The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-12-11
The Paraguay Business-Let Both
O.. Sides Be Heard.
From the Albany Evening Journal.

FROM the Albany Evening journal.
1t is given out to the world that General
James Watson Webb, our Minister to Bra
zil, endorses the course of Mr. Washburn,
whose esclauade from Paraguay has recent-
ly attracted so much attention. This fact
will be received with due respect. 1t may
serve to mitigate for Washburn the almost
undivided contempt of his countrymen.
The correspondence between Washhurn
itez, has been published. 1t shows that
there may be two sides to story, and that
we would do we'll to curb our rage before
declaring war upon tie South American
Republic, and laying its chief commercial
town in ashes, as has been suggested. In
this discussion, Benitez certainly appears
at an advantage. He shows that Wash
burns house was made the refuge of per-
sons charged with crimes against the Gov>
ernment that he transccnded the laws of
war In b. lding them after he had been in
formed of their character; that even while
thus protected, these persons were engaged
In correspondence through the lines with
the enemy. Washburn, after lodging and
euuivocating, is finally forced to admit that
his hospitality was abused, and that such
transactions did occur, though without his
knowledge. Here the shrcwd Minister
brings forward evidence TO prove that
Washburn himse,f was at one time the
bearer OF such correspondence, and he held
in his possession reasonable documents,
which he refused to surrender.
1t may serve to explain the cowardly
conduct of Washburn, and the reluctance
of tie Paraguayan Government to let him
depart, if it should be proven that he, as
we'll rs Bliss and Masterson, was engaged
in plot against Lopez; that he acted in
concert with those who projected the over
thruS of the martial President that he
was to .sceive five hundred thousand dol
lars for recognizing the rebels as the Gov
ernment in fact. These are charges made
by party in interest. 1t Is true. But
they, at least, have as much weight of
probability to support them, ds those pre-:
ferred by Washburn in his undighlied aud
bombastic letters; they explain what would
else be inexplicable the resoIut1 and per>
severing course Of the Paraguayan au,hori-
ties in carrying out measures against Amer
lean subjects, which they must have known
would have arrayed against them the for
mda BILE opposition OF the United States,
unless they were warranted under the laws
of nations. 1t is difficult to conceive of
any reason why Lopez and his advisers
should have invented charges against our
representatives,; or why these were made
the basis OF criminal prosecution, if purely
imaginary, as Washburn contends. For
certainly, Paraguay had nothing to gain by
such course. And the friendly attitude
of our Government and people cannot have
suggested its adoption.
Ii may be said that while Lopez would
have been warranted in all its measures to
prevent the harboring of disatfected Para
guayans and the pertecting of reasonable
plots at Washburn's house-while he
might even have arrested Bliss and Master
son and sent them out of the try-he
had no power to detain for trial and pun
ishment the attaches of a Legation. Upon
this point, it must be remembered that we
have yet no information, otherwise than
from Washburn, as to what was done to
Bliss and Masterson. Again the Para
guayan Minister denies that these men
were accredited members of our Legation,
or had been recognized as such by the Gov
ernment. On the contrary, Bliss, he as
snris, ~as &, r1liiiral adven,,nrer. and Mass
at the house of ashburn--both being
actively engaged in treaso 1ablc, revolution
airy plots.
This statement puts new phase upon
the matter. 1t may be shown that the
charges against Washburn are untrue.
But at least, they present question, which
our Government will undoubtedly feel call
ed upon to try fairly, before demanding
reparation from that of Paraguay. And
while it is pending, the demands for vigor-
GUS military measures are equally unjust
and unwse. IL will be time to talk OF
these, when we become sure that we have
not reason to apologize for the conduct oi
our Minister.