Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-22

Early in 1869 he was routed at the latter
place, and was forced to abandon Asun-
cion, the capital, and take to the noun
tains. During the last year of his rule
at Asuncion he had diplomatic diff
Guilty with Mr.. Washburn, the United
States Minister, in consequence of hav-
ing arbitrarily imprisoned certain Ameri-
can citizens. Mr.. Washburn quilted the
capital, and took refuge on board an
American war vessel but the prisoners
were subsequently released after much
suffering. Mr.. Washburn was recalled.
and Gen. Mcmahon was sent out as Min
lister from the United States He sue
ceeded in re-establishing friendly rela-
tions with Lopez, and remained with him
in his shifting camp until Congress an.
nulled the mission. -
After the loss of his capital the for
tunes of Lopez went steadily on the
downward course. Though driven to
the mountains, he raised new armies and
made new attempts to maintain his au-
thority The allied army, commanded
by the Count d'Eu, son of the French
Duke de Nemours, and son-in-law Of the
Emperor of Brazil, pushed him from
position to position. AS his forces grew
weaker the feroeity of his nature in
creased He was implacable toward his
foes, and gave quarter neither to his
prisoners nor the Paraguayans who we're
lukewarm in his cause. The allies es-
tablished at Asuncion provisional gov
ernment, and the first act of the new
Paraguayan Congress was to declare the
defeated President an outlaw. A price
was set upon his head, and death was
decreed to all who should recognize his
authority. The finishing stroke was at
.Ascurra, August l3, 1869. Lopez lost
nearly 1000 men. Thenceforward he was
fugitive. With few devoted adherents,
and his mother, children, and mistress,
he penetrated the savage Matto Crosse
district, to the north of Paraguay. From
time to time we have heard of his wan
derings, of his skirmishes with the van
guard of his pursuers, and of his diet of
roots and herbs. A few weeks ago it
was said that he was striving to make
his way into Bolivia. Now comes the
tidings of his bloody end by the lance of
Brazilian trooper, after he had defantly
refused to surrender He was literally
hunted down.
With the death of Francisco Lopez
passes away the last vestige of personal
government in Paraguay. 1T will be
to the interest of the allies to maintain
constitutional government at Asun-
cion. The dictatorship has cost the
little inland nation dearly in treasure
Nh. - hao
duced it to desert. The fields are de-
stroyed and the cities are in ruins. Out
of population of over one million souls
it is said that barely one hundred thou
sand remain The fact is appalling.
Such destruction Of life in six years is
almost unparalleled in history. OF the
survivors the great majority are destitute
and actually dependent upon the Brazil
ians for their daily food.
Lopez was only forty-three years old
In personal appearance he was like all
the Paraguayans, of mixed blood and
swarthy complexion. He was fery fat
and short of stature, and inclined to
sensuality, both in eating and drinking.
OF his extraordinary executive abilities,
his management of the war against such
heavy odds is the best evidence. Whether
it was fear OF patriotism that moved the
Paraguayans TO immediate themselves, 1t
cannot be denied that they railieq around
him after every defeat with undated
confidence. Lopez was generally re-
garded by the people Of this country as
a merciless tyrant, although he had no
small party Of believers. Many stories
of his cruelties are related, and on the
other hand much has been said Of his
bravery and the devotion of his followers.
Ithas been stated that even the women
went into the ditoiaaG and fought in his
canse and that his men Wepe Feedy to
sacrifice everything for him. Surely the
complete, true story of this mans life
will be an interesting narrative.