Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-10
EAsY-GoING sLAVHRY.
Features of Gradusi Emancipation in
Brazil.

work out their own political salvation
the manner ia which they are gradual
freeing the slaves, Those who most cai
nestlv desire the extinction Of slavery ar
the intelligent slaye-owners themselves
It's true, ais, on u1e other hand, iha
the most acuye opposition TO abo lilloi
comes from slaYe-OWners, from those Wl'
have large share Of negro blood M then
own veins. On the plantations Of the in
terror slave labor is the only kind Of lAOol
10 be had to any extent, and inc tIea.
problem with the cotfee-growers IS "hat
10 do for laborers when slavery Is nn&IIy
abolished. ! was taking the otner ga!
with q planter OF Minas, Wh0 mas 2VO
slaves on his plantation and "oUid De
ruined il slavery were suddenly aOoIisn-
ed. he was angry with tue Emperor lor
signing a decree proIOnglhg slavery loI
ten wears. Every possible law 70 clrcum-
scribe and diminish the evils OF slavery
has been passed until the master seems
10 have no rights which the slave IS bound
TO respect, There is no way in which an
awner can make a slaye work for him II
the slave objects. The result is that IN
the cities the slave takes care Of himself,
works when be wants 20 and gels what
he can, the only sign OF his bondage being
that he paws TO his owner a small weekly
tribute out Of bis earnings. On the plan
tatiOns where the operation Of new laws
Ia not soon felt and custom and tradition
are everything, the owner can indeed get
q fair amount OF work out OF his slaves.
But even on the plantations the slaves
ore more like Yassals Of a teudal baron
than the slaves Of the South before the
war. 1t often costs more 10 take slave
from one province TO another than the
slave is worth, a large sum being forfeit
ed 10 the government for every slave so
removed. Notwithstanding this, such is
the scarcity OF labor that IL costs great
deal TO buy a slave. A slave can purchase
his freedom, however, or some one can
purchase it for him, at an extremely low
figure set by law.
There is a large and active abolition So
ciety in Rio and branches all over the
country. This society Is constantly buy
ing the freedom Of slaves and il the cities
slaves are constantly buying their own
liberty, so that when the ten years which
the Emperor has set as the bounds Of sla-
very shall have expired, few slaves will
be left TO be liberated. Already one prov
ince, Ceara, is denuded OF slaves and the
inhabitants take great credit to them
selves therefor and are never tired OF
Boosting about 1t. They have boosted so
much and held such jubilees of thanks
giving, singing re Deums in their church
es and all that sort OF thing, that they
have excited the jealousy OF other Brazil
ians, who darkly hint that in the interior
OF this self-righteous province some slaves
yet remain. Every child born OF slave
parents in Brazil Is free and. OF course,
no slaves are allowed to be brought into
the country. A child born OF slave par
ents has TO be taken care OF by the owner
OF its parents until 1t is old enough to take
care OF itself.
Beyond the abolition Of slavery looms
up in Brazil the question Of labor. There
can be but one solution Of the problem,
and that is immigration. How TO attract
this is what is now absorbing the minds
of the statesmen. The labor of the hber-
ated slaves and their descendants will
never be sufficient for the needs of the
country. They are by nature the most
lazy and worthless labOrers in the world,
and have disposition to leave the plan
tatiOns and flock to the cities Of the sea-
coast. There they work just enough to
keep themselves alive, and as long as
they can get raw faTina and casasch are
happy.
One great drawback to immigration to
Brazil il the bad reputation for health
which the country has in Europe. The
northern seaport towns are undoubtedly
unhealthy, but in the south OF the empire
and in the interior the climate is as
healthful as could be wished. Still, the
horror with which yellow fever is regard
ed and the difficulty of making immi-
grants understand the vast size OF the en-
pire and its consequent variety Of eli
mates, render the work OF attracting them
here difficult. The Argentines owe
their greatprosperity TO the constant tide
ofImmigFation which is flowing to their
shores and the BraZilians clsim that Ar
geDtfne agents abroad omit no opportuni-
tYor scruple at ne means TO divert immi-
grants from Rio to Buenos Ayres.
A grand lottery" was held here in De-
cemOer IN aid OF the emancipation fund.
A large amount Of money was realized
and the capital prize Of $4,000 was
drawn by poor mechanic in Santos. The
emancipation fund is a government ar
fair, and Is augmented by certain fines
and taxes accruing because OF slavery
and by authorized lotteries. 1t is devoted
TO purchasing the liberty OF slaves. As
In all South American countries the me-
groes OF Brazil have strong disposition
10 return TO saVagery. Civilization seems
70 have taken but a slight hold on them.
In thousand little ways they preserve
the habits ana traditions OF their ances-
tors. The strange wild songs and dances
which their fathers INDUCED in in Africa
and which they still preserve, are only
outward signs of an innate savagery over
winch civilization has not been aDle to
OBTAIN mastery. / have seen often in
the coast towns negroes whose faces were
mere masses OF scars from wounds which
nad been Systematically. selfinhicted in
oroef that the negro might show in his
lace Wnat his tribe aud station was after
toe manner OF his ancestors. A friend told
me That once walking IN Para he saw an
ageQ negro OF gigantic stature and maies-
ua bearing coming down the street. The
street was full OF negroes, and as the old
man came along they all fell on their
khees and bowed their fOreheads TO the
eust. Tears Tell from the eyes OF the OBJ
lect OF lher devotion as, with the air wor-
my OF francis at Payia or Napoleon tax
Ing leave VI the Old Guard. he passed on
ahe disappeared. II was ascertained
VnAt tne OLD man was once a great war
rior King In Africa and was, moreover. a
ietich man" Of wondrous power. In
MS slavery and in his old age the peOple
OF MS Tribe did not forget beside the ANA
zOn tne devotion they once showed him
on the Congo. '''
Ihere 10 great difference in Brazil be.
tween negro ana man wIts negro
blood IN Dis VEINS. In the States a man
with the least bit OF negro blood In his
Yeaha Is regarded as black man. mt in
Brazil man with very little white Mood
IA his veins 10 regarded as white man.
The people OF mixed blood are intelligent.
ambiti us, and occupy all sorts OF promi'
nent positions In business and in pubio
life. II II not, Of course, considered Inc
"sWell thingp to have negro blood in
ones veins, but the OGense is easily for