page_title: Paraguay expedition
section_title: The international arbitration: zero damages
hierarchical_section_title: Paraguay expedition / Aftermath / The international arbitration: zero damages
caption_attribution_description: Cave Johnson
context_page_description: The Paraguay expedition was an American diplomatic mission and nineteen-ship squadron ordered by President James Buchanan to South America to demand redress for certain wrongs alleged to have been done by Paraguay, and seize its capital Asunción if it was refused. The expedition was sent without an adequate investigation of the facts; most modern scholars have considered Buchanan's complaints were probably unjustified. The real cause of the misunderstandings was that neither country had employed a competent diplomatic service. Buchanan may have had had an ulterior motive, such as, to distract public opinion from the domestic concerns that afflicted his presidency.
  At the time it was the largest naval squadron ever sent from the United States, and it caused a great impression in the Platine basin. Even so, had it come to war, the strategic position of Paraguay in the heart of South America was strong. Further, owing to shore-based administrative incompetence, the squadron had serious deficiencies. Hence the expedition has been described as "woefully inadequate" for the job and "a military bluff carried off with commendable skill".
context_section_description: For the international arbitral commission Paraguay hired James Mandeville Carlisle, a clever and distinguished lawyer who argued more cases before the Supreme Court than any other counsel of his time.  He had been recommended to President López by Commodore Shubrick himself, which suggests Shubrick wanted Paraguay to win.
  President Buchanan appointed his old friend Judge Cave Johnson of Tennessee as one arbitrator, and President López appointed José Berges as the other.  Sam Ward, the commission's secretary, was still presumably on the Paraguayan payroll, and José Berges knew it, for they had traveled to London together where he had paid Ward with his own hands.
  The theory for the claimants was that they were doing well in Paraguay until López became jealous of their success and decided to ruin them.  The arbitrators rejected this as absurd.  It was the arrogant behavior of Hopkins that was their ruin, neither were they doing very well.  Their award (August 13, 1860) was as follows: 
  That the said claimants,"The United States and Paraguay Navigation Company", have not proved or established any right to damages upon their said claim against the Government of the Republic of Paraguay; and that, upon the [evidence], the said government is not responsible to the said company in any damages or pecuniary compensation whatever, in all the premises.
   In his detailed reasons Cave Johnson alluded to the "enormous, if not criminal exaggeration of the demands of this company".  Hence the company, which could have got $250,000 if Bowlin had had a free hand, received nothing.
caption: Judge Cave Johnson, the American arbitrator.  A former Postmaster General, he had introduced the postage stamp.
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