The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-04
Brazllians Do Not Like Their New
Constitution and May Openly
Rebel.
The Catholics Opposed to It az
Being the Creature Of
Atheists.
General dc Odoro Ambitious to Become
Dictator-Thwartsd by Congrsss-
Financial Troubles Accumulats.

new constitution pleasss no ono. Doetore
da Fonseca threatens to make himself dic-
tator. After disoussion Of little moro
than two months the constitution. framed
chiefly, it is said, BY Ray Barbosa and BEN
jamin Constant. though not members OF
the commission, and decresd by Gen. de
Odoro, passed first reading, with several
amendments in both branches Of congress,
on the same day ON which the first ministry
Of the republic resigned and the second
ministry was appointed. It was not unex-
pected that what would be tho supreme law
of the land would be subjected to logical
analysis, and, perhaps. QUITTING revision,
even by deputies and senators who in a
greater or less degree owed their election to
the influence of Gen. de Odoro or his c6bi-
net. and naturally these delegates in con-
gress in opposition to the provisional gov
ernment, would take hostile attitude to-
ward the constitution in its entirety. Nat
urally, too, constitution emanatinR from
pronounced positivists and radical free
thinkers would be likely, in Catholic
country like Brazil. to arouse antagonism
in in large body Of the people, and to pro,
delegates whom the document should come
under discussion. But reformers, real
or pretended, rarely stop half way.
With ono bound, they pass the line Of
policy, of prudence and often judgment
and the Justice to people, and if they have
or despots. They disdain agitation, they
cut off discussion and forget that such a
thing as reaction exists, and seem to think
there is nothing but the present. Reforms
that grow out of discussion and agitation
are the more effectual and enduring; more
powerful.
Gen. de Odoro in decreeing the consti-
tuition, though modelled after that of the
United States, has invited the fsrcest and
most fanatical opposition. The repuolic
really seems to be tottering to it's fall
through the unpopularity of the man and
the measures which he fathers. He is
charged with being an atheist and allowing
minds more powerful than his, and those
who exercised over him their magnetic
sway determined to establish their own
agn0stic opinions first and the republic
after. or the idea possessed him that he was
strcng enough to elscts n cenGress thar
would adopt his dec1syd cOnstitur. IN and,
this done, he would be elected president,
then throw aside the constitutional title
and proclaim himself what he now is
dictator.
But he now realizes that if this was his
plan it has most sgnally failed. For a
to be practically of his own selection. has
altered, modified, amended, substituted and
changed many of the provisions of the de-
creed constitution. The clause of the con-
stitution he submitted, which provided that
the congress of his own selection should
have power to elect the first president for a
term of six years, has been cut out alto
gether, and instead of it is substituted the
clause that the election of president and
vice. e-president shall be by direct vote of the
people, and that the candidate shall be
elected who shall have majority of all the
votes cast in the different states Many in
this city are of the opinion that under this
panv Senior Ruy Barbosa, ex-minister to
England, where it is reported he is going to
reside. Should the present minister of the
interior insist on the programme laid down
by his predecessors-that the state le9isla-
lures shall be organized and the state officers
elected at the time fixed upon by the re-
spective governors of the states-it seems
possible that trouble should not come un-
less congress in its second reading shall
undo this part of it's labor done in the first.
In the first reading of the constitution con-
gress passed an amendment declaring null
and void all elections already held in the
states for state officers, or that will be held
before the constitution shall be Adopted,
yet this state and others are preparing to
hold their elections the first week in next
February, according to the decree of differ
ent governors and acting uuder the instiuc-
tions of the ex-minister of the interior. and
this notwithstanding the amendment by
congress touching this subject.
The Catholics are up in arms against the
new atheistical government. The arch
bishop of Bahia, primate of Brazil and now
Cardinol Antonio de Macedo Costa, has ut
tered in ringing tones the ultimatum of his
church.
1T is said," says the archbishop. that
we Catholics are enemies of the republic
and therefore it is just that the republic
should arm itself against us.'
"No," writes the archbishop, I'VE are not
enemies of the republic, as form of gov
ernment. We oppose those only who would
destroy, uproot and obliterate Christianity
in this catholic nation. The Catholic
all times and all places since founded by
our divine maker. has nothing in its consti-
tuition, nothing in it's doctrines that is
repugnant to any form of government that
is SO established AZ to maintain society in a
condition, the result of Christian teaching,
tion of mankind through the means which
the church advocates and teaches"
Concluding the archbishop says:
"If the members of the national congress
to whom make this last appeal in adopt
ing the constitution of the United States of
VIII lUllOW III Uuo 1OOtotopS Oh our
noble sister of the United States of North
the most generous of all our
American republics, and eliminate the
clauses offensive to the Catholic church and
subversive of her liberty in this nation
which is Catholic throughout it's entire ok
tent, then all will be we'll. II, on the other
hand, the constitution as it is shall be ap-
proved, violating thereby the Catholic con-
science, woundng with its odious prohibi-
tions the religious fibre of the Brazilian
people, a conflict painful and grave will
ensue throughout our dear country, which