The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-21

burn's Couduct-Au ExcuIpatiOn.
LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, BOA VIAGEM,
Oct %, lS6S-To the editor of the ABgiO-B Bra
zuidn TRnes.-Sir:-Now that the uncalied-for
and incOnsiderate abuse OF Mr.. Washburn, the
United States Minister to Paraguay, has abated,
if not ceased, desire to state one or two facts,
calculated to Yindicate the character OF an
American official, who has faithfully discharged
his duty under very trying circumstances.
In the first place, Mr. Washbutn is the same
individual who, in 1864, then United States MN.
lister at AsuDcion, protested againt the ill-treat
mcnt OF the Brazilian Minister, Senor Wanna da
Lima by President Lopez; and when he found
that remonstranee was unavailing, threatened the
tyrant TO insist upon his passport and break up
his Legation If Da Lima were not treated with
the consideration his diplomatic character de.
manded, and the necessary facilities afforded
him TO leave the country in a manner suited to
the dignity of his position. For so doing, his
conduct was greatly extolled by the Brazilian
press and Brazilian officials, including his I'm
perial Majesty.
Secondly. The peculiar character of Mr.
Washburn's official correspondence with the
Paraguay an Foreign Office is TO be attributed
solely 10 the dangerous position IN which he
and his family were placed by Lopez, with a
view probably to their destruction; and which
is thus described in his report to me of what
had occurred, dated Buenos Ayres, Sept. 26:-
You viii find d. rdicuously long coTrespondencein in
ton, which was first published Dy Lopez 10 his SENT
tnuRnce OF this correspondence L felt my life de-
pended and my great aim was 10 p-oiong It TIL the
send up; wrote 10 gain time, all the while cherish
mitted any violence against me- for had he at once
proceeded to M that, he would hSye gone to the last
have compromised by simply beiog shot; but was
not make such dc ,laraticns he desires And thea
did not like to give him q chance TO pat forth any
be alive TO deny them. Our CORES pondence ceased
6s % %isp aye S nsys s 4s
containing imputations on my character would have
! Wasp arrived, and we were saved"
Thirdly. MIR. Washburn is no more responsible
| for the publication of that CORES spondence than
| am tor the United States Squadrons lying idle
in this harbor, when all the available men.of-
| war belonging to other nationalities have long
| since been occupying the waters of Paraguay,
and doing all in their power TO protect the lives
of their citizens. There is just as much justice
| in censurng Mr.. Washburn for publishing his
correspondence with Lopez, as there is in visit
| ing upon my Government, our people, or myself,
| the just indignation expressed by the public
| that our squadron-all of which, except the
| flagship, ispeculiarly adapted to river service
! should be the only passive one on the coast, in
| an emergency which demands prompt action,
not only IN vlndcation OF our national honor,
| but in the discharge Of our duty to the civilized
world; which, equally with the United States
has been nsulted by the gross outrage perpe-
trated on our Legation in Paraguay.
FouIthly. Mr. Washburn may have been i'm.
| prudent in giving expression to his feeling in
| regard to the dilatorness of the Marquis of
| CaXias in concluding the war against Lopez;
victim of that dilatoriness, and that it nearly
cost him his life. The Brazilian army has ex-
! hibited extraordinary dash and abundant
| daring whenever it has had an opportunity to
! exhibit IFS soldierly qualities; and he who vim
dicates its character merits the thanks, instead
| of the condemnation, of the Brazilian public.
| Filthy. Mr.. Washburn is censured and called
| hard names because he seemingly abandoned
members of his Legation TO the tender mercies
of the Wild Beast OF Paraguay. This condem-
! nation has Its origin IN manly and generous
| tpaI xIhln " N IDp md on1
| ciate; but 1t is based on erroneous information.
| II the Wasp had been lying at the wharf of
AsuncioD, doubtless, from my knowledge Of
| Mr.. Washburns character, he would have
| placed his wife and child on board, aud ordered
| the steamer to leave, while he returned to brave
the tyTant in his den, and share the fate OF the
members OF his legation; But such was not
! the state of affairs. Mr.. Washburn says:-"I
| demanded and received my passports and
| abandoned my residence, aud with my wife,
| child, and servants, and the two members OF
Wasp, but Paraguayan steamer, which was to
| take us TO the Wasp. When approaching the
steamer, Bliss and Masterman were ar
rested at my side and forcibly carried
| away. What was | to do? Follow them
and leave my wife and child in the streets oi
| Asuncion? We had 40 home to return to.
Should have placed my family on board the
Paraguayan steamer and left .Aem to the tender
| merces OF Lopez's minlons? My diplomatic
fuI ctions having been brought to close by my
own act, Lopez would not have permitted me to
| IGSulnC IuSul, anu ln6 SelLuIG VI Tue IueulU
| of my Legation, as much entitled to protection
as was, demonstrates what kind of protection
was in store for all of us, and OF how little value
it was to my legation as we'll as to my family.
| / will only repeat the language of the Buenos
| Ayres Standard: I'll Mr.. Washburn has erred,
he has erred on the right side; and his Govern
melt and his country will fully indorse his
conduct against all the caIumnies and ISLANDERS
now heaped upon him by evidence not worth
the paper upon which it is written.n
Very respectfully, your obedi, Mt servant,
j. WATSON WEBB.