The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-02
THE PARAGUAYAN WAR.
Reply OF President Lopez to tho Demand
of the Allies for his Surrender-He De-
clines to Comply-Is willing TO Treat
for Peace on Terms Of Equality.

The following ID the answer OF freslueut Lo
pez to the summons by the allies to surrender
Headquarters IN Pikysyng, December "a
| 1868. 8 p. A-The Marshal President OF The
Republic OF Paraguay might we'll hold himself
excused from giving written reply to YOU
excelencies, the generals-in-chief Of the alice
armies engaged in war with the nation over
which he presioes, because OF the tone and
language, unusual and inconsistent with the
honor or soldier and the dignity Of cblei
| magistrate, with which your e1cellencies have
taken occasion to convey to me the intimation
| to lay down my arms within the space OF twelve
hours, in order to terminate 30 prolonged Q
struggle threatening to throw upon my head
the blood which has been already spilled, and
which has yet to flow. II DO not consent to
the laying down OF arms, and holding me re-
sponsible In person before my country, the
nations which your excellenci represent,
and the civilized world; nevertheless. i chose
to impose upon myself this duty; rendering
thus tribute to that same blood 30 gener.
ously poured out ns we'll by my people as by
those with whom they fight, as also to The sem
timent Of religion, humanity and civilization,
which your e1 ;elencies invoke in Your de-
mand. These same sentiments are precisely
those which influenced me more than two years
tn rise above all the official discourtesy with
which the elected ruler of my country has been
treated in this war. I sought then, at Fatality
cora, in conference with his eIcellency the
general-in. chief OF the allied armies and Pres.
ident OF the Argentine Republic, Brig adler
General Don Bart ,lemi Mitre, the conciliation
OF the four sovereign States OF South America,
which had already begun to destroy them
tive and most earnest effort met with no other
reply than disregard and silence upon the
part OF the allied governments, and new and
sanguinary battles upon the part OF their
armed Representatives, as your excellencies
can bear witness.
Since then have seen mole clearly the ten
dency OF the war OF the allies against the eX-
lstence OF the Republic OF Paraguay, and de-
p.oring the blood which has been shed in 30
many years Of strife, was silent, and placing
the fate OF my country and her generous sons
in the hands Of the God Of nations, fought
her enemies with the loyalty and ear0estness
l have shown, and am still ready to continue
fighting until the same God and our arms de-
eide the definite fate Of the cause.
Your e1cellencies are good enough to advise
me Of the knowled you possess Of the re-
sources which can actually command, believ.
ing that I am also aware of the numerical
force Of the allied armies and Of their re-
sources every day increasing. have no such
information; but have the experience Of four
years, during which this numerical forco and
these resources have never prevailed against
Inc S6u-Q6utdl duu COudSc VI LILO dIdkudydu
soldier, who fights with the resolution OF an
honorable citizen and Christian man, that
narrow grave may open for him in his coun.
try before he will see her in any manner hu-
inflated.
Your excellencies have had the goodness to
remind me that the blood poured out at Sto-
rora and Abay should have decided me 10
avoid the bloodshed Of the twenty -hrst of the
current month; but your eXcellencies forgot.
tbo,, hf rEo hlv
demonstrated in advsnce how certain is the
dependence which place on the selt-denal of
my compatriOts. and that each drop OF blood
which falls 10 The earth Is new obligation to
those who survive; and before such IN example
can my poor head be affrighted by the threat
SO very unchlvalrous. (permit me to call 1t so)
which your excelloDcies have deemed it your
duty to convey to me.
Your e1csllencies have no right to accuse me
before the Republic Of Paraguay, my country,
because have defended her. l do defend her
aud will yet defeud her. she has imposed
upon me this duty, and it is my glory to fulfil
it to the last extremity; and for the rest, lear-
ing my ecds to history, have to account only
to my God; and il it be that b ood must still be
shed, He will take note of it and where the
responsibility rests. l, for my part. am still
disposed to treat for the termination OF the
war upon Eases equally honorable 10 all the
beligerents, but am not disposed to hear Que
word as 10 The laying down Of my aims called
for by your excellencies in order to treat for
peace.
Thus in my turn, believe, I comply with
my imperative duty 10 religion, humanity and
civilization on the one baud. and with that
which owe 10 the unanimous cry which l have
just heard from my generals, chiefs, officers
and troops. to whom have communicated the
demand of your cxcellencles, and with that
which l owe 10 my own name and honor. 1
aslk your excelencies to excuse nv not quot.
ing the date and hour Of your notification, in
asmuch as it lore none. and was received in
my lines al u this morning.
God keep your eI:eGcncle5 mluy years.
Francisco s. LOPEZ.
TO their ExccHencics tho Marshal Marquis de
Caxias. Colonel-Mljor Henry Casiro and
Brgadcr-G Generals John A. Cell and Ibes.