The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-07-02
THE IARAGUAYAN WAR;
Reply OF President Lopez 20 the Demand
! OF tho Allies for his Surrender-He Dc
c1ines to Comply-Is willing to Treat
for Peace ON Terms OF Equality.

The following is the answer ofpresident Lo.
peg to the summons by the allie 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 q written reply to your
excelences. .he generals-in- chief Of the allied
armies engaged in war with the nation over
which he presdes, because Ofsthe tone and
language. unusual and inconsistent with the
honor OF a soldier and the d1gnlty Of a chl.t
magistrate, with which your excelencies have
taken occasion to convey to me the intimaton
10 lay down my arms within the space Of twelve
nours, IN order to terminate 80 prolonged o
struggle: threatening to throw upon my head
the blood which bas been already spilled, and
which has yet to flow, If l do not consent to
the laying down Of arms, and holding me re-
sponsibe IN person before my country, the
nations which your excellence represent,
and the civilized world; nevertheless, / chose
to impose upon myself this duty, rendering
thus tSabute to that same blood so gener.
ousy poured out as we'll by my people as bv
those with whom they fight, as also to the SEN
tment OF religion, humanity and civilization
which your ex,ellencies invoke in ,our de-
mand. These same sentiments are precisely
to rise above oil the official discourtesy with
which the elected ruler Of my country has been
treated IN this war. sought then. at Fatality
cora, in q conference with his exce]lency the
ident OF the Argentine Republic, Brigadier-
General Don Bart 1lemi Mltre te conciiiatiop
OF the four sovereign States of South America.
which had already begun to destroy them
tive and most earnest efforG met With no other
reply than disregard and sllenbe upon the
part OF the allied governments, and new and
sanguinary battles upon the Part OF their
can bear witness.
Since then have seen mole clearly the ten
dency OF the war Of the allies against hShe ex-
lstence Of the Republic of Paraguay, snd de-
uut0 SAh ho, I,n, N-.fc
many years Of strife, was si]sssS= arss, lacns
the fate OF my country aud her generous sons
in TIE hands of the God Of nations, fought
her enemies with the loyalty and earnestness
have shown, and am still ready to continue
fighting until the same God and our arms de.
eide tho definite fate Of the cause.
Your excellencies are good enough to advise
me or the knOwled g you possess of the re-
eources which can actually command. believ.
ing that am also aware OF the numerical
force OF the allied armies and OF their re-
sources every day increasing. have no sach
INF 'rmation; but have the experience Of four
years. during winch this numerical forcs and
these resources have never prevailed against
the se1f-denial and courage Of the I araguayan
soldier, who fgnts 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 Hto-
rora and Abay should have decided me to
avoid the bloodshed Of the twenty first Of the
current month; but your excellencies forgot,
without doubt, that these same actions have
demonstrated in advsnce how certain is the
dependence which place on the selt-denial of
my. compatrOts. and that each drop OF blood
which falls TO the earth Is a new obligation to
those who sur vive; and before such an example
can my poor head be affrghted by the threat
80 very nnchivalrous, (cermit me to call 1t so)
which vonr eyceleacies have deemed It your
duty to convey to me. s, 5.t.s -
Your excellencies have no right to accuse me
because have defended her. do defend her.
and will yet defend her. She has imposed
upon mo this duty, and it is my glory to fulfil
it to the last extremity; and for the rest, leav-
ing my deeds to history, have to account only
to my God; and il it be that b ood must still be
responsibihty rests: l, for my part. am still
disposed to treat for the termination Of the
war upon bases equally honorable to all the
beliigerents, but am not disposed to hear on O
word as TO the laying down OF my arms called
Tor by your excellencies in order to treat for
peace. st3 - go 3s 8
Thus in my turn, believe, I comply with
my imperative duty to religion, humanity and
civilization on the one hand and with that
which owe to tho unanimous cry which have
Just heard fromemy generals, chiefs. officers
and troops, to whom have communicated the
demand Of your excellencles, and with that
wnlch-l owe 10 my own name and honor.
ASK your exceliencies to excuse nv not quot
ing sne date and hour Of your notification, in
asmuch as IT bore none, and was received in
my lines At a this morning. { E.,-
dod keep your excellenctes many years. .ss
FRANCISCO s.. LOPEZ.
TO their E7cellencies the Marshal MARQUIS de
Caxias. Colonel Major Henry Castro and
Brigadier-Generals John A. Gelh and Ibes
------------------s-- >xp .s-e-----