The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-23

tho Argentine Confeoorau@.
Iur re nlawce RIO JANIERO Jan. Is. 1874
Sinoe the 18th we have had the Bishop OF
OhndA among US. In the category OF prisoner to
be tried Tor felony. for such his 'crme" II under
the Brazilian Criminal Code. The most reverend
gentleman. however. Ii very comfortably housed
In the Naval Arsenal in the apartments previously
occupied BY Baron da Laguna when Inspector Of
the Arsenal purposely reftted for the Bishop, and
the government allows $50 day for his food. He
Is Also nee to receive all Visitors but not corpora
lions. and, on the whole. is enjoying the position
OF "martyr" In very comfortable manner. 1t
had been intended by the Catholic Association to
charter steamer ana meet him at the bar, but
the transport arrived during the night and slum-
Der was too sweet. Next morning, how
ever, the Bishop OF Rio was early at the
prison gates Of the "Martyr for the Church
OF Christ" Rio dropped upon Its knees to kiss 0lin
da's ring ana ask his blessing but the meek OIin-
da fell likewise upon his knees and the two KneeI
ing pastors wrapped each other in Q solemn, re-
ligious ana brotheriy embrace. The scene was
most Affecting one. ana all the canons. the two
Senators OF the Empire. with all the other mem.
bers Of the Catholic Association, wiped away fall
ing tears. Outside the clerical community the
people OF Rio have taken the arrival of the martyr
Bishop with the greatest equanimity.
The Supreme Tribunal Is in holiday, and 80 some
delay is occurring in the preliminary formalties of
the trial. as the Crown Prosecutor will not report
on the Indictment until after the holidays.
RELATIONS TO THE HOLY SEE,
The result Of Baron a Penedo's negotiations
with the Pope is semi-onlcialy declared to be
"most satisfactory" but the actual terms OF any
agreements are to be maintained secret until the
Nuncto mas placed II IN execution on the part OF
seems that his Holiness has not abandoned any
Of his pretensOns to universal dominance, an
abandonment not to be expected, but has CONSENT
ed. IN view OF the assurances given him that Free
masonry in Brazil Is not anti Catholic and does not
consptre. to recommend to the bishops to use
thunders OF the Church, but with persuasion and
to inform them that the brief OF May last had been
misconsrusd BY the preIates when they drew nom
war poutrdnce against Brazilian Freemasonry.
But though the government feels, or processes TO
feel satisfied with the result OF Baron da Penedo'B
diplomacy, the FreemasOns consider IL o fluke
and as for the clericas they laugh it to scorn and
greater earnestness, refusing to marry or baptize
II there be Mason gossip or to read prayers over
pended priest or the capital for saying the
prayers OF the dead over one OF the deceased mem
bers OF an interdicted brotherhood. not Mason
The clerical press also teens with 0pprObiOus cpl
thets against the government and even the
Emperor. notwthstanaing the silent neutrality he
question, does not escape the clerical Tres, they
calling him the "heriticai Cesar" anu finding
parallels for him among the worst emperOrs OF
Rome and the heather or beterodox prosecutors
OF the Church
TENDENCY TO WAR WITH THE ARGENTINE cosrED-
ERATION.
However, the war question attracts far moro OF
the public attention, Tor little hope Is entertained
mere OF avoiding that war with the Argentine Con-
federation which has been looming for some time
past. y iscS w tear now that every packet from
the south Will bring Us news OF actual hostile acts,
the DuhC funds have fallen half
cent within the last week. The lear OF the imme-
diate outbreak does not arise SO much from the
at BuenOs Ayres has orders to make uDOn the stop
page OF the Matte Crosse mail steamer Cuayba, as
given TO the Brazilian land ana naval forces in
Paraguay to seize vessels bringing arms
1 WSa Snya seized to the ana as1 ted Ssr
strong position above HumaIta, in
~ sa ion
invasion was fitted out and armed IN the Argen-
tpe Qgfederation, and composed almost entirely
Q! Argentine citizens 1t being winked at, II not
aided, as is SAID, with arms and money, by the Ar
gentine government the object OF the revolution
being TO overthrow the present Braztltanlzcd gov
eminent Of Paraguay and supersede 1t by Argen.
tine tools who viii consent to cede the C6aco and
serve the Argentine policy OF annexation here.
alter. The Brazilians, however, have stu 1900
men in Paraguay, and two more small ir0n-clads
and three gunboats left Rio Tor the Plate last week,
together with the new commodore, Baron da Pas
sagem, who has been sent specially to take COM
mand OF the considerable squadron which Brazil
has IN the Plate.
AS regards the present position OF the two
Powers. Brazil is In very good order to carry on
defensive war, as her gunboats and small monitors
could prevent any Argentine force OF Importance
from invading Rio Grande do sui from COrrien ties,
the broad River Uruguay separating these pro.
vinces, and the part OF COrrientes which has ter
rltorial frontier with Brazil leading only into an
UppOpulated back country lar from settlements
and cQYered With forests. To aSSail MattO- crosse
is possible only from Paraguay or by the River
Paraguay, for the swamps on the Chac0 side rem
der land invasion on the west OF the Paraguay
impossible. But Brazil has several small irOn-cads
and gunboats on the Paraguay and the Upper
Parana holds Humaita, and virtually all the Para
gnayan River coast, together with the Island of
Atajo, at the mouth Of the Paraguay, where is the
Brazilian naval arsenal, and whose cessiOn the
Argentines are therefore anxious TO obtain from
Paraguay.
BY mail Just in from The River Plate, we have
news from Asuncion to January 10. The Para
guayan Congress has put all the territory of the
Republic In state of siege. The government
has applied to the Brazilian, Oriental and Argen-
tine representatives tor ala to put down the
volution OF CapallerO. who still at Pillar. The
Oriental can only give moral AID, the Argentine
whose lorce consists OF only about thirty men, re-
grets he cannot go beyond the city, but the Bra
lillian declares that the Brazilian troops and ships
shall, II necessary, cooperate 20 maintain order
no attack upon Asuncion.
The NINETY-S1XTH REGIMENT DIFFICULTY.
The privates ana non-commissoned oflcers OF