History. — The history of Paraguay is highly interest- ing. The country was discovered by Sebastian Cabot in 152G; but the first colony was settled in 1535 by Pedro de Mendoza, who founded the city of Assuncion, and established Paraguay as a province of the viceroyalty of Peru. The warlike native Guaranis, a people who possessed a certain degree of civihzatit)n, and professed a dualistic religion, for a long time, however, success- fully resisted the Spanish arms, and refused to receive either the religion or the social usages of the invaders. In the latter half of the ItJth century (since 1586) the Jesuit missionaries were sent to the aid of the first preachers of Christianity in Paraguay (who had labor- ed since 1537); but fir a long time tlie Jesuits also were almost entirely unsuccessful, the effect of their preaching being in a great degree marred by the profli- gate and cruel conduct of the Spanish adventurers who formed the staple of tlie early colonial population. The Jesuits, however, did not hopelessly abandon their task, as had the Franciscans, who had preceded them. With their indomitable will and keen judgment of human nature, the Jesuits were probably the only Christians who could succeed. Finding tliat the obstacles were almost insurmountable, they concentrated their strength on tlie province of Guayra, and there succeeded in win- ning the confidence of the natives, whom they united
in settlements (Rechidiones), and taught there not only religion, but agriculture, arts, and industries. But even these settlements failed for a long time to bring about the much-desired change. There were constant quar- rels and much fighting, and as late as IGIO several set- tlements had to be abandoned. The Jesuits finally de- termined to secure the reins of government in the en- tire countrj', to bring about such a change as they had hoped for, but had found it impossible to secure, so long as they did not themselves possess the civil control. In the 17th century the home government consented to place in their hands the entire administration, civil as well as religious, of two provinces, which, not possessing any of the precious metals, were of little value as a source of revenue ; and, in order to guard the natives against the evil influences of the bad example of European Christians, gave to the Jesuits the right to exclude all other Europeans from these colonies. From this time forward the progress of civilization as well as of Chris- tianity was rapid. The legislation, the administration, and the social organization of the settlement were shaped according to the model of a primitive Christian community, or rather of many communities under one administration ; and the accounts which have been preserved of its condition appear to present a realiza- tion of the ideal of a Christian Utopia. A careful in- quiry into the history of the territory so ruled by the Jesuits reveals, however, that the natives had been made by them altogether helpless. True, the Jesuits were kind to their subjects, and gave them a quasi- independence in what they called a Christian republi- can government, but they did everything in such a guardian-like manner that the natives lost the little qualification they once possessed for independent en- terprise. Besides, the great power and accumulating wealth of the Jesuits provoked envy, and finally result- ed in much opposition to the Jesuits ; and when in 1750 they opposed the disposition of some of their ter- ritory to Portugal, and armed the natives for defence of the land against the S[)anish government, the total expulsion of the Jesuits from Paraguay resulted in 1708. The province was again made subject to the Spanish viceroys. For a time the fruits of the older civilization maintained themselves; but as the ancient organization fell to the ground, much of the work of so many years was undone; the communities lapsed into disorganization, and by degrees much of the old barbar- ism returned, and that in a more aggravated form. In 177G Paraguay was transferred to the newly formed viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata; and in 1810 it joined with the other states in declaring its independence of the mother kingdom of Spain, which, owing to its isolated position, it Avas the earliest of them all to es- tablish completely. In 1814 Dr. Francia, originally a lawj-er, and the secretary of the first revolution- ary junta, was proclaimed dictator for three years; and in 1817 his term of the office was made perpetual. He continued to hold it till his death in 1840; and although many of his measures tended to improve the condition of the country and to develop its internal resources, yet his rule was arbitrary and despotic in the highest degree; and his attempt to isolate the territory from commercial intercourse with the rest of the world was attended with a complete stagnation of commerce and the enterprise to which it leads. On his death the government was vested in consuls, and in 1844 a new constitution was proclaimed, and Don Car- los Antonio Lo]iez elected in that year. He held the government until his death in 1870. The condition of the country was little changed under his administra- tion. Though he was a man of extraordinary char- acter, he was so largely controlled by the restless and roving spirit of the white population of Paraguay that he was forced into a war with Brazil and the La Plata states, which brought the country to the very verge of destruction. It barely escaped utter ruin. A pro- visional government conducted the affairs of Paraguay,