The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-10-16

NEW YoRK, Oct. 15,-By New Yorker,
long resident in Brazil, who lately re-
turned from Rio Janeiro, tho following
statement was made yesterday:
"Some of the most striking aud i'm
portant facts, having direct and vital
relation to the present condition OF
affairs in Brazil, have been strangely
omitted from every newspaper account
thus far published OF the causes lead
ing to the revolt against the republic.
I'm order that this may be under
stood a brief reference to some OF the
inside facts connected with the position
OF Dom Pedro is necessary.
TN January, 1892, had an interview
with Manuel Deodoro da Fonseco at the
little village OF Tiiuca, in the mountains
about eight miles back OF Rio, aPd a
iavorito resort of the wealthy residents
of the capital during the yellow fever
season. He talked TO me freely OF the
stirring scenes in which he had acted so
conspicuous part, and stated that it
was the saddest day OF his life when he
was forced to choose between his atTeC-
ton for his royal master and his iidell-
ty to the army.
"Dom Pedro had raised him to the
rank Of general for his skilliul conduct
during the Paraguayan war. Gratitude
for that distinction and respect for the
character OF the emperor drew him in
one direction, while hearty sympathy
with the republican Wow OF his assoCi-
ates urged him in the opposite one.
This force OF circumstances and the in
evitabie drift OF events decided the issue
for him. The empire fell and Fonseca
assumed the direction OF affairs.
"lhere were two main causes operat-
ing to bring about the revolution. The
rich planters had become alenated
from the throne because OF Dom Pc
dro's decree abolishing slavery. aud, as
the sons OF these men were officers in
the army, that body only waited for a
good pretext to turn against him, Such
pretext was furnished when he issued
his fatal order directing the troops to
retire into the interior. a council was
Immediately assembled, at which it was
resolved to disobey the order, and from
that act of disobedience it was an easy
and natural step to tho deposition OF
the emperor.
"The other cause was the popular
hatred OF the Jesuits. Donna Isabel,
Dom Pedro's daughter, had excited
contempt and Indignation by submit
ting to penalty imposed upon her by
an Italian priest to whom she had con-
fessed some venial sin. lie required
her TO scrub the floor of the church
known as the Campanhia. The proba-
bility of her succession, If the empire
lasted, stimulated the spirit OF rebellion
and was n potent factor in precipitating
the final catastrophe.
"lhe republic, so called, which sue
ceeded was a republic in name only. 1t
was established by men who not lacked
any true conception OF what constitutes
republican government, but who were
deficient in the wisdom and patriotism
necessary to establish one. 1t brought
into popular parlance the maxim
everybody for himself" and that has
been tho guiding principle OF the lead
ers in Brazilian affairs ever since the
departure OF Dom Pedro. The republic
is in reality dictatorship, since the
most important laws and ordinances
have no higher sanction than the decree
OF the president"