Clapp to William Hunter, June 12, 1872

No. 21. Mr. Clapp to Mr. Hunter.

Sir: I. have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the dispatch from the Department of State?. No. 8, bearing date April 19, 1872, directing me to keep the Department fully apprised of anything which may take place in relation to the apprehended designs of Brazil and the Argentine Republic to appropriate portions of the territory of Paraguay, and thereby endangering its independence. Since sending dispatch No. 5, bearing date February 13, 1872, I have learned nothing of importance bearing upon this subject until within the last week.

I have just obtained, and send to the Department of State by this mail, an appendix to the annual report of the Argentine minister of foreign affairs, containing the recent correspondence of this republic with the government of Brazil on the Paraguayan question. I also send a condensed translation, cut from the Standard, of the principal dispatch contained in the above-mentioned report, which, although very defective, gives some idea of its import. This dispatch of Minister Tejedor, dated April 27, 1872, to which, I am informed, no answer has yet been received, makes several specific and very grave allegations against the government of Brazil, of violating the terms of the treaty of alliance made at Buenos Ayres at the beginning of the Paraguayan war.

It is a very common belief here that Brazil encouraged the Paraguayan government to refuse to acknowledge the claims of this republic to the territory of the Grand Chaco, although she had distinctly acknowledged and agreed to sustain these claims in an article of the above-mentioned treaty of alliance. It is also very evident that under the conditions of the recent treaty with Brazil the independence of Paraguay is little more than a myth. She has surrendered all the territory that Brazil claims that is of any value. She has acknowledged an indebtedness to Brazil of a war indemnity of an amount that is probably twice as large as the total value of property in all of Paraguay, which is equivalent to a practical mortgage on her existence as a nation which can be foreclosed at the pleasure of Brazil. She has accepted a virtual protectorate, in that Brazil guarantees the maintenance of her present government for a term of years, and agrees to maintain an army in Paraguay for that purpose.

As to the probability of a war resulting between Brazil and this republic there is great difference of opinion. Ex-President General Bartolomé Mitre has been appointed on a special mission to Brazil. In an interview which I had with him last evening he expressed great confidence that the differences would be peacefully arranged, and that Brazil would make good all the obligations that she had undertaken in the treaty of alliance. Still, considering the extreme nature of those obligations in contrast with her action in the matter of the Paraguayan treaty, her supposed encouragement to Paraguay to resist the claims of the Argentine Republic to the Grand Chaco, and the very strong allegations of Dr. Tejedor’s published dispatches, it appears that she is placed in an exceedingly equivocal position.

It has been suggested that one object of Brazil in sustaining the claim of Paraguay to the Chaco is to prevent the execution of a project which has been laid before the Argentine and Bolivian governments for constructing a railroad from Bolivia through that wilderness to the banks of the Paraguay, thus destroying the monopoly which she enjoys of the tropical productions of the valley of the La Plata. It has also been suggested to me by persons whom I understand to be familiar with the views of this government that Brazil regards with much anxiety the probable course that may be taken by the United States, and that the recent change of Brazilian representatives between Washington and Buenos Ayres had in view the presence at Washington of a gentleman who was thoroughly acquainted with affairs of the river Plate countries. I am convinced by this, and by remarks made by General Mitre in the interview of last evening, at least that this government is very anxious to have the moral support of the United States in the present emergency. As to the nature of the territory of the Grand Chaco I respectfully refer to my dispatch No. 5, of the 13th of last February.

As to the justice of the Argentine claim, Paraguay took no part in the war of independence. Her independence was never acknowledged by the viceroyalty of Spain nor by the South American republics until a very late date; and was only obtained by the isolated and peculiar position of her territory, situated between the Paraguay and Parana Rivers.

Bolivia and the Argentine Republic claimed, and apparently established, their claim to the whole of the right bank of the Paraguay by their long and successful war with Spain, but have never agreed on a boundary-line.

Under the viceroyalty Jesuit missions were established in the Chaco; but they have long since disappeared. The elder Lopez established a French colony at Ville Occidental. This was protested against by both President Urquiza and Bolivia; but they were not in a position to enforce their claims.

Señor Benites, minister of foreign affairs of Paraguay, is now in this city on a special mission, of the nature and probable results of winch. I have received no information. In an interview with him I took occasion to speak of the earnest good wishes of the United States for the future welfare of Paraguay, and said that I should be glad to learn any facts with reference to the recent treaty made with Brazihand other matters connected therewith, with a view of communicating the information to the honorable Secretary of State, taking care to explain that my remarks were entirely unofficial. Señor Benites replied that, although he might expect that the United States minister would communicate with his Government upon a matter of this nature, he would nevertheless, with much pleasure, explain the views of his government in an unofficial manner. He was much pleased with the friendly interest of the United States Government toward his unfortunate country. He and his government had always considered the United States as their best friend; that some cession of territory had already been made to Brazil, viz, that portion north of the river Apa, which, however, was comparatively worthless; that this cession had been made because the demands of Brazil could not be opposed by Paraguay in her present condition; but that it does not in the least affect her independence as a republic.

With regard to the Grand Chaco, he said that it had always belonged to Paraguay, and that the attempt on the part of the Argentine Republic to wrest it from her would not be submitted to, as it would seriously affect her independence. He spoke with much feeling and eloquence upon the subject of the late war, by which his country had been ruined, dwelling principally upon the fact that a sister republic was the prime mover in the matter, and had leagued with an empire to crush Paraguay.

Señor Benites is certainly mistaken in his statement that the Argentine Republic was the prime mover in the late war.

Brazil had been for a long time endeavoring to induce her to join in declaring war, but Yiscount Paranhos, the Brazilian envoy, who had come here for that purpose, had completely failed in his mission, and had returned to Rio, when the news of the seizure of the Argentine steamers and the invasion of the province of Corrientes by Lopez, without previous intimation of war, forced this republic to make the alliance with Brazil.

I trust that the Department will not consider that I have transcended ray duty in seeking this unofficial interview with the Paraguayan minister.

A memorandum of our conversation has been forwarded to Hon. John L. Stevens, at Montevideo.

I have made every effort in my power to obtain reliable information, and shall not fail to keep the Department advised of everything of importance that may occur, before the arrival of a minister resident.

I am, &c,