Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-12-20
PARAGUAY.
Historical y sumg--Its Re
sources.

been made by Prescott more entertaining
thsn romance, the viee-rOyalty Of Peru
became one Of the four great divisions Of
The vast area en-
braeed within this jurisdiction has under-
gone sundry partitions, and the name
has finally adhered TO one Of the smaller
partieles separated from the vast empire.
Another portion, detached In 1T78, was
created into the viee-royalty Of BEneos,
Ayres. which comprised the provinces OF
La Plata. Potosi, Chiquitos, CharcOs and
Paraguay. In the vide sweep Of reyo-
luton which, IN the earlier part Of this
century, destroyed the Spanish power IN
South America, the little province Of
Paraguay was one Of the first 70 declare
and maintain Its independence. The re-
mainder Of the viee-royslty speedily fol-
lowed; bat in the formation Of rsFu5-
lican confederation, in 1910, under the
name Of the United Provinces, Paraguay
chose TO stand aloof, and has continued
separate State until the present time
TLecountry of the United Provinces,
know rIzso as the Confederation Of Ii
Plata. and, since 1852, more commonly
as the Argentine Republic, has ezpe-
rienced numerous changes and varying
fortunes- the Government having been
revolutionized thirty-six times between
the wears 1910 and 1885, then passing
undcr the dictatorship Of Rosas. which
lasted until his expulsion from ofhce II
1852. under the lead OF Gen. Urqulzs,
and the restoration of a republican gov
ernment. over which the liberal and en-
Hgthened Dr. Sarmiento now Presldes IS
Chief Magistrate. Paraguay, On the
other hapd, has had more stable gov
erument. though not really = happier
destiny. Il was here that Dr.. Francla
exercised his despotic sway-in which
| Thomas Carlyle found an inviting them5
/ for one Of his later essays-havlng trss
acted as Secretary to the Revolutionary
Junta in 1911, then as Consul, in 1913,
getting elected Dictator for three years
lin 1914. and in 1917 for life, which only
ended in the autumn Of 1919, when be
was past eighty years old. He estab-
lished q complete system OF non-lnter-
course with the rest Of the world, and
his reign Of terror. into the details Of
which we cannot enter here, impressed =
peculiar character upon the Paraguayan
people. not vet outgrown.
Alter Franeia's death, Congress Of
popular representatives assembled, and
made choice of two eonsuss, N accord
snce with the system subyerted By the
Dictator. one to be at the head OF civil
affairs and the other 10 bear the sword.
A more liberal policy was adopted, the
nation opened TO foreigners, and CON
meree invited. 4 constitutional govern
ment was established in 1874, with Car
los Antonio Lopez for President. who
: was subsequently chosen On 1870 for
life. In continuing the more liberal
policy toward foreigners, adopted under
the Consulate, Lopez found many en-
barrassmeuts from the action Of the Ar
gentine Republic, which controlled the
river La Plata to the ocean, and mate'
riallv crippled the .Psraguayan trade
This was finally carried so far that France
and England united In aiding the expuI
sion of Rosas, the BueuOs Ayrean Die
, tator. which was effected In February
! l1S52. 4 decree of the Argentine Cen
federation, in October Of that year, msd'
; the navigation of the rivers La Plata
p Paraguay and Parana free TO all nations
Carlos Antonio Lopez died IN Septem
q her. 1862. and the National Congress
D specially convened TO elect his successor
It unanimously chose his son, Frsncisc'
Solano Lopez, who still holds the ofheI
2 of President. He Is also General-in
a Chief Of the Army. with the rank 0
- Marshal. He has apparently lnelne'
&c toward the course Of DR.. Franela, with
n ont his tact and sagaeity, and has falie
y -a-.s-,bi -r-i.h- -. - -
. tions, which have at length gone to va
IT with him. His allied enemies are Bra
n zil the Argentine Republic, and the Re
: public Of Uruguay. As yet, the alhe'
i powers have been kept at bay, by the de
a ieusive warfare Of Lopez, and the assall
lt ing party deserves no great credit &c
skill or energy, as hosthties have no
As continued for more than three year
D L,opez claims to have gained an lmpoI
!. tant victory over the allies in battl
a. fought on the oath Of September last,
as Yileta. and Brazilian accounts impl
Of that his new position (since retiring frol
ne Humaita) Is deemed impregnable-
* Paraguay has an area computed I
s. % 106 square miles, having a provin'
n of Brazil on Its northern boundary, Il
de Parana river on the east and south, an
the Paraguay on the west. These "
Is rivers unite to form the Rio de La Pa
sh river Of silver name which attsehe
through another derivation, to the y
IN oeutine Republiel The Paraus max
OF nearly right angle at the southea
az corner of Paraguay, so that ITS territol
- has the form of paTallelogrsm, q
ne, length being about 40 miles, from nor
rst to south. and the breadth about Zl6 mile
a. A somewhat elevated mountain rani
ew extends through the State from north
OF sonth nearly in the center, the wste
.p- she'd being nowhere moro than 100 NIL
He distant from either Of its boundary II
Ter ers Its tropical climate Is attemPer
al bv the mountains, and is said to be sal
a br;ous. Bordering on the great rive
are rich alluvial plains, on which gre
TO numbers of cattle are pastured, WI
the SUGAR cane. cotton, tobacco, rice and
he dian corn grow abundantly under mo
an, crate cultivation. The growth Of veg
, Of tst;aa is luxuriant, and the country
wooded. The products Of valuable gu
the from the forests, and Of rhubarb, ging
uld sarsaparilla, jslap, hquOrice, etc, as "
mid a. of cOehineal, indigo, vermiliion, >
from. and other vegetable dye-stutfs, n
ong he procured to an almost unlimited
an tent. There Is scarcely country IN
hat world more inviting to eommeree and
s, adventure.
the With all its advantages, however,
ioes population Of Paraguay falls vastly
low its capabilities, amounting at the
nsy reported census (1s571 to only l,S37 4
IKE Its towns are mostly very small,
largest, except the capital, number
mere; met only from / 900 TO 1000 inhabital
The capital, AscunsiOn, for long t
merely a Spanish fort, on the Parsgl
river has about $4,000 inhabitants.
ain! streets are crooked and unpayed,
Al an houses chiefly built of mud, and Its g
'arer eral appearance mean and irregu
The descendants Of the Spanish race
the country proudly, and the nj
races. as well as the few negroes and