The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-05

ton, some years since, offered to put their pos
Office on the same footing of efficiency as tina
OF the United States his offer was not accept
ed. The sound used to call attention, by al
classes, high aud low, in Brazil, is the same
nsed by as to scare chickens. Inns or board
lighthouses are very rare, and strangers mus
rely on the Inequalities of those to whom they
are introduced, or rent a room and resort to the
restaurants. All festivals in Brazil begin anc
end with fireworks. Their pyrotechny is supe
rior to that of any other nation, except China
The Government of the Empire, as we have
said, is monarchicsl, hereditary, constitutional
and representative. The Reformed religion
was first proclaimed on the Western Continen,
in the Territory of Brazil, but the religion Of
the State is now Roman Catholic. All other
denominations, however, are tolerated, and we
may reasonably consider the tolerant and fit
Constitution of the Empire, and its good gov
eminent, the general prosperity and the ad-
vsucement of the Brazilians, in every way, far
beyond all other South American nations as
more than an answer to the prayers with
which the pious Huguenots under the treach-
erous Villegagnon baptized Brazil more
than three centuries ago seventy years be-
fore Puritan had planted his foot on Ply.
mouth rock, and bsif century before the
Book of Common Prayer was borne to the
banks of james river Still, here, as elsewhere,
one caunot beip losing himself in speculation
as to whsf might have been, had a company of
stout bearted Puritans secured the establish
mept Of Coligny's colony, and made Brazil
what they and their descendants have made the
United States. Judicial proceedings in Brazil
are public, and there is the right of habeas cor
pus and trial by jury. The lsw-making power
resides in the General Assembly, whose Sena-
tors elected for life. and Representatives for
four years. The Presidents of the Provinces,
corresponding in some degree to our State Gov
ernors, are appointed BY the Emperor. Each
Province has Legislative Assembly, for local
laws, taxation, and government. The Senators
and Representatives of the General Assembly
are chosen through the Intervention of electors,
as is the President of the United States, and
the Provincial Legislators are selected by uni
versal suffrage. The press is free, and there is
no prescription on account of color. The Con-
stitution is most liberal document, and has to
a great extent secured equality, Justice, and
national prosperity. Nobility in Brazil is not
hereditary, but rests on merit.
Brazil possesses cities lighted by gas every
night, whether the moon shines or not, and
otherwise well regulated; long lines of steam
ships, and the beginning of railways that are
spreading from the sea-coast into the fertile
interior. The defeat of the Brazilians in the
Banda Oriental, though a seeming disgrace,
was really great blessing to the Empire for
it checked the thirst for military distinction
which was springing up, and turned to civil
pursuits the energies which might have been
wasted in territorial aggrandizement or strug-
giles for military glory.
The Roman Catholic religion is the State re-
hgion, but all other denominations have right
to worship God as they choose, whether public
ly or privately, provided only that it be in
building without steeples or BELLS" The
priests of Brazil are VIGOROUSLY the most cor
rupt and immoral class of men in Brazil. They
engage in no Offices of charity, cure of souls,
or care of sick; but, if the priest be of an am
bilious turn of mind, he becomes a candidate
for the Chamber of Deputies, perhaps secures
a seat in the Senate, and there he will pour out
more eloquence in ore rOtundo Lusitanian than
he has ever delivered from the pulpit.
The church advertises its festas in the daily
newspapers, and tradesmen also are not slow
in displaying ecclesiastical wares. Here is
specimen:
Notice to the IUustrtOus PreparerS of the
Festival Of the Holy Spirt.-In the Rua dos
OuriUes, No. 78, may be found beautiful as
sortment of Holy Ghosts at eighty cents each
smaller sizes, without glories, at forty cents
silver Holy Ghosts, with glories, at six dollars
and half per hundred ditto, without glories,
three dollars and half; Holy Ghosts of tin,
silver, seventy-fve cents per hun
dred."
In brief, Brazil, in the point de cue relig-
teuse, is one great mass of ignorance and super
stition.
Among the hospitals of the capital-which
are numerous, and extended in their benevo-
lent ofices-are a number belonging to differ
ent brotherhoods. These frsternities are not
unlike the beneficial societies of England and
the United States, though on a more extended
scale. The founding hospital is largely patron
lied, and the infant blacks, if they survive, are
free. Within the city of Rio and suburbs,
there are about fifty churches and chspels, gen.
orally among the finest edifces of the country.
Nothing like regular preaching is known in any
part of the country.
Lotteries are encouraged by the State, and,
as consequence, private gambling is not I'M
common. Beggars in the country ride on horse
back, and receive none the less charity than if
they trudged from door to door.
Slavery in Brazil is subject of great interest
and hopefulness. Color is not recognised as
basis of civil rights, and hence the black, once
free, may rise to position from which in the
United States be is debarred. Everything is
10 favor of freedom in Brazil, and such are the
facilities for the slave to emancipate himself,
and when emancipated to rise to higher posi-
tons than the mere free black. that Mr. Fletcher
does not hesitate to say that Slavery will be ex-
tlnguished, or In its decadence, before another
half century has passed The largest printing
office IN Rio is owned aud managed by a mulat.
to. In the colleges and schools there is no
distinction of color, and in society only the
slightest possible prejudice exists.
The Brszllisns make much of home and the
family. Family fetes and birthdays are cele
brated with enthusiasm. In the city residences
the stables are upon the first fl jor, the parlor,
alcoves, and kitchen, on the second. In the
parlors you may always expect to find cane
bottomed sofa at one end, and three or four
chairs arranged in precise parallel rows to the
middle Of the room. City residences are gloomy,
but suburban residences are beautiful in the
extreme. Pianos abound, and both sexes be-
come adept performers. Thalberg triumphed
at Rio de Janeiro before coming to the United
States. The manners of the Brazilian ladies
are good and their carriage graceful. The
mother almost invariably gives her child to
black to be nursed. The young girls educa-
ton is finished at thirteen or fourteen. The
matrons generally wax wondrous broad in
Jew years, owing probably to their want of out
door exercise, for the use of stimulants is rare
and vulgar. The lower order of females (ped-
lars, blacks, &C. carry their infants somewhat
after the manner of Indian squaws, only with
the infant triae lower down, and tied in
way to make it handy legged for life. Cows
are the milk-carts, but sdulteration is not there
fore unknown, though it may be prevented,
which is more than we can say. Every lady
makes her own dresses, or at least cuts them
out. The order of meals is not essentially diff
ferent from that prevailing here.
Education in Brazil is rapidly improving.
Even now, the various schools and academies