New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-05-06


foreign colonies, founded by the aid of liberal
grants of Government lands but the colonsts
did not number, all told, more than 6O0OOj and,
at any rate, it is not by banding themselves
together in isolated communities that immi-
grants can materially benefit the country OF
their adoption. The infusion OF new blood
must permeate the whole body polite; ana IL the
old blood and the new cannot mingle: one OF
the other will be driven out.
II is precisely because there was an element
in the social and political life of Brazil when
repelled these sturdy settlers that the great
South American Empire is still so thlnly peo-
nled having only about 100000 inhabitants, or
loss than q quarter of our own population.
The same cause which i'll this country mas uni
fOrmly directed the stream OF immigration 10 tne
Northern and Western instead OF to the SOuth-
ern States, has been constantly commencing
all the inducements held out by nature ana by
man to draw settlers to Brazil. Slavery ana
wholesome free immigration are natural
enemies, and always have been, the world
over. Brazil has beckOned to the settler
with one hand while with the other
she has upheld the great wickedness that
drives him away. The first colonists en-
shaved the Indians; and, despite, the futile meas
ures of emancipation adopted by the P0rtu-
gese crown in 1910, in 1647, and in 1854, these
unfortunate natives remained in seryltude
until 1855, and would perhaps have been held
to this day had they not proved very unprofit-
able. Negroes were accordingly imported from
other Portuguese dOminions, and slave-trade
with the African coast naturally sprang up, and
is only Just ended. Portugal bound herself by
treaty with England, in 1915, to abolish the
trade. Brazil renewed the obligation in her own
name in 1926. Yet in 1880 it was estimated
that $4,000 Blacks were imported every year;
and. ten years later, the Minister of Foreign Al
fairs reported that the brutal traffic had only
been reduced one-fourth. The energetic action
of England, declaring in 1915 that Brazilian
slave-ships should be amenable to English au-
thorities, led to long diplomatic contest and
threats of war; but it bore fruit in 1850 in
statute wherein Brazil asSimilated the trade to
piracy, and in 1852 the Emperor declared
1T virtually extinct In the mean time'
an opposition, not to the slayc-trade alone,
but to Slavery, too, gradually strengthehed
itself within the Empire. Manumlssion became
frequent, and the laws made it very easy. a
society was organized under the protection OF
the Emperor which, every year, III open church'
solemnly liberated a number of slaves; ana IN
1856 the English ambassador wrote home that
the Government had communicated to HIM
their resolution gradually TO abolish Slavery
in every part Of the Empire. The grand step
which they have now taken has no doubt been
impelled by the example of our own country.
1t il one of the many precious fruits when
have sprung, and are destined yet to spring,
from the soil which we watered so freely with
patriot blood.
Six years have witnessed the emancipation
of 100000 serfs in Russia; the Liberation OF
1000 900 slaves in the United States, and the
virtual manumissiOn Of 100000 negroes IN
Brazil. 1t is glorious six years work
32 100000 of men restored to freedom, and
curse taken off three of the largest empires IN
the world! The little that remains to do can
not rest long undone. The miserable relic OF
barbarism fingers now only on few islands
belonging to the Spanish crown and the slave
holder who, in the face of the events OF the
last few years, hopes to retain the right to buy
and sell his fellow-ma even in those islands,
must be sanguine indeed.