The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-25
A Close Vote in the French Chamber on the
Tonquin Credit, Followed by the Rumored
Resignation of the Ministry.
SLAVERY IN BRAZIL.
Progress of the Emancipation Movement
The Obstacles Thrown in Its Way.

The Obstacles Thrown in It's Way.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24.-Among the diplomatic
dispatches recently sent to Congress by the
President was one from Mr. Charles B. Trail,
secretary of legation at Rio de Janeiro, con-
tanning n brief history Of the emancipation
movement in Brazil. and a statement of the
work accomplished, and of the present aspect of
the slavery question. A law was passed in 1881,
which declared free all negroes and their chill
dren who should be imported into the empire af-
ter that date, but it was never executed, and
in spite of it the slave trade increased,
reaching, prior to 1851, to enormous proportions
The effective intervention of the British govern
men in 1851 broke up the foreign trade. and
from that time the friends Of the slave in Brazil
were able to make some headway against their
opponents. In 1871 they secured the passage of
law declaring that children born of slave
mothers after that date should be Free 1t pro
vided for the reimbursement of the masters at
certain rate and also that there shall be annu-
ally freed in every province in the empire as
many slaves as shall correspond to the quota
allowed each. to be paid for out Of the
fund destined for that purpose. The judges
of the Orphans Court in each province have
owners would quietly acquesce, but the hope
was falacious The registry of slaves which the
law required showed that but very few children
were born to slave mothers Immediately after
the passage of the law, while the record of
births for the preceding year was enormous.
This proved the extensive and almost universal
fasity of the records. In 1881 it was estimated
that every sixth person throughout the empire
was slave The abolitionists continued to gain
in numbers after the passage of the law of 1871
and for few years they directed their
efforts to the enfranchisement of a sin
gle parish in the province of Ceacera,
which was accomplished without difficulty.
Parish after parish in this province was attacked
and conquered, and on the 25th OF March, 1884,
the enfranchisement of the last parish in the
province was publicly celebrated When the
work was begun, in 1873, the province contained
33, 600 slaves. In 1881 the number had been re-
duced to 10000. The plan Of operations of the
abolitionists is not fully explained in Mr. Trails
dispatch, but seems to have been, first, to de-
preciate the value Of slave property by system
of mild boycotting, and then to purchase ard
manumit the slaves. Funds for the purpose,
besides those furnished by the government,
were raised Dv private COntflDutlOn, Dy lou
teries, and to some extent by the slaves
themselves. The boycott seems to have been
| very successful as the prices first paid by the
abolition societies were 437 milreis. and of the
| last installment only So milreis (S37). The slave
| population of Ceacera was about to two Of
| its freemen. In Rio there are 400, 600 slaves to
| 100000 freemen. while in San Paulo the slaves
outnumber the whites four to one. The aboli-
| tionists are now demanding the unconditional
freedom of the slaves His Majesty the EN-
aiH on nJnp rh a nrpc pn u ia m mt
pass measures in regard to the slave
element is awaiting your decision. This is
grave matter, but one in which
final solution will be arrived at by the
execution of the law of Sept %, 1871. and the
| government is sure that for its development
| you will adopt the measures suggested by your
| wisdom" That is to say. the government advises
| the execution of the law of 1871 now twelve
years after its passage, as a means of extricat-
ing itself from this grave matter and ii is indeed
grave matter for this country Assassina-
tions of masters and overseers by slaves.
followed by the most terrible revenge,
are becoming more and more frequent Brazil
is begging for immigrants to open up her won
derfnl resources, but immigrants not to be
found who are willing to offer their labor in
competition with that of slaves. Her finances
are source of increasing uneasinesS, but every
one knows that the worst has not been reached
yet, which will come on that day when the coun-
try finds her industries totally paralyzed through
the want of labor, her slaves having acquired
their freedom either by some legal enactment or
as the result of a servile insurrection After
that, freed of this terrible incubus, starting
anew with the principles that underlie all civil
nations. she ought to reach that prosperous con-
dition which nature intended she should.