BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF DOM PEDRO II. 185 



publican only in name. He was, in fact, the most immoral, the most 

 tyrannical rnler in all America. He was, besides, very ambitious of 

 military glory, and as soon as he became President (in appearance by 

 election of the self-called National Congress, but in reality by heritage 

 and his own will, as the only general of the republic) he imagined he could 

 l^erform in La Plata the role which Napoleon IH had for some time taken 

 in Europe, viz, the maintenance of European equilibrium. For this end 

 he made of the nation a regular military depot, and only waited for an 

 opportunity to send forth his troops. He had, besides, accumulated an 

 immense quantity of material for war, so that he was quite prepared 

 not only to enter into a military contest, but to maintain it for a long 

 time. 



The hostile attitude of Brazil toward Uruguay furnished the Presi- 

 dent of Paraguay with the pretext he desired to forward his pretensions. 

 After demanding, for the sake of form, of the representative of Brazil 

 at Assumption (the capital) information in regard to the views of the. 

 imperial government, he sent to the latter, in the month of September, 

 1864, a declaration that he would not consent to the occupation by 

 Brazilian troops, neither permanently nor temporarily, of any part 

 whatever of the territory of Uruguay. . . . 



The imperial government made a mistake in taking no notice of this 

 •declaration of the despot ; and, not receiving the satisfaction demanded 

 of the government of Uruguay, invaded the territory of that republic. 

 The Brazilian troops and those of General Flores, who held the open 

 country, naturally united against the common enemj', and obtained 

 their first victory in the taking by assault of the city of Paysandee. 

 This alliance, made upon the field of battle, having been ratified by the 

 imperial government, the united forces marched together upon the cap- 

 ital of the enemy,(Montevideo,) and obliged it to capitulate on the 20th 

 of February, 1805. 



The news of the invasion of Uruguay provoked on the part of Lopez 

 an open act of hostility against Brazil. A steamer was expected belong- 

 ing to a Brazilian company, and which did service between Rio Janeiro 

 and the Brazilian province of Matto-Grosso, passing by the capital of 

 Paraguay. When the boat arrived at Assumption — it was the Marquez 

 de Olinda — it was seized by order of Lopez and most of the passengers 

 made prisoners, among others a colonel who was on his way to take 

 charge of the government of the province of Matto-Grosso, (November, 

 1864.) 



This act excited great indignation in the empire, and an outcry from 

 all parts of the country for punishment of the tyrant. The feeling was 

 so general, that at the end of several weeks the number of the volunteers 

 who responded to an appeal made by the Emperor to their patriotism 

 was more than sufiicient, and the government was obliged to decline 

 further offers of service. Lopez then took possession of the province of 

 Matto-Grosso. He was obliged to pass through the territory of the Ar- 



