The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-12
RIO DE JANEIRo,

l
RIO DE JANEIRO,
The city Of Rio Janeiro presents many
features Of attraction to strangers, and espe-
cially from the United States. lean pre-
sent some of these, but without much regard
to form and connection. Rio as it is usu-
ally called) contains about 100000 inhabi-
tants. Seven-eighths Of these are blacks
and slaves. The Emperor, Don Pedro II.
resides here The town has the appearance
Of great age, the houses being all rooted
with tiles, and the forms Of architecture sim
liar, andregulated by law, The houses are
built Of stone or brick, and are universally
painted outside and inside. The streets are
mostly very narrow, admitting only the pas
sage of one carriage between the sidewalks
The carriages only pass one uay in each
street, thus avoiding all danger Of meeting
OF passing. The streets are swept the clean
est Of any city | have visited. Nothing is
allowed to be thrown into. the streets-not
even the sweepings Of the houses and shops.
There are no large contracts for cleansing
the streets, hut each resident sweeps the
street in front Of his own house.
| was surprised to learn that there was
no national coin in the country but copper.
They have no silver or gold. The copper coin
is ofthe denomination Of one and two cent pie
ces. What is called rinton, and dump.
The other currency is that Of bills, Of the
value Of 80 cents and upwards they
call miireys These bills are issued by the
Emperor, and, strange to say, are never re-
deemable. They are taken at the Custom
House, and by the citizens for any kind Of
goods or property. They are regarded as
the very best currency. Even our Ameri-
can gola and silver is at discount Of s and
10 per cent Our half dollars viii pass toll
erably well, but many Of the shopkeepers
refuse to take the small coin. went into
the market yesterday, and wishing to pur-
chase an orange handed the woman five
cent piece she shook her head and showed
me a dump intimating that that was what
she wanted Whenever the Emperor gives
out new issue Of these bills they decrease
| in value
The language spoken by the native clti-
zens is the Portuguese. There are few
French and English merchants here, md
four or FIVE Americans Those who can
speak the French or Spanish have little DIFF
fculty in beig understood.
| should Judge that the city was remarka-
bly, well governed. There is certainly mnch
less crime and outrage than in New York,
according to the number Of inhabitants. |
have been here six days, and have not
seen the first citizen intoxicated. There are
at present some 1900 Americans from the
States here, on their way 10 California, and
] see (sory to say it) plenty Of these intox-
icated every day.
When one Of the native citizens gets
drunk they put tin mask over his face, and
fasten it with patent paddock behind. This
he is obliged to wear certain length oftims.
The citizens generally are remarkably hon
est-several facts in proof having TRANSFERRED
under the observation Of our ships company
ought not perhaps to say honest-for they
60 upon the principle that "all is fair in trade. !"
They will not steai-nor viii they keep an
article they happen to find, if they can dis
cover the owner. Theft they regard as one
Of the greatest crimes, and it is punished
with great severity. And this, while man
is seldom convicted and hung for murder.
They reason that one is committed in the
heat Of passion, and the other is cool, de-
lberate act.
The Roman Catholic is the national rei-
gion, and no other is tolerated, except under
great restrictions. The Churches are nu-
merous, and very Notwithstanding been
built, most af them, hundreds Of years ago,
when il was the national pride to give mo-
ney for such purposes. No description can
do justice to tho splendor and magnifcence
Of some q these cdifices. The inside Of the
Emperor's Chapel, which visited yester-
day, seemed almost lined with gold Yes
terday was celebrated with great splendor in
comncmoration Of Christ's bearing the Cross
A long procession took place in the evening,
commencing at the Emperor's Chapel and
passing through several streets to church
The houses through these streets were all
illuminated. Those in the procession were
composed Of the highest digniiaries Of Church
and State, guarded by soldiers. Eight of
the number have on their shoulders in front,
Sedan, in which was enclosed by curtains
an image on the Cross, representing the
body Of Christ.
The Sedan was richly ornamented with
pure gold. The Emperor followed on foot, in
military dress, az one Of the ipall-bearers-
and carrying in his hand tallow candle (!)
(hghted) six feet long The same was car
ned by every one in the procession. The