The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1889-11-28
VOL. vi.
The Future Of Brazil

tiouists to tell us In the absence of
any less one-sided information regard
ing recent events, an attempt to lore
cast the consequences Of the change
in the form OF government must needs
rest on previous knowledge of the
country and its people.
1t may be confidently affirmed that
the Brazilian revolution was brought
about by combination OF naturally |
conservative landowners with avowed
Republicans, like that which threw off
the Kings authority in the province
OF New York, Jealousy of the De
Lanceys and resentment at the close
Of influence in the provincial govern
ment caused the Livingstons and 9th
er territorial magnates to join hands
with men whom they had looked upon
as demagogues, in rebellion against
the British Crown. 1t was not long,
howty yer, after American independ-
ense had been established before dis
sensions broke out between the Liv-
ingston connection and the thorough
going Democrats of New York city,
who found more congenial repreaen-
tative in Aaron Burr, An analogous
quarrel is even more certain to arise
between the ex-slaveholders Of Brazil,
who have been animated by vindictive
motives, and the republican theorists,
whose followers are found in the rank
and the file of the small army and in
the proletariat of Rio de Janeiro and
other large towns The essential ir-
reccncilabiity Of the factions whose
coalition has forced Dom Pedro II. to
abdicate, will be made patent from
the moment they un dertake to frame
an organic law or Constitution for the
proclaimed republic. On two points
in particular SHARP difference of in
terest and opinion will reveal itself F.;
namely, the extent to which the fran
chise ought to be widened, and the
degree to which the national govern
ment shall be centralized These are
the reefs on which the Spanish Ameri-
can republics have repeatedly been
dashed, and on which some have bare.
ly escaped destruction.
Experience has shows in the case
of every Spanish-American common
wealth except Chill, that the effect ot
constitutionally limiting the franchise
by property qualifications is to make
revolution chronic. 1t must be partly
on this account, and partly in order
to make sure Of the report Of the mass
that the provisional government
has, according 10 a telegram, resolved
to anticipate the decision Of a consti
tutioual convention by decrecing uni
versal suffrage. But there are speca
reasons why Brazil cannot, withou
great risk, venture to guard agains
such evils by close approach to man
hood suffrage. Owing mainly to tn
vast extent OF their country the Portu
guese settlers have not been able t.
assimilate the Indians' whom the
found in possession, in the same degre
in which the Spaniards in Mexico ha
by 1880 managed to assimilate tn
Aztecs. Then, again, the black freeC
men in Brazil, owing to the relstivel
late date at which the slave trad
ceased, are far less fitted to exercis
the suffrage than were the emancip'
ted negroes in our Southern States (
the close Of our civil war. To conft
the franchise indiscriminately on II
dians and blacks, who have scarcel
acquired the rudiments Of civiizatio
and have but iragmentary acquain
ance with the Portuguese languag
will be fraught with the gravest peri
to property and public order. The r
port decree of the provisional COVER
ment to that effect will be likely
provoke the conservative planter
who up to this time seem to ha
made common cause with the repub
cans, to part company. On the 9th
hald, had the franchise been ca
tiously hemmed in by property al
educational restrictions, the materii
for kindiing a fresh revolution won
have been ready to the nand
A question no less thorny will
laistd when the Constitutional &C
reution attemps to adjust the rclati
nl the several provinces to the tede
government Heretofore, as regal
the aeoendency ei centralizing prin
piles, Brazil has borne a much clio
resemblance to the French than to ,
own republic, Under the regime i
over thrown the executive author
la every province was exercised b,
governor designated by the Minis
III power at Rio de Jsneiro, just as
executive cottrol uf every French
paltment belongs to Prefect rel
seming the Cabinet installed at Pa
The BRAZILIAN provinces have l.
murmercd u hi. srtc e things,
il II be true that their cooperation
the new movement has been secu