The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-16
PARAG UAY.
spicy Correspondence Between Minister
washburn, Lopez, and Foreign DIpiO-

q, o, bVHIts.-
What every one Is now talking OF is no longer
finance nor even politics. 1t is the great Wash
burn correspondence, the greatest diplomatic
scandal that has occurred here since the famous
Webb and Chrystie squabble, to make men
wonder and look wise with shrugged insinua-
tions and to give food for flaming editorials By
used up editors famishing for new materials.
Unfortunately, however, the documents were all
published in Spanish by order of Lopez, aud
they are so lengthy that Il would be impossible
to translate them and furnish them for this
steamer. But Mr. Washburn has published
some letters, written by himself and Others,
which give the main points OF the whole cores
| pondence between HIM and Beuites and Caminos,
| the Foreign Ministers of Lopez, and show the
| state of Paraguay under the tyranny aud fear
| OF Lopez. With these and the summary of the
events TO which the CORE spondence refers,
| which follows, may be conceived the long dip-
| lomatic battle which Mr.. Washburn maintained
for the inviolablity OF his house and Tor the
protection of American and other foreign
citizens who had taken refuge there when the
allied iron-Clads were ascending to Asuncion IN
February last, and the causes OF his inability to
continue his protection, in consequence of the
pressure and threats of Lopez, which eliminated
at length In accusing him OF being the acting
spirit in an asserted conspiracy IN favor OF the
allies, in sending him his passports aud in
seizng when departing two members of his
suite-Mr. Porter Bliss, his Interpreter, an
American citizen and MIR. George Masterman
az Engishman acting as doctor of the Legation.
Mr.. Washburn writes very long aud very
elaborate letter to the Hon. William Stuart, her
Buenos Ayres. This letter was written on the
oath of September, and says;-
Sir-When lett Paraguay on the l2lh instant
regret to inform your excellency that nearly
all foreigners in that country, including several
of your countrymen, were in prison and as
am the only person beyond the reach of Presi-
dent Lopez's power who has any personal
knowledge of their situation, ii seems to be my
duty to give such information as [ possess to
the representatives of the different foreign
governments, that, knowing the condition of
their unfortunate countrymen, they may take
such action as may seem most proper IN order
TO eXtricate them from their terrible situation.
Unless speedy action is taken there may be
none left to tell the tale of their auuihilation.
Minister Washburn gives an idea of Lopezs
merciless treatment of persons at Assuncion
after the battle at that place, and states:-
For time we feared it was the intention of
Lopez to cut the throats of all the foreigners as
we knew but little of any arrests at that time OF
Parsguayans. Ii they were arrested they were
taken. off so quietly that we might not hear
the English who had been in the legation were
detained in the railway station, the train came
in one night at midnight full OF prisoners. Tue
ENGLISH ENGLISH could see nothing as no
but the clanklng Of the chains,
and the sighs and groans of the prisoners,
as they were forced from the cars aud driven
forward towards the bank of the river were
distinctly audible. They were all embarked in
q steamer for San Fernando before daylight. A
few days after learned that that this crowd of
prisoners was almost entirely composed of Para
guayans; that nearly every man IN the new
Capitalize judges, clerks accoun ntants, and all,
save the Chief of Police, Sanabra, man emf
nently distinguished for his brutality, Benitez,
and the Vice President we're the only ones left
| there, besides policemen and soldiers-that
there was a gloom over the place SO deep and
| tunerallike that the women and children
scarcely ventured out OF their houses, and If
they did it was with fear, as if they had just
| felt the shock of an earthquake, and were in
dread OF another; For more than fifty years
was always the policy OF Francia and of Carlos
| Antonio Lopez, that everything said should
reach the ear of "El Supreme" But in the worst
! Gays of Franca the Government was mlld aud
! paternal compared with what it has been under
! this younger Lopez. People have been thro Hn
! into prison not only for saying things perfectly
innocent, and for not reporting wnat they had
! heard, but also for the crime Of rot reporting
what they had not Nheard. 1t is made the daty
OF everybody to be spy on everybody else and
| woe to him whose ears are not open 10 every
! word spoken in his presence.
The arrest of all the civil magistrates indicated
| that it was not the foreigners alone that had
! made Themselves obnoxious to Lopez. Bat
what 1t was all for no one in my house, as yet
| firmly believe, had the least idea. The published
correspondence, however, will show that about
the 18th or goth of July the Government sus-
pected, or affected to suspect, conspiracy,
| alleging that ex-Mnister Berges was traitor
and was in collusion with the enemy, aud that
VI der my official seal had transmitted the
correspondence 10 and fro between the conspi-
ra,oIs: i must refer .s you to the published
took to connect me with the conspiracy,
or, at least, as knowing that a revo-
luton was in contemplation. At first it
would seem that they were so confident
o: duplicating me that they began to publish
the correspondence, but after receiving my
letter OF the 1lth of August, in which bowed
I so many contradictions in the declarations that
had been made by the accused-probaby un Ter
torture-that they suspended further pubiica-
! tions. But 1t was not in the nature of Lopez to
| show any magnanimity, or even justice, by
| acknowledging he had been led into error by
false dispositions. Men who know him would
J as soon accuse him OF ordlnSry courage as OF
] magnanimity, and he never was accused of that,
except in his own Serndndrio, of which he is
virtually the editor. During all this war Lopez
] has never exposed himself to any personal
danger; he has never on single occasion
risked himself in any battle, and while he was
at Paso-Pucu he had an immense cave, OF
rather house, with walls of earth over twenty
feet thick, from which he never ventured for
weeks togetber and at the same time that his
organ was filed dd nduSudm with accounts Of
the great Lopez leading, with dauntless Valor
his legions TO victory, he was sitting quakne
and quiye1ing IN his cave, AFRAID TO venture out
lest ball might reach him. On one occasion
some two years ago when he was out with his
bishop and his staff, shell struck at a distance
of halt mile or more from his EYcellency
Instantly the brave Lopez turned and ran like a
scared sheep, with his stat, including the
Bishop, after him, the latter losing his hat he
fled afrighted after his chief. This Is the only
IL stance known of his ever having been in per
sonal danger; he has not even the vulgar merit
of personal courage, nor has he any other. Hi
frmness, carried 10 obstinacy, is the result o
people who have escaped from hi
power and whose families haV,
been tortured and otherwise persecuted Il
death, have sent messagesto him threatening t'