The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-09
A REPUBLIC IN FORM ONLY.
The Story Of Brazil Since Dom Pc
dro's Overthrow.
Clinton Democrat.

Was Hlaue. some OF the most Strlk1nf
| facts, having a direct and vital relation
| to the condition of affairs in Brazil
have been strangely omitted from ev
cry newspaper account thus far pub
lished Of the causes leading to the re
volt against the republic. In order
| that they may be understood, brie
reference to some of the incidents con
nected with the deposition of Dom Pc
dro is necessary. In January, 1892,
had an interview with Manuel BeO-
dore de Fonsica at the little village OF
Ijuca in the mountains, about eight
miles back of Rio, and a favorite resort
OF the wealthy residents of the capitol
during the yellow fever season. He
talked to me freely Of the stirring
scenes in which he had acted so CON
spicuous part, and declared that it
was the saddest day of his life when he
was forced to choose between his affec-
ton for his imperial master and his f.
deity to the army. Dom Pedro had
raised him to the rank of general for
l.; Il
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 view Of his asso-
ciates urged him in the opposite one.
The force of circumstances and the in
evitable drift of events decided the is-
sue for him. The Empire fell and
Fonsica assumed the direction of af-
fairs.
There were two main causes opera
ting to bring about the revolution. The
rich planters bad become alienated
from the throne by Dom Pedro's de-
cree abolishing slavery, and as the
sons of many of these men were officers
in the arny. that body only waited q
good pretext to turn against him Such
a 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
froin that act of disobedience it Was ali
easy and natural step to the deposi-
ton of the Emperor.
The other crltse was the popular ha-
tired for Jesuits. Donna Isabel, Dom
Pedro's daughter, had excited contempt
and indignation by submitting ia PEN
atty imposed upon her by an Italian
priest to whom she had confessed scme
venal sin He required her to serub
upon the floors of the church.
known as the Campannia The proba-
bilitv of her succes-iUn, il the Empire
lasted. stimulated the spirit of rebellion
and was potent factor in precipitating
the final catastrophe, TIE republic,
sO-callcd, which succeeded, was repub-
lie in name only It was established
by men who not only lacked any true
conception Of what constitutes a repub-
lican government, but who were def
cient in the wisdom, patriotism. and in
tegrity necessary to establish one. 1t
brought into popular parlance the max
i'm, everybody for himself. That max
i'm has been the guiding principle of
the leaders in Brazilian affairs ever
since the departure of Dom Pedro. The
republic is in reality dictatorship,
since the most important laws and Or
dinances have no higher sanction than
the decree of the President.
One of the first acts of Fonsica as
head of the Provisional Government
had the effect of arousing animosity
which, in conjunction with other
causes, at last eliminated in the Mello
rebellion. He troubled the normal
strength of the army and increased the
pay of it's officers.
The bond of sympathy between Ad-
miral Mello and the malcontents in the
following circumstance Dom Pedro
had alienated the navy by the appoint
ment of Admiral Lardace, Radical, as
his minister of marines. When Custo-
iio Mello visited Chill the year before
in command of the wooden vessel AL
mirante Darrasse, he invited Don Aug
ustine, the grandson of the Emperor, to