The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-22
SLAVERY IN BRAZIL.
How the Final Abolition of the Evil Was
Brought About.

How the Final Abolition of the Evil Was
Brought About.
New York World.
A dispatch by way of Europe announced,
some days ago, the total abolition Of slavery In the
empire of Brazil. by act of Parliament. There
was no information given Ia relation to tho con-
ditions under which this important change was
accomplished. No communication concerning
it was received by the representative of Brazil
in Washington, nor at the Brazilian consulate in
this city. A World reporter has learned. how
over. from Baron Thomson. of Rio J~aneiroy uoe
residing in this city, all the circumstances con-
nected with the recent decree. Senior Dom
Heitor Bastos Cordeiro, chief Of the police de-
partment of Rio de Janeiro, is at present a guest
of Baron Thomson, having arrived in New York
a few days ago to study the police
system OF the United States, and to
spend some time In travel. From him the Baron
bad received authentic information concerning
the recent history Of the emancipation move
ment in Brazil. THE passage Of the law re-
ferred TO" he said, was anticipated for a long
time. For years past the Emperor, Dom Pedro,
had set his mind on efecting the abolition Of
slavery in the empire. AS far back as 1871 .
law was passed for the gradual emancipation Of
the vast slave population, but it was badly ad-
ministered, and in many places not enforced at
all n DQOT0 otIlOkcut Jaw WAS HaSS6Q Ia 1000,
whereby all persons born in slavery should be
free at the age of twenty-one, and all slaves
over sixty years OF age should be entitled to
liberty. TO facilitate the operation of this law,
. deduction of 6 per cent. for each year was
made In the value of each slave. and a tax of S
per cent. on all imports and internsl taxes was
imposed for the government emancipation fund.
Voluntary societies for buying up slaves sprang
up In almost every city, and one province freed
its slaves by paying the masters the government
valuation. Still tha EunAror waa mt satiafad
with the slowness OF this process, and. through
his influence, a bill for the immediate smancipa-
ton OF the slaves was introduced into Parlia-
ment at each session. On leaving Rio for his
European tour. last July, he passed the helm of
affairs to his daughter Isabella, the Princess
Regent, with the injunction that she would leave
no means unexercised to bring about the passage
Of the emancipation bill. The bill was pre-
sented, and the Ministry. refusing to pass it.
resigned A new Ministry was formed, and the
bill was passed by both houses.
st had been the intention Of the Parliament,
on the advent of the now Ministry, to pass the
bill on the day Of the Emperore return to Rio
de Janeiro as a compliment to his Majesty. but,
after more serious consideration, they concluded
to act at once, and not leave so important
a matter TO chance. A condition Of
tho new law requires that all the enamel
pated negroes now on the coffee plantations
must remain there until the next coffee crop is
gathered in, but in the mean time they are to
receive q small rate of wages from their former
owners The freedmen, during this period,
shall not be locked up in their quarters as form
erly, and may, outside of working hours. go
where they please within certain limits. The
former owners receive no compensation, the
government holding that they have been sufiei-
emily compensated already by the fruits of the
unpaid labor of the slaves in the past.
by the recent emancipation law nearly
l.500, 600 slaves are freed from servitude. Out
side of the plantations slavery in Brazil was not
an abused institution, the slaves IN private
houses being almost invariably regarded and
treated as members of the family
I'm recognition of this enlightened measure,
removing the last stain of slavery from the new
world. Pope Leo XIII has sent the Golden Rose
TO the Princess Regent of Brazil.