The Critic and record., 1891-04-15
PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL.
INAUGURATION OF THE FIRST CON.
sTITUTIONAL CHIEF MAGISTRATE
OF the New Republic Beneath the South
crn Cross-The Ceremonies simple,
But Impressive, as True Republican
Ceremonies EVer Are.

The Inauguration of the first Constitu-
tional President Of Brazil was a very sim
pie but impressive ceremony. The news
papers of Rio arriving by the last smat
contain an account of the same.
On the 9th of February three printed
copies of the new constitution were
brought into the Chamber of Deputies by
the two hundred and twenty-six Senators
and Deputies present. The document
was then read to the assembled audience,
and after the reading the President said.
1.-THE CONSTITUTION or THE REPUBLIC
cf the United States Of Brazil is now pro-
mulgated, and after fifteen months of
revolutionary government our country
from this moment enters into legal
status. Applause. 1t must be acknowl-
edged that, thanks to the patriotic exer-
tions of this congress, the nations legit-
mate representative Iapplausel which re-
ceived at first with distrust by public
opinion has overcome prejudice and
ended its labOrs amid public esteem aud
confidence. Brazil our country, has
henceforth a free and Democratic con-
stitution, founded on q system amply
lederative in its character [applausel, the
only SYSTEM that can preserve our coun-
try united, promote its prosperity and
cause IL TO correspond in South America
to its model IN North America. ZAP
plause. Fellow citizens, all hail Brazil,
our country, the Brazilian Republic
Long live the Brazilian nation p' Loud
and continued applause from the repre-
sentatives and from the galleries
DEPUTY sER2EDELLo
said that to the constitution must now be
| applied the test of time. At present they
must respect it and defend it even at the
riqlg of thnip liypg IIp tnrpqpntpl thp fol-
| lowing motion, which, after n few words
| from Deputy Cesar Hama, pledging his
| life to the defense Of the constitution, was
unanimously adopted: "The National
| Congress here assembled, now the sole
| sovereign power, since all else is merged
| into the nation, in whose presence the
| revolution and dictatorship cease to exist,
hereby DEGREES that this day, the 9th of
| February, the most important date in the
history of our country, shall be day Of
national festivitY."
CONGRESS PLACED on RECORD
declaration that the Brazilian people,
| through its representatives, takes pride i'm
| the glory of having offered to future
| Presidents such model of virtue as Gen
eral Benjamin Constant, 1t then pro-
ceeded to the election of q President of the
republic with the following result; Manoel
| Deodora Fonseca, 100; Prudente Jose de
Joaquin Saldeanha Marinho, ,; Jose Hy-
| gino DuartO Pereira, |; blank, ,. For
| NiCe.P President the vote was as follows
Floriano Pexoto, 1873; Eduardo Wanden-
kolk, 81 Prudente Jose de Moraes Barros
-; Colonel Pirgibe, 4; Custodio Jose de
Mollo, ]. number of Deputies who
had voted against General Deodora made
a written declaration of their votes some
of them giving their reasons for so vot-
ing, and Deputy Assis Brazil resigned his
seat in Congress on account of having
thus voted against the previously eX-
pressed wishes of his constituents.
On the following day, the 20th of Feb
ruarH, at l:l0 O'Clock p. m. the President
and Nice-President of the Republic were
intoduced into the Legislative Hall by the
committee appointed to receive them, and
took seats, the former on the right and
the latter on the left of the President of
the Congress, who then said:
"THE PRESIDENT AND VICE E-PREsIpENT
of the Republic are here for the purpose
of making in the presence of the Con-
stituent Congress the promise required OF
them by the constitution promulgated"
Applause
made the required affirmation and the
first Secretary of Congress read the fol.
lowing: instrument of inauguration and
affirmation of the first President and
Vice President of the Republic of Brazil,
, on the 26th day of the month of February
in the year 1901, third of the Republic,
two hundred and thirty-five representa-
tives of the nation being in Congress as
sembled in the legislative hall of the
Quinta da Boa Vista Palace in the capita
of the Union, under the presidency oil
Prudonto Jose de Horace Barros at
o'clock p. m, before the said Congress ap
peared the citizens Generalissimo Nance
Deodoro da Fonseca and General FlorianC
Peixoto, elected by an absolute majority a
the General Assembly on the 25th of the
! present month and year, the forme
: President Of the Republic and the latte
: Nice-President thereof, to serve durnI
; their term of office in conformity will
article 43 of the constitution promulgated
! and the following affirmation required b,
! article A of the constitution was made b!
! the said citizens: j promise
/ TO MAINTAIN AND OBSERVE
with perfect loyalty the Federal COnstitu
ton, to promote the general welfare o
the Republic, to obey its laws and pre-
ence.' And for duly recording tn
aforesaid, the present instrument is mad
and is signed by the said citizens aud b,
). the officers Of the National Congress.
"Manoel Deodore da Fonseca, Florian
Peixoto, Prudente j. de Moraes Barros
DR.. Joao da Malta Machado, first secre
tary; DIR. Jose de Paes Carvalho, secon,
secretary; Lieutenant Colonel Joao Scare
Neiva, third secretary; Edwardo Monde
Cuncalvos, fourth secretary"
The President Of Congress then said:
''THE TWO HIGHEST MAGISTRATES
of the nation, elected in conformity wit
the Constitution promulgated are now in
e augurated. In this solemn moment, IN
terpreting the sentiment of the Nations
e Congress, the nations legitimate repre-
l. sentative, express our earnest desire 70
l. the welfare Of our country and of tn
highest magistrates of the nation, feeln
=, assured that they will do their duty an
u seek to lead the country to the hig
> destiny that awaits it. Applause.l
request the committees to accompany tn
ID President and Nice-President of the n
<, public"
1t The President and Vice-Presdent the
retired with the same fOrmalities observe
st on entering. The sitting was suspende
Ie for the purpose of writing the oilici;
N journal Of the House, and, on its bein
ie resumed, the President madeth followin
e. ADDRESS:
70 "MY COLLEAGUES: On separating W
leave promulgated the constitution of tl
II United States of Brazil. This constitl
u ton, prepared in little over thrt
d months of assiduous labor, is probabl
y defective, for no human work is perfec
), 1T must, however, be admitted that th
D Brazilian Congress has successfully sougl
TO engraft in the fundamental compa
n which it has bestowed upon the countr,
n all the cardinal principles of federatiS
Sc republic There they are clearly delin
ID ated; experience may develop them an
rs give our country the happiness and pro
n perity that it deserves We ehaye done OF
duty We may now be content to retur
le TO our homes, since, as | have already ha
n occasion to say in this place, received wit
N prejudice and distrust by Opiniol
T. Congress has so acted as TO destroy or
least TO combat this prejudice and 10 gai
4 prestige and to acquire the public esteel
and confidence which surround ii at t.
10 close of its labors. Applause
~ NHnMnNnr Lhore is still mnnh 10 |