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Rh in battle, 1 March, 1870, was said to be a natural son of Carlos, but was afterward adopted by his father, and intended as his suceess(jr. In 1845 he was named commander-in-chief of the Paraguayan army, and spent some time on the frontier of Cor- rientes, nominally but not actually engaged in warfare with the dictator Rosas of Buenos Ayres. In 1854 he was sent to exchange treaty ratifica- tions with several European powers, and passed eighteen months in Europe. While there he met an L'ish lady, who called herself Mrs. Lynch, and who lived apart from her husband, a French officer. She followed Lopez to Paraguay, and be- came his mistress, a position not deemed discred- itable in that country, where marriage had been almost abolished by Francia. By her talents she acquired popularity, and exercised a controlling influence over Lopez until near the close of his life. On his return he became minister of war, and used his influence in the government chiefly for putting the country on a war footing. In 1862 Gen. Lopez became president by his father's will, and congress chose him president for ten years from 16 Oct. He now devoted himself actively to preparations for war, and for two years he was constantly but secretly receiving arms from Europe. In 1864 Brazil intervened in a Uruguayan civil war. and Lopez, declaring himself the protector of the '• equilibrium " of the Plata river, demanded that the Brazilian forces should retire. This summons remaining unheeded, he began hostilities in No- vember. 1864, by seizing a Brazilian mail-steamer ; ^iud in December he occupied the Brazilian prov- ince of Matto G rosso, on the upper waters of Paraguay river. Early in 1865 he sent 8,000 troops across Argentine territory into the Brazilian prov- ince of Rio Grande do Sul, and. when the Argen- tine government protested against this violation of its territory, he declared war on that republic. A hastily summoned congress ratified these acts, conferred the grade of marshal upon Lopez, gave him extraordinary powers, and formally declared war against Brazil and the Argentine Republic. Before this declaration was known in Buenos Ayres, Lopez seized two Argentine men-of-war that lay at anchor in Corrientes, and overran that province with his forces. Brazil, the Argentine Republic, and Uruguay concluded a secret treaty on 1 May, 1865, forming an offensive and defensive alliance against Paraguay, and before the end of this year recovered the provinces that had been occupied by Lopez. The allies invaded Paraguay early in 1866, and during the succeeding four years a war of greater proportions than had hitherto been known in South America was waged with varying fortunes on the soil of that state. Lopez impressed into service all the able-bodied males between the ages of twelve and seventy, and several lines of defence were maintained, but in February, 1868, the Brazilian squadron forced its way above the fortresses, and bombarded Asuncion, which had been evacuated by the government and all its inhabitants. Ijopez now suspected the vice-presi- dent and his cabinet ministers of disloyalty, and they were imprisoned and removed to army head- quarters, where they were tried before an improvised ccnirt consisting of three priests. After being put to the torture, the prisoners confessed themselves guilty and implicated others, who were quickly seized and subjected to the same process. In the course of a few weeks confessions had been ex- torted that finally implicated all the civil em- ployes in Asuncion, most of the foreign diplomatic and consular officers, and all the foreigners en- gaged in commerce, in sweeping charges of con- spiracy against the rule or even the life of Lopez. It is estimated that more th^ul 500 persons were either executed or died by tprture in the encamp- ment of Lopez during the latter half of 1808. Among those that were executed were Lopez's brother, Benigno, his sister, and her husband. Barrios, and the bishop of Asuncion ; and Lopez's mother was exiled for asking for the pardon of her children. The U. S. legation was involved in the charges, and, although the minister. Charles A. Washburn, escaped in September through the opportune arrival of the U.S. war vessel "Wasp." two attaches were seized and tortured. Their lives were spared, however, and they were surren- dered to an American squadron "in December. Early in January, 1869, after the capture of Hu- maita, Villeta, and Angostura, Asuncion was oc- cupied by the allied forces, and Lopez retired to Birabibi. By successive defeats during 1809, not- withstanding an obstinate resistance, aided even by a corps of Amazons under Mrs. Lynch, Lopez was gradually driven to the extreme northern boundary of Paraguay. When he was about to cross the river Aquidaban, he was surprised by a detachment of Brazilian cavalry. The Brazilian general, Camara, in vain summoned him to sur- render ; but his strength gave way as he was swimming to the opposite bank, and while bleed- ing from his wounds he was killed by two Brazilian soldiers, his last words being: '• I die for my coun- try." Mrs. Lynch was overtaken in her flight. The eldest son, Pancho, in the uniform of a colonel, fired upon the Brazilian chief lieutenant, Martinez, who thereupon killed him, and he was buried by the side of his father. Mrs. Lynch went to Eng- land. The forces of Lopez, reduced to about 1,500, at once laid down their arms. See "Seven Event- ful Years in Paraguay," by George F. Masterman (London, 1869), and "History of Paraguay," by Charles A. Washburn (2 vols.," Boston, 1870).

LOPEZ, EstanisLao, Argentine soldier, b. in Santa Fc, 22 Nov., 1786; d." there, 15 June, 1838. He entered the Argentine army during the war of independence, and was present in several battles under Gen. Belgrano. In 1818 he had become colonel and military commander of the province of Santa Fe, and on 23 July of the same year was appointed its first governor, being promoted general in August. He took part in the civil war that began in that year, and was defeated by the forces of the Argentine government under Gen. Balcarce on 27 Nov. in Paso de Aguirre, and on 18-19 Feb.,, at Herradura, but on 10 March at Barrancas he M'as victorious. After two years of civil war Lopez arrived before Buenos Ayres, and the governor, Rodriguez, recognized the federal government on 23 Feb., 1820. When Balcarce was elect- ed governor, Rodriguez, aided by Lopez, revolted against him, and was reinstated on 23 March. Dorrego defeated Lopez in the battle of Pavon on Aug. ; but on 2 Sept. the latter defeated Dor- rego in Gamonal, province of Santa Fe, and the war between the provinces of Buenos Ayres and Santa Fe was ended by a treaty of peace on" 24 Nov., . In 1821 he declared war against the prov- ince of Entre Rios, and on 20 May conquered its governor, Ramirez, in the battle of Coronda. On  May, 1826, he signed a treaty of alliance be- tween the provinces of La Plata against Brazil, and on 21 April, 1828, at the head of a strong army, he marched on the territory of Misiones. The Argentine national convention appointed him director and general-in-chief of all the national forces on 16 Feb., 1829, and on 26 April. 1829, he defeated Gen. Lavalle in the battle of Puente de Marquez,