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 634 LOPEZ discreditable in that country, where marriage had been almost abolished by Francia. By her talents she acquired popularity, and exer- cised a controlling influence over Lopez un- til near the end of his life. On his return he became minister of war, and thenceforth exercised great influence in the government, which he used chiefly for putting the coun- try in readiness for a foreign war, as he had early conceived the project of wresting from Brazil, Bolivia, and the Argentine Repub- lic their adjacent provinces. On the death of his father in 1862 it was found that Gen. Lopez had been designated by will as vice president, and congress chose him president for ten years from Oct. 16. The efforts of the new president were now energetically directed to warlike preparations, and for two years he was constantly but secretly receiving arms from Europe. In 1864 he believed himself prepared to cope with the combined forces of the adjoining nations. Skilfully availing him- self of a Brazilian intervention in a civil war in Uruguay, he declared himself the protector of the "equilibrium" of the Plata riVer, and summoned the Brazilian forces to retire. No attention being paid to his protests, he com- menced hostilities in November, 1864, by seiz- ing a Brazilian mail steamer ; and in Decem- ber he seized upon the defenceless Brazilian province of Matto Grosso, lying on the upper waters of the river Paraguay. Early in 1865 he despatched 8,000 troops across the Argen- tine territory into the Brazilian province of Rio Grande do Sul, when the protests of the Argentine government against this violation of its territory afforded a pretext for declaring war upon that republic. A hastily summoned congress of his own selection ratified these acts, conferred the grade of marshal upon Lopez, gave him extraordinary war powers, and for- mally declared war against Brazil and the Ar- gentine Republic. Before this declaration was known in Buenos Ayres, Lopez ordered the seizure of two Argentine men-of-war lying at anchor in Oorrientes, and overran that province with his forces. The governments of Brazil, the Argentine Republic, and Uruguay there- upon concluded a secret treaty (May 1, 1865), forming an offensive and defensive alliance against Paraguay. In the course of this year the allies recovered the provinces occupied by Lopez, and in their turn invaded Paraguay early in 1866. For four years thenceforward a war of greater proportions than had hitherto been known in South America was waged with va- rying fortunes on the soil of Paraguay. On the part of Lopez all the able-bodied males be- tween the ages of 12 and 70 were successively impressed into the service, and several lines of defence were gallantly maintained. In Febru- ary, 1868, the Brazilian squadron forced its way above the fortresses, and bombarded Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, which had however been evacuated by the government and all its inhabitants. As a consequence of some vacil- lations on the part of the individuals compo- sing this government as to their conduct toward the enemy in this unexpected emergency, Lo- pez suspected the vice president and cabinet ministers of disloyalty. He caused their im- prisonment and removal to army headquarters, where they were tried before an improvised court consisting of three priests. By means of the most unrelenting tortures the prisoners were brought to confess themselves guilty and to implicate others, who were quickly seized and subjected to the same process. In the course of a few weeks confessions had been extorted which ultimately implicated all the civil employees left by Lopez in Asuncion, most of the foreign diplomatic and consular officers, and all the foreigners engaged in commerce, in sweeping charges of conspiracy against the rule or even the life of Lopez. More than 500 persons, embracing all that re- mained in Paraguay of intelligence, wealth, or official rank, were either executed or died by torture in the encampment of Lopez, during the second half of the year 1868. The Amer- ican legation was involved in this charge. The minister escaped in September through the opportune arrival of an American gunboat, but two attaches were seized and subjected to the usual trial by torture. Their lives were spared, however, and they were ultimately surrendered to an American squadron in December. By successive defeats Lopez was driven to the extreme northern limits of Paraguay. When about to cross the river Aquidaban, he was surprised by a detachment of Brazilian caval- ry. While attempting to swim to the opposite bank, the Brazilian general, Camara, in vain summoned him to surrender ; but his strength gave way, and while bleeding from his wounds he was killed by two Brazilian soldiers, his last words being: "I die for my country." Mrs. Lynch was overtaken in her flight. The eldest son, Pancho, in the uniform of a colonel, fired upon the Brazilian chief lieutenant, Mar- tinez, who thereupon killed him, and he was buried by the side of his father. Mrs. Lynch was allowed to go to England. The forces of Lopez, reduced to about 1,500, at once laid down their arms. See " Seven Eventful Years in Paraguay," by G. F. Masterman (London, 1869), and "History of Paraguay," by 0. A. Washburn (2 vols., Boston, 1870). LOPEZ, Na'reiso, a Cuban revolutionist, born in Venezuela in 1799, garroted in Havana, Sept. 1, 1851. He was the son of a wealthy mer- chant, and at an early age sympathized with the national independence of South America, although he served for some time in the army of the king of Spain, from which he retired in 1822 with the rank of colonel. After the evacuation of Venezuela by the Spanish troops, he established himself in Cuba ; and afterward going to Spain, he joined the constitutional party of Isabella against Don Carlos, and be- came successively adjutant of Gen. Valdes, governor of Madrid, and senator for Seville,