New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-08

. p;o o. rror,ots the selfish interests OF the
marty IN power. Throughout the la'er Seals VI
the Emperor's reign il has been an un'a,ii"S
source Of irritation and complaint that the rro'
;noos 7bav. bcen governed, not for their own IN
,sros.s hut for those of the Imperial ADMINS
,ratian The main object seemed 10 DE 10 set as
much money out Of them as possible ior INC
Central treasury and to leave as niue rs mlsn. oo
Gov Iocal improvements and requirements. The
Provinces were many COWS 10 oe niiiN'" io
,hc Impcral dairy. Local government in any real
80 ,bev have not had The legislatures meet
ing two months in the year have exercised limited
frnctions and have been powcrless to interfere
with the military pro-consuls and pontcai au-
yenturers sent out from Rio.
a. MANIFOLD EVILS OF THE SYSTEM OF CENTRAL"
IzATIoN.
In order to appreciate the manifold
evils of this system OF centrahzauoh'
Americans have only to imagine what
the effect would be in their own country II
a partisan National Administration were at hoerN
10 appoint all the Governors now elected oy 'ne
PEOPLE Of the States and TO control the ADMINS
tration of State revenues and patronage Leu
many of these Governors be incompetent men from
remote sections, unacquainted with the interests
of the States and bent only upon squeezing as
much revenue possible out OF their provinces
and the worst features OF the Imperial Provincial
system will be reproduced 1t has created In all
sections of Brazil an intense feeling of dIscon'ent
bordering upon disloyalty. 1t has rendered 'he
people of the provinces, who have fully rs inuch
State pride as Americans, Indifferent TO 'he la'e
of the Emperor in the present crisis. ch''nse vi
Government promised 20 bring with 1t radch
reform in the administration OF the provinces ny
which thew would be left at liberty to govern
-
welcomed wherever the news Of the revolution
spread Moreover the Provis onal Government
was very careful to offer the provinces distinct
assurances that the evils of which general COM
rlaint had been made would be abolished under
the Repubhc. and that Governors should be
elected by the people. No other concession would
have been equally potent in concilatng puohc
feeling in the provinces Here was a distinct
pledge that under the new order the States should
be relieved from burdens of Imperial admlmstra-
ton that had proved intolerable, and that home
rule should be enjoyed in fact as well as IN name
throughout Brazil 1t is not to be wondered at
that under such circumstances the downfall Oh the
Empire was welcomed in all the provinces as the
dawn of a new day for benighted, misgoverned
people
THE EMPEROR UNWILLING TO REVISE THE
CONSTITUTION.
Illustrations OF the same centralized system are
furnished by the text Of the Imperial Constltu-
lion. which Dom Pedro II. would never consent
10 revise While providing full guarantees Tor
free speech, exemption from illegal arrest religious
liberation and citizens rights, it established
system of administration under the direct per
sonal control of the Emperor The judges and
magistrates were appointed by him on the recon-
mendation OF his Ministers. He was empowered
10 suspend sentences in the courts, TO dismiss
magistrates and TO veto outright legislative acts
passed by the Chambers Vacancies Tor the
Senate were filed by the election of three candl-
dates by the people and the appointment OF one
of them by the Emperor. The Council OF State
was appointed by him for life, and was recruited
from the reigning house and the circle of Imperial
sycophents There was not branch OF the Gov
eminent which not under pressure from an
imperial system resembling the complex mechanism
which Metternch established and controlled i'll
Vienna. until it broke down under its own weight.
Each party in turn was employed TO operate the
system. the Emperor pitting the Liberals against
the Conservatives for no other apparent purpose
than that of maintaining his own personal as
tendency over both Ministers became groups OF
professional ofice-holders and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
whose political opinions could with dlfhculty he
differentiated. A Liberal Ministry was II any
thing less progressive in its tendencies ana more
obseauious its attitude TO the throne than Con.
servative Ministry. The Emperor regarded the
two groups of political rivals as alternating ma
chimes fitting into and working with the Imperial
mechanism; and the Governors of the Provinces
were twenty connecting cogwheels kept in motion
by the Ministerial apparatus. Emerson once said
Of the English Their god is Precedent" Dom
Pedro's god was Capitalization.
The revolution in its earlier stages OF develop
1. INST
Of government The army officers in the Military
- Club irri,ated by the arbitrary action of the War
Department in regulating the service and banishlng
popular generals 10 remote provinces confpired
10 overthrow the Government. Former slave
owners who had been ruined by what they con-
sdered the preciptate action OF the Princess
Regent and the .Jesus in proclaiming emanclpa-
.on before they were prepared for it, joined them
in their campaign against Imperialism Repub-
lean organizers, who had been industriously re-
cruiting clubs, formulating constitutional statutes
and educating public opinion impaired form and
direction to the new movement. The Provinces
only needed evidence that strong Provisional
Government bad been organized-one competent
TO maintain public order and to rcprcss anarchy
in order to accerp the situation with hopefulness
and 10y Disatlected and out of sympathy with
en- Imperial system that deprived them of the
normal functions of local autonomy, they offered
no resistance TO the establishment of the Republic
With its promise of larger liberties for the federated
States The abolition of the Council of State
and the Senate signfed TO them the disappear
ance Of that complex and despotic system Of
centmlized administration which had INSTRUCTED
free and independent action on the part of the
federated States. The revolution seemed TO them
supreme act Of political emancipation.
Inf.
ARRIVAL OF A STEAMER FROM BRAZIL
STORY or AN EYEWITNESS OF THE REVOLU-