Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-11-23

civilized countries toabolish slavery.
4 One Of Dom Pedro's greatest aims
has been to get rid Of slavery He
has for years worked to bring this
about, and in order to avoid the
shock that would result from a too
sudden emancipation OF a servile
race a system of gradual emancipa-
ton was decided on. A final step
was taken a short time ago, and
general emancipation proclaimed.
The planters, however, were giving
six years in which to prepare for il
and to supply themselves with labor
to take the places of the slaves they
lost, it being expected that there
would be a large immigration
into tie country A few months
age the imperial government went
much further than expected, for it
decreed immediate and uncondition-
al emancipation, without the six
years interval which had been pro-
vided for. The act which abolished
slavery in Brazil pulled down the
empire. 1t was too hasty, and caus-
ed an agricultural, industrial and
financial shock. The planters saw
themselves without labor through
The Intervention Of their own govern
ment, and the crops, which were
large, rotted in the field, for the
enfranchised negroes showed a
general unwillingness to work
The empire was greatly weakened
by this act, and to it more than to
any other cause its downfall is due.
That there was conspiracy in the
army cannot be doubted Most OF
the l1razillans ia this country cx-
press great surprise that Gen. Fon-
SEGA should have been the leader in
the revolution and should be at the
head Of the new Brazilian republic.
He is not one of the leaders in the
party, they say, and was indeed one
of the most ardent monarchists until
lately. lie seems to have been a
successful oulanger, an able con-
spirator who won the army over to
his way Of thinking, and thus settled
the matter promptly and decisiyely.
Bat whatever the causes that
brought about change in the gov.
ernment, and whoever the man that
led II this movement, it cannot be
| doubted that it is wise and salts
factory one. An empire is at best
an absurdity and abuse on this con-
tinent, where there ale neither courts
n + traditions to uphold it. The
fact that Dom Pedro was wise,
liberal and statesmanlike sovereign
made the Brazlian empire less OBJ
iectionable under him; but there
have been and are likely to be few
Kings OF Emperors like him. And
although he ruled 2rszil well, the
country has not prosrered as it
ought to have done, considering its
great wealth The Argentine Re
/ public to the south has forged ahead
while Brazil has fingered behind,
aud the former has secured from
Europe the capital and immigrants
for which the two countries were
competing.
Monarchy is out of date, relic of
the past which cannot last much
longer. 1t is rapidly going out Of
fashion in Europe; it was always an
absurdity in America. The Bra
zihan revolution was, in the natural
cause of events, to he expected
sooner or later. That it has been
accomplished so quietly and with so
little violence is in accord with the
spirit of the times and recognition
of the sovereignty of the people.
We greet BraziPs entrance into
the galaxy of American republics.
It has come to stay. The world
does not move backward, from the
rule of the people to the rule OF
emperors, from modern civilization
and popular government to feudal-
ism and the divine right of bings. =
iImes-Democrat.
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