Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/505



CONCLUDING LETTER. 475

we are well, you will want nothing, and forget your Presi- dent, an Indian, old and pot-bellied ! ' And the moment that the commandant of the corps happened to be near them and heard their conversation, he reproved them and cut them short, saying ' Silence ! who authorized you to repeat such words uttered by that canaille ? and how dare they speak against or insult our Marshal, he being the handsomest and most gracious (gracioso) sovereign in all the American continent ? ' Upon which he called up the soldier, and asked him with what idea he had repeated a conversation which tended to wound and personally to injure our Lord ( Senor) President. The other replied that he had repeated it without evil thought, not knowing it to be blameable, and at once he was placed in the stocks at the colour guard, where he remains, the report being thus sent to the Commandant of the Division.

" Encampment of San Fernando, April 4, 1868.

Signed,  Julian N. Godoy.

" By order of the Most Excellent Lord Marshal President of the Republic, and General-in-Chief of its Armies, let the above-named soldier, Candido Ayalo, of the battalion No. 3, be shot (pasese por las armas), and let the individuals of his company who were with him, listening to his words, be chastised with fifty blows (palos) ; the execution of this sentence being committed to the sergeant-major commandant of the said corps, who, in carrying out the order, will ascertain the names of those chastised with blows, for the purpose of reporting them.

" Encampment at Tebicuary, April 4, 1868.

Signed, " P. Z. Resquin."

" In carrying out the present order, received with due respect, to shoot the soldier Candido Ayala, of the battalion