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 68 PARAGUAY lions were abandoned ; the cattle, sheep, and horses were destroyed ; and of the stately edi- fices only a few crumbling ruins now remain. In 1776, as has been said, Paraguay was in- corporated with Buenos Ayres in a viceroy- alty, with that city as the capital. After the destruction of the home government by the French, a provisional government was estab- lished at Buenos Ayres in 1809, which still acknowledged the sovereignty of Spain. The Paraguayans in 1811 took steps to secure their own independence, and defeated an army un- der Gen. Belgrano, sent by the authorities of Buenos Ayres to coerce them into submission. After Belgrano's expedition, the country was governed for a time by a junta composed of Generals Pedro Juan Oaballero, Fulgencio Ye- gros, and Dr. Jose Gaspar Rodriguez de Fran- cia. The junta was soon changed (1813) into a duumvirate, Caballero having been excluded, and Yegros and Francia receiving the title of consul. Two curule chairs were placed in the assembly, one bearing the inscription " Cassar," occupied by Francia, and the other that of " Pompey " for his colleague. In 1814 the gov- ernment was again changed, Francia securing his nomination as dictator, at first for three years, and afterward for life. Henceforth, un- til his death on Sept. 20, 1840, he. was the ab- solute ruler of Paraguay. He followed the example set by the Jesuits, and prohibited the entrance or exit of foreigners. His rule was rigorous and often cruel, but he introduced many reforms, established schools, and devised a code of laws. During a brief interim the country was governed by a junta gubernativa, successively presided over by Dr. C. L. Ortiz and Gen. Juan Jose Medina. On March 12, 1841, the consular system was reestablished, and Don Carlos Antonio Lopez and Don Ma- riano Roque Alonso were named consuls. In 1844 the title of the executive was again changed, and Lopez was made dictator for ten years; at the expiration of his term he was reflected for three years, and again in 1857 for seven years. His domestic government seems to have been as strong as Francia's, but he was more liberal to foreigners, and sur- rendered the control of church matters into the hands of the priesthood. The independence Of Paraguay was not formally acknowledged by the other states of La Plata until Urquiza came into power in the Argentine confedera- tion, and made a treaty with Lopez, July 14, 1852. It was recognized by Great Britain in January, 1853. In the same year the United States government sent the steamer Water Witch, under Commander T. J. Page, to survey the river La Plata and its tributaries. Capt. Page was^ well received by President Lopez, and his mission was successfully carried on un- til February, 1855, when the Water Witch, in the peaceful prosecution of her voyage up the Parana, was fired upon by the Paraguayan fort Itapiru, and one man killed. The fire was re- turned, but as the steamer was of small force and not designed for offensive operations, she soon retired from the conflict, and Capt. Page hastened to communicate the events to his government. Preparations were made at once to demand reparation, and a considerable fleet was sent to the Plata. A commissioner ap- pointed to accompany the fleet opened negotia- tions with President Lopez, and by the media- tion of Urquiza an arrangement was concluded by which Paraguay agreed to make compensa- tion. Capt. Page resumed his surveys, and completed them in December, 1860. In 1858, by a convention with Brazil, the waters of the Paraguay were declared to be open to the mer- cantile marine of all friendly nations. The efforts to establish a systematic and direct trade with Paraguay have not as yet been very successful. In 1853 an American company went out, but were forced to return the follow- ing year. A French settlement was established in 1855, but meeting with no encouragement from the Paraguayan president, the colonists abandoned it the same year. Lopez died on Sept. 10, 1862, and was succeeded by his son Francisco Solano, commonly known as Mar- shal Lopez, under whose administration the government, though still nominally republican, was as despotic and absolute as in the days of Francia. Nevertheless, great progress was made; and had Lopez not been blinded by ambition, the country would have rapidly risen to importance. But, not satisfied with the title of marshal, he aimed at an imperial crown and at foreign conquest. His measures for the latter were chiefly directed against Brazil, and the desired opportunity for hostilities offered in 1864. The Brazilian government, having claims to urge against Uruguay for damages to Brazilian citizens resident in that republic, seized the opportunity to do so when Monte- video was besieged by revolutionary troops under Gen. Yenancio Flores, chief of the colo- rados or liberal party, and late unsuccessful candidate for the presidency, against N. Aguir- re of the Wanco party. In spite of the repeated protests of Lopez, Brazil openly gave aid to Flores. Lopez, who had recruited a powerful army and erected fortifications along the river bank, on Nov. 11, 1864, captured a Brazilian steamer on its passage upward to Matto Grosso, detaining the passengers and crew as prison- ers of war. This offensive step was followed in December by the invasion of Matto Grosso by a Paraguayan army, which sacked Cuyaba, the capital, and other towns, and seized the diamond mines of that province. Meantime Lopez had promised aid to Aguirre, but Presi- dent Mitre of the Argentine Republic refused permission of transit for Paraguayan troops across the province of Corrientes. Flores, however, had been victorious, and entered upon the presidential functions early in 1865. Lopez, now fearing that the Argentines would take sides against him, captured two of their war vessels in the bay of Corrientes, April 13, 1865, invested the town of the same name next