The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-11-10
BRAZILIAN SLAVERY.
Emancipation that Does Not Emanci-
pate.
The Peculiar Evils Ofthe System in Brazil
and the Failure of the Laws to Pro-
duce Results.

The Peculiar Evils Ofthe System in Brazil
and the Failure Of the Laws to Pro-
duce Results.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Correspondent New
/ York Evening Posi.l
/ A the present moment the institution OF
/ slavery in Brazil has reached a very critical
stage, and the immediate result can not yet
be foretold. Some months ago Deputy Joa-
7 quinn NabucO, who Is the acknowledged
/ leader of the anti-savery movement in Bra
I zil announced his intention of introducing
a bill into the General Assembly providing
that slavery shall not continue beyond the
LIST OF January, 1890, but it was not until re-
Gently that this promise was fulfilled. On
the oath Of August he presented a bill
amending the emancipation law of 1871 so as
to secure larger returns for the emancipation
fund and to provide for the more rapid
liberation of slaves. This bill also fixed the
LIST of January, 1890, for the final extinction
of Brazilian slavery. In announcing his pur-
pose Deputy NabucO asked for a suspension
of the ru les and for the designation of a day
on which to present the bill. The suspen-
sion was voted by light majority, and the
9th was named as the day for receiving the
bill. On the following day, however, the
Prime Minister, Counsellor Saraiya, entered
the Chamber and announced that the Gov
erument could not consent TO the consldera-
ton OF this bill that it was inopportune
that the country was not ready for it, that
1t would bring ruin upon the planters, and
that were it pressed upon the Ministry at
this time he would be the first one to resign.
This placed the Chamber in a dilemma. 1t
is a peculiar feature in Brazilian politics
that the Chamber OF Deputies, the represent
alive branch of the General Assembly, is al
ways in political accord with the Ministry,
and never fails to obey its mandates. In this
instance Deputy Nabuco had taken the
Chamber by surprise and obtained permits
sion to Introduce his bill under a suspension
Of the rules before the opinion of the Gov
eminent could be learned. Two ministers
even voted for the suspension. Instead,
therefore, of meeting the question frankly
and squarely, the deputies, led by Deputy
Martnho Campos, who is not only the lib
Grad leader of the Chamber, but also the
leader of the pro-savery element, adopted
the cowardly plan of defeating action by
preventing a session. Accordingly there
were no sessions on the 26th 9th aud 2Sth,
and when Deputy Nabuco renewed his mo-
ton for a suspension on the Both he was de-
ieated by 4 vote of y 10 IS.
The discussions which have ensued on
questions Of privilege have been full of !
interest, not only because they have devel- |
oped a small and determined anti-slavery
party but also because they have made !
slavery party oppose all further action. |
Although the emancipation law of 1871 |
was a conservative measure, the liberals of |
to-day announce their adherence to it and |
their belief that it is working out the pro-
blem rs rapidly as the country can bear. |
Deputy Martinho Campo announces himself |
As a "saveocrat' (escrar0crata) and opposes
all further action, and the great majority of
deputies are following his lead implicitly. |
Ill 10 1
ished the agriculture of the country would |
be destroyed and the planters would be
ruined. They also plead that as the fnan
ces of the country greatly embarrassed |
and the large plantations are deeply in debt,
such a step az this would bring on a crisis
which would unavoidabIy end in wide
spread disaster. They are willing that the
present shall be left to work out emancipa-
ton, but no project will be accepted which
seeks to hasten the day when slavery shall
end.
To illustrate further the attitude of the
pro-savery element in Brazil the following
declaration of the Prime Minister merits a
thoughtful consideration. In response to
second attempt of Deputy Joaquin Nabuco
to hasten emancipation, in which he pro-
posed further to increase the emancipation
fund by imposing a tax of per centum adj
gaI0reml on all slaves Counsellor Saraiva
more experience in this matter than the
noble deputy. The tax upon the plantation
slave is not going to weigh upon the master
it is the slave who will have to work one
hour more to pay it." Those who believe
in the humane character of Brazilian slave
ry will do well to weigh these words, for
they come from one of the ablest and most
liberal men in Brazil, who is himself a
planter and a man whom the Brazilians
believe to have very advanced liberal views.
As to the institution itself, which the Bra
lillian legislator believes to be the very
foundation of his country's industry and |
prosperity, there is in my opinion, but one
characterization-it could not be worse. /
have never seen more miserable, detected |
and unhappy looking class of human beings /
than the plantation slaves of Brazil. From |
my own observation and from that of Others
in whom l have the fullest confidence, am
convinced that the Brazilian slave is both /
overwnrked and underfed. | have known |
them to be at work long before daylight in |
the morning and to continue at 1T until 9
O'Clock at night-at least sixteen hours of |
labor in the twenty-four. Their clothing is |
of the scantiest description, their dwelling |
places are of the worst, and their food Is |
barely sufficient to keep soul and body to- |
gether. am we'll aware that there are many |
planters who treat their slaves well, against |
whom these charges would be most unjust, |
but as to the general character of the insti |
tuition these assertions are not in the least |
overdrawn. IN the province of Sac Paulo |
there has been many changes for the bet |
ter within the last few years, owing to the |
fact that the planters of that province are
wealthier, better educated, and have mixed
more with foreigners both at home and
abroad, but even there slavery y very lar
from being a model of its kind.
In travelling about the country an obser-
want stranger will note two singular charac |
teristics in the slave population-thelr gen.
tion of crippled and disfgured indiSidqals. |
There are no songs in the fields nor about |
the;r ouarters such as one used TO hear on
the plantations in the Southern States, but
there is one suaiIsless, hopeless look on al
most every face. And as TO the physical de-
fects. how much oft Is due 20 unsuitable
and insufficient food, bRd quarters over
work OF cruel treatment you'd be very DIM