Diario las Américas., 1958-02-11
Know thv
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By ANTONIO RUIZ

BRAZIL. - From 1850 to 17E7,
Portuguese colonial affairs were
under the direction of the Marquis
of Pombal, whose enlightened poll
cieS and intelligent promotion OF
the economic and commercial well
fare of the colonies and the en-
pire earned foc him the title of
1.-The Great Marquis" Local gov
ernors, however far from the sup
ervision of Crown officials, were
often oppressive and local resent
ment in Brazil reached a high pitch
This situation, combined with a
sharp feeling Of nationalism that
had developed curing the previous
century and half, fostered a grow
ing desire for independence in
Brazil.
The first movement for indie
pendence came in 1889 at Ouro
Preto, then CAPITAL of Minas &C.
rails. The leader of the movement
was an enthusiastic idealiSt, Joa-
quinn Jose da Silva Xavier, better
known by his nickname of "Tira-
denies (tooth puller), because of
his occasional practice of dentistry
He and the other members of the
movement were finally betrayed,
jailed, and eventually executed. Ii
radentes' name became a symbol
of Brazilian independence.
In 1908, Prince Regent Joao
vi moved his family and court to
Brazil, after Napoleon had declar-
ed war on Portugal for refusing to
participate in the continental
blockade against England. Estab-
fishing himself in Rio de ~Janeiro,
amid enthusiastic acclaim of the
colonists, Dom Joao instituted ma
ny reforms of great benefit to the
country.
He was a reign of commercial,
scientific, artistic, and literary
awakening for the country. In
1915, Portugal was freed from
French domination, and Brazil was
declared Kingdom under the Port
uguese Monarch, The next year,
on the death of his mother, Queen
Maria, Dom Joao became King Joao
VI. His autocratic temperament
had at times made him unpopular,
and when, in 1920, he dissolved the
Constitutional Convention, he be-
came even more unpopular. That
same year a liberal outbreak in
Portugal led to a demand that
Brazil be deprived of her status Of
co-equality and returned to col
onial status; also that the King re-
turn to Portugal or lose the Crown.
Rather than lose the Crown, he re-
turned to Portugal in 1921, leaving
his son, Dom Pedro, to govern
Brazil as a Regent.
Ignoring orders from Portugal to
return, young Dom Pedro, on Sept
ember 7, 1922. declared Brazil's
independence from the mother
country with the famous "Grito de
Ipiranga," and was proclaimed
constitutional Emperor of Brazil.
The new regime was inaugurated
without violence or bloodshed, and
with the greatest of popular en-
thusiasm. Brazil was the only Anne
rican nation to retain a monarchic'
al form of government during its
formative years as an independent
country.
Jose Bonifacio d'Andrada e Sill.
va, distinguished scientist and man
of letters, was made Minister OF
the Interior and Foreign Affairs
in Dom Pedro's cabinet. He con
tributed greatly to the %consolida'
ton of the new empire and is low.
ingly called the Patriarch of In
dependence" by Brazilians.
The new nation was not to pro
coed smoothly. In 1922, Dom Pc
dro dissolved the Constitutional
Assembly, which appeared about
to adopt a liberal and almost re.
publican constitution, with the EN-
peior as titular head. Sentiment
for freedom in the country was
not greatly Modified by the pro-
clamation by the Emperor in 1924
of a liberal constitution he had
drafted. This constitution, with am
mendments, was the one under
which Brazil was governed until
the proclamation of the Republic
in 1889. Liberal opposition was
further strengthened by the loss
in 1928 Of the Cisplatina Pro-
vince, now Republic Of Uruguay,
Finally, in 1881 Dom Pedro, worn
out and disheartened, abdicated in
favor of his five year old son, Dom
Pedro II, with Jose B%onifacio d.
Andrada as Regent.
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