Francia is a somewhat lonesome, down chantings, and devotional performances. | These men are fit to be drilled into some- looking man, apt to be solitary even in the thing! Their lives stand there like empty press of men; wears a face not unvisited capacious bottles, calling to the heavens by laughter, yet tending habitually toand the earth, and all Dr. Francias who wards the sorrowful, the stern. He passes may pass that way: "Is there nothing to everywhere for a man of veracity, puncput into us, then? Nothing but nomadic tuality, of iron methodic rigor; of iron idleness, Jesuit superstition, rubbish, reek, rectitude, above all. "The skilful lawyer," and dry stripes of tough beef?" Ye un- "the learned lawyer," these are reputations; happy Guachos,-yes, there is something but the "honest lawyer!" This law-case other, there are several things other, to put was reported by the Robertsons before into you! But withal, you will observe, the they thought of writing a "Francia's Reign seven devils have first to be put out of of Terror," with that running shriek, you: Idleness, lawless Brutalness, Dark- which so confuses us. We love to believe ness, Falseness-seven devils or more. the anecdote, even in its present loose And the way to put something into you is, state, as significant of many things in alas, not so plain at present! Is it,-alas, Francia: on the whole, is it not perhaps to lay good horsewhips lustily upon you, and cast out these seven devils as a preliminary? "It has been already observed that Francia's reputation, as a lawyer, was not only unsullied by venality, but conspicuous for rectitude. How Francia passed his days in such a region, where philosophy, as is too clear, "He had a friend in Assumpcion of the name was at the lowest ebb? Francia, like of Domingo Rodriguez. This man had cast Quintus Fixlein, had "perennial fire-proof this Naboth, of whom Francia was the open a covetous eye upon a Naboth's vineyard, and joys, namely, employments." He had much e emy, was called Estanislao Machain. Never law-business, a great and ever-increasing doubting that the young doctor, like other lawreputation as a man at once skilful and yers, would undertake his unrighteous cause, faithful in the management of causes for Rodriguez opened to him his case, and requestmen. Then, in his leisure hours, he had ed, with a handsome retainer, his advocacy of his Volneys, Raynals; he had second-hand it. Francia saw at once that his friend's prescientific treatises in French; he loved to and he not only refused to act as his counsel, tensions were founded in fraud and injustice; "interrogate Nature," as they say; to pos- but plainly told him that much as he hated his sess theodolites, telescopes, star-glasses, antagonist Machain, yet if he (Rodriguez) perany kind of glass or book, or gazing imple-sisted in his iniquitous suit, that antagonist ment whatever, through which he might should have his (Francia's) most zealous suptry to catch a glimpse of Fact in this port. But covetousness, as Ahab's story shows strange Universe: poor Francia! Nay, it us, is not so easily driven from its pretensions; is said, his hard heart was not without in-persisted. As he was a potent man in point of and in spite of Francia's warning, Rodriguez flammability; was sensible to those Anda- fortune, all was going against Machain and his lusian eyes still bright in the tenth or devoted vineyard. twelfth generation. In such case, too, it may have burnt, one would think, like anthracite, in a somewhat ardent manner. Rumors to this effect are afloat; not at once incredible. Pity there had not been some Andalusian pair of eyes, with speculation, depth, and soul enough in the rear of them to fetter Dr. Francia permanently, and make a house-father of him. It had been better; but it befel not. As for that light-headed, smart, brown-girl, whom, twenty years afterwards, you saw selling flowers on the streets of Assumpcion, and leading a light life, is there any certainty that she was Dr. Francia's daughter? Any "'Machain,' said the lawyer, addressing him, certainty that even if so, he could and you know I am your enemy. But I know that should have done something considerable my friend Rodriguez meditates, and will cerfor her?* Poor Francia, poor light-head-tainly, unless I interfere, carry against you an ed, smart, brown girl,-this present reviewer cannot say! * Robertson. "At this stage of the question, Francia wrapped himself one night in his cloak, and walked to the house of his inveterate enemy, Machain. his master and the doctor, like the houses of The slave who opened the door, knowing that Montagu and Capulet, were smoke in each other's eyes, refused the lawyer admittance, and ran to inform his master of the strange and unexpected visit. Machain, no less struck by the circumstance than his slave, for some time hesitated; but at length determined to admit Francia. In walked the silent doctor to Machain's chamber. All the papers connected with the law-plea-voluminous enough I have been assured-were outspread upon the defendant's escritoire. act of gross and lawless aggression; I have come to offer my services in your defence.' "The astonished Machain could scarcely credit his senses; but poured forth the ebulli "The first 'escrito,' or writing, sent in by Francia to the Juez de Alzada, or Judge of the Court of Appeal, confounded the adverse advocates, and staggered the judge, who was in their interest. My friend,' said the judge to the leading counsel, 'I cannot go forward in this matter unless you bribe Dr. Francia to be silent.' 'I will try,' replied the advocate, and he went to Naboth's counsel with a hundred doubloons (about three hundred and fifty guineas), which he offered him as a bribe to let the cause take its iniquitous course. Consider ing, too, that his best introduction would be a hint that this douceur was offered with the judge's concurrence, the knavish lawyer hinted to the upright one that such was the fact. tion of his gratitude in terms of thankful ac- temporary way: this man seems to have quiescence. got but a lean lease of Nature, and may end in a rather shrunk condition! A century ago, with this atrabiliar earnestness of his, and such a reverberatory furnace of passions, inquiries, unspeakabilities burning in him, deep under cover, he might have made an excellent monk of St. Dominic, fit almost for canonization; nay, an excellent Superior of the Jesuits, Grand Inquisitor, or the like, had you developed him in that way. But, for all this, he is now a day too late. Monks of St. Dominic that might have been, do now, instead of devotional raptures and miraculous suspensions in prayer, produce-brown accidental female infants, to sell flowers, in cion! It is grown really a most barren an indigent state, on the streets of Assumptime; and this Francia, with his grim unspeakabilities, with his fiery splenetic humors, kept close under lock and key, what has he to look for in it? A post on the Bench, in the municipal Cabildo,-nay, he has already a post in the Cabildo; he has already been Alcalde, Lord Mayor of Assumpcion, and ridden in such gilt coach as they had. He can look for little, one would say but barren monies, barren Guacho world-celebrities; Abbe-Raynal philosophisms also very barren; wholly a barren life-voyage of it, ending-in zero thinks the Abbé Raynal? "Salga Usted,' said Francia, con sus viles pensamientos, y vilisimo oro de mi casa.' 'Out with your vile insinuations, and dross of gold from my house.' "Off marched the venal drudge of the unjust judge; and in a moment putting on his capoté, the offended advocate went to the residence of the Juez de Alzada. Shortly relating what had passed between himself and the myrmidon, Sir,' continued Francia, you are a disgrace to law, and a blot upon justice. You are, moreover, completely in my power; and unless tomorrow I have a decision in favor of my client, I will make your seat upon the bench too hot for you, and the insignia of your judicial office shall become the emblems of your shame.' "The morrow did bring a decision in favor of Francia's client. Naboth retained his vine yard; the judge lost his reputation; and the young doctor's fame extended far and wide." But no; the world wags not that way in On the other hand, it is admitted that he those days. Far over the waters there quarrelled with his father, in those days; have been Federations of the Champ de and, as is reported, never spoke to him Mars: guillotines, portable-guillotines, and more. The subject of the quarrel is vaguely a French people risen against tyrants; supposed to have been "money matters." there has been a Sansculottism, speaking at Francia is not accused of avarice; nay, is last in cannon-volleys and the crash of expressly acquitted of loving money, even towns and nations over half the world. by Rengger. But he did hate injustice ;-- Sleek Fatpauncho Usandwonto, sleek arisand probably was not indisposed to allow tocratic Donothingism, sunk as in deathhimself, among others, "the height of fair sleep in its well-stuffed easy-chair, or stagplay!" A rigorous, correct man, that will gering in somnambulism on the house-tops, have a spade be a spade; a man of much seemed to itself to hear a voice say, Sleep learning in Creole law, and occult French no more, Donothingism; Donothingism sciences, of great talent, energy, fidelity: doth murder sleep! It was indeed a ter-a man of some temper withal; unhappily rible explosion, that of Sansculottism; subject to private "hypochondria ;" black commingling very Tartarus with the oldprivate thunder-clouds, whence probably established stars; fit, such a tumult was the origin of these lightnings, when you it, to awaken all but the dead. And out of poke into him! He leads a lonesome, self-it there had come Napoleonisms, Tamerlansecluded life; "interrogating Nature" isms; and then, as isms; and then, as a branch of these, through mere star-glasses, and Abbé-Ray- Conventions of Aranjuez, soon followed by nal philosophies-who in that way will Spanish Juntas, Spanish Cortes; and, on yield no very exuberant response. Mere the whole, a smiting broad awake of poor law-papers, advocate fees, civic officialities, old Spain itself, much to its amazement. renowns, and the wonder of Assumpcion Guachos;-not so much as a pair of Andalusian eyes that can lasso him, except in a And naturally of New Spain next,-to its double amazement, seeing itself awake! And so, in the new hemisphere too, arise wild projects, angry arguings; arise armed gatherings in Santa Marguerita Island, with Bolivars and Invasions of Cumana; revolts of La Plata, revolts of this and then of that; the subterranean electric element, shock on shock, shaking and exploding, in the new hemisphere too, from sea to sea. Very astonishing to witness, from the year 1810 and onwards. Had Dr. Rodriguez Francia three ears, he would hear; as many eyes as Argus, he would gaze! He is all eye, he is all ear. A new, entirely different figure of existence is cut out for Dr. Rodriguez. The Paraguay people, as a body, lying far inland, with little speculation in their heads, were in no haste to adopt the new republican gospel; but looked first how it would succeed in shaping itself into facts. Buenos Ayres, Tucuman, most of the La Plata provinces, had made their revolutions, brought in the reign of liberty, and unluckily driven out the reign of law and regularity; before the Paraguenos could resolve on such an enterprise. Perhaps they are afraid? General Belgrano, with a force of a thousand men, missioned by BuenosAyres, came up the river to countenance them, in the end of 1810; but was met on their frontier in array of war; was attacked, or at least was terrified, in the night watches, so that his men all fled ;-and on the morrow, poor General Belgrano found himself not a countenancer, but one needing countenance; and was in a polite way sent down the river again !* Not till a year after did the Paraguenos, by spontaneous movement, resolve on a career of freedom;-resolve on getting some kind of congress assembled, and the old government sent its ways. Francia, it is presumable, was active at once in exciting and restraining them the fruit was now drop. ripe, we may say, and fell by a shake. Our old royal Governor went aside, worthy man, with some slight grimace, when ordered to do so; National Congress introduced itself; secretaries read papers, compiled chiefly out of Rollin's Ancient History;" and we became a Republic; with Don Fulgenao Yegros, one of the richest Guachos, and best horseman of the province, for President, and two Assessors with him, called also Vocales, or Vowels, whose names escape us; Francia, as Secretary, being naturally the Consonant, or motive soul of the combination. This, as we grope out the date, was 1811. The Paraguay Congress, having completed this con 46 stitution, went home again to its field-labors, hoping a good issue. Feebler light hardly ever dawned for the historical mind, than this which is shed for us by Rengger, Robertsons, and Company, on the birth, the cradling, baptismal processes, and early fortunes of the new Paraguay Republic. Through long, vague, and indeed intrinsically vacant pages of their books, it lies gray, undecipherable, without form and void. Francia was secretary, and a Republic did take place: this, as one small clear-burning fact, shedding far a comfortable visibility, conceivability over the universal darkness, and making it into conceivable dusk with one rushlight fact in the centre of it-this we do know; and cheerfuly yielding to necessity, decide that this shall suffice us to know. What more is there? Absurd somnolent persons, struck broad awake by the subterranean concussion of civil and religious liberty all over the world, meeting together to establish a republican career of freedom, and compile official papers out of Rollin-are not a subject on which the historical mind can be enlightened. The historical mind, thank Heaven, forgets such persons and their papers, as fast as you repeat them. Besides, these Guacho populations are greedy, superstitious, vain; and, as Miers said in his haste, mendacious every soul of them! Within the confines of Paraguay, we know for certain but of one man who would do himself an injury to do a just or true thing under the sun: one man who understands in his heart that this Universe is an eternal Fact—and not some huge temporary Pumpkin, saccharine, absinthian; the rest of its significance chimerical merely! Such men cannot have a history, though a Thucydides came to write it. Enough for us to understand that Don This was a vaporing blockhead, who followed his pleasures, his peculations, and Don That another of the same; that there occurred fatuities, mismanagements innumerable; then discontents, open grumblings, and as a running accompaniment, intriguings, caballings, outings, innings: till the Government House, fouler than when the Jesuits had it, became a bottomless pestilent inanity, insupportable to any articulate-speaking soul; till Secretary Francia should feel that he, for one, could not be Consonant to such a set of Vowels; till Secretary Francia, one day, flinging down his papers, rising to his feet, should jerk out with oratorical vivacity his lean right hand, and say, with knit brows, in a low, swift tone, "Adieu, Senhores; God preserve you many years!" many ponderous books on law; a few on the in- another." Francia withdrew to his chacra, a plea- | sisted of three hundred volumes. There were sant country-house in the woods of Ytapía, not far off; there to interrogate Na. ture, and live in a private manner. Parish Robertson, much about this date, which we grope and guess to have been perhaps in 1812, was boarded with a certain ancient Donna Juana, in that same region; had tertulias of unimaginable brilliancy; and often went shooting of an evening. On one of those-but he shall himself report: "On one of those lovely evenings in Paraguay, after the south-west wind has both cleared and cooled the air, I was drawn in my pursuit of game, into a peaceful valley, not far from Doña Juana's and remarkable for its combination of all the striking features of the scenery of the country. Suddenly I came upon a neat and unpretending cottage. Up rose a partridge; fired, and the bird came to the ground. A voice from behind called out, Buen tiro'-'a good shot.' I turned round, and beheld a gentleman of about fifty years of age, dressed in a suit of black, with a large scarlet capote, or cloak, thrown over his shoulders. He had a maté-cup in one hand, a cigar in the other; and a little urchin of a negro, with his arms crossed, was in attendance by the gentleman's side. The stranger's countenance was dark, and his black eyes were very penetrating, while his jet hair combed back from a bold forehead, and hanging in natural ringlets over his shoulders, gave him a dignified and striking air. He wore on his shoes large golden buckles, and at the knees of his breeches the same." 6 "In the exercise of the primitive and simple hospitality common in the country, I was invited to sit down under the corridor, and to take a cigar and maté (cup of Paraguay tea). A celestial globe, a large telescope, and a theodolite were under the little portico; and I immediately inferred that the personage before me was no other than Dr. Francia." Peculation, malversation, the various forms of imbecility and voracious dishonesty went their due course in the gov. ernment offices of Assumpcion, unrestrained by Francia, and unrestrainable :-till, as we may say, it reached a height; and, like other suppurations and diseased concretions in the living system, had to burst, and take itself away. To the eyes of Paraguay in general, it had become clear that such a reign of liberty was unendurable; that some new revolution, or change of ministry was indispensable. Rengger says that Francia withdrew "more than once" to his chacra, disgusted with his colleagues; who always, by unlimited promises and protestations, had to flatter him back again; and then anew disgusted him. Francia is the Consonant of these absurd "Vowels ;" no business can go on without Francia! And the finances are deranged, insolvent; and the military, unpaid, ineffective, cannot so much as keep out the Indians; and there comes trouble Yes, here for the first time in authentic and rumor of new war from Buenos Ayres -alas, from what corner of the great conhistory, a remarkable hearsay becomes a remarkable visuality: through a pair of tinent, come there other than troubles and rumors of war? Patriot generals become clear human eyes, you look face to face on the very figure of the man. Is not this traitor generals; get themselves "shot in verily the exact record of those clear market-places;" revolution follows revolution. Artigas, close on our borders, has Robertsonian eyes, and seven senses; entered accurately, then and not afterwards, begun harrying the Banda Oriental with We will fire and sword; "dictating despatches on the ledger of the memory? We will from cow-skulls." Like clouds of wolves hope so; who can but hope so! The figure of the man will, at all events, be exact.only feller, being mounted on horseback, Here too is the figure of his library-the with pikes-the Indians dart in on us; carconversation, if any, was of the last degree rying conflagration and dismay. Paraguay must get itself governed, or it will be of insignificance, and may be left out, or worse for Paraguay! The eyes of all Parsupplied ad libitum: aguay, we can well fancy, turn to the one man of talent they have, the one man of veracity they have. "He introduced me to his library, in a confined room, with a very small window, and that so shaded by the roof of the corridor, as to admit the least portion of light necessary for study. The library was arranged on three rows of shelves extending across the room, and might have con In 1813 a second Congress is got together: we fancy it was Francia's last advice to the Government suppuration, when it flattered him back, for the last time, to nos Ayres, or with any of these war-disask his advice. That such suppuration do tracted countries, was peremptorily waived. now dissolve itself, and a new Congress be To no Congress of Lima, General Congress summoned! In the new Congress, the Vo- of Panama, or other general or particular cales are voted out; Francia and Fulgencio congress, would Francia, by deputy or mesare named joint Consuls with Francia for sage, offer the smallest recognition. All Consul, and Don Fulgencio Yegros for South America raging and ravening like Consul's-cloak, it may be better. Don Ful one huge dog-kennel gone rabid, we here gencio rides about in gorgeous sash and in Paraguay have peace, and cultivate our epaulettes, a rich man and horse-subduer; tea-trees: why should not we let well good as Consul's cloak ;-but why should alone? By degrees, one thing acting on the real Consul have a cloak? Next year another, and this ring of frontier "guardin the third Congress, Francia, "by insidi-houses" being already erected there, a ous manoeuvring," by "favor of the milita- rigorous sanitary line, impregnable as brass, ry," and, indeed, also in some sort, we may was drawn round all Paraguay; no commusay, by law of Nature--gets himself declared nication, import or export trade allowed, Dictator for three years," or for life, except by the Dictator's license,—given on may in these circumstances mean much the payment of the due monies, when the posame. This was in 1814. Francia never litical horizon seemed innocuous; refused assembled any Congress more; having sto- when otherwise. The Dictator's trade-lilen the constitutional palladiums, and insi-censes were a considerable branch of his diously got his wicked will! Of a Con- revenues; his entrance dues, somewhat gress that compiled constitutions out of onerous to the foreign merchant, (think the Rollin, who would not lament such a desti- Messrs. Robertson,) were another. Para ny? This Congress should have met again! guay stood isolated; the rabid dog-kennel It was indeed, say Rengger and the Rob-raging round it, wide as South America, ertsons themselves, such a Congress as but kept out as by lock and key. never met before in the world; a Congress These were vigorous measures, gradually which knew not its right hand from its left: coming on the somnolent Guacho populawhich drank infinite rum in the taverns; tion! It seems, meanwhile, that, even after and had one wish, that of getting on horse- the perpetual dictatorship, and onwards to back, home to its field-husbandry and part-the fifth or the sixth year of Francia's govridge-shooting. The military mostly favored Francia; being gained over by himthe thief of constitutional palladiums. With Francia's entrance on the government as Consul, still more as Dictator, a great improvement, it is granted even by Rengger, did in all quarters forthwith show itself. The finances were husbanded, were accurately gathered; every official person in Paraguay had to bethink him, and begin doing his work, instead of merely seeming to do it. The soldiers Francia took care to see paid and drilled; to see march, with real death-shot and service, when the Indians or other enemies showed themselves. Guardias, guard-houses, at short distances were established along the river's bank and all round the dangerous frontiers: wherever the Indian centaurtroop showed face, an alarm cannon went off, and soldiers, quickly assembling, with actual death-shot and service, were upon them. These wolf-hordes had to vanish into the hearts of their deserts again. The land had peace. Neither Artigas, nor any of the fire-brands and war-plagues which were distracting South America from side to side, could get across the border. All negotiation or intercommuning with Bue ernment, there was, though the constitutional palladiums were stolen, nothing very special to complain of. Paraguay had peace; sat under its tea-tree, the rabid dog-kennel, Indians, Artiguenos, and other war-firebrands, all shut out from it. But in that year, 1819, the second year of the perpetual dictatorship, there arose, not for the first time, dim indications of "plots," even dangerous plots! In that year the fire-brand Artigas was finally quenched; obliged to beg a lodging even of Francia, his enemy;-and got it hospitably, though contemptuously. And now straightway there advanced, from Artigas's lost, wasted country, a certain General Ramirez, his rival and victor, and fellow-bandit and firebrand. This General Ramirez advanced up to our very frontier; first with offers of alliance; failing that, with offers of war; on which latter offer he was closed with, was cut to pieces; and a letter was found about him, addressed to Don Fulgencio Yegros, the rich Guacho horseman and Ex-Consul; which arrested all the faculties of Dr. Francia's most intense intelligence, there and then! A conspiracy, with Don Fulgencio at the head of it; conspiracy which seems the wider-spread the farther |