The Portland daily press., 1865-08-18
SLAVES I'M BRAZIL.

1t may now be said that Spain and Brazil
are the only Christian nations in the world in
which slavery exists. Some forty years ago
England had freed herself from that terrible
evil and in 1913 France followed the example.
Our country and Holland have now done the
same, SO that Spain and Brazil are now the
only slaveholdng nations. We think Brazil
will abolish the cursed institution before many
years shall have elapsed, but Spain may hold
out longer Movements have already been
made in Brazil looking to the emancipation
of the negroes. LastMay two important pro-
positions were made in the Brazilian Senate
and both contemplate emancipation One pro-
position is that all foreigners shall be intercted
from purchasing or selling slaves even or
from having any in their possession. This
motion is believed to have great chance o
success The other motion is broader and en-
braces a variety of measures,-that all negroes
enrolled in the army shall be free; that every
negress made concubine by Brazilian shat
be declared a free woman; that slaves shall
not be bequeathed by will, and lastly, that in
ten years every slaveaged twenty-five shall re
cover his liberty, and in fifteen years slavery
shall cease to exist in the country. One
writer says:
"What we know of Brazil gives us good
hopes of the future. An immense progress
has been realized in that empire within the
last 40 years; there has been a great advance,
not only in material wealth, but in general
INTEL gence. There are very many distin-
guished men well yersed in the ideas Of modern
Europe, accustomed to political life and per-
fectly capable of resolving the problem Of
emancipation in a pacific sense.o
The character of Don Pedro, the Emperor,
gives strong hopes Chat something viii be done
in the way of emancipation. He is a man
of highly cultivated intellect, the first Portu-
gese poet Of his time, and a great friend to the
arts and sciences With such talents and
tastes as he possesses, it is a fair and Iegiti-
mate inference that his heart is human and
can @feel for another's woe" He is ambitious
too, and wishes his country to stand well
among the nations of the earth Our country
has set him good example, and we trust he
win follow it. He knows very well that all the
eyes of Europe are upon him. He has the
power to do avast deal of good to the human
race and to place himself in the front of Sow
ereign who have rendered themselves famous for
their great deeds. We hope Brazil, and Spain
too, win profit by our example. We have been
through terrible and bloody war and fought
the great battle Of liberty. Let Brazil and
Spain learn lesson from our struggle in the
cause of humanity, and emancipate their
slaves without war, for if they do not war will
surely come at some future day and much blood
and treasure will be the sacrifice.
Our war has awakened public sentiment
in the world which win yet bear down oppres-
sion in all its forms, and the sooner Brazil and
Spain begin the work of emancipation the
better it will be for them The time will
come-must come-when the sun in his cir
cult round the world will not shine on a sin
gle slave. The great decree has gone forth,
and it must be obeyed. All nations must be-.
come free in Gods own good time. The leav-
en- is at work and its power cannot be resist
ed Tyrants and aristocrats must yield to the
pressure of public opinion. We have been
made to suffer in the great work of Progress
because no nation could have borne it SO
bravely, and now let the nations of the earth
take warning and govern themselves accord
ingly. Va