The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-19

The Method of Acknowledgement Adopted by
Dom Pedro.

DOmPedro.
New York Commercial Advertiser
Seaor Salvatore d. Mendouca the Brazilian
consul of this city, said this morning: 1.-THE
system of suffrage in Brazil was very similar
to that of this country before the new bill was
passed a few years ago Formerly voted for
electors, who then elected the deputies for the
House of Parliament. Then the only provso was
that man should pay taxes. Now it is neces-
sary that man shall be Free pay taxes, and
be able to read and write. We have also direct
elections and have done away with the election
of deputies. Every man is required TO write his
own ballot personally. He is not allowed to use a
printed or written ballot, but must show that he
can write.
1.-The question Of slavery in Brazil is an inter-
estng one. In 1850 there were two and half
million slaves as far back as 1880 a law was
passed prohibiting the slave trade. This was
done under treaty with England, but still the
practice continued. We have a coast of LOGO
or !, 800 miles, and at that time our small navy
made it impossible to prevent it. Between
1880 and 1850, with the aid of the English Ships
the practice became very light and in 1850 it was
extinct. In that year law was passed making
the slave dealing crime, with the severest pen.
atty possible, and since then not slave from
any other country has been landed on our shores
Between the years 1870 and 1873. with the aid
of the various societies for the emancipation of
| slaves, aud more particularly the Masons, the
number of slaves in Brazil was reduced just one
million, so that in 1873 there were one and a
half millions OF slaves.
| In that year a law was passed providing that
| after that date all children born from slave
| mothers should be free. The opponents Of the
measure said that the law could be of no value
| that the children would not be treated we'll and
would die in scores from neglect Owners, they
said would not support children, which could
| give them no service, and that the whole thing
would be a detriment rather than an advantage
to our country Then provisions were intro
duced as follows: First, that owners should sup
port the children until they were twelve years
| of age when they should be sent TO schools pro-
| vided by the government. They were to stay at
these schools three years, when they were to re-
| turn to their old homes and work at small
salary, until they had paid their mothers owner
| the cost of rearing them. 1t was said then by
the directors that itwould create trouble to have
| treemen working for salary with slaves who
worked for the cost of maintenance. At any
rate the bill was passed and it has worked we'll
| so far.
THE owners have supported the children ever
since the passage of the bill, and now the child
rem are just beginning to go to school after tn e
manner of those who were born after the passage
Of the bill and are now twelve years old How
this scheme will work and how the payment Of
I a small salary will serve have as yet been I'M
tried. During this time many bills have been
passed fer the purpose of improving the condi
ton of the slave 1t is now arranged that a
family cannot be separated, but must be sold
together. Another thing slaves cannot be sold
from one province to another. Then, in 1873,
when the bill freeing the newborn slaves was
passed, emancipation fund was established
by the government for the purpose of freeing
certain number of slaves each year. The money
is divided among the provinces. The judges ia
each province require that owners shall hand in
list of the most energetic best behaved slaves,
| and these should be drawn by lot. and so many
liberated and the owner Unidentified. Then
many, by their own energy. have bought their
own freedom. The various societies have pur-
chased the freedom of many so that now there
remains only million slaves, a reduction of
one half a million in twelve years. In 1883 the
matter was much discussed in the lower house.
The deputies were divided in their opinions into
three parties--the Conservatives, who desired
that nothing should be done Immediately about
the matter; the Radicals, who wished to abolish
it Immediately and not indemnify the owners
and the Liberals, who wished to have the mat
ter attended to gradually, and also to indemnify
| the owners.
| "a bill was prepared by the Cabinet with the
| latter point in view, but it was voted down Sew
eral new organizations have been completed for
freeing the slaves, and they have had a good
effect A our last election majority of the
Liberals were returned and new Cabinet was
formed. They came into power on May l, and
in week after the Prime Minister presented a
bill which had passed second reading and will,
IN my opinion, become a law. The bill provides
that all slaves of more than sixty years of age
shall be at once declared free. Those remaining
shall be divided into classes according to age
and value. In seventeen years the bill provides
that they shall all be free. AS the slaves grow
older. after reaching the age of the class of the
next lowest price they graded in that class
Then the bill increases the emancipation fund
about 100 per cent. With the aid of the societies
the WHOLE slave population will be freed III seven
years."