Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-01-24
A NEW REPUBLIC.
THE UNITED STATES OF BRAZIL
AND IT'S People.
n Country Comprising Moro Than
Thrcc-Scvenths OF South America
Emancipation OF the Slaves
Its National Debt.


changed to Republic by the recent
bloodlcss revolution, has been subject TO
tine wise and humane rule of the now de-
posed Dom Pedro IL. since 1910. lie
had become the nominal Emperor in
1881, when his father, Dom Pedro L., ab-
dictated the throne. Under Dom Pedro
l., Brazil cut loose from the parent coun-
try, Portugal, in 1921. The grandfath.
cr Of the recently dcposcl Emperor was
Dom John, King Of Portugal, who fed
10 Brazil i'll the terrible days following.
the French rey9lu!ioa. For time he
ruled Portugal from across the sSi, and
Oh his return to Lisbon he left his son.
the first Dom Pedro, at the head of The
Brazilian affairs. 1t was this sou vino
led the revolt against Portugal and who
WAS crowned constitutional Emperor OF
Brazil. After his abtiicatiun in favor of
his siN-ycar-old son tho affairs of the
Government were administered by sue
ccssion Of regents elected by the lc.sla
tive representatives, OF the people. In
1910, however, the nation became dis
satisfied with the regency and so gave
the Government into the hands of Dom
Pedro H., then IL boy of fourteen. As he
was proclaimed Emperor July % of tha;
year few more months would have
rounded out for him half-ccn,ury of
power. On account of his feeble health
however, the Government has been prac-
ticnlly, for several years, i'll the hands of
his daughter label, heir 10 the throne.
Her husband, Prince Louis Of Orleans,
the French Comtc d'Eu, II Bourbon, was
Commanders in Chief OF the brazilian
army.
Dom Pedro is of the royal house of
Bra%anza, still ruling in Portugal. The
Empire which he ruled so long comprises
more than three seventies of the territory
of South America. 1t has m area of
3,2S1 1854 square miles, and is therefore
nearly rs large rs the United States, in
Guiding Alaska. 1t has Il population,
however, of less than If 900, 900. lis
soil is very fertile and its climate is mag
niiiccnt. or late years the country has
developed rapidly, yet its vast interior is
mainly an untrodden Wilderness Four
fths of Brazil is I'M elevated plateau,
and this is separated from the 1000 miles
OF seacoast by ranges Of mountains which
| shut oil free access to il and which are
pierced by railways only with great ,Ml-
hculty and ut enormous cost. II has
been the policy of Dom Pedro To push
improvements OF this sort by placim" be-
hind them the national credit. While
he has piled ups large debt for public
works, he has wrought permanent good
for his country in exchange for the money
| spent. There are now 5000 miles of
railway in Brazil and several thousand
IL. Al
ton. OF late strong efforts have been
made to attract European immigration,
| and these efforts have been quite sue.
| cessful.
Brazil, long the only monarchical GOV
| ernmcnt Of the Western Hemisphere, was
the last to abolish slavery, although Dom
Pedro throughout his long reign was
constantly aiming 10 give freedom to the
bondsmen. His plan was TO set the
slaves free by degrees. a government
emancipation fund was established in
1871, and in 1875 laws were passed
which would in time have wiped ont
slavery. The results Of this policy were
| very plain, for in 1873 there were / ,5lI,-
$40 slaves in the Empire, and in 1883
the number has been reduced to Pill
9iG; two provinces set all their slaves
free in 1891. Still the work Of
emancipation went on slowly until on
May Is, 1888, the Legislative Assembly
passed II bill abolishing all slavery This
bill was signed by the Princess Regent,
label, and Lecame II law. The Emperor
at that time was in Europe for his health.
! This action Of the Government was very
popular i'll Brazil, except among the
owners of slaves, who vainly sought pay
mcnt for the human chattcls taken away
from them. Ii is now asserted that the
| adjustment Of slavery led to the present
revolution in Brazil. tmay be doubted,
however, whether that was the chief
cause Of the upheaval.
The Brazilian navy is composed of
nine ironclads, six cruisers, eight tor
pcdo boats aud fifteen gunboats, manned
by 1872 officers and scamcn.
Brazil has II national debt of $780,
600, 900, mainly due to the cost of great
public improvements aud 10 the war with
Paraguay from 1865 to 1871 lis credit
is excellent abroad, though its income is
less than its expenses. The Legislative
Assembly is composed Of Senate and
Chamber of Deputies, and all its mem
bers are elected by the people. The
Senators hold offices for life and the
Deputies for four years. The established
religion is Roman Catholic, and com
paratively few Protestants exist there,
though all religions are tolerated About
| eightyfour per cent. of the people are
unable to read. Only those are per-
united to vote who have yearly income
Of ut least $500. the Government is
very liberal, and the late Cabinet was
pledged to carry ont n number of i'm
portant reforms. If the new republican
rulers shall prove more worthy of the
public confidence than the Emperor they
will be little short of paragons. Chicaqo
Netos.