Year: 1869




1t seems that we were little too fast yester-
day Ia our conclusion that General Webb had
made it all right with Brazil 1t is not all
right. 1t is all wrong. A Washington despatch
informs us that General Webb has reported in
person TO Secretary Fish, and that his report
is anything but fiattering to Brazil or the
Brazilians. Professor Agasslz found the
Emperor statesman, gentleman and scholar.
and the Bra zilians an amiable people, notwith-
standing the fact that down there they have
fish that climb trees. But the savant does not
see things in the same light as the diplomat
General Webb has been the Envoy Extraor-
binary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the
United States at Rio Janeiro for eight years.
His opportunities, therefore, have been excel
lent for learning the character of the Brazilian
government and people. But, evidently pre-
JUDGED unfavorably from the first, he has kept
them in hot water all the time. He was glad
to leave them, and they were glad of his de-
parture.


It appears that he regards the Brazilian
officials as set of barbarians; that they know
nothing of the punctilious courtesies and gen.
tilities of refined diplomacy; that they offended
continually the delicate sensibilities of our
ambassador with their barbarous ignorance
and disregard Of the personal courtesies due to
him as the embodiment of the United States;
that those tropical ignoramuses have no more
respect for the United States than they have
for Hayti, and that the only way to make
them respect our government is to give
them good, sound thrashing; that
it will come to thrashing at
last; that the representatives of other govern
ments are treated just as he was, but that they
had not spirit enough to make fuss about it
and stir them up; that the Brazlians are
Ignorant and brutalized from the demoralizing
effects of negro slavery, and this may be so
blended, as negro slavery is, in Brazil with
free negro equality, political and social
Altogether our returned ambassador, we are
led to believe, is so thoroughly disgusted with
Brazil and the Brazlians that the special won
der is how and why he remained down there
so long.


Both sides considered, we are glad Of the
final retirement of General Webb from the
equator. 1t is relief to him, relief to Brazil
and great relief to us. General Blow, his
successor at Rio, of less bellicose proclivties,
will, we expect, be more tractable. He will
not keep the civilized world in constant fer
ment over some new casus belli from day to
day. He will not insist upon having the
Romans follow his rules, but when in Rome he
will do as the Romans do. Possibly, in the
course of time, he may have to give the Bra
zilians sound thrashing but General Blow.
we apprehend, will not quarrel with them
because their code Of politeness is not his code,
nor because their morals and manners and
institutions are not ours. We presume that
he will be content to maintain the interests Of
his government and the rights of American
citizens in Brazil as the citizens of friendly
Power, and that he will not bother the State
Department with his complaints, even If his
letters from an American vessel of war are
dropped for him at the corner grocery Of Por-
tuguese Joe. In conclusion, while we con-
gratulate General Webb on his final release
from his long and painful exile in Brazil and
wish him well, we congratulate the admins
tration on the fair prospect of the restoration
of peace at Rio Janeiro under the diplomacy
of General Blow