National Republican., 1884-02-27
FROM BRAZIL.
A Happy People Who Enjoy One Continual
Round Of Pleasure.
One Hundred and Thirty Feast Days
Social and Religious Observanoca
iSnecinl Lelihr.

often heard IL said that Brazil is compara-
lively unknown, and / am led to believe that
there is much truth in the assertion. No two
histories of this country are alike. We oil
know when and by whom the country was
discovered we know Of the Spanish
and Dutch conquests, and again of
the triumph of the Portuguese armies.
We know, too, the area OF territory,
the estimated population, and the names
given to its great rivers. We know also OF
the enormous production of coffee, sugar, and
rubber, but aside from this we know but
little When you pass beyond sixty-mile
limit back from the sea, except in remote
cases, the country is vast waste and little or
nothing is known of 1t or Of its Inhabitants
The emperor, Dom Pedro III, who has ruled in
comparative peace for forty-four years, is
man of superior education and great rehne-
ment, speaking many languages, and is known
throughout the civilized world as a wise
ruler" He is in truth wise ruler, but, un-
fortunately, his wisdom does not enable I'm
to dictate or TO enforce progressive poilcy'
and the country stands to-day about where
1t was when he assembled the throne in 1910.
When his father, Dom Pedro l. abdicated the
throne he left the country largely in debt,
which year by year has largely increased,
until now IL has assumed gigantic proportons,
with not very favorable outlook for an early
reduction.
To the foregoing statement as to lack OF
progress there may properly bc noted an ex-
ception in favor of the province of Para, the
northernmost province of the empire the
capital city Of which, Para, with population
of 100000, being tho entry port for all mer-
chandiso to aud from the upper Amizon coun-
tries.
Roman Catholicism is the state religion of
Brazil, though others are tolerdted-l en-
phasize the word tolerated. Missionaries
and church associations other than Roman
Catholic make little or no progress IN TINS
country, and II Is not unfrequently that mis-
sionaries are set upon by the natives and
often driven back to tho seaport Cities where
they are comparatively safe. Yet in the city
of Rio do Janeiro less than four years ago
mission school of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, located in the very heart OF
the city, was attacked by q mob; paving
stones and other missiles were hurled through
the windows, and the occupants of the house
we're compelled to flee for their lives. Inc
Hon. Henry w. Hilliard, who was at that
time United States minister to Brazil, and
who is identified with the church above
named was present on the occasion referred
to, and with others was obliged TO flee from
the mob.
The Catholic religion as taught and prac
ticed in the United States is so different from
that of this country that one can hardly be-
lieve they spring from the same mother
church. But SO it is, and one sees many
strange sights, and hears such remarkably
strange things in this country.
The religious feast days of Brazil number
1873 days every year, when business is almost
entirely suspended, the banks and custom
houses being closed, and work of all kinds
delayed for another day. Some days are OBJ
served wholly In earnest church service
while others are made grand gala days, when
baZars line the streets, civil and military
professions are feature, while on other days
regattas and horse races are in order. Then,
again, each province has its own separate
feast days, which are in addition to those
celebrated throughout the empire, and, per
baps, the most interesting of all is The Feast
of Nazareth" celebrated only in the province
of Para, partial description of which will
give here:
In the year 1880 the first expedition to the
north of Brazil made what is now known as
North Cape, and attempted to enter the
mighty Amazon. The frail bark bearing this
expedition was caught in the sorroco, or tidal
wave, of the Amazon, which comes only with
the full of the moon and in this particular
locality, was wrecked and nearly all on board
were drowned. One small boat was launched
and put Off with four souls on board one of
whom was priest sent out by the Portuguese
government to establish church where the
colony might be formed.
As the little boat was swept on by the
surging tide, and tossed about ON huge waves
caused by counter currents and wind against
tide all hope seemed lost The priest prayed
earnestly to Jesus of Nazareth that they
might DO saved. After days and nights OF
suffering, the legend says that the clouds
separated, and in the clear sky there ap.
peared the patron saint, when almost imme-
diately the waters became calm and tho little
boat was washed gently upon tho shore where
now stands the city of Para. Savage Indians
surrounded the shipwrccked mariners, but
ingt nj tbaF tn thn,y
kindly received and cared for, and worshiped
rs gods thrown up from the sea. Thank
offerings were given, and in the name of the
holy church that day was proclaimed as the
Feast of Nazareth" and destined ever after
ward to be celebrated by every good Catholic
on the banks OF the Amazon. The feast ex-
tends over period of ten days, from the first
to the tenth of November, and is celebrated
by the church with great pomp and rejoicing,
while free license is given to every one to
''go as you please" and the church under
takes to protect all. Public gambling houses
are opened in tho principal plazas, where
men, women, and children 60 there in pro.
after his or her own idea. Bishops and
priests, government officials and private citi.
zens, master and slave, all gather on one
common bent aud in this way renew and re-
peat their thank offerings each year to the
patron saint of Nazareth. W.P.F.
Prospect OF II Lively Time In the House
Mr.. Phelps, of New Jersey, will report
back to-day from the committee on foreign
affairs the resolution of inquiry of Repre-
sentative Brumm as to whether the minister.
of any foreign power had endeavored to null.
lify the effect of unanimous resolution Of
the house by reflections on the honor and in
tegrity of its members. The report will
state that the committee could find N,
evidence, and ask TO be discharged from
further consideration Of the subject. The pre-
sentation of the report is looked forward tc
with interest, owing to the probability that
the occasion may be used by Mr.. Hewitt oil
Mr.. Belmont to transfer to the floor of the
house the personal controversy which was
waged between them last week in the COM
mittee room. An effort may be made to re-
commit the resolution to the committee with
instructions to make further inquiry. Such
motion would be strenuOusly resisted by
the committee, who think they have done al