The New York herald., 1866-05-03
HOLY WEEK n RIO JAIElRo.
OUR CORRESPONDENT AT COURT.
Amusing Account Of What lie Saw aud the
Mistakes He Made.
QUEER CUSTOMS OF THE BRAIILlANS.
&o. &c. 60.
DUR Rio Janeiro Correspondence.

sacred rights and hallowed observances though hope
not their faithful hopeful remembrances. few words
on this holy season may not be amiss, though they
Will arrive long after the referred But
let me begin at the beginning.
THE HERALD CORRESPONDENT ooErH TO coURr-wHAr He
SAW AND DID ruEaE.
or course such intelligent readers those who take
the HERALD will not imagine that went to court lady.
The fact s simply that this correspondent has visited
the Emperor of Brazl's city palace And this statement
is not made with the Jenknsonian idea OF Dragging that
conversed with the Emperor which I did not for
many reasons, the best Of which, probably is that his
Imperial Majesty not present The fact Is it Is
custom in Rio Janero for the city palace be thrown
open the general public during certain evenings OF the
year. of which Holy Thursday happens to be one.
None. refused admission who are decently
altired and, from what I observed during my
VISIT none applied for admission but such
dressed The fact is the people Of this city,
with all the shortcomings that all peoples justly
charged with-and they have their shortcomings as
well as other pooples-cannot be accused with inatten
ton to personal decoration Many of the visitors TO the
Imperial Mansion the Holy Night who were not in
full dress doubtless persons in humble circum-
stances who could no, afford that luxury but they all
dressed, dare say, well as they were able
Your correspondents. however, had been told by
body just well informed himself that it abso-
happened that did and do still possess that of
tune Including tho abominable swaow.taied coat
which had consigned the tomb Of the Capucts full
fifteen years ago. Well rigged out in this preposerous
fashion, started for the palace but not before
terng running fire Of ironica compliments from
tain officers OF the United States Navy the style OF
my get-up knew very well that felt like regular
humbug, however may have looked and actually con-
tempated investing millres in white choker
make the resemblance complete, when informed
that the tlbury had ordered to proceed to the palace
was waiting at the door Igo n when in the words Of
Cowpers humorous story Of John GilPin-
''smack went the whip, round went the wheels,'
and whred of to the palace This building is avery
unprotending ediGce II is not of large extent in fact
It was the official residence of the vcsroys governors
of Brazil in the old colonial times. There sSno grand
entrance to the building but very ordinary one ciose
to the angle nearest to the On alightng from the
tbury ushercd through double line Of soldiers
many OF whom the brass helmet Of the cavairyo
the principal staircase, among number OF other vis
tors Here, however unexpected obstacle inter-
pos d to prevent my further progress for time.
couple Of soldiers the bottom OF the staircase used
some very energetic language 70 me, accompanied with
gestures that could little understand az the said Ian
guage ] Interpreted the latter a. demand for my
card which forthwith tcndered but II was Of no use;
and while Ihc dispute was going on officer up
and inquired what the matter was all about. My
card produced, an explanation given and tho officer
Pbe Fay, iswtIout ntendns the least dsrespect
Of which am ncapabe-I omitted 70 uncover, which
certainly would have done at the head OF the staircase
but forgot that IL necessary TO do so ut the bottom
But the matter did not end here. was going up the
staircase when my canc was demanded Of mo by the
soldiers upon which made nost ludicrous and
oygerated demonstration Of not being able to get along
without H. when the repdiy officer again came TO my
REQUIRE the cane at all and might have gone ali over the
palace without Il; but had shrewd suspicion that had
left It behind would never have seen It again And
my slrmsc proved to be correct
On reaching the head OF tho staircase followed the
crowd consisting of all shades OF color and evidently OF
all conditions Of e To the suits Of rooms thus thrown
open to tho public, whom found that there was really
| nothing extraordinary TO be seen. The rooms that
| myself and the general crowd passed through were
| some four or FIVE in number, entirely dvosted Of
| furniture or any remarkable decorations, save
few old pictures which ouIy connosseur could appre
| ciatc But ] do not claim 20 be Tho rooms were
carpeted inst In the style that Is usual n any gentie
mans residence in New York. In one room, however,
there very pretty arrangement OF flowers on long
table need hardly say that the utmost proprety was
observed by all the VISITORS for who could be guilty OF
strongly suspect however That the absence OF articles
OF vtu and the lighter works Of art may be accounted
for by adable desire TO keep such Of the ghtnnger'd
gentry as might be present cut oil temptation lucy
could not well carry OF the large pictures In the midst
OF such crowd There u, indeed, tradition Of clever
gang Of English rascals, Who on one nne night walked
of with cathedral organ bellows and all, though the
tradition silent az to how such Father esphanlne
that the church thus deprived Of It's exist ful OF
whistles not so densey crowded, nor 50 vslanily
guarded the night OF the theft Dom Pedros
| city palace the night OF Holy Thursday.
Finding that there nothing TO be seen loft tho
palace very after entering It, But on attempting
10 return by the way u directed 70 pas
I ou, through another way which did apOlogizing In
cxecrable Portuguese with mxiura OF shominabe
only mention these details in order 10 show how
much closer the relations OF the Emperor Of Baz with
his people than those which prevail In the monaTches
| Of Europe
I attended mass al the Emp,ror's chapel on Good
| Friday, In company With tho HERALD interpreter
Through mismanagcmcnt the part of one OF tha
officials we experiences diiculty In obairng our
rromiscd places in the organ loft Even when VIC
| invited 20 walk up were brought up All sandigg a.
we say IN %: navy ~ odlo. az .ee hesI 90, o. te s
| some alteration ensued when suggested-happy
thoueht-to my ohaperon an application OF ihe oil OF
| sentIneI's rst Ia this bright thought own l was In
| splraied by a certain royalst hghwsynan, who,
| no, content with robbing General Harrison, one Of
the Judges OF Charles the Frst, actually delivered
really bad Grafton on the virtue OF the ol Of palms
in the shape Of that British gold 50 much abused but %
regret have forgotten, informed the General that the
''oii of palms when properly applied 70 the hs' and
In decent quantities, makes wise men fools fools wise
men and both of them knaves. But II - very different
robbng generaleyen though he be regicde--on The
noIn, Z that by bribery and corruption obtained ad
mission the organ gallery, where could obtain COM
Portable seat which could not below.
| TRug yorAtIr
Tron INV elevated station realized the nature of true
equality The Interior OF the churches 0i thc hu'cht
Roman Catholic communion, in strictly Catholic com
trirs ss ls well known u not pafoned on INTO pewsi
hence there eAelasveness, but all meet on com.
mon level Literally, In Tho Language o. ihe NIsc
Hehrrw king 'the ch and the poor meet toseiher ior
God has made them all" There H. however, this IN.
that the absence cf seats the entire con-
grrgation IL compelled 10 stand, which " no loke N
Of protrsced service such ~ that oi Good
ARRIVAL or EMPEROR.
central aisle had been ertemponzed ~ the placing
Of benches along the chapel Of certain distance from
the sde wzsls These benches no, u'ed rs seats,
but simply as barriers for the more convenient proc.
| SION OF the host which formed the principal ceremony
Of The day Preceding the Emperor arrival hs haics.
iy's company q srchen'--nore properly hsiocr'
dcrs up heir position on each side OF NE aisle
,cok bis seat In tho sanctuary, facing and
, Intlo 70 tho ieft OF the altar, when the
| so,emn service commenced His MaJesiy was AZ.
tired u very plain uniform, with The single decoration
..,,it ncrrafvn Of ribron