Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 December 2015
When Brazilian troops occupied Asunción on January 1, 1869, the worst war in South American history appeared to be nearing its end. This was a conflict caused by power politics, boundary disputes, and traditional animosities in the Plata basin. In a very real sense, the Paraguayan War was a climactic event in the evolution of nationalism in all of the four countries involved. A fortuitous combination of circumstances found Brazil and Argentina supporting the same party in Uruguay; although still intensely suspicious of each other's intentions, they had come to realize that an independent Uruguay was essential for the maintenance of peace between them. Argentina and Brazil had long sustained territorial disputes with Paraguay; indeed, if their desires had been satisfied, Paraguay would have been reduced to the territory she now has between the Paraná and Paraguay rivers.
* The writer acknowledges the assistance of The American Philosophical Society, the Social Science Research Council, and Miami University whose grants made possible the research upon which this study is based.
1 Fragoso, Augusto Tasso, História da guerra entre a Tríplice Aliança e o Paraguai (5 vols., Rio de Janeiro, 1934), 2, 23–26.Google Scholar
2 Memorandum bv Vizconde de Abrantes, Berlin, Jan. 27, 1846, quoted by Medrano, Alberto Ezcurra, La independencia del Paraguay: historia de una desmembración Argentina (Buenos Aires, 1941), pp. 48–49.Google Scholar
3 Nabuco, Joaquim, La guerra del Paraguay (Paris, 1901), pp. 358–371, 381–394.Google Scholar The Brazilian attitude, documented in Nabuco, is summarized in Cardozo, Efraím, Paraguay independiente, vol. 11, Historia de América y de los pueblos americanos, ed. Ballesteros, Antonio y Beretta, (Barcelona, 1949), pp. 222–223.Google Scholar
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5 W. Stuart to Earl of Clarendon, No. 19, Buenos Aires, Feb. 12, 1869, Public Record Office, London, Foreign Office 6/282; hereafter cited as F. O. Stuart to George Buckley Mathew, Buenos Aires, April 10, 1869, ibid. See also Fretes, Eduardo Amarilla, La liquidación de la guerra de la Triple Alianza contra el Paraguay ([Asunción], 1941), pp. 33–34,Google Scholar hereafter cited as Fretes, Amarilla, Liquidación de la guerra; and Ernesto Quesada, Historia diplomática nacional: la política argentino-paraguayo (Buenos Aires, 1902), p. 31.Google Scholar
6 “Establishment of a Provisional Government in Paraguay,” encl, in George Buckley Mathew to Earl of Clarendon, No. 143, Rio de Janeiro, July 4, 1869, F. O. 13/462; Robert C. Kirk to Hamilton Fish, No. 9, Buenos Aires, July 21, 1869, Despatches from United States Ministers to Argentina, National Archives, Washington, File Microcopy No. 69, Roll 18, hereafter cited as DDA 69/18; “Arrangement between the Argentine Republic, Brazil, and Uruguay Relative to the Establishment of a Provisional Government in Paraguay.—Buenos Ayres, June 2, 1869,” State Tapers (London, 1874), 63 (1872–1873), 627; Fretes, Amarilla, Liquidación de la guerra, pp. 34–36.Google Scholar
7 The principal factions were led by the Decouds and Machaíns on one hand, and Cándido Bareiro and Felix Egusquiza on the other. The former were, roughly, liberal in outlook; the latter were old supporters of López. Formation of the Triumvirate may be followed in Robert C. Kirk to Hamilton Fish, No. 12, Buenos Aires, Aug. 12, 1869, DDA 69/18; Fragoso, Tasso, História da guerra entre a Tríplice Aliança e o Paraguai, 5, 279–302 Google Scholar; Registro Oficial (Asunción, 1869), I, 3–4; González, Teodosio, Infortunios del Paraguay (Buenos Aires, 1931), p. 43 Google Scholar; Esteves, Freire, “Historia contemporánea de la república,” pp. 7–8 Google Scholar; Amerlan, Albert, Nights on the Río Paraguay. Scenes of War and Character Sketches (Buenos Aires, 1902), p. 148.Google Scholar
8 La Regeneración appeared on Oct. 1, 1869; La Voz del Pueblo began publication on March 24, 1870.
9 Kirk to Fish, No. 48, Buenos Aires, April 13, 1870, DDA 69/18. Várela returned to Buenos Aires on April 13.
10 State Papers, 63 (1872-1873), 322-325; H. G. MacDonnell to Clarendon, No. 90, Buenos Aires, July 12, 1870, F. O. 6/292; Buenos Aires Standard, July 6, 1870. Várela resigned while negotiations were in progress and President Sarmiento appointed General Vedia to represent Argentina. The treaty, apparently, was drafted in Buenos Aires by Rio-Branco, Varela, and the Uruguayan, Adolfo Rodríguez. MacDonnell to Clarendon, No. 61, Buenos Aires, May 14, 1870, F. O. 6/291.
11 John L. Stevens to Fish, Montevideo, July 11, 1870, Despatches from United States Ministers to Paraguay and Uruguay, National Archives, Washington, File Microcopy No. 128, Roll 3, hereafter cited as DPU 128/3
12 ” Preliminary Agreement of Peace between the Argentine Republic and Brazil and Paraguay… June 20, 1870,” State Papers, 63 (1872–1873), 322.
13 Carranza, , “Retrospecto del Paraguay,” Revista Histórica, 1 (No. 1, March, 1899), 7.Google Scholar
14 Visconde de São Vicente to Rio-Branco, Rio de Janeiro, Oct. 12, 1870, in Nabuco, Joaquim, Um estadista do imperio, Nabuco de Araujo; sua vida, suas opiniões, sua época (3 vols., Rio de Janeiro, [1897–1899]), 3, 651–662.Google Scholar An unsigned draft of the instructions is in Missões Diplomáticas Brasileiras Assumpção. Instrucções. Arquivo Histórico, Ministerio de Relações Exteriores, Itamaratí, Rio de Janeiro, 201/4/7. Hereafter cited as MDBA-I. The São Vicente cabinet held office from Sept. 29, 1870 to March 7, 1871. Fleiuss, Max, Historia administrativa do Brasil (Rio de Janeiro, 1923), p 303.Google Scholar The Brazilian foreign office archives have been moved to Brasilia from Itamaratí in Rio de Janeiro.
15 São Vicente put Brazil’s war costs at more than 400,000 contos, Argentina’s at about 60,000 contos. He was willing that the Allies treat separately on the matter of indemnities, but insisted that mixed commissions be established to determine sums due private claimants who would be issued bonds bearing interest from 3% to 6%.
10 The island of Atajo, or Cerrito, at the mouth of the Río Paraguay, was recognized as really belonging to the Argentine bank; but Rio-Branco should try to get it for Paraguay. At any event, it should be neutralized.
17 Esteves, Freire, “Historia contemporánea de la república,” pp. 25–26 Google Scholar; Fretes, Amarilla, Liquidación de la guerra, pp. 61–62 Google Scholar; Báez, Cecilio, Historia diplomática del Paraguay (2 vols., Asunción, 1932), 2, 217.Google Scholar Rio-Branco returned to Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 20, 1871, and on March 7 he became President of the Council and Minister of Finance. do Rio-Branco, Baraõ, Efemérides brasileiras (Rio de Janeiro, 1946), p. 126 Google Scholar; Fleiuss, , Historia administrativa do Brasil, p. 304.Google Scholar Bartolomé Mitre’s paper, La Nación, certainly did nothing to help matters with its constant stream of anti-Brazilian editorials. See issue of Nov. 4, 1870, as an example.
18 Miguel Palacios to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Great Britain, Asunción, March 4, 1871, F. O. 59/31; Stevens to Fish, Paraguay Despatch No. 5, Montevideo, Aug. 8, 1871, DPU 128/3.
19 Esteves, Freire, “Historia contemporánea de la república,” p. 13 Google Scholar. General Julio de Vedia represented Argentina as commander of that country's forces. A Liberal plot ended the Triumvirate on Aug. 31 and declared Dr. Facundo Machaín as Provisional President; but Bareiro and Dr. Gallegos managed to reimpose Rivarola on Sept. 1. Bareiristas also managed to destroy La Regeneración. H. G. MacDonnell to Granville, No. 21, Buenos Aires, Oct. 9, 1870, F. O. 6/292. There was, of course, no well defined or formally organized Liberal party; however, the Machaíns and Decouds were nucleii for a definite liberal grouping.
20 The Constitution went into effect on Nov. 25, 1870. Rivarola’s cabinet included Miguel Palacios in Foreign Affairs, Rufino Taboada in Interior, José M. Collar in Justice, Juan Bautista Gill in Finance, and Salvador Jovellanos became Minister of War and Marine. The Vice President, Cayo Miltos, died on Jan. 7, 1871, and Jovellanos succeeded him. Miguel Palacios to Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Asunción, Dec. 31, 1870, F. O. 59/30; MacDonnell to Granville, No. 42, Buenos Aires, Dec. 7, 1870, F.O. 6/292; Palacios to British Chargé, Asunción, Jan. 23, 1871, F.O. 59/31.
21 Registro Oficial (Asunción), 1871, pp. 263–265; Carranza, , “Retrospecto del Paraguay,” Revista Histórica, 1 (No. 1, March, 1899), 33 Google Scholar; Fragoso, Tasso, História da guerra entre a Tríplice Aliança e o Paraguai, 5, 301–302.Google Scholar No money had arrived from London.
22 Registro Oficial, 1871, pp. 278–279; Carranza, , “Retrospecto del Paraguay,” Revista Histórica, 1 (No. 1, March, 1899), 45–49 Google Scholar; José Falcón to U. S. Secretary of State, Dec. 21, 1871, Notes from the Paraguayan Legation in the United States to the Department of State, March 12, 1853–May 16, 1906, National Archives, Washington, Microcopy 350, Roll 2; hereafter cited as NPL 350/2; Falcón to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Great Britain, Asunción, Dec. 21, 1871, F.O. 59/31. Her Majesty’s minister in Buenos Aires, H. G. MacDonnell, anticipated Gill's treachery. MacDonnell to Granville, No. 121, Buenos Aires, Dec. 29, 1871, F.O. 6/303. General Julio de Vedia lamented his lack of troops to counter Brazilian influence. Vedia to Col. Martín de Gainza, Asunción, Dec. 17, 1871, Gainza Papers, Archivo General de la Nación, Buenos Aires; hereafter cited as AGN-BA.
23 Carranza, , “Retrospecto del Paraguay,” Revista Histórica, 1 (No. 1, March, 1899), 45 Google Scholar; Esteves, Freire, “Historia contemporánea de la república,” p. 26.Google Scholar
24 To this conference Silva Paranhos, now Visconde do Rio-Branco, sent Juan Maurice de Wanderley, Barão de Cotegipe. Dr. Manuel Quintana and Dr. Adolfo Rodríguez represented Argentina and Uruguay, respectively. Dexter E. Clapp to Fish, No. 5, Buenos Aires, Feb. 13, 1872, DDA 69/18; Fretes, Amarilla, Liquidación de la guerra, p. 62 Google Scholar; Báez, , Historia diplomática del Paraguay, 2, 217 Google Scholar. Clapp was acting chargé d’affaires in Buenos Aires.
25 The first, a general treaty of peace and limits, on Jan. 9; the second, a treaty of extradition, on Jan. 16; and the third, a treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation, on Jan. 18. Falcón began negotiations with Cotegipe; but, probably at Gill's insistence, prompted by Cotegipe, Jovellanos replaced him with the very inept Carlos Loizaga. Esteves, Freire, “Historia contemporánea de la república,” p. 33 Google Scholar; Báez, , Historia diplomática del Paraguay, 2, 217.Google Scholar
26 MacDonnell to Granville, No. 4, Buenos Aires, Jan. 15, 1872, F. O. 6/309.
27 Stevens to Fish, Paraguayan Affairs No. 9, Montevideo, June 5, 1872, DPU 128/3. A copy of the treaty of Jan. 9, 1872, is enclosed. The treaty is also in Archivo del General Mitre (28 vols., Buenos Aires, 1911–1914), XXVIII, 22–25; hereafter cited as Archivo Mitre.
28 Mitre to Cotegipe, Buenos Aires, Jan. 24, 1872 and Cotegipe to Mitre, Asunción, Feb. 4, 1872, Archivo Mitre, XXVIII, 11–19; Mitre to Rio-Branco, Buenos Aires, Feb. 16, 1872, ibid., 31–35; MacDonnell to Granville, No. 26, Buenos Aires, Feb. 27, 1872, and No. 33, Buenos Aires, May 14, 1872, F.O. 6/309. In Buenos Aires, La Prensa kept up a running fire against the treaties and in Rio de Janeiro, La Reforma led the Liberals in opposing this crass disregard for the Treaty of Alliance.
29 Details are in República del Paraguay, de Senadores, Cámara, Actas de las sesiones del período legislativo del año 1879 (Asunción, 1908), pp. 26–28 Google Scholar; Julio de Vedia to Martín de Gainza, Asunción, March 7, 1872, Gainza Papers, AGN-BA; Ltr., Asunción, March 9, 1872, in La Nación (Buenos Aires), March 14, 1872; Báez, , Historia diplomática del Paraguay, 2, 217.Google Scholar
30 Mathew to Granville, No. 8, Confidential, Rio de Janeiro, June 22, 1872, F.O. 13/483; MacDonnell to Granville, No. 49, Buenos Aires, June 29, 1872, F.O. 6/309; Stevens to Fish, No. 37, Montevideo, July 8, 1872, DPU 128/3. Although Mitre denied that Argentina had requested Loizaga's mission (d'Azambujá to Correia, Secção Central Reservado No. 14, Asunción, Oct. 9, 1872, Missões Diplomáticas Brasileiras Assumpção. Recibidos. Arquivo Histórico, Ministerio de Relações Exteriores, Itamaratí, 201/1/10; hereafter cited as MDBA-R), President Jovellanos asserted that the mission “was in response to friendly advances by President Sarmiento.” Stevens to Fish, No. 13, Montevideo, Sept. 3, 1872, DPU 128/3.
31 Loizaga was a poor choice. In Buenos Aires he showed his instructions to Dr. Tejedor: claim Misiones and the Chaco; or cede Misiones for all of the Chaco. Carlos Tejedor to Mitre, Buenos Aires, Oct. 12, 1872, Achivo Mitre, XXVIII, 235–236. Loizaga even indicated his desire that Argentina annex Paraguay!
32 Tejedor to Mitre, Buenos Aires, Nov. 12, 1872, Archivo Mitre, XXVIII, 237–238.
33 Other provisions were that Uruguay and Argentina might negotiate separately or jointly with Paraguay, with Brazil lending moral support; if Paraguay should refuse to negotiate under the agreed terms, the Allies would cooperate to force an agreement; Argentine and Brazilian forces would evacuate Paraguay within three months after signing the definitive treaty of peace; Brazil would evacuate the island of Atajo, or Cerrito; Paraguay would be required to pay war indemnities; Paraguay would treat the Allies equally in payment of her debts; the war debt would bear no interest for ten years, then interest would begin and increase by steps to 6%; the Allies guaranteed Paraguayan territorial integrity; Uruguay would be invited to adhere to the Mitre-São Vicente protocol. Among the numerous sources for this agreement are Archivo Mitre, XXVIII, 166–186; Báez, , Historia diplomática del Paraguay, 2, 218–220 Google Scholar; La Nación (Buenos Aires, Jan. 24, 25, 29, 1873. A reasoned discussion of Mitre’s mission is in de Medeiros, J. Paulo, “Mitre,” in Mitre: Homenaje de la Academia Nacional de la Historia en el cincuentenario de su muerte (1906–1956) (Buenos Aires, 1957), pp 74–76.Google Scholar See also Esteves, Freire, “Historia contemporánea de la república,” p. 34.Google Scholar
34 Mitre to Varela, Rufino, Rio de Janeiro, Nov. 20, 1872, in Correspondencia literaria, histórica y política del General Bartolomé Mitre (3 vols., Buenos Aires, 1912), 2, 204.Google Scholar
35 d’Azambujá to Correia, Buenos Aires, July 19, 1872, MDBA-R 201/1/10. The minister’s name is variously given as de Azambujá and d’Azambujá. The latter is more prevalent. See Correia to d’Azambujá, Ia Secção No. 9, Rio de Janeiro, July 30, 1872, MDBA-I 201/4/7.
36 d’Azambujá to Correia, Ia Secção No. 6, Asunción, Aug. 3, 1872, MDBA-R 201/ 1/10; id. to id. Ia Secção Confidencial No. 1, Asunción, Aug. 16, 1872; ibid.; id. to id., Ia Secção Reservado No. 4, Asunción, Sept. 18, 1872, ibid.; Correia to d’Azambujá, Secção Central Confidencial No. 3, Rio de Janeiro, Sept. 20, 1872, MDBA-I 201/4/7.
37 Correia to d’Azambujá, Ia Secção Reservado No. 9, Rio de Janeiro, Oct. 23, 1872, MDBA-I 201/4/7.
38 For this mad immigration scheme, see Warren, Harris Gaylord, “The Lincolnshire Farmers in Paraguay: An Abortive Emigration Scheme of 1871–1873,” The Americas, 21 (January 1965), 243–262.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
39 d’Azambujá to Correia, Ia Seccao Reservado No. 3, Asunción, Feb. 10, 1873, MDBA-R 201/1/11. Gomes Freire Esteves believed the plot was inspired by Brazil to be rid of an untrustworthy regime. “ Historia contemporánea de la república,” p. 29.
40 La Nación (Buenos Aires), April 10, 1873.
41 The negotiations are reviewed in Documentos oficiales sobre cuestiones de limites entre la República del Paraguay y la Argentina [Asunción, 1873], in Notes from the Paraguayan Legation in the United States to the Department of State, March 12, 1853-May 16, 1906. National Archives, Washington, Microcopy 350, Roll 1; hereafter cited as NPL 350/1.
42 Mitre’ correspondence with Carlos Tejedor and his memorandum on Argentine claims are printed in La Nación (Buenos Aires), May 17, 21, 23, 27, 1874. See also Amarai Valente to Caravellas, Secção Central Confidencial No. 2, Asunción, Oct. 31, 1873; id. to id., Secção Central Reservado No. 2, Nov. 15, 1873, MDBA-R 201/1/11.
43 L.S. Sackville West to Granville, No. 24, Buenos Aires, Dec. 16, 1873, F.O. 6/314; Mathew to Derby, No. 35 Confidential, Rio de Janeiro, May 5, 1874, F.O. 13/497.
44 Caravellas to Gondim, Rio de Janeiro, Jan. 25, 1874, MDBA-I 201/4/8. Gondim arrived in Asunción on Dec. 1, 1873. Gondim to Caravellas, Secção Central No. 9, Asunción, Dec. 9, 1873, MDBA-R 201/1/11.
45 Mathew to Sackville West, Petropolis, Feb. 10, 1874, F.O. 13/497.
46 The contrary view is ably expressed by Aramburú, Eduardo, Manifiesto al pueblo paraguayo (Montevideo, 1876), p. 15.Google Scholar
47 Gill in Hacienda, Caballero in Interior, Bareiro in Foreign Affairs, Germán Serrano in War and Marine, and Francisco Soteras in Justice, Worship and Public Instruction. Gondim to Caravellas, 1a Secção Confidencial No. 2, Asunción, Feb. 19, 1874, MDBA-R 201/1/12.
48 Gondim to Caravellas, 1a Secção Confidencial No. 3, Asunción, March 3, 1874, MDBA-R 201/1/12; Caravellas to Gondim, Secção Central Confidencial No. 8, Rio de Janeiro, March 3, 1874, MDBA-I 201/4/9; La Nación (Buenos Aires), March 13, 1874.
49 Gondim to Caravellas, Secção Central Confidencial No. 6, Asunción, May 1, 1874, MDBA-R 201/1/12; La Patria (Asunción), May 16, 1874; La Nación (Buenos Aires), May 3, 5, 1874; Gondim to Caravellas, 1a Secção No. 21, Asunción, May 22, 1874, MDBA-R 201/1/12; id. to id., 1a Secção No. 25, Asunción, June 3, 1874, ibid.; id. to id., 1a Secção No. 30, July 4, 1874, ibid.; id. to id., 1a Secção No. 34, Asunción, Sept. 30, 1874, ibid.; Facundo Machaín to U. S. Secretary of State, Asunción, Nov. 27, 1874, NPL 350/1.
50 Among pertinent sources are numerous despatches from Gondim to Caravellas in MDBA-R and letters to Gill in Paraguayan Papers, a collection of letters to and from Gill now in private hands in Asunción, most of which the present writer has on microfilm. Pereira Leal presented his credentials on April 28; General Federico Augusto de Mesquita took over command of Brazilian forces. Gondim to Caravellas, Secção Central No. 7, Asunción, April 28, 1875, MDBA-R 201/1/13; Pereira Leal to Caravellas, 1a Secção No. 7, Asunción, May 25, 1875, ibid.
51 Sosa, Jaime, Negociaciones diplomáticas entre el Brasil, la República Argentina y el Paraguay. Misión del ciudadano paraguayo Jaime Sosa á Rio Janeiro [sic] (Buenos Aires, 1875), pp. 4–7 Google Scholar; Fretes, Amarilla, Liquidación de la guerra, pp. 107–109 Google Scholar; Sosa to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rio de Janeiro, May 30, 1875, in Sosa, , Negociaciones, pp. 83–93.Google Scholar
52 Pereira Leal to Caravellas, Secção Central Reservado No. 7, Asunción, June 19, 1875, MDBA-R 201/1/13; Registro Oficial (Asunción), 1875, pp. 773–774; República del Paraguay, Cámara de Diputados, Actas de las sesiones del período legislativo del año 1875 (Asunción, 1908), p. 165. General Mesquita alerted Mato Grosso and brought another battalion to Asunción.
58 Alcorta, Sinforiano, Antecedentes históricos sobre los tratados con el Paraguay (Buenos Aires, 1885), p. 146 Google Scholar; hereafter cited as Alcorta, Antecedentes. Pereira Leal to Cotegipe, 1a Secção Reservado No. 2, Asunción, Dec. 12, 1875, MDBA-R 201/1/13; Registro Oficial (Asunción), 1875, pp. 841–842; La República (Buenos Aires), Dec. 22, 1875; La Reforma (Asunción), Dec. 10, 12, 1875; La Nación (Buenos Aires), Dec. 21, 1875; El Nacional (Buenos Aires), Dec. 21, 23, 1875.
54 Cotegipe to Gondim, Secção Central Reservado No. 18, Rio de Janeiro, Nov. 13, 1875, MDBA-I 201 4/9.
55 Pereira Leal to Cotegipe, Secção Central Confidencial No. 16, Asunción, Nov. 3, 1875, MDBA-R 201/1/13.
56 La República (Buenos Aires), March 28, 1885; Alcorta, , Antecedentes, p. 11.Google Scholar
57 Esteves, Freire, “Historia contemporánea de la república,” p. 44.Google Scholar
58 The treaty is available in República del Paraguay, Cámara de Senadores, Actas de las sesiones de los períodos legislativos de los años 1874–75–76–77–78–79–80 (Asunción, 1908), pp. 124–125. Termes are discussed in Báez, , Historia diplomática, 2, 223 Google Scholar and Fretes, Amarilla, Liquidación de la guerra, pp. 131 ff.Google Scholar See also Sackville West to Derby, No. 4, Buenos Aires, Feb. 9, 1876, F. O. 6/336; John C. Caldwell to Fish, Montevideo, March 16, 1876, DPU 128/4. The islands of Atajo (Cerrito) and Apipé went to Argentina, Yacyretá to Paraguay. The Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation, also signed on Feb. 3, contained nothing exceptional.
59 La Reforma (Asunción), Dec. 7, 1875.
60 Gondim to Cotegipe, Seccao Central Reservado No. 5, Asunción, Feb. 13, 1876 MDBA-R 201/1/14.
61 Eduardo Callado to Cotegipe, Secção Central No. 27, Asunción, June 23, 1876 ibid. Callado was chargé after Gondim’s departure.