The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-06

Before deciding whether the seeming
coup dstdt ut Rio Janeiro should be con-
demncd or condoned. We should need to
know whether the Brazilian Congress was
proceeding within Its constitutional rights
when 1t passed the measures which pro-
vokcd tho executive to dissolve 1t. Such
knowledge is not easily attninable. for we
doubt whether there exists in the United
States n single trustworthy copy OF the
Constitution under which Brazil has been
governed for nbNNt u year.
II We bad before us the text Of tho Brazil
ian organic law. We could see at glance
whether the Congress was authorized to
pnss u ill defining tho method Of impeach-
ing the President. aud whether. when that
bill was vetoed. it had the power to over
rido the veto. Essential also to an impair
tiul Judgment would be the knowledge
whether in Brazil as in England and in
nany other countries, the Congress Is dis
solvabr Mt the discretion Of the executive.
or whether. us in the United States. 1t sits
for a definite. unabridgeable term. That
tho Brazilian President has tho right OF
VITO is certain. for during the present ses-
sion Of the Congress- he has sent back. I'M
signed. many of its measures. and for do
ing this has never been accused OF
violating tho law. We may also pro-
nounce it highly probable that in
Brazil. rs III tho United States. there
is n provision for overriding the veto
through large preponderunce of adverse
votes In both houses OF the legislature.
Assuming this to bc the case. we should
have to fall back on the fundamental qucs-
tion. Is the Chilinn Congress. like the Brit
ISL Parliament. dissolvable ut the will of the
executives! II it Is, then the course pursued
by President FoNsECA could not be- de-
scribcd as revolutionary, for 1t would sim
ply result In the election of new
Congress, and the proclamation of mar
tial law might 10 justified as n pre-
caution taken to assure peace and order
pending the election Of new legislature.
II. on the other hand. the President had no
constitutional right TO dissolve the Brazil
Ian Congress. which could only expire at
the end of the term fixed by organic law.
then ho has undoubtedly been guilty Of u
c0up dCtdt substantially Identical with that
accomplished In France by LOUIS NAPOLEON
ON Dec. 9. 1851. In tho latter event not only
has the legislature been eXtinguished. but
the Constitution hae been set at naught.
and there Il at this moment in Brazil re-
lapse IL the state OF things which existed
Immediately after the dethrOncincnt OF
Dom Pedro II. That Is to say. there re-
mains no source OF authority except The
Icrsona. volitIon OF Marshal DEoDoRo ia
FoNsECA. transformed from constitutional
President into II sclf-nppolnted dictator,
who relies for his support not Oil tho votes
of the people, but on the army and navy.
ii such tie tho right construction OF the
reports from Rio Janeiro. the quarrel be-
tween BraH!ls executive and Legislature
would excite regret In Tho United States
The fact that republican Institutions have
not leon made to work smoothly even for u
twelvemonth will encourage the reaction
lists. who hive always maintained that tho
Brazllians arc not rs ySt lit for self-govern-
mont. and that they must eventually revert
TO the imperialist regime. AS was pointed
out at the time OF tho overthrow OF Dom
PEDRO H.. the Brazilian provinces had
never possessed powers analogous to those
III our separate States. and therefore never
acquired tho habit of managing their
dependence the danger was that u Brazilian
republic would be modelled not on the fcd-
ersl plan. like the United States and Swift
zsrland. but OH the centralized pattern pre-
sented by France. The latter type % COM
monwealth. through lodging almost over
whelmin9 powers III the hands OF the ex-
ecutive. offers strong temptation to sup
press legislative opposition by coup
Gdiat, while. Oh the other hand. 1t leaves
the spokesman Of the several provinces
without any means Of organizing local re-
sistsnoe. It seems that President FoN-
SEGA has seized the first plausible pretext
for crushing at one blow the opponents
who have for some months been thwarting
his proposals In the legislature.
1t cannot. however,. be denied that Presi-
dent FoSsDcA has done much to win the
sympathy OF the United States. Whatever
may be said Of the agencies through which
he originally became dictator. and Of the
motives which prompted him to delay the
framing Of Constitution. 1t is certain that
from the outset he has shown himself much
more DESTROYS Of securing the friendship Of