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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 December 2015
Paraguay after the War of the Triple Alliance was in a state of political and economic shock. Governmental institutions were shattered, their functions practically ceased, and the very basis of political life had to be reconstituted. Fertile fields lay uncultivated, livestock had all but disappeared, buildings were in ruins, orange groves were untended, and the remnant population survived on the bare edge of subsistence. Land titles, never very clear, became further tangled in a welter of conflicting claims. Well might a Buenos Aires editor observe: “The future of Paraguay is so dark that none can read it.”
The writer gratefully acknowledges the generosity of the American Philosophical Society and Miami University, whose grants made possible the research upon which the study is based.
1 Buenos Ayres Standard, Feb. 13, 1870. Hereafter cited as The Standard. The spelling “Buenos Ayres” was in common use during this period; in subsequent references, the modern spelling “Buenos Aires” will be used.
2 Efraím Cardozo, Paraguay independiente (Barcelona, 1949), pp. 266–267.
3 Kirk, R. C., the United States minister to Argentina, feared in 1869 that the war would “result in the anihilation [sic] of Paraguay as a distinct government.”Google Scholar However, a few months later he was confident that Brazil, at least, had no intention of trying to absorb Paraguay. (Kirk to Hamilton Fish, Buenos Aires, Aug. 22, 1869, and March 7, 1870. Despatches from United States Ministers to Argentina, vols. 18 and 19, July 21, 1869-December 15, 1874, File Microcopy No. 69, Roll 18, National Archives).
4 Brazilian troops occupied Asunción, Humaitá, and other points; Brazilian gunboats patrolled the river; and, in the event of war with Argentina, Brazil could land 8,000 men in a fortnight (Count Amelot to Hugh G. MacDonnell, Buenos Aires, Oct. 26, 1872, encl. in MacDonnell to Earl Granville, No. 69, Buenos Aires, Nov. 2, 1872. Paraguay, British Emigration, 1872 to 1874, F. O. 59/35, Public Record Office).
5 MacDonnell to Earl Clarendon, Buenos Aires, No. 3 Commercial, Jan. 16, 1869 [1870], Argentine Confederation (Buenos Ayres), F. O. 6/291, Public Record Office: The Standard, Feb. 13, 1870. One of the wildest rumors, current in 1871, had a General Butler offering to introduce 100,000 Americans if given a huge tract of land, “and it is hinted that this company has nothing less in view than to send out Brigham Young with all his followers.” (The Weekly Standard, May 24, 1871.) The reference is probably to Benjamin F. Butler.
6 London Times, August 25, 1871.
7 Ibid., Aug. 25, 1871.
8 Terrero to Granville, London, Aug. 8, 1871, F. O. 59/31. He received his exequatur as consul on Sept. 14, 1871 (Granville to Terrero, London, Sept. 14, 1871, ibid.) and on Jan. 11, 1872, the Foreign Office accepted him as Consul General of Paraguay for Great Britain and Ireland (The London Gazette, No. 23817, Jan. 12, 1872, p. 119). Terrero was a charter member of the London South American Club which was organized on Nov. 5, 1873 (The Weekly Standard, Dec. 3, 1873).
9 Terrero had plenty of help in his official duties. Acting on his recommendations, the Foreign Office recognized George Fleming as vice consul on April 23, 1872, and John Fleming as consul on Aug. 20, 1872 (Terrero to Granville, London, April 8, 1872; Granville to Terrero, London, April 23, 1872; Terrero to Granville, London, Aug. 1, 1872; Foreign Office to Terrero, London, Aug. 20, 1872, F. O. 59/32).
10 Benites, Gregorio, Las imposturas de Juan Bautista Gill y el informe del Comité del Parlamento de Inglaterra en la cuestión empréstitos del Paraguay (Montevideo, 1876), p. 24 Google Scholar. A copy of this rare pamphlet is in F. O. 6/448.
11 Charles Waring to Granville, London, May 1, 1872; Foreign Office to Charles Waring, May 6, 1872, F. O. 59/32. There was, indeed, considerable effort to get a consul appointed. George Thompson in Asunción and Dr. William Stewart, then in London, urged the appointment (MacDonnell to Thompson, Buenos Aires, July 18, 1872, F. O. 59/35; Stewart to Granville, London, Jan. 6, 1873, and Foreign Office to Stewart, Jan. 13, 1873, F. O. 59/33).
12 MacDonnell to Granville, Buenos Aires, Dec. 30, 1871, F. O. 6/304.
13 Id. to id., Buenos Aires, Aug. 2, 1872, F. O. 59/35.
14 Bill of Complaint, Republic of Paraguay v. John Fleming et al., 1872.—P.—No. 205, C. 16/816, Public Record Office.
15 Affidavit of Máximo Terrero, Dec. 31, 1872, No. 3374, C. 31/2673. Terrero also appointed a committee to sell public lands in Paraguay. Terrero was president of this junta which included Sir John Heron Maxwell, The Honorable Gerald Talbot, and John Fleming (ibid.).
16 “Concessions,” June 6, 1872, encl. in R. H. Meade to E. Hammond, London, Aug. 30, 1873, F. O. 59/35. The date of June 6 is interesting, since Robinson, Fleming and Co. issued their prospectus, based on the “Concessions,” on June 25. Asuncion was at least 35 days from London under the most favorable sailing conditions, and Morgenstern was not in London.
17 A copy of the prospectus is in MacDonnell to Granville, No. 7 Commercial, Buenos Aires, Aug. 2, 1872, F. O. 59/35, and in The Weekly Standard, July 31, 1872. In commenting favorably upon the scheme, the Pall Mall Gazette reported completion of a loan in London to settle 1,000 Frenchmen in Paraguay (June 29, 1872, p. 2454). The report, apparently, was premature.
18 “Emigration to Paraguay (South America). Terms and Concessions granted by the Government of the Republic of Paraguay to the English Colony in charge of J. W. Billiatt, with a few remarks upon the natural productions, soil, and climate of Paraguay.” Encl. in R. H. Meade to E. Hammond, London, Sept. 9, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
19 “Agreement between Robinson, Fleming and Company, Máximo Terrero, and John William Billiatt, July 31, 1872,” encl. in Meade, R. H. to Hammond, E., London, Aug. 30, 1873, F. O. 59/35Google Scholar. When Gregorio Benites finally settled Paraguay’s tangled affairs, he gave a half-hearted but really meaningless approval to Terrero’s arrangements (“Agreement of Gregorio Benites with Robinson, Fleming and Co., London, March 25, 1873,” ibid.).
20 Vicomte Raul d’Abzac to MacDonnell, Asunción, July 9, 1872, F. O. 59/35.
21 MacDonnell to Wright, Buenos Aires, July 27, 1872, ibid.
22 MacDonnell to Granville, No. 56, Aug. 2, 1872, ibid.
23 Id. to id., Commercial No. 7, Buenos Aires, Aug. 2, 1872, ibid.
24 MacDonnell, Hugh G., “Remarks on the River Plate Republics as a Field for British Emigration,” Sessional Papers (London, 1872), LXX, Report No. C. 659, p. 25.Google Scholar
25 “A Traveller’s Notes from Paraguay,” The River Plate Times, Aug. 8, 1872.
26 The Standard, Aug. 2, 1872.
27 Ends, in MacDonnell to Granville, No. 69, Buenos Aires, Oct. 2, 1872, F. O. 59/35.
28 Angelo to MacDonnell, Asunción, Oct. 14, 21, and 26, and Nov. 17, 1872; encls. in MacDonnell to Granville, No. 69, Nov. 2 and No. 72, Nov. 29, 1872, ibid.
29 Amelot to MacDonnell, Buenos Aires, Oct. 26, 1872, encl. in MacDonnell to Granville, No. 69, Buenos Aires, Nov. 2, 1872, ibid.
30 Stephen Walcott’s Report, Sept. 4, 1872, encl. in Holland to Under Secretary of State, London, Sept. 5, 1872; Walcott to R. H. Meade, London, Oct. 7, 1872, F. O. 59/32.
31 T. W. C. Murdoch to R. G. W. Herbert, London, Oct. 21, 1872; Foreign Office to Emigration Commissioners, Oct. 23, 1872, F. O. 59/35.
32 Typical of these letters are James Loppitt to Granville, Shaftesbury, Oct. 30, 1872, J. A. Fradgley to Granville, London, Oct. 30, 1872, and Thomas Littleton Holt to Granville, London, Oct. 31, 1872, ibid. Loppitt was a bondholder; Fradgley, in the Bank of England, had a brother among the emigrants.
33 London Times, Oct. 29, 1872.
34 Nov. 2, 1872.
35 J. Bate, Late Honorary Secretary of the National Emigration Society, in the London Times, Nov. 13, 1872. In Buenos Aires, The Weekly Standard printed the Times letters to divert its readers (Jan. 15, 1873).
36 Benites to Granville, London, Sept. 15, 1872; id. to id., London, Nov. 23, 1872, F. O. 59/32; Bill of Complaint, Republic of Paraguay v. John Fleming et al., 1872.—P.— No. 205, C. 16/816.
37 F. R. St. John to Granville, No. 5 Confidential, Buenos Aires, April 28, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
38 J. A. Fradgley, ltr. in London Times, Nov. 7, 1872; B. W. Jones to Granville, London, Nov. 19, 1873, F. O. 59/35. Young Jones returned in February, 1874 (id. to id., Feb. 17, 1874, ibid.).
39 The Weekly Standard, Jan. 22, 29, and April 2, 1873. Alexander F. Baillie, a colony official, called the Lessers “Houndsditch characters” who complained about the food.
40 The Weekly Standard, June 11 and 18, 1873.
41 Angelo to MacDonnell, Asunción, Nov. 17, 1872, encl. in MacDonnell to Granville, No. 72, Buenos Aires, Nov. 29, 1872, F. O. 59/35; ltr. from “Abdallah,” Asunción, Feb. 10, 1873, in The Weekly Standard, Feb. 19, 1873.
42 Walter R. Seymour to St. John, Asunción, June 1, 1873, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 40, Buenos Aires, June 26, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
43 Robinson, Fleming and Co. to Granville, London, Oct. 24, 1872; Thomas Foster to R. B. Cooper, London, Oct. 26, 1872, encl. in T. W. C. Murdock to Robert G. W. Herbert, London, Oct. 28, 1872; Seymour to St. John, Asunción, April 19, 1873, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 16, Buenos Aires, April 29, 1873; Minute of Emigration Board, encl. in R. H. Meade to E. Hammond, London, Sept. 9, 1873, F. O. 59/35. On the Rydal Hall were 159 men, 94 women, and 139 children; of the total, 117 were foreigners (St. John to Granville, Buenos Aires, April 28, 1873, ibid.) Thomas William Clinton Murdoch was chairman of the Colonial Land and Emigration Commissioners from November, 1847, to December, 1876.
44 Robinson, Fleming and Co. to Granville, London, Oct. 24, 1872, F. O. 59/32. Seymour impressed an observer in Asunción as being a fine fellow, easily influenced (Itr. from “Abdallah,” Asunción, Feb. 10, 1873, in The Weekly Standard, Feb. 19, 187’. The writer may have been Dr. William Stewart).
45 Seymour to St. John, Asunción, April 19, 1873, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 16, Buenos Aires, April 29, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
46 Minister of Foreign Affairs to Benites, Asunción, Dec. 12, 1872, quoted in Benites ltr. to London Times, Oct. 26, 1873.
47 Cavendish reported that he had visited a colony of European immigrants about 98 miles from Asunción and 43 from Paraguarí. This, too, would be near Itapé. The colony was in a wretched condition. (Angelo to MacDonnell, Asunción, Oct. 24, 1872, encl. in MacDonnell to Granville, No. 69, Buenos Aires, Nov. 2, 1872, F. O. 59/35). This is the second reference to a colony of Germans who must have attempted a settlement late in 1870 or early in 1871.
48 These figures are at variance with other totals. Seymour wrote that 350 came on the Cisne!
49 Lines of command were nebulous. Apparently Walter R. Seymour was in charge of both the Itapé and Itá colonies, and his principal aides were Alexander F. Baillie at lté and Billiatt at Itapé. The ubiquitous Captain Angelo also played a prominent role, particularly at Itapé.
50 Angelo to MacDonnell, Asunción, Nov. 21, 1872, encl. in MacDonnell to Granville, No. 69, Buenos Aires, Nov. 29, 1872; Walter R. Seymour to St. John, Asunción, April 19, 1873, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 16, Buenos Aires, April 29, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
51 Angelo to MacDonnell, Asunción, Nov. 23, 1872, encl. in MacDonnell to Granville, No. 69, Buenos Aires, Nov. 29, 1872, ibid.
52 The Weekly Standard, Dec. 18, 1872. A month later, when the Standard opened a subscription for a family of refugees from the colony, the editor again condemned the promoters for having misrepresented the prospects in Paraguay and published the propaganda that had lured so many into the adventure (The Standard, Jan. 22, 1873).
53 The Weekly Standard, June 11 and 18, 1873.
54 Ltr. from “Lincoln,” [Itapé], March 1, 1873, in The Weekly Standard, March 12, 1873.
55 St. John to Granville, No. 7, Buenos Aires, April 2, 1873, and No. 31, June 9, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
56 Minute by Stephen Walcott, encl. in R. H. Meade to E. Hammond, Sept. 9, 1873; Seymour to St. John, Asunción, April 19, 1873, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 16, Buenos Aires, April 19, 1873; Seymour to St. John, Asunción, Aug. 18, 1873, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 55, Buenos Aires, Aug. 30, 1873, F. O. 59/35: The Weekly Standard, Oct. 1, 1873. Using his experiences in Paraguay, Baillie, Alexander F. wrote a novel, A Paraguayan Treasure: the Search and the Discovery (London, 1887)Google Scholar. In October, 1888, he became Paraguayan vice-consul in London.
57 Seymour to St. John, Asunción, April 14, 1873, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 16, Buenos Aires, April 29, 1873; Billiatt, J. W. to The Standard, encl. in Billiatt to Hammond, E., Packham, Sept. 23, 1873, F. O. 59/35.Google Scholar
58 St. John to Granville, No. 15 Confidential, Buenos Aires, April 28, 1873, ibid.
59 St. John to Granville, No. 31, Buenos Aires, June 9, 1873, ibid.
60 Seymour to St. John, Asunción, July 23, 1873, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 50, Buenos Aires, Aug. 2, 1873, ibid.
61 Ltr. Oct. 25, 1873, in the London Times, Oct. 26, 1873.
62 I. Ascencio to Martin Lanciares, Asunción, undated, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 44, Buenos Aires, July 7, 1873; St. John to Ascencio, Buenos Aires, July 4, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
63 Reasons for this caution were interesting. Paraguay was still being occupied, there was a costly revolution in Entre Rios, rivalry with Brazil had to be considered, and Argentina did not want to be accused of depriving Paraguay of immigrants (St. John to W. Wilicken, Secretary of the Board of Immigration, Buenos Aires, June 24, 1873; St. John to Granville, No. 40, Buenos Aires, June 26, 1873, and No. 50, Aug. 2, 1873, ibid.).
64 Lionel Sackville West to Granville, No. 5, Buenos Aires, Sept. 12, 1873, and No. 26, Dec. 16, 1873, ibid. The expenses of removal were £ 1548, or £ 2.75 per person rescued (Ascencio to West, Asunción, Nov. 23, 1873, encl. in West to Granville, Buenos Aires, Dec. 4, 1873, ibid.); The Weekly Standard, Dec. 17, 1873. Lionel Sackville West arrived in Buenos Aires on Aug. 30, 1873, as Her Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Argentina. Providing aid for British refugees from Paraguay was not a novel experience for the English colony in Buenos Aires. Near the end of the War of the Triple Alliance, on Aug. 25, 1869, the Taraguy had arrived from Asunción with 41 survivors of service with López (The Standard, Supplement, Sept. 8, 1869).
65 Seymour to St. John, Asunción, Aug. 9, 1873, encl. in St. John to Granville, No. 55, Buenos Aires, Aug. 30, 1873, F. O. 59/35; The Weekly Standard, Sept. 24, 1873.
66 Angelo to Consul General of Italy, Itapé, Sept. 4, 1873, encl. in West to Granville, No. 8, Buenos Aires, Sept. 18, 1873, F. O. 59/35. A few of the colonists accepted the government’s offer of free land and stayed in Paraguay.
67 Ascencio to St. John, Asunción, Sept. 8, 1873, encl. in West to Granville, No. 8, Buenos Aires, Sept. 18, 1873, ibid. The first group of 35 refugees from Itá reached Buenos Aires on Sept. 12 and were housed by the Emigration Board; another 137 came in on Sept. 30 after an unusually long voyage of nine days. Only three families were left at Itá, but some 300 persons were still at Itapé (The Weekly Standard, Oct. 1, 1873). When the refugees reached Buenos Aires, many of them found employment on estancias or in the city. The St. Patrick’s Society in Buenos Aires was very active, as was a committee formed by Father Patrick Lynch of Mercedes (ibid., Oct. 15, 1873).
68 Ascencio to West, Asunción, Nov. 23, 1873, encl. in West to Granville, Buenos Aires, Dec. 4, 1873, F. O. 59/35; The Weekly Standard, Nov. 5 and Dec. 17, 1873. For his aid, Ascencio received the grateful thanks of Her Majesty’s Government (Granville to West, Foreign Office, Oct. 30, 1873, F. O. 6/313).
69 The Weekly Standard, Nov. 19, 1873.
70 E. Hammond to Colonial Office, Dec. 19, 1872; R. H. Meade to E. Hammond, Jan. 13, 1873; Foreign Office to Colonial Office, Feb. 5, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
71 “Emigration to Paraguay—Caution to Emigrants,” in F. O. 59/35. Richard B. Cooper, Assistant Secretary of the Government Emigration Board, signed the warning.
72 Benites to Granville, London, Feb. 15, 1873, ibid.
73 Id. to id., London, May 6, 1873, ibid. A letter from Dr. A. J. Atkinson, the physician who had accompanied the emigrants, contradicted all reports from Paraguay. Atkinson praised the country, said the food was cheap and plentiful, the people were hospitable, and the immigrants were well satisfied (London Times, April 9, 1873).
74 Granville to Benites, May 21, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
75 Records, Writs Clerks, Chancery Decree Book, Public Record Office, C. 33/1202, f. 1108.
76 Robert G. W. Herbert to E. Hammond, Downing Street, June 24, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
77 Ltr. in London Times, Oct. 5, 1873.
78 Ltr., ibid., Oct. 24, 1873.
79 Terrero to Granville, London, Oct. 23, 1873, F. O. 59/35.
80 Robinson, Fleming and Co. to Granville, London, Oct. 23, 1873; Foreign Office to Robinson, Fleming and Co., Oct. 29, 1873, ibid.
81 Foreign Office to Colonial Office, March 7, 1874, ibid.; ltr. Oct. 25, 1873, in London Times, Oct. 26, 1873. When copies of the exchange of letters between Benites and Terrero reached Buenos Aires, “Financier” decided that Terrero had the better of the argument, that he had indeed obligated Paraguay in the matter (The Weekly Standard, Dec. 24, 1873).
