Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-04-12
EMPEROR OF BRAZIL.
(Ertract of a priUGte Ietter. J

You have frequently pressed me to send
you description Of our young Emperor; Twill
now endeavor to satisfy your curiosity. He was
twenty seven years old the 10Th last October;
he appears to be about five feet FIVE or six inch
es high; of Aorid complexion, little peck
marked, stout, and of incredible muscular
strength; abstemious in food, drink, and sleep;
extremely active; no department is sure OF him
at any hour of the day or night; he relies on no
man implicitly, but looks into every thing HIM
self: nor is this vigilance the effect OF meddling
feminine curiosity. The mode Of conducting
public business under the ancient government
was tedious in the extreme; and the Emperor
has made quite a revolution in the whole OF It.
| When an expedition is resolved upon, he scarce
| ly allows himself time for food or Sleep till it
sails 1t is he himself who visits the different
naval and military stores. He goes on board
all the transports, questioning the officers and
| troops as 10 their arrangements and comforts;
and on the day of departure he is running a
mong them with his steamboat long before day,
and then accompanies them out 10 sea, till they
are clear of the harbor. His natural talents are
good; he is an excellent Latin scholar; indeed,
| in all the humanity studies he eXcells: Of mod
ern languages, the only one he speaks, except
his own, is the French. The ancient court had
| an unaccountabe aversion to the modern lan-
guages. Even his two sisters, who went to
Spain, understood and wrote the Latin as well
as they did their own tongue. He is not only a
capital musician, but also an excellent compos-
err many Of the pieces played in the Imperial
chapel, and those played in the Palace yard du-
ring the levees, were composed by him when
he had more upon his hands than he has al the
| Ha &c Iol
horses and reviews; and his clean manner. Of
driving four-in-hand would, were he in England,
cntitle him to first place in the Whip Club;
excepting on days of ceremony, he generally
drives himself Although his way of doing
public business could not well be practised in
England, yet it must every where meet with app
probation, Friday is generally the day ofpub
lie audience. although he may be spoken to by
the lowest OF his sub jects any day in the week,
at his going or returning from his evening ride;
but Friday morning, at nine o'clock, is the day
and hour when, from the highest of his subjects
down to the beggar in tatters, strangers or ma
! tves-all are, indiscriminately, and without
exception, admitted TO the presence-chamber,
where he receives ;heir petitions, hears and an
swers their. complaints.
The Ministers are generally standing, during
the audience, in row, OH the left of the throne
and if the petitioner says he is suffering any
thing from the negligence or I'M Justice Of any
one Of them, the Emperor Immediately makes
a sign to the Minister in question, who is obi
| ged to come up to the throne end face out the
affair with the complainant This has been his
regular weekly practice ever since he came 10
the throne; and as he sincerely wishes TO do
Justice TO all men, he will most likely continue
it,-there being no other means 50 proper for
that end In these weekly audiences, the En-
press also takes her part, though in another
part of tho Palace: ii is her alms-giving day;
and while her Imperial Lord is occupied as a
bove, in the presence chamber, she is listening
TO the miseries and relieving the wants of the
widow and orphan, besides giving the weekly
| stipend to the professional beggar whose only
claim on our charity is his actual, though, per-
haps, well-deserved misery. When illness pre-
vents her accompanying the Emperor on these
days, a domestic is charged with the distribu-
ton Of the aims, that the poor expectants may
suffer no disapp ointment. However roman
tic all this may appear, yet it is strictly true
The Emperor is very fond OF his wife and little
family, but he neither spoils the latter, MOI
spares them when in fault. Their first son,
as you know, died, and they were extremely de-
SlrOuS OF announcer DOy-IleaNen neaTQ tnelr
vows, and on the I'd ofthis month, December
blessed them with verv fine one; when the
midwife went to tell the Emperor that a Prince
was born-"Go back and look again at the
| child, that there may be nc mistake" said he:
being again assured it was Prince, "Brng him
here" he cried, and pulling of his shoes and
stockings, he took the child joyfully in his arms
and, with all humility and gratitude, walked
bare footed to the chapel, and offered it up
! thankfully to God, on the altar Of ST. John. /
should not by right give you this last amiabe
trait in his character, because it is purely do
nestle But l see, from public papers, that the
enemies of American monarchy have so poi
soned the public mind with their lying accounts
Of his tyranny, despotism, sc. that could not
withhold it Our troops had received check
in the Banda Oriental, but yesterday, Dec.l5)
we learned that in the last affair we beat the
insurgents. There is a good deal of that an
Gent romantic character still remaining in the
Portuguese; for example, the chief under whose
command VIC suffered the said check, immedi-
a,elv made VOW never to shave his beard till
he had taken revenge on his opponents.-He
it was who gained the battle we heard of yes
terday."
From an extract of letter from Trieste, it
appears that Madame Murat, who goes by the
| 80 In Ttha Of