Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-04-22
LOPEZ.
The Unhappy President of Para
quay.

quay.
More than once during the long war on
the La Plata, Brazilian reports have
killed the dictator of Paraguay, and his
obituary has been printed in the Ameri-
can and European papers. 1t looks now
as if the story of his capture and death
in the wilds of the Matto Crosse is true
The report comes by the Rio de Janeiro
monthly packet to Lisbon, and London
dispatches say that the news is fully con-
frmed.
The remarkable man who has so long
resisted the combined efforts of two pow
erful nations, assisted by q third, to des-
stroy his power, was born in Paraguay In
1927. He was the son of the former
President, Don Carlos Lopez, man OF
singular astuteness, energy and resolu-
| tiol, Don Carlos succeeded TO the des-
poti,: power of Dr. Francia in 1874.
Para quay, ever since it threw off the
Spani sh yoke, was ruled by the imperious
will of one man. Francia was its lord
for thirty years. Before his death was
announced, the elder Lopez succeeded
in establishing himself as the successor,
and when he died in 1862, after a san
Culinary and oppressive reign of eighteen
years, he left by will, according TO the
constitution of Francia, the scepter to
his son Don Francisco Solano Lopez
Paraguay, though in name a republic,
was never otherwise than despotie mon
archy, and its ruler was less trammeled
by law and conscience than the master
of the Orient ON the banks of the Bos-
phorus.
Before the elder Lopez passed away
he sent his son to Europe to study the
world and to improve his mind and man
ners. Don Francisco went abroad os-
tensibly on a diplomatic mission. He
travelled, as the heirs of royal houses are
wont to travel, in care of a trusted officer
of the court, which in this case happened
to be an old Italian General, who had
seen much service in the Valley of the
La Plata. The Prince and his guardian
visited the leading capitals of the Conti--
nent, and in most places negotiated
commercial treaties. An exaggerated
notion prevailed in Europe, at that time,
of the value of the growing trade OF the
/ La Plata. and young Lopez was received
with much consideration. Before he left
the Old World he contracted domestic
alliance which lasted through all his sub
seouent fortunes, both good and bad, and
which exerted a material influence upon
the country over which he was to rule.
He met in Dublin one Eliza Lynch, an
Irish woman. the wife Of a surgeon in the
French army. She left her husband and
followed Lopez to Paraguay as his mis-
tress, and became in time the mother OF
-llm
was unlimited. 1t was the belief Of the
victims of the dictator S relentless policy
that Madame Lynch influenced HIM to
the commission of his worst acts OF cru
city, and nerved him to the desperate
resolution to sacrifice the whole Para.
guayan people to tn econsummation OF
his personal ambition
Lopez became President in 1862 A
year later he dispatched Senor Herrera,
one of the highest naval officers, to
! Europe, with several of the brightest
young Paraguayans of European descent,
10 study engineering and military discip-
line and strategy When Senior Herrera
returned he carried back a large guam
tity of war material and score of Eng
lish founders and workmen. This would
seem to indicate that Lopez, at the out
set Of his reign, hde warlike designs
npon his neighbors. The war came in
1864. OF course the two sides had differ
ent versions of the cdsus beti. Lopez
charged the Rrazilians with violation
of the treaty made with his father for the
maintenance of the stdtH quo of the La
Plata. Brazil had intertered in Uruguay
in favor of Flores, the leader of the Colo
RADIO party. The Blancos were driven
from power, and this il YVES that Lopez
proceeded TO resent He seized Bra
lillian steamer on the la Plata, and thus
broke up the free navigation of the river.
He threw all the Brazilians living in
Paraguay into prison, and then suddenly,
without a declaration of war, invaded
the territorJ Of the Argentine Republic,
which was in alliance with Brazil On
the 18th Of April, 1865, with an army of
40. 900 men, he captured the city of Cor
rientes BY surprise. The Argentines
were unprepared for his advance, as a
treaty was in existence providing that,
IN the case of war between the Argentine
Rapublic and Paraguay, hostilities could
not be commenced without SIX months
preliminary notice mutually exchanged.
In May, 1865, the celebrated trip
pie alliance was signed by the
plenipotentiaries Of Brazil, the Ar
eentine Republic and Uruguay. The
Emperor of Brazil took command in per
son. The first battle was a naval one,
fought in june, on the Parana. aud re-
suited in the driving back of the Para
quayan navy. The next was fought on
land. at Uruguay yana, in Brazil, and the
allies were again Wet rious capturing
5000 prisoners. Lopez retreated upon
his fortiications. He made a strong
hold Of HuHaita, on the Parana. lms
place underwent siege OF Two years /
and its defense reflected the greatest
credit on the military character OF the
Dictator. Not until mfay thousand lives
were sacrificed or both sides did II fail /
into the hands Of the allies in July, is6s I
Lopez disputed every mile Of his terri I
tory He made stand at limbo. then I
at Tebiquary, and at last at Niletta.