The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-03-31
From Brazil.

Journal from gentleman, now In Brazil, writ
ten to relative of his in Wilmington, N c., will
be read with interest:
Rio DE JANEIRo, BRAZIL Jan. II, 1868.
have not forgotten your request, but not be-
ing able to write intelligently of either men or
things here, (chiefy for want of knowledge ofthe
Portuguese language,) was and still am unable
to communicate freely with the people and there
by learn whether it is better for our people to
come here, or 'bear those ills they have"
have arrived at the conclusion, from obser-
vation and experience that the climate here is
fine and the country in most places that nave
visited healthy, having abundance OF sweet
water. AS to the productiveness OF the land,
that is very various-some very rich and OF all
grades to very poor. Here may be said to be
perpetual Spring" SO far as vegetation Is con-
cerned, as plants, trees and crops grow the year
round, but there are seasons Of Spring, Summer,
Fall and Winter, even here. Crops planted from
September to December do better than at any
other time We are now in the midst OF Sum-
mer and the mornings are usually hot, but the
evenings pleasant, the thermometer rarely rising
| above so.
| This government is desirous of securing immi-
grafton for the reason that slavery here is doomed
sooner or later, and the government desires to
secure white laboring people to take its place,
1
able to cut down the forest, build their houses,
plant the various crops, &C., &c; in word, to
perform the manual (and might say the menaD
labor now performed by the slaves. 1t is there
fore the laboring population OF the South thai
are wanted, invited, assisted to come-'Ter con-
seqaencia," all our people who come here without
money and expect to secure labor on credit, In
partnership, or managers, or overseers, toa" 1e
disappointed A few Americans have already
rrat Infn crOnd
positions without money-but the fate of the
mass stake down the shovel and de hoe"
AS to business in this city, or of any of tho
cities, am not SO well able to speak, but win
give YOU my impressions First, then all Brazil
ians are fond of the city and flock to the cities;
f those that are educated, and many of them are,
S enter the professionalism, Physic and Divin-
: ity"-others seek employment accountants,
e clerks, &C., and being able to raise few hun
dred milries Ca milre is fifty cents) start in bus
r ness on their own account The salaries paid, [
e am informed, are astonishingly Iowa book
keeper of years standing, getting from thirty to
r fifty dollars per month
There are not, as yet, sufficient number OF
Americans here to justify an American to rely
t on that trade exclusively for support, and II
# there was, there are, perhaps, one hundred walt
g ing with their mouths open.
d
e lite many highly educated accomplishing
!, fined in manners and conversation, but In deal
l. ING altogether unreable-practislng all sorts OF
It deception prevaricaton and Misrepresentation to
d make the best of business transaction, and the
% successful are considered smart by their fellows
n Although indisposed to manual labor, they are
e sharp at bargain-equal to any in the world
20 As a people, they sober in very high de-
e gree, drinking only wines and malt hquors-are
n i :.
ir fcstivals-haying the Churches richly decorated
Of forming grand professions over streets car
peted with green leaves passing under arches OF
e palm and other eyergreens decorated with flowers
ID of rarest beauty. The religion, you are aware,
q is Roman Catholic though by the constitution all
creeds are tolerated A residence of two years
t entities one to the rights of citizenship. A
N foreigner naturazed, "may exercise every public
d, function, with the exception of Deputy to the
General Assembly, Minister of State, and lie
to gent of the Empire"
The Emperor "Don Pedre Segundo," is re-
, puted to be a good man, but not a great man,
1t is also stated that in the administration OF the
affairs of State, there is much corruption.
y would be glad that could cordially inEite
~ ~ YOU with many other dear friends in that gofnlly
- abjectly, and sometimes think, God-forsakes
~ country to come to this as an asylum OF escape
from the sufferings of the present, and the
threatening horrors Of the future; but as yet
" am unable to SO advise-it might be 'out OF the
"' smoke into the smother"
~ know of no business here, except planting
.rs that think an American can pursue with pros
20 pect of success To one having money, the open
be ing in my opinion is fair for success.
IL An improved Fazenda (plantation) with stool
oe of cattle, horses hogs, sheep mules, implement
ri of labor, and household and kitchen furniture
,ot with slaves can be bought for from five hundre
ID to one thousand dollars per slave-the Who'll
of Fazenda complete thrown in-by paying one-hal
all or one-thrd, perhaps one-quarter cash, balanc
alf one, two, three, four and perhaps more year'
Some cash is indispensable-the there must b
,ut a suficiency of money to furnish supplies unit
he returns can be had from the labor employed.
nd All the tropical fruits abound-oranges, pin
it apples bananas, lemons and many other fine fruit
put many birds Of large size and gay plumag
Many animals in the forests, but 80 dense are tb
oe forests that there is very little sport in Auntn,
ose Fish in abundance, though / think not SO ricl
But nor SO well avored-oysters of inferior quallt
;lv The houses here are all covered with tile-tf
one houses of the poor (arong whom include mo-
ion Americans) covered, or rather thatched wit
ioy straw, or the leaves of the palm, and floors
iph clay Fleas, ticks, redbugs, snakes, frogs, Ii
of yards alligators, &c-but nowhere that hay
of been are they more plentiful than in the Stat
nee house fIes not near so numerous-the CHG
or bisho pronounced biecho) that settles in Il
skin. and if not removed, deposits eggs and max
the bad sores, but is easily removed and seldom max
L.