Page:Letters from the Battle-fields of Paraguay (1870).djvu/72

 ESSAY.

Republic, annulled the treaty of 1811, alleging that its terms had been violated by its neighbours. From that time Paraguay remained definitely separated from the provinces forming the Argentine Confederation, and her citizens, in- different as usual to politics, which concerned only their rulers, persisted in being absolutely quiet and contented.

The same Congress changed the Governmental Junta for a duumvirate. Two Curule chairs, one inscribed "Cesar" and the other "Pompey," were placed in the Assembly; Dr. Francia took Cesar, and Pompey was left to the Gaucho General, the Commandante Fulgencio Yegros. Here again it is easy to see the effects of Dr. Francia's studies under the Franciscans of Cordoba; in Classicism he imitated Robes- pierre, and in the fulness of time he copied Napoleon I. In fact he became a mixture of both, or rather of what his ideas concerning them were.

This ephemeral Consulate definitively broke off" relations with Buenos Aires, and despatched an envoy, D. Nicholas Herrera, to declare that Paraguay would not take part in the proposed Assembly of the Platine provinces. A third Congress met at Asuncion, October 3, 1814, to nomi- nate new magistrates, and these legislative bodies began to assume the type which they have ever since borne. The chief authority. Consul, Dictator, or President, chooses the members by his right to appoint the President of Congress, the latter chooses the commandants of dis- tricts, and these again choose their delegates for each "partido" or arrondissement : thus all the citizens vote, and Congress chooses the Consul, Dictator, or President, who virtually chooses himself. It is said that the third de- liberative body at first preferred Yegros, but that Dr. Francia delayed the members at the capital till, fearing to offend him, and sorely wishing to return home, they voted for him on the third day with a large majority. In pre-