Year: 1878




The trade of South America has been
neglected by the United States, and hence
has been captured by the commercial coun-
tries of Europe. This singular phenomenon
in commerce attracted the attention Of DON
PEDRO, the Emperor of Brazil, and he de-
termined to visit the United States and
Europe with view to examining the re-
sources Of each, in the hope of discovering,
if possible, what peculiar causes had pro-
duced the marked European preponderance
in trade with his nation Ho first came
here and then crossed the Atlantic to in
vestigate the Old World Those who had
the pleasure of meeting and enjoying the
acquaintance ofthe Emperor were readily i'm
pressed with the fact that he had not come
here on pleasure trip but purely on business.
With high culture, ripe experience, and an
energy of character unparalleled, he applied
himself during his soiourn in the United
States to the study Of our institutions, re-
sources, trade, and commerce, only
rs devoted student would APP
ply himself He came to learn and he lost
scarcely n moment in improving his lesson.
Early and late he was engaged rs close
observer Of the internal affairs in this cOun-
try. He Travelled without ostcntatiou. He
avoided all display, and sought only sources
Of study, observation, and information. He
speut q brief period at the National Capital
and his time was devoted to a study of our
system Of 80 icrnment by u personal obsrr-
walton of its various departments. lie de-
voted a brief period to the commercial me-
tropolis of this continent. He pushed
across our territory from New York to san
Francisco, only giving himself time for rest
and study by the way, and, after spending
a brief period on the Pacific coast, devoted
some time to the study of the mining re.
gions of the Rocky Mountains, returned to
the Atlantic coast again, and took his de.
parture for Europe. lie devoted several
months to travel and study in the Old
World, and then returned to his own EN-.
pire with a mind orgcly stored with the
treasures of Knowledge.


We have every reason TO know that Dom
PEDRO became thoroughly convinced of the
Importance of opening wider commercial
relation with this country. He had learned
to appreciate Our unequaled resources and
the enterprise of our people. In othcr
words, he liked the Americans, and desired
to become more intimate ncighbors and
| friends with our people. As an evidence o
| this it is only necessary to refer TO tn,
| prompt manner in which he sought T.
bestow his favor upon lines of American
steamers that might be formed be
tween New York and New Orlean
and Rio Jancro. He made con
tract with JONI Roach & Sons for car
rying the Brazilian mails between tina
country and this, and that, too, at fair com
prnsation and without hesitation. Here
tolOrc our mail communications with tha
country have been chiefly by the way o
England and France, which necessarily in
vOlycd much delay. Our Congress now ha
under consideration q measure by whicl
the mails of the United States for Brazil ar
to be carried by the same line of steamers
the first of which sailed from New Yorl
early in the present month, TO he followed
early in June by another. Under propc
encouragement from this Government thi
monthly line will become weekly rs soon {,
practicable, and 50 on, until the time is no
far distant when our communication will
one Of the most important nations of Soutl
America will become tri-wcrkly, and, "
trust, daily. When that end is reached, a
it certainly will be in time, under propr
encouragement from our Government, W
can divide, if We do not command, the trad
OF BrlLl-an end dev0utly to be wished.