Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-11-22

The surprising news was received last
Saturday of the overthrow Of the mon
archy in Brazil and the establishment Of a
republic in its place. Later advices have
shown that this change was effected with
out bloodshed and with remarkably little of
excitement and confusion. Dom Pedro, the
Emperor, was at his summer palace, %
miles from Rio de Janeiru, when he was
notified that "A republic had been declared
and was told that, as measure Of safety
for the new government, it was considered
necessary that he should leave the country
in - hours He was offered 81, 500, 900 in
cash and provision for the rest Of his life
in the form Of an annual pension of $3.50,
600, which is to be provided for in the civil
list of the new republic. He promptly &C
cepted the offer, proceeded 10 Rio de Janeiro
with his family, and at 3 o'clock Sunday
morning embarked on Brazilian gunboat
en- route for Lisbon, Portugal, where he
will 20 into perpetual exile.
Everything indicates that this movement
had been long contemplated and carefully
prepared for. 1t is more than probable
that Dom Pedro had private information
that his deposition would take place this
fall and that he knew the terms which
were to he accorded him. The empire con
sisted of 10 states or provinces, and all
these have promptly acknowledged their
adhesion to the republic, which is to be
known as the Republic of the United States
of Brazil The flags for the new govern
ment, it is said, were made in Paris last
summer, and many of the plans for the
declaration of the republic were discussed
there during the exhibition. The flag of
the republic is composed of green and gold
stripes, with ~ stars in blue field.
Dom Pedro came to the throne in 1881,
when boy only six years old, the country
being governed by regency until lS4l
He has always been man of democratic
tastes minglng freely with his people
having small taste for the pomp and show
of royalty, and studying chiefly how his
empire might be advanced and built up in
the arts of peace IL has often been said
of him, and doubtless with truth, that he
was every inch gentleman, and therefore
too much gentleman to he a king. The
movement in which he has taken the great
est interest has been that for the gradua
abolition of slavery. The first step in thi,
good work was taken in 1871, when tn,
slaves in the empire numbered over mil
lion and half, and the final decree, declar
ing every bondman free, was promulgate,
last March. The aristocracy were opposed
to this movement, and it is undoubtedly
fact that their dissatisfaction with it ha
had an important influence in causing tn
overthrow Of the empire.
The area of the new republic is less thai
half million square miles smaller thai
that of the United States With Brazil
republic the whole Of the western hem
sphere south of the British possessions is re
publican in its form of government. Tn
sincere good wishes of all lovers of libert
90 out to our new neighbors, and along wit
them there is felt sincere respect and ad
miration for the broad minded and gener
Gus hearted man whose wise and benefcer
rule for almost sixty years has made possibl
the peaceful establishment of a republic o
the foundation of his empire.