The Sun.
London, England, 1823-10-16 00:00:00

Blt A Z L.

The revbintionary state of Brazil, and the sings.
lac nature of its relations with Portugal, though subjects of great
political and commercial importance, have as yet engaged but a
small portion of•tho public attention in this country. The pars.
mount interest excited by the contest in the Peninsula, and the
slow and irregular manner In which the intelligence frbm every
part of South America is obtained, may account for the indiffer-
ence hitherto shown to the fate of the fertile regions of the Rio,
Plata and the Amazons. It *ill not, therefbre, be a useless la.
bour to recapitulate the principal occurrences in the histery of
Brazil, for some year* past. Such a sum Mary, will -afford to Bur
readers a comprehensive view of a succession of extraordinary
events, some of which hive, perhaps, been overlook, and others
forgotten. Those events are recent, and may all be referred for
their origin in the first ghee to the removal of the Court of f,is..
bon to Rio de Janeiro, and in the next to the influence of the
changes produced in Europe by the downfall of Buonaparte's
Government.

In consequence of the invasion of the French, the late Queen
of Portugal embarked with her Court for Brazil on the 28th of
November, 1807, and landed in that country on the 23d' of
January, 1808. Portugal appeared to be. for ever .lost to the
House of Bragauza. The wish to consolidate its power, and to
render solid the foundations of a sovereignty in the new world,
was therefore. very neutral. Accordingly, the' statesmen who
accompanied the Court proceeded to give a new organization to
the country in which.they had found, an asylum. The distant
provinces, which had gradually withdrawn themselves froni the
authority of the Viceroy, were taught to recognize a central
Government. The Court of Appeal at Rio de :Janeiro Was
made a Court of Revision. Supreme Tribunals of atistice, of
Police, and of Administration, • were instituted in the same
form and with the same powers as they had existed at Lisbon.
Brazil was no longer a colony, and the colonial system by which
that. country had hitherto been - governed was completely set -
aside. The ports were 'opened to all 'nations, and in 1810
particular treaty of commerce was concluded with England.'_.
The attention of the Government continued to l directed'to*
internal arrangements, and no disposition_ to. return to; Europe..
was manifested, notwithstanding that the French were driven
from the Peniniula, and Ferdinand was restored, to thetlnone

.

of Spain.
In 1816, Brazil was declared A kingdolll-111; circumstance
which the inhabitants regarded as an '.assurance of indepen-
• • •
•
the country in a state of colonial subjugation to Portugal.--
ain'beinade to place
indepen-
dence--a pledge that no attempt would ag
nature to invite the return of the House of .11regatiza. The
•
From this time forward the state of the Peninsula wae not of a
abortive insurrections of Porlier, Lacy, and Mina, 'kept Spain
in a stnte.of agitation; and Abe Portuguese,Portuguese, though they had
n like their neighbours, &specific •,.constitution to 'refer to,
Accordingly, Portu-
galafter "tne
wshoweda3 strong
n t.sioswytni rfo9mLoilfi
odti
hs ceo,
ennt
leof
sspain,_
On the 24th of August. of, that year the gartispn,of- OpoTto dc.
Constitution of 1012 was restored, by thelosorrection of 1820.
dict the seine, and the Cortes'avereconvoked fbr the26th'of
dared itself for a Constitutional systeth, the troops in Lisbon
Ja
;wary, 1821. The newt' of.the revolution in Portugal 'soon,
reached Brazil. The,. Prince Regent, who had now becoMe
King, under the, title pf John VI., woe currodnded-by Porte-.
ti
men had adopted,.and the previous insurrection in Pernatnbuc
goose troops, all favourable ,to the system which their country.
intileated a strong democratic ,feeling.. in the ,country. Itt this
situation lie yielded with a good grace. .If'his.hintiments were
.disguised, he did not, like, his brother kexdinand of Spain, wet
in such a manner est° destroy all confideeee
He was tar from insisting on the monarchical,lnincipal of' giv.
ing what institutions. he pleased to his .peoplg..Un the contrary,
he recognized the Constitution, whateVeril }night, be, which pas
to be fremed for Porn:gal. ' tie did not think it necessary to
kqow it in order to approve it,. andswornto it by anticipation
on the 26th February, befOre the news of the instillation of the
Cones had reached Ilraetl. - . ~ •-- •
When the Cortes assembled they joeited the. King to return
to Lisbon. /lie Mitjesty slew in making preparations
to leave Rio de Janeiro.; Winn the 220 of April appointed
soniDottPedro Regent OeßrAullettelegkting teehim all the Legal
prerogativeseincluthinerlgh tor %MlT:net noirperteei On
the 28th of"the same mont te.liailed' tor X.tropee.
On the 92th of 111tircihre 1, the Pdttuguest -deter publish
ed the basis of the !inner nonstitution. tagerwete tilePar-
guese in Brazil to manifest their
.attaphrnent to tbe.,c4pstilu.i.
lion,' that they insisted tiptin swotting fidelity 'befere A copy of
Me basin' had been seen irt-thuit' putt 'Of Attetige.'ol' the 4th'
of June the Portuguese, assembled for "the-ptintiose of'
voluntarily taking an oath the constitution explained
'thebases. The taking
the traops, end:stated p'
he Would not take the oath Without toriefiltin the opihiori of die
Brazilian people. Iltraenordingly c,onloked the eleetoti,i an 4.
on their recemmendation took theopth. 4f. the, nine' time a
Junta-was for Med to assist him in the details o the adrdinia-
tration. 'The ?theft- tad Inisumed -the " thovetnrant lodes
many unfavourable eircurronstice,s, • the country was not'ohly
agitated by the diSeussion of• its Roliaieni. intereetee but its
tinancea•were deranged.. 'The funde of the Benk were dilapi:
dated, and the vrovincescontriboted nothing td*the'publie trea-
sury. The Regent wished to render himself popular, Ile
reduced his ei penditure. to the aunt allowed the Princess for,
pin-ttiOney, and:lived in It Quinto in the country with the great-
eia economy: • ' • ' " •
By this time two parties had, distinctly, shownthenaselves in
Brazil, but that for' reform and political improvement was
much more numerous than the other` Which -adhered Co the an-
cient institutions. , The popular party was not' altogether with:
out distrust of the Prince, but his activipy and ItCenflltuOdat-,
ing dispoiiiion rendelid• him a farOutite'witit 'the Multitude,
and the imprudent conduct of the- Cortes' of Lisbent in:
duced the friends of independence to avail thOnselves of his.
presence anti to put him forwardpas the,heid pf the; system.'
The Gorses' wished 'to • strengthen'brtuggl by uniting till the
parts of the Portuguese,. dominions under the constitutional
system ; all the provinces being represented in the Ongress,
Brazil was regarded as too extensive for one province:and it
was thereldre thought lit to divide it into several. This' scheme
spread. agitation through-Brazil: It". appeared to' the people
that the object of the Lisbon GoVernment in splitting On coun-
try into separate diViSiens Waite ensure the motos of oyermling
it. This appeared a nets attempt ' reetilOnizethan-, 'Which of things the Brezilinne Most dreaded. They to lee.
united with Portugal, but as an integral and equal tnetuber of
The monarchy. The Prince declared for thil. view of the quest-
tion, andehereby won More and more The affection of the pro-
pie. lie scion saw, or wait taught to see, that Whenever dis-
cussions arose between Brazil and Portugal, it wait neoefsary
for him 'to take piirt with theformer,ln order to preserve if pas-
lible•its 'union with the latter: ' • - • •--
On the 29th of September the cones of Lisbon., passed'
the
offerieiVe decrees for dividing Brazil into provincial G overn.
merits, suppressing the reinter tribinials, 'find recalling the
Prince to Europe. - Theses proceedings were tot known in
Brazil until The month of December; but in the interval the, jealousy *Mai preveiled tespecting the intentions of the oo-
vernment of Portugal Was the cause of mlich fermentition, and
on the lOtir of October a commotion took 'place at Rio de
Janeiro. Proclamations, proposing to declare the. Prince Em-
, perm', wore nosier, Up. ' This measureoOhich in thertelttel was
paTrtita
adopted, was at this period premature ; and the enterprise had
partisans
of the 'Cartel arrived at' Rio on the 10th of Dec.
no other reitdt. than the. arrest of
.a few of the most aeries
•
and orders were issued for the formation of the Junta appointtel
Ito govern the country on the recall of the Prince, who now
began to make preparations far his departure. Nothing could
exceed the eXa9eruthnt vihiett MeitiPres of the Circa now
s ...were too
'produced: The Brazilian troop% fully particpated in the feel-
zngs of their countrymen; and the Portuguese.trool.s
few to hope for ultimate success in any 4nel-hot to enforce the
Senate, stated that the ahip which should remove
decrees. A eemonarranee, addressed'bythe people Rio to
mope would cause the independent Brazilian
ttlbiee'AplriunncieciptottlE
flag to wave At the mouth Of the Tegus. In fact; the party for
total separation from Portugal, Which is far from being incon-
siderable, would have eagerly .sized such an occasion for pro-
yoking a declaration for repoblicanr-tovernment.. Threat:nit)
tepresentationi werehlse made by the 'Pi-evinces. of St.
Mina% flio4artthtl.er, anti' Rio de Janeiro. - The Prince
resolved to remain ; -end hie detetmination stay notified to Ale
Assembly oe the 9th of January, 1822, amidst extraordinary
demonstrations of joy,
On the Ilth of January trey assembled ender
-These proceedingt were fierfrom being pleasing to the Portu.
guese trope:

arms, and manifested a determination to resist the orders of the
Prince. The Brazilians were not slow in assuming an equally
threatening aspect, and the inhabitants arrneeketliemselves to
support their army. • Though greatly superior indiscipline, the ,
Portuguese were infinitely inferior in..nuMberse to their oppn-
nenes.. They soon agreed to a capitulation, in. virtue of -which
they were removed to Praja-Grande, on the aide of the bay op-
posite to the.city of Rio de Janeiro. - Here they -recoveret? a
little. from their dismay, .and declared they., would ;remain in
their poeitioil until the reinforceMents expected from Portugal
should Arrive. The Brazilians insisted tip6n their sailing for
Burope;and.diaplayedveat activity in tbemeasures. they took
to ceropel them, to ,atlept Allis course.. The -Portuguese soon
fleind theirriselV6i eiinipletety blockaded by hind and sea, and
timely embarked on.tlie 14th of February. • Net long after, the
Pte;uguese fleet with the reinforcementeeeppeereel on the coast,
but the troops were not permitted to hind..
When the 'news of theee events -reached Liebon;' the Cortes
~
thought limper to relax in some measure their pretensions.
They suspended the decree for the recall of the. Prince, and Pro'
posed to establish in Brazil two delegationiaThe Executive
Power. This, however, wax far. romebelogriatiefactore. To
difde the country into two parts, separateleeedminjeterelunder ,•
the- directien of the Poetuguese Ministry, appeared a scheme
well calcidated to secure the preponderance -of the Lisbon Go-
vertu-met.. The Brazilians. persisted. in thein claim to one. '
to itial ale overuineht for the who of the provinces.
On the 13th of May, .1822., the Prince was proclaimed per.
petuar defender of Beam}, and Procurithires' Gene chosen by •
the afferent provinces, formed afterw.attle-hie•Outnel/21 of State.
The Procuradores on their first meeting ,declared.their inceM-
petence to legislate, -and 'concurred with the-prii!cipal local au- '
thorities in recotomiqiling The convocation (We. oneictituent and
, legislative body. .4 decree of the Prince, dated June,3d, car-
ried thie suggestion into effect. 'rile licitly fornied cif the Pro-
vincial.Deputia was called an Assembly, that Word, though of
Preach origin, being preferred to the term,. Cortese which had
now become unpopular. It is astonishing tliet,,elia Govern-
' Meet of Lisbon did- not how see, that any farther attempt to
exercise an authority contrary to the will of the people of Brazil
was futileand absurd.. On the .contrary., thecoetee, spoke in a
style of cohimand which formed a singular'COnerast with their
real Want of authority. On the 19th of 'September, they passed
a decree, declaring the convocation of the,Conetiteent Assembly
iinli, the Government of Rio'de Janeirdillegid, and recalling
the Prince Regent: within the period of four montlel, tintlerpain
of forfeiting his title to the throne. What lees, been the result ?
In about nine months the Cortes which p4,,,,,e(1 his decree were
dissolved, in'eonscqueece of a military insurrection instigated
by French intrigue; but the Prince retrains in.l.lrezil; of which
he hes been declared Emperor, and the, constituent.. Assembly
has, ecrentling to recent accounts, cOrinneneed' its sittings.—
Bahia, occupied by Portuguese troope, .Belli out foratonsider-
able time against the Government of
,Rio de Janeiro, but, re-
' duced to the last extremity, Gen. Madeira was glad, to escape
• with his troops, and has been pursued by the Brazilian squadron
.underfleord'Cochpene to the shores of Peireugal..
This narrative cennot be unacceptable to those whe.fe,elan in- ;i
terest en the fate of Brazil. The consideration' of the past may '
`lie a-irsip in forming a right judgment of the future: It sp. , t
Rears teat the obeecte which the Brazilians have,all along It
'Batt iri view, _ are polizical independence and civil liberty.—
' Will their 'European adversary Cease to -opprise these ob- I
je.ete! If couetitotional Portugal, : wareitinnieal to the ernanci- 1
pation of an ancient colony, is Portugal, becenie the.tool of the ;
HatyAllianee,likety to she w more rayon r to dieprin ci ples of free-
dom ?.. We already know that-the counter-revolution has ex-
cited great alarm at Rio de Janeiro, wheeetheeeepedarity-of tbe
Ernpe.tor is 'already on the wane. Ile hie et lastpreved hint. 11
• 'self a champion of the Monarchical prinelie-bY dunning a veto
on the. oceedings of the Constituent, Asaetribly. . There iii
reason to apprehend that Don Pedro irewillinge.teeelly himself
l&thedespols of Europe ; but he stands in a critical situation,
and is more likely to experience it fail similer.toethe Mexican
Emperor Iturbide than .to succeed in establitthing_ arbitrary
poWer.' Daring-die existence of the Cortes at. Ltsben, the Bra-
zilian state papers called them anarchists, and reproached them
with holding the King in, captivity, while the Portuguese
pepers.ditl not fail to charge their accusers. witle.letviliaru. It
would be'perlitips `difficult to prove that John -yr; Was mow '
under coniroul at Lisbon than Dorm ate .14.1.oeelit Janeiro.,
bunt is probable that we shall soon find that *the parties have ?
changed their language, thotigh the wish :'of Brazil to be 1
independent, and of Portugal to govern it, will retrain IT"
. changed; for „these opposite wishes are the result fit• opposite
intereAttn
• • ." • - ~
Brazil posse sex the great advantage of a vast' eactrithint of na-
tional property, In a work lately published,et ,Perise under the
title-lot' " DeTtesilfre de` liratit ' contidere • kiiii Its Rapporis
Politiques 4 coninirrpx," it is said—
" Broil! possesses as sufficiency of uncultivated land to sup.
part at leNst.lOO;QPO,4OO. of iohabitants—that As -to«elay twenty
times more than its present population. These lands.peed only
antlers, with, hich the-increase of the popuistion,will gradually '
supply them.. Until the whole be disposed of, the grants will '1
*duct n'etinStant-annual revenue to the State; and when they
:hap lee all sold, the finances of the Sta.tes, will no. longer require
'elxtraordinary resources." ,
,Tfte,same writer makes the followiegobaervationte--
We ere inured that one of the objects which will occupy
ithe attention of the COnstituetit eteisamblysisthe OXini.; of the
seat of the Govemnient: This question is however of less im-
portance to Brasil than to the United States, Where it is neces-
sary that the seat of the freneral-Government should net be situ-
sted within. the juritulicuon of any of theStatee....; /Lee* • •
.--11esitles, 'Brazil, with from a thousentl. to twelve hondred
:leagues' of coest,. and the. navigation :of the rtnitnif and the
Rio de la Plata, with its positien, at the most .contracttd
point of the. Atlantic' canal, and 'with Vhe firthelies which it may establish, muse nee,e3Aari*, beeonie,a great .maritime'=. POWer: I` e ConuilimicatiOns of the enPital With the pravinces
will for a tOng tinte be more euily.nuide.beeeetetltan. by
iiii of sixteen provinces thirteen are wished by the oCeetn. ' This. le
situation renders • it, nitnoSt.indisperatablei ? t 1,3 at ~ the capital of il
Brazil should,.like those of .Portugal, Naples, Denmark, Sire.
. tidObicied!UliE0L1)::::„:„If:ilf1 Brazil
nowoltti;slitlaosairoses4begetnsbaathit,ewe7fuleTdrivi.iieut i
iiriectt. I!ii.iff
tetsthho:teilc, 1:e :if :
"'tic:
4:e,e
Anwrt,i portswill ton,eza il:lii.
front the Centre of the population; the cheice unite therefore ii
he between Bahia and Rin,de Jantina, tad theAriglibanrhoed 'of the temperate zone gives a great advantage to the latter of i ,these cities. These reflections are, howeier, aluigether‘finind sed . on the present state of the population.of Bevil. When the blinks of the Amitzon, and of mere which flow into- it, are once peopled,. it would then be proper to move tiles capital in that adirection, tinleas by that time internal eotihithhicationa should
join, the navigation of the Toesntio anti the ,Perahyba. -
gilt alithe labours which the Braiilituf Deputies will hard
to. undertake, those connected with pe.ional rights still be found
et:once the most difficult and important. Two-seventlis of the
population 'are slattes; and though,the eVir ntay beless than in
,some other countries, it is still sufficiently alarming. Slavery
degrades the' blacks, and unfortunately also degrades the whites.
It renders the. Later haughty, brutal, aud.indolent. Ralf of
the riegro's labour is lost, for rte as little as lie possibly .
can; and the whole of the white man's labour is 'lost,.bectiwie
he would Consider himself a Slave if he submitted to work for
others."--( Timm j .