same situation, for the last eleven years. For the explanation we must look to the dictator of Buenos-Aires, the successor to the policy and to the crimes of the dictator of Paraguay, in the person of General D. Juan Manual de Rosas. The domestic struggle which has agitated the countries of the Rio de la Plata for the last twenty-five years, took its origin in that great and universal principle which has constantly agitated mankind since the first organization of society,—the struggle between the progressive and conservative elements which characterize the natures of different men; between the principles of preservation and improvement, on the right balance of which the quiet and well-being of society are suspended, often by too slender a thread. On the part of the Nomadic Gauchos of the pampas in the lower parts of South America, the principle of conservatism has taken the form of opposition to European emigration and civilization. It is the barbarism of the pampas, against the enlightenment of the cities; or, as an Argentine writer has quaintly expressed it, "the jacket against the long-tailed coat;" these two garments, in a manner similar to that in which we adopt popular political emblems, having become the distinctive representatives of two sides of the ques tion. After alternate attempts to organize the country, those parties took the names of Unitarians and Federalists. The Unitarians, or progressive party, desiring a centralized form of government; and the Federalists, the friends of barbarism, a confederation. From discussion they soon came to blows; and after many reciprocal victories and defeats, the city of Buenos Aires was taken by the Gauchos of the pampas, and Rosas, their leader, was finally installed in the government, in 1835, with dictatorial and irresponsible power. This power he has cemented by the usual means, and with the usual success; for brute force in him who commands, and servility and hypocrisy in him who obeys, travel generally with parallel strides. This man is charged with having founded clubs of licensed murderers, who assassinated and poisoned, one by one, his chief competitors, or drove them from the country. Certain it is, that the country over which Rosas has ruled so long has decreased in population; towns and cities are in ruins, public archives mutilated, and the liberty of the press but a delusive fancy; and public schools, colleges, and hospitals are all gone, robbed, annihilated. He has carried on this exterminating war without any strong or well-combined effort, but with that hard and haughty obstinacy which destroyed in men's hearts affection as well as hope. A calculator cold as the womb of a snake, he is the imitator of Francia. A Machiavelli in policy,—as the Duke of Alba said when leaving Holland, so will Rosas say in this present hour of his tribulation, "all is lost from too much lenity.” It is useless to talk about the necessity of governing the Argentine people, or any other portion of the human family, in this manner; for a twelve years' knowledge of all parties among this people, and six years of personal acquaintance with Rosas and with all their prominent men, have taught me the contrary. Nor are these charges against Rosas false, or capable of extenuation, as he has so constantly said and published; for the eighteen years of his rule have brought the decimated Argentine nation, as one of themselves expresses it, almost to the condition of brutes. "They eat, sleep, keep silence, laugh if they can, and wait tranquilly, that in twenty years more their sons may walk on four feet.". And it is certain that even Rosas himself has never pretended to charge similar crimes upon his enemies; and I assert, from my own knowledge and the documentary evidence in my possession, that they have never committed them. I have dwelt somewhat upon the conduct of Gen. Rosas, by way of preparation for the concluding part of my paper. I shall there show the importance of the present movement throughout eastern South America, and shall be enabled to prove to you its character, and satisfy you as to the degree of confidence which may be placed in its professions and its ultimate results. Under a system of government such as I have described, it may well be supposed that a permanent peace could never be established. The Unitarian party, like the caged bird, has constantly exerted itself to the utmost to open its wings; and at each attempt it has only lacerated itself afresh against the iron bars of its prison. Yet, notwithstanding its sufferings, it brought Gen. Rosas, in Struggle between the Progressive and Conservative Eleemnts. 243 1840, and again in 1845, to the brink of Candelaria, on the Paranà. It is evidestruction, on both which occasions he dent to the most superficial observer, owed his safety to England and France. that a state of things like this cannot The reception by Rosas of the Para- last for ever, and that men's minds in guayan application for recognition may those countries must be brought graduwell be imagined. The application has ally to understand their own interests. been refused, under frivolous and false But it has taken them a long time to pretexts, from that day to this; and learn that they must rely upon themParaguay itself has been blockaded by selves, and cast aside all hopes from paper edicts, against which it had no re- English intervention or French generosource. For so long as Rosas, by means sity, or American indifference. Nine of his minions, governed the provinces years have thus been lost; and hopes of Corrientes and Entre-Rios, to the have been excited and deferred, during northward of the Paranà, he controlled this time, by seven different ministers the seven hundred miles of its naviga- plenipotentiary from the English and tion, in the most absolute manner; and French governments, who have disParaguay, deprived of all resources from graced the character of those two powwithout, and incapable of creating them erful nations, and at last driven men to within, has been obliged to keep as quiet move and think for themselves. Thus as a lamb, whilst the U. S. Government, tyranny, cruelty, and insatiable ambition listening to the false representations of have again and again shown themselves Rosas, has never, to this day, answered ignorant of the laws which limit their favorably the application of Paraguay destructive power. Gen. Rosas, after for recognition. Thus Rosas, though always threatening to attack Paraguay. has never dared to do it; but, from its geographical position, he has made it pass eleven years more of isolation from the world. Furthermore, Rosas has been the constant obstacle to all advancement in his own country. He has never allowed any steam-vessel to ascend the Paranà to Corrientes, nor has he ever given a favorable answer to the numerous propositions for exclusive rights to steam navigation which have been made to him, from time to time, and by individuals of different nations; for his power, founded upon those principles of barbarism which we have described, shuns the light of civilization and commercial concourse, and can only be upheld by the darkness of the tenth century. having thoroughly conquered his domestic enemies, should then have remained quiet within his own borders, and not have interfered with the domestic affairs of his neighbors. Whereas, he has caused or upheld civil war in Bolivia, Brazil, and the Banda-Oriental; and, while constantly intriguing in Chili also, has hoped at the same time to consume Paraguay by a gradual atrophy. As soon as it was fully understood throughout South America that the French President, under British influence, wished to abandon the city of Monte-Video to the power of Gen. Oribe, the lieutenant of Rosas, the Brazilian Cabinet began to look about amongst her neighbors, to unite them all in one league against the aggressions of Rosas, and to secure, for all concerned, the navigation of the rivers on firm and equal Therefore the navigation of these conditions. The first treaty was made magnificent avenues which intersect in March last, with Paraguay; almost South America in all directions, has at the same time Monte-Video and the been confined to small boats and schoon- provinces of Corrientes and Entre-Rios ers, never exceeding two hundred tons, all entered into the league, and they are and generally of seventy or eighty tons bound to furnish, each and all, their 'burthen; the Paraguayan never de- quota of troops, and not to lay down scending, and the Argentine flag never their arms until the question of the naviascending, beyond the city of Corrientes. gation of the rivers is settled for ever. The only communication which, during It is a movement of civilization, a natumy last two years' residence in Para- ral and irresistible impulse of the human guay, we were permitted to have with race in South America, against a retrothe outer world, consisted of a monthly grade and barbarous enemy of his kind. mail, carried by an Indian scout over It is to these allied states that we look the province of Corrientes, from San for final success. The object could Borja, on the banks of the Uruguay, to have been accomplished at any time, for Rosas has never been strong against ed that there is room for great improveforeign attacks. But the difficulty has ment. Yet if we speak of the elements been to unite interests, which, though to improve upon, it would be difficult to common, were spread over such an im- imagine any part of the world where mense extent of country, which was as they exist in greater or more spontaneyet almost without any intercommunica- ous profusion. Bolivia, Brazil, and Paration. This combination against Gen. guay, are the agricultural regions which Rosas has at length been effected with must chiefly nourish the richest comthe most perfect success, and has thus merce, while the regions nearer the Atfar conquered all his partizans without lantic Ocean yield all the productions of firing a shot. Its character is clearly on an enormous extent of pastoral countries. the side of progress, civilization, and It is in the higher lands, up the rivers, above all, humanity; for, previous to this where European emigration must find a movement, lenity towards competitors, home, and a field for congenial pursuits, and mercy towards dreaded offenders, which would not interfere with those of were undiscovered virtues. the native inhabitants. The knowledge which prevails among them about agriculture, is meagre in the extreme; and although in Paraguay they are princi pally an agricultural people, they know very little of the science. They are in the greatest want, too, of all our agricul tural implements; upon each one of which, the introducer would receive a patent for ten years. At the present moment,* Rosas is without money, allies, or troops; and a universal defection of all in whom he has placed confidence is only the natural consequence of his cruel system. The allies against him, backed by the steam navy of Brazil, are now invading his own territory; and Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Corrientes, Entre-Rios, and the BandaOriental, for the first time since their existence as states, understand the vital necessity of prompt action. The war has ceased-or, rather, never existed against the combined forces to the northward and eastward of the Paranà; and those who are about to invade the province of Buenos-Aires represent nearly ten millions of men; whilst the whole Argentine Republic, supposing that all parties were faithful to Rosas, cannot count more than seven or eight hundred thousand souls. The political condition, therefore, of Paraguay, Brazil, Corrientes, Entre-Rios, and Monte-Video, is one worthy of our utmost attention, sympathy, and respectful regard. They have published their intentions and determinations, which are in entire accord with the most humane principles; and their actions have been perfectly consistent with their professions. They have invited foreigners, with their capital and commerce, published decrees regulating tariffs and custom-houses, and offered special rewards and exclusive rights for the introduction of steam, and all useful machines and implements of every kind, the produce of the industry of other countries. PRESENT CONDITION OF PARAGUAY.In reference to the present condition of these countries, it may well be imagin * This was written in January, 1852. PRODUCTIONS OF THE COUNTRY.Beginning with the head waters of the river Paraguay, we find the productions upon the Brazilian side to be, gold and precious stones, sugar, molasses, hides of extraordinary size, hair, tallow, wax, deer and tiger skins, with rice, corn, and the different manufactures of the mandioca root; in Bolivia, gold and precious stones, silver, coffee-considered by good judges to be equal to Mocha-and Peruvian bark. Though, undoubtedly, we could draw from these two countries many other productions of tropical America, yet it is in Paraguay that we find the greatest wealth of all these valleys. Of this country and its commercial resources I can speak with the greatest certainty, from my own personal knowledge. Almost divided by the Tropic of Capricorn, its surface is like a chessboard, checkered here and there with beautiful pastures and magnificent forests. Unlike all other lands with which I am acquainted, it seems destined especially for the habitation of man. Here, in the eastern portion of our own land, the first settlers found the whole country covered with woods; west of the Mississippi the other extreme exists, in the vast extent of prairie destitute of timber. On the north of Brazil, in a similar manner are unbroken forests; in its southern parts, and throughout the Banda-Oriental, Entre-Rios, Corrientes, and the Argen Vegetable Kingdom-Fertility of the River Valleys. tine Republic, we find continuous pampas, like our prairies, in many instances, without bearing the necessary fuel even for household purposes. Not so in Paraguay, where, added to a sufficiency for building fleets of a thousand steamers, its forests teem with every description of ornamental and useful woods. The vegetable kingdom of Paraguay presents the richest attractions, not merely to the professional botanist, but to that important class which is devoted to mercantile enterprise. The medicinal herbs which abound in the greatest profusion are rhubarb, sarsaparilla, jalap, bryonia indica, sassafras, holywood, dragons' blood, balsam of copaiba, nux vomica, liquorice, and ginger. Of dyestuffs, too, there is an immense variety. The cochineal, which is indeed an insect, but requiring for its food a species of the cactus plant; two distinct kinds of indigo; vegetable vermilion; saffron; golden rod; with other plants, producing all the tints of dark red, black, and green. Many of the forest trees yield valuable gums, not yet familiar to commerce or medicine; and they comprise some of the most delicious perfumes and incense that can be imagined. Others again are like amber, hard, brittle, and insoluble in water. Some cedars yield a gum equal to gum Arabic; others, a natural glue, which, when once dried, is unaffected by wet or dampness. The seringa, or rubber tree, the product of which is now almost a monopoly in Para, and also the palo santo, which produces the gum guiacum, crowd the forests, ready to give up their riches to the first comer; and the sweet-flavored vanilla modestly flourishes, as if inviting the hand of man. Upon the hills, the celebrated yerba matté, which is the exclusive beverage of one-half of South America, has only to be gathered. Its preparation is in an exceedingly crude state, and could be beneficially improved by employing some of our corn-mills; and probably its use could be introduced into this country with advantage. Upon the fertile alluvial banks of so many large streams, sugar-cane, cotton, tobacco, of a superior quality, rice, mandioca, Indian corn, and a thousand other productions, vegetate with profusion; whilst seven varieties of the bamboo line the river banks and dot the frequent lakes, with islets of touching beauty. On the plains, quantities of hides, hair, horns, VOL. XIV. 4 245 bones, tallow, &c., are lost for want of transportation. If we go to the forests, we find two or three kinds of hemp, vast quantities of wax, the Nux saponica, or soap-nut, the cocoa, and vegetable oils in abundance, with two kinds of wild cotton, admirably adapted for the manufacture of paper. But it is with the forest trees of Paraguay that I love most to dwell. Giants! there they are, vast and noble in their aspect, and able, as it were, to utter for themselves the sublime music of the wilderness. Sixty varieties, already known, furnish timber of all kinds, and colors and degrees of durability, elasticity, and buoyancy. I have seen timbers of the Lapacho that have supported the roofs of houses in Buenos Aires for more than two hundred years. They are now as sound as ever, and, to all appearance, capable of performing the same service to the end of the world. A doorsill of the same wood, half-imbedded in the ground, and marked "1632," belonged to the front door of the house which I inhabited in the city of Asuncion. Upon the closest inspection, it was in a state of perfect preservation. Several other woods of this same variety are so heavy as to sink in water, and all, while difficult to burn in houses, form, under the force of a strong draught, a fire almost equal to stone-coal in intensity. Another tree, the Seibo, when green, is spongy and soft as cork, and can be cut like an apple; but when dry, it is so hard as almost to defy the action of steel. Again, we have the Palo de vivora, or snake-tree, whose leaves are an infallible cure for the poisonous bites of serpents. The Palo de leche, or milk-tree, may be called a vegetable cow; and the Palo de borracho, or drunken-tree, a vegetable distillery. The içica resin is found at the roots of trees under ground, and is a natural pitch, ready prepared to pay the seams of vessels. But I have probably said enough on this part of my subject. My object has been to exhibit a slight sketch of the great wealth of Paraguay; a country to which the prophetic eye of the great founder of the Jesuits was turned, only nine years after the issue of the Papal bull which established the order, and where his followers enjoyed, for one hundred and eighty-six years, the greatest power and wealth which it has ever been their portion to possess at any time, or in any part of the world. To this end I have mentioned roots, gums, woods, and vege- of his hands; and his decrees for the furtables enough. We have found the for- therance of commerce and agriculture, ests spontaneously producing every thing show a spirit of enlightenment rarely exnecessary for the comfort and luxury of hibited under similar circumstances. mankind, from the beautiful cotton-tree However much remains to be done, he that affords him clothing, to the colors knows that it must be done slowly; that which suit his fancy as a dye; and from too rapid an improvement must stand the woods that furnish his ship and house, upon an insecure basis, which may or ornament his escritoire, to the herb that crumble away and leave but its ruins cures his sickness, or the incense that de- behind. lights his olfactories. It is only necessary to add, that the climate is favorable to all the useful grains and table vegetables, with delicious fruits to support the frame and gratify the palate. POPULATION AND CHARACTER OF PARAGUAY.Of the Anthropology of Paraguay I have said nothing. Blumenbach himself would be puzzled to tell the original of some of the mongrel breeds to be found there. But the upper classes have ever been more regardful of their blood than in any part of Spanish or Portuguese America. They are brave, stout, and healthy, hospitable and simple hearted in the ordinary relations of life, and exceedingly intelligent and keen in business affairs. Perfect confidence in the government and subordination to the laws, are two of their cardinal virtues; and security for life and property is the blessed consequence. Tyranny enough they have already suffered to have learned to escape its toils in future; and their chief desire is to learn those arts which may conduce to their comfort and happiness, and elevate their country to its proper position among the nations of the world. In return for that knowledge their commerce will bring to us much that we have never seen, and will cheapen, for our manufactures, what we already import from other parts of South America; while to the naturalist and the historian the most extensive fields, of undeveloped richness and inexpressible beauty, will open at command. As for the character of Carlos Antonio Lopez, the President of Paraguay, I must not quit his country without passing a just eulogium upon his talents and patriotism. For a man who has never passed the frontier of his country, he is really remarkable. He has been stained by no arbitrary bloodshed; and even under the circumstances which I described, of isolation from all the world, he has reformed and advanced his country in no ordinary degree. Its whole constitution, civil, political, and religious, is the work Bursuing our route from Paraguay down the river Paranà, we pass the provinces of Corrientes and Entre-Rios, pastoral regions, whose development has been retarded, or rather stopped, by the Dictator of Buenos-Aires. In subjecting them to such custom-house regulations as he wished; in forcing them to carry their produce to Buenos-Aires, and there to receive his worthless paper money in return, he has driven them to understand the exclusiveness of a system which, under the name of "Federal," he has made more despotically centralized than his worst opponent of the Unitarian party ever desired. OPENING FOR TRADE.-Under a free navigation for these delightful regions, their exports must double within six months, and a new impulse be given to all their affairs. The commercial tendencies of all this section of country lean toward the United States, for many reasons. In the first place, we are, for our numbers, beyond all comparison the greatest consuming people of the earth. Whilst commerce with us adds to their wealth and comfort, that of England, our only rival, drains from them their very life-blood. We sell on barter or exchange, and many times have to pay the difference in specie, whilst the English sell their manufactures for good paper on time, and when the hard money is paid, it is not long in leaving the country and becoming embalmed in the vaults of the Bank of England. Again, we are undoubtedly better acquainted with the wants and the means of development of new countries, than the older nations of Europe. It is also certain, we presume, that our manufac tures, machinery, and agricultural implements, are better adapted for the wants of nascent communities, where labor is excessively dear, than can be the case in the old world, where the overcrowded masses are struggling for employment, and for the right to exist. |