The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-14
dates, nom dirty D dly and sixty suinsss

In anotl,er column we give an account or tho
movement for tbs abolition Of slavery In Brazil.
This institution exists in every part Of that en-
pire. and the vast majority Of all the iaborers
are slaves. They are estimated at three mil
lious-about onc-third the population OF the
country. Thereby nowhere In the empire any
considerable body OF Brazilians who are nos
slaveowners. It Is obvious, therefore, that any
movement to change the condition of this i'm
mense number OF laborers could not originate,
as with us, In part OF the county Compare
lively removed from the direct innuence o.
slavery, and among men not personally Into
rested in its existence: In fact, the movements
in Brazil originates with the slsveowners. It's
q measure that many Of them favor out q Q
sincere and earnest convictions that the destruc-
ton Of the instftution Of slavery is necessary
for the welfare Of the country and of both tho
races in IT, We give the draft Of the law by
which they propose to effect this grand object.
II wisely attempts to avoid the evils OF making
so great change in society too suddenly
Society could only endure hat under the I'M
luence of some great convallskOn like our recent
war. The main provisions sof the proposed law
are that vagrant slaves shah no longer be sold
to new masters, but shall be frps if not claimed
in three months; that slaves TAall no longer
pass by Inheritance; that in ten years ailslaves
over twenty five years old shall be free; that in
fifteen years slavery shall cease to exist in
Brazil, and that provision shall be made In
every parish for the aged and fufirm And
while we hear of these movementsson the part
of the dominant race, we hear also OF move
ments Of the slaves in some parts of Brazil. Il
is said that the negroes indicate an insurrec-
tionary disposition in Para and Pernambuco'
and their movements Of this nature are attri-
buted to the fact that they have learned OF the
abolition of slavery here.
In this movement for noble Object--before'
agitated in Brazil, but now revived with great
zeal-we see the influence of our own recent
example. We have shown national abolition
of slavery to be possible, and we are destined
to lead the nations in this direction as we are
already leading them politically. Our in6a--
ence on the political life of other nations 10
clear and positive. It is in every ones memory
with what eagerness the governments of Western
Europe prophesied our destruction when tho
war broke out They only gave expression to-
their hopes in the declaration that we would
not come through the struggle with remnant
of our national power. They declared that no
republican government could pass through
such struggle safely. They pointed to monar-
chies as. the only governments that were strong
enough to put down rebellions; and showed that
the attempt even to protect ourselves would
make the matter worse; and that the war
would leave us q collection Of isolated, quar-
relsome, powerless States. And there seemed
80 much in history to favor their views that tho
friends of human freedom everywhere were
inclined to look upon our war as the death
blow to all liberality and progress in govern
ment, and as an event that once more rivetted
the chains with which the old tyrannies bad
bound down the people. Butwith the sudden
ness almost Of a thestrical change, this war,
that had made the cause of the people seem -
hopeless, made that same cause in another
instant brighter and more hopeful than ever.
We came out of the struggle stronger and
greater in national power than we had gone
into it. We had preserved our government
"without yelling the statue Of liberty" and We
had shown that republican government, ~
well ~ being the best. was also the safest gov
eminent on the earth. And the force Of this
example has. strengthened republican sent.
ments and principles throughout the world to
an extent that it ia hardly possible for those
who live. at present to appreciate. The in6u.
ence of the glorious evidence we have given
in favor of our system of government will b.
seen hundreds of years hence ia the history Of
the destruction of the monarchies that now
rnisgovern Europe. aH
But the influence of our example b now
seen in another direction, and in way that
shows not less distinctly that we are moral
as we'll as political centre for the thoughts OF
the civilized portions of the human race. We
have by grand example shown how perfect O
government is that based upon the will Of the
people. And we have also shown. that there u
no relic Of the batbarous past, no evil institw-
ton, however its roots may seem entwined Ia
the very vitality of the nation, that may not be
torn up and thrown out by the grand sponts-
neous movement Of the masses. This example
has made us a moral Power on the earth. We
have spent in four years over three thousand
millions of dollars, we have devastated one
great section of the country, we have given
hundreds of thousands Of men-the very dowes
of the nation-alI to destroy an obnoxious in
ssitution that barred our progress. These were
terrible sacrifices, and any people might justly
hesitate long and endure the worst evils that
plague society before they would venture to
better their condition at such price. But we
have shown that nation may make such sacri
fees and be the better, the stronger, the freshei
for it, aud this has given grand impulse "a
every idea that aims to better the condition o.
men. This stimulates the Brazlians and theiI
government to revived efforts in the rgh
direction, and this already endangers every