Star.
London, England, 1828-08-28 00:00:00

{RICE SzvEriporet.

J.

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7••

• BRAZIL.
„ . .
MT/17UL saw= Olt TUS &VESTS OP THE 9TU, 10Tift
ITH, OD 12TH, OW JUNE, 1824.- •
A military mutiny, a. sudden insurrection of German
'end Irish troops, tupexpestedly mt. a gloom over the
capital Of the Empire. and:spread through it. the great-
est. consterpation. . A furious_soldiery, losing all respect
for.,euthority and discipline,,delivered themselves up to;
the most criminal exeessev,
• Some ieffections upon the admission of foreign troops
into site, service of. Brasil may not be improper. The
*principle which guided our Government. arid was the
consideration that. it was necessary to withdraw by the
ie.- I nitiog
.asfew timid* as possible fr,om agriculture in.
rhe.centLal provinces,.and from commerce and 'menu-
actures .in the maritime cities. and to.supply a part of
the men necessary' ter the different. military services by
from. Europe, urbse' h would haveebesides,
he effect of increasing at the same time the free and
white population in the centre of the eMpire,•where the
slaves aim/1714'401S two-fold proportion—such were
the powerful nn, tires for introducing inus Braiil natives.
of Germaey and Ireland; and as these men were im-
ported at a great expense by the Government, it was
but reasonable that,they.lhould compensate for that ex-
pense ..by a personal 'taroks durieg a limited' period,
before they should be allowed to prosecute their labours
and mechanical professions for themselves. The issue•
duction andtho cultivation of, the arts of Europe—.the
augmentation ofithe white, pcipulation, and the gradual
emancipation of the empire from its dependence on
Europe for articles of the first necessity—were benefits
'to be expected from this measure. • Having- to sustain
an unfortunate war, it was natural that the Government
should hesitate to discharge men whose period of service
had scarcely expired'; and it was even dangerous to set
free those most recently arrived, who had no knowledge
of the language, and no means of living eveirfor tero
days. Perhaps it will be said that it would have been
better not to have ordered them to come to the city. If
we considerthe fact„ we would 'answer in the alfima-
tire; but we would in. the first place observe, that the
Government was deceived, and that public animadver-
sion would fall upon those intriguers who deceived' it,•
and on the weak and imprudent Ministers who suffered
themselves to be deceived. However, they had arrived,
and the new Ministers were obliged to take the business
on their shoulders. It cannot, then, be surprising that •
in.the midst of the difficulties and circumstances which
we have stated above, there should be some delay abd
uncertainty as to what ought to be done., In this state
of things, a deplorable accident, the mutiny of the'ld
German battalion, took the Government by sorprisK
The 2d battalion of German Grenadiers, quartered in
the plain of St. Christoval, was in a state of discs:Watt
in consequence of tome /*teaches of -faith; real or 'sup-
posed, by the Administration ;, or in consequesue of DO-
due severity on the part of the Mirka.; or• because,
although the period for .which the men had been en-
gaged had expired, they were not discharged. • But the
seeds of discontent would not have extoitled fuither
than murmurs, or temporary disturbances. had not, a
barbarous punishment. the justice of which is more than
doubtful,- mil .med minds already prepared for violi!iif e.
by anterinr disgusts. •: •A'
A German .soldier. the comrade of the -C rptsin'ti
Engineers, Pedro..Pcaet at, architect to .1.4 e Ersepertie4s;
did not lift his cap ro ;an Ensign who, wet :sr:tint:ll)e
round 'afte,c the Ave Maria. The Ensigp-oviiered-h*
setg,, and the soldier was neat .tfarkisstencl.4
to receive SOD.lashes; but Pedro Pezerat iweited On are
Major to obtain the pardon of the soldier, whose 100.
duct if PO to have been exemplary, and ss HO had never
been puniybed since 'the battalion was forma' The.
Major refitted him to the Ensign. *Van
time the soldier was brought our from prison foe;•the
execution of his sentence. The soldier refused td•Ain-
dress, loudly claiming to be brought before C Conk of
Inquiry, and asserting that he was innocent, shit& affer
sun-set military compliments ceased. The yesnit
that he .was sentenced to five-fold punishment, on she
ground that he was guilty of resistance. tlFotwehis
moment no symptom of mutiny had shown' ihisiCia•
he battalion. • ••• . •

The execution of the sentence was proeetded With
until 210 blows had been Riven, when a. Captain beg-
ged that the unhappy man might not be killed ;•and:at
the same time Captain Pezerat arrived to supplicate
pardon. The punishment was then stopped; burthe
indignant soldiers broke out into loud eXclarnationsland
ran to the Imperial residence. His Majesty refused to
hear them, ordering it to be humanely commutticatetho
them,that if they had any representation tl makerillby
should.come two or three together, and not in Caoffele
band, and that they might rely upon the upright' beak
of his Majesty for justiceheing done them.. With this
answer they.returned so their quartersi•shouting' ritilis
for the ,lEmpeior, intermixed with complaints, against
the Major and the Quitter Master, w hes' • erinteel6d
tlwmselves; but the night passed over without until).
parent disorder. • : , ..• :, .4 !I
At nine o'clock next day the Fort Mtajor•lreetrtlro
the barracks of the battalion in the holie•of trareqUil•
lizing 'he men. Ther.required that CaPt. Pez:erar,Who,
in consequence of a false charge if loving pervdiced
the •mutiny, had•heen arrested and sent to the Isle 'of
the Cobras, should be set at liberty.aid they besides ex-
plained to•him all their grounds of complaint. The Fort
Major declared that his Majesty was ready to yield
everything that via: just ; and in the S:st• place the re-
lease of Pezerat, who.was innocent; and that as .the
Conned of State was•sitringp le,would go and give an
account 'of what they had statefi. Up to this time the
'Mutiny had not presentedsany syioptOms of danger.,
f heehaw/Tor the Emperor were repeded.Thegoardswere
purictualli relieved, and only impreciiien; and cries
were heard against the Major and the Qpirter-master.
Meanwhile, the return of the Fort Major was delayed,
and Captain Pezerat, whose release required sonic legal
toimalities, did not appear. At the same time some
Irish soldiers from •the Campo d'Acelamacap arrived
separately, and were joined by about thirty or forty
more, who came in beats. These forious and desperate
ruffians, who were already inazicated, Whined the
Germans by their eociferations. J The **mutiny assumed
a frightful aspect. The examination magazine was
broken open; the nant:ny reached its height; the houses
of the Major and the • Quatter-master were plundered.
the Major fied..to the ptincipal police :guard f and on
the morning of the 11th he was pursued by the Irish to
the gates.of the arsenal. , He finally.took sheitekin the
Isleof the Cobras. .
At this period, the blind fury of the Williestootle