Year: 1870

Lopez of Paraguay.


Mr.. EDIToR,-On perusing your issue of
the 18th inst, was surprised, to say the least,
on seeing an editorial on Lopez and Paraguay,
in which you laud Lopez as the champion of
liberty and equal rights, and hold up the allied
countries to scorn as despotisms of the first
water. VIII you allow me TO differ with you
in your appreciation of those countries, and
simply reverse your decision, calling Paraguay
the despotism and Brazil and the Argentine
government the two most liberal nations in
the world, next to our own country. You say
Lopez became President in 1862, which, on
the surface, is all right; but how did he be.
come President? Why, by inheritance from
his father, and the Paraguayan people had no
more TO say about it than you or L. Carlos A.
Lopez ruled the country with rod of iron,
but his rule was milk and water compared
with his sons, who made of Paraguay a hell
on earth, as | know personally. Talk about
trial by jury, talk about the habeds corpus, or
any OF those rights which we consider inalien-
able, but my friends, you couldn't mention
| them in Paraguay unless you wished to have
| your corpus minus ahead. Lopez's word was
to,c, no appeal, no trial, but the stern words
CumpleselG orden." There probably never
| existed a worse despotism on the face of
the globe than Lopez's in Paraguay. Lo-
PEI himself was educated in France, and
had the appearance of gentleman; but lie
was one ofthe most cool and polished villains
that ever came TO the surface in these coun-
tries.


You say Lopez senior guaranteed freedom
of navigation of the Paraguay and Parana riv-
ers which offended the Argentine government,
and was the cause Of the late war. In this
you are mistaken, for know that the Argen-
tine government was well satisfied with the
aforesaid treaty, aad welcomed it as a sign of
progress in a retrograding country. But how
did Lopez carry out his guaranty? Why, he
ruthlessly fired on United States vessel, fly
ing the stars and stripes, which was ascending
the river that he had guaranteed the freedom
of! The result of this was we had to fit out
fleet at the cost of several millions of dollars
and send it to Paraguay to seek redress for the
insult and injury, and when they got there
Lopez fooled them and sent them home appa-
rently well pleased.


For the last ten years you have been holding
up to public condemnation the leaders of the
rebellion, and especially jeff Davis, who COM
pared with Lopez, is an angel of purity.


You have written page after page about
perfdious Albion, British treachery, etc. be-
cause they sympathized with the weaker side
in the great Rebellion and lauded the leaders
Of the same who, they said were patriotic
enough to sacrifice their all for their country,
and now, with the utmost "sang foid," you
turn around and write out the same Injustice
in the Paraguay cause.


Next to our own country the Argen-
tine nation is the most liberal in the
world. They are copying after the great
example set by our beloved country, and
no people are received with such warm well
come in their midst as our own citizens. Why
then should we not cultivate the spirit of
friendship which they lavished on us :?
Have we so many friends that we can afford to
| cast the least of these aside? Remember
their noble contribution to our Sanitary fund
during the Rebellion, remember that on the
attempt being made to fit out privateer in


the River Plate they nipped the matter in the


bud, and in every way showed their sympa-


thy for us in the great struggle; and remem-


bering this give our sympathy and hearty


sodspeed in their great struggle, for it was a


question of life and death with them. The


struggle was the same as in our own case, lib


erty on their side and acruel despotism, grasp


ing and active and we'll prepared on the other


Lopez had been preparing for this since 1850


and expected to be able to take possession Of


a large portion of the Argentine territory
which, with the Braglin provinces of Matto
Gross and Curumbia, would have enlarged
his territory to more than double its original
size, but undoubtedly he would not have stop
ped here any mole than the seeding States
with us would have done had they succeeded.
One word more and 1 close. Our people
are not generally aware of the Importance
and magnitude of the Argentine Republic
L will simply say that, blessed as they are with
a splendid climate, with millions of acres of
fertile prairie, with navigable rivers for


transportation OF their products, with rail-


roads and telegraphs and larger foreign emf


grafton than we had in 1925, they are destin-


ed to occupy the same position in the South


ern Hemisphere that we do in the Northern.


With country like this we ought TO be OH


friendly terms. Why the Press, which has
always been the vanguard in advertising lib
erty, morality and justice should have any
sympathy for man like Lopez is more than
can understand, can expain IL ONLY m,
| the theory that you have been misinformed as
| to the merits of the question. and will agree
| with you in saying that our people have never
thoroughly understood it.


| Yours respectfully,


| CLARK III. BARKER