF the 9th at one A. NJ, l
received the letter, No. 10, from his excellency,
MIR. Washburn. On the tenth OF September
received on board from Paraguayan steamer.
the Hon. Charles A. Washburn, his wife,
child private secretary, man servant and maid
servant. On the eleventh called on President
Lopez at his headquar ters, back of Vlletta, and
took leave of him. He expressed the utmost
desire to be on friendly relations with the Uni
ted States deploring at the same timn what
ha termed the unprincipled conduct OF Mr..
Washburn, I thanked him for his feelings
towards the United States, but declined to dis
cuss the action of Mr.. Washburn. 1 request
ed HIM to send vessel with flag of truce to
escort the Wasp as far as the Brazilian iron
clad, anchored below the batteries at Augostu-
ra. This he cheerfully assentedto
| I feel bound to add that the Paraguayans
treated this vessel in the most hospitable man
ner, furnishing fresh beef every day, and fruit
for all hands on several occas ons. In their
intercourse with US they were exceedingly
civil. On the morning of the 18th l received
the letter No. 20 from the Paraguayan naval
commander, and left Vllletta accompanied by o
Paraguayan 8. Gamer carrying Gag OF truce at
| the fore, as far as the Guardia OF Palma, where
| I found the advanced division of the Brazilian
squadron"
Commander Kirkland speaks Spanish as
huently as English. which some Of our repre-.
sentatires abroad do not, and was thus enabled
to conduct al his negotiations intelligently,
and to arrive at clear understanding Of the
views OF Lopez.
Rear Admiral Davis, as will be seen from the
annexed letter, will accompany our newly ap-
pointed minister, General McMahon, to Para.
quay, and it cannot be doubted but that, in the
hands of both these officers, the honor and in
terest Of the United States will be protected
U. s. FLAG SHIP GUERR1ERE,
Rio DE JANEIRo, October 26, 1868.
SIR: l have the honor to inform the depa1t t
ment that I have invited General Mcmahon,
the Minister to Paraguay, and his family to
take passage in this ship to the Ii Plata.
have already said in my communication No.
1885, current series. that shall accompany him
to Paraguay. I shall confer freely with MIR.
Worthington. tho Minister to the Argentine
Republic and Uruguay, from whom shall no
doub: obtain information which will servo to
modify and mature my plans OF proceedings, l
shall keep the department. CONSTANTLY and fully
advised Of my actions. -
Very respectfully,
Your obcdlent servant,
G. N. DAVIS, Rear Admiral,
Commanding South American Squadron.
To Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary Of Navy.
Hon. j. Watson Webb, the United States
Minister to Rio, has written letter, in which
he exonerates Mr.. Washburn from all blame
for the course he pursued. A letter from Mr.
Washburn, dated Buonos Ayres, October 13
1863 has Just been received in this city, II
which he says:
You may have seen the late correspondence
have had with Lopez. When you consider tha
the men for whom was fighting we're eleven
educated gentlemen, and that when they left il
WAS liks going to the gull 'tlne, and that to-
wards the last it appeared that no exception
would be made in my favor; that should pro
bably be put to death by torture; that my wife
and child would be sent on foot to the noun
tains, to die of want and exposure, you ma,
Judge something of our last two months IN
Paraguay. Though we escll ed, never did per
sons ,Iuit country with heavier hearts. We
felt that oil our friends all who had shown
us any particular kindness, would, fol
that reason, be put to torture or death by Lo-
pez His plan Is that OF viclrious punishment.
If he cannot vent his rage OIL q person in bis
his relatives, reduce them to boggary, and
subject them to torture. powerlcsS at last to
selve any human being, my residence was sur
rounded by police and spies, no person, foreign
or native, daring 10 visit us. You Will un'ler'
stand how we dread to think OF all the friend:
we lett DeDlIl0 Us FlCtlLlS VI tHo lefSn9o @no
cowarlicc of blood-thirsty tyrant. Lopez is
mad furious with his disappointment and
conscious that his cause is lost, and as his
c.rccr has been but n series OF lnflMics, he
now seems intent on destroying the witnesses
and blotting out his record. He is the great
est coward ever known, and 1t was only through
fear that he let mo go. when Captain hlrk,
land, Of the Wasp, III response 10 his thrcat
that he intended to hold on to me, told him
t1at if ho dared to touch me our government
would have his head, II 1T had to hunt hlm
through oil Christendom, he then concluded
to let me depart. For hls conduct, as you
will perceive, I denounced him as the COM
mon enemy of the human race, and Para
r1lay as outside the pale OF civilized nations.
am remaining here to sec what can be done
to save the persons seized by Lopez. No ef-
fort of mine has been, or will be- spared to
rescue the unfortunate men who were torn
from me under circumstances of such peculiar
atrocity. For them kept myself in the power
and endured the hostility of the worst living
man. for them I most cheerfully sacrificed
health. comfort and fortune, and endured per-
serntion and insult. T did all that was in my
mower to do. My house was crowded with
fngitiyes, and 1 shared with them all
had and in all the horrors Of the sltua-
tion. All parted from me with the deep
est feelings OF gratitude. Had the Wasp
bsen ut Asunc;on when Bliss aud Mas
terton were seized by an ovcrpowerins force
and dragged away from me while on my way tc
the steamer. am certain that Captain Kirk
land GoalI lave promptly responded to my re-
nnest and opened on the town, but, as you ore
aware. Lopez had kept her below the fortifica'
-. iooora bnloU ASunciOn in order tC