THE GOVERNMENT.—THE TAXES.—THE PUBLIC
INSTITUTIONS.—CRIMINALS.—PRISONS.—MILITARY ESTABLISHMENTS.—THE
ISLAND OF FERNANDO DE NORONHA.
THE captaincies-general, or provinces of the first rank, in Brazil, of
which Pernambuco is one, are governed by captains-general or governors,
who are appointed for three years. At the end of this period the same
person is continued or not, at the option of the supreme government.
They are, in fact, absolute in power, but before the person who
has been nominated to one of these places can exercise any of its
functions, he is under the necessity of presenting his credentials to
the _Senado da Camara_, the chamber or municipality of the principal
town. This is formed of persons of respectability in the place. The
governor has the supreme and sole command of the military force. The
civil and criminal causes are discussed before and determined by the
_Ouvidor_ and _Juiz de Fora_, the two chief judicial officers, whose
duties are somewhat similar, but the former is the superior in rank.
They are appointed for three years, and the term may be renewed[18]. It
is in these departments of the government that the opportunities of
amassing large fortunes are most numerous; and certain it is that some
individuals take advantage of them in a manner which renders justice
but a name. The governor can determine in a criminal cause without
appeal, but, if he pleases, he refers it to the competent judge. The
_Procurador da Coroa_, attorney-general, is an officer of considerable
weight. The _Intendente da Marinha_, port admiral, is likewise
consulted on matters of first importance; as are also the _Escrivam
da Fazenda Real_, chief of the treasury, and the _Juiz da Alfandega_,
comptroller of the customs. These seven officers form the _Junta_,
or council, which occasionally meets to arrange and decide upon the
affairs of the captaincy to which they belong.
The ecclesiastical government is scarcely connected with that above
mentioned, and is administered by a bishop and a dean and chapter, with
his vicar-general, &c. The governor cannot even appoint a chaplain
to the island of Fernando de Noronha, one of the dependencies of
Pernambuco, but acquaints the bishop that a priest is wanted, who then
nominates one for the place.
The number of civil and military officers is enormous; inspectors
innumerable—colonels without end, devoid of any objects to
inspect—without any regiments to command; judges to manage each
trifling department, of which the duties might all be done by two or
three persons; thus salaries are augmented; the people are oppressed,
but the state is not benefited.
Taxes are laid where they fall heavy upon the lower classes, and none
are levied where they could well be borne. A tenth is raised in kind
upon cattle, poultry, and agriculture, and even upon salt; this in
former times appertained, as in other christian countries, to the
clergy[19]. All the taxes are farmed to the highest bidders, and this
among the rest. They are parcelled out in extensive districts, and
are contracted for at a reasonable rate, but the contractors again
dispose of their shares in small portions; these are again retailed
to other persons, and as a profit is obtained by each transfer the
people must be oppressed, that these men may satisfy those above
them and enrich themselves. The system is in itself bad, but is
rendered still heavier by this division of the spoil. The tenth of
cattle, as I have already said, is levied in kind upon the estates
in the interior of the country, and, besides this, a duty of 320
_reis per arroba_ of 32 lbs. is paid upon the meat at the shambles,
which amounts to about twenty-five _per cent._ Fish pays the tenth,
and afterwards a fifteenth. Every transfer of immoveable property
is subject to a duty of ten _per cent._ and moveables to five _per
cent._ Besides these, there are many other taxes of minor importance.
Rum, both for exportation and home consumption, pays a duty of 80
_reis per canada_[20], which is sometimes a fourth of its value, but
may be reckoned as from fifteen to twenty _per cent._ Cotton pays
the tenth, and is again taxed at the moment of exportation 600 _reis
per arroba_ of 32 lbs. or about 1¼_d._ _per_ lb. Nothing can be
more injudicious, than this double duty upon the chief article of
exportation from that country to Europe. The duties at the custom-house
are fifteen _per cent._ upon imports, of which the valuation is left
in some measure to the merchant to whom the property belongs. Here, I
think, ten _per cent._ more might be raised without being felt. A tax
is paid at Pernambuco for lighting the streets of the Rio de Janeiro,
whilst those of Recife remain in total darkness.
Now, although the expences of the provincial governments are great,
and absorb a very considerable proportion of the receipts, owing
to the number of officers employed in every department, still the
salaries of each are, in most instances, much too small to afford a
comfortable subsistence; consequently peculation, bribery, and other
crimes of the same description are to be looked for, and they become
so frequent as to escape all punishment or even notice; though there
are some men whose character is without reproach. The governor of
Pernambuco receives a salary of 4,000,000 _reis_, or about 1000_l._
_per annum_. Can this be supposed to be sufficient for a man in his
responsible situation, even in a country in which articles of food are
cheap? His honour, however, is unimpeached; not one instance did I ever
hear mentioned of improper conduct in him; but the temptation and the
opportunities of amassing money are very great, and few are the persons
who can resist them.
The only manufactory in Recife of any importance is that of gold
and silver trinkets of every description, and of gold lace, but the
quantities made of either are only sufficient for the demand of the
place. The women employ themselves very generally in making thread
lace and in embroidery, but the manufacture of these articles is not
sufficiently extensive to allow of exportation.[21]
The public institutions are not many, but, of those that exist, some
are excellent. The seminary at Olinda for the education of young
persons is well conducted, and many of its professors are persons of
knowledge and of liberality. It is intended principally to prepare
the students for the church as secular priests, and therefore all of
them wear a black gown and a cap of a peculiar form, but it is not
necessary that they should ultimately take orders. Free schools are
also established in most of the small towns in the country, in some
of which the Latin language is taught, but the major part are adapted
only to give instruction in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Neither
in these nor in the seminary is any expence incurred by the pupils. The
Lazarus Hospital is neglected, but patients are admitted; the other
establishments for the sick are very miserable. Strange it is, that
fine churches should be built, whilst many individuals are suffered
to perish from the want of a suitable building under which to shelter
them. But the best institution of which Pernambuco has to boast, in
common with the mother country, is the _Roda dos Engeitados_. Infants
of doubtful birth are received, taken care of, reared, and provided
for. Every person knows what the wheel of a convent is,—a cylindrical
box open on one side, which is fixed in the wall and turns upon a
pivot; near to this is placed a bell, to be rung when any thing is put
into the box, that the inhabitants of the convent may know when it
should be turned. One of these wheels stands ready night and day to
receive the child—the bell is rung and the box turns. Thus the lives
of many are saved—thus numbers are spared from shame. Never let it be
imagined that births of a secret nature will be more frequent, from the
consideration that this institution exists, but it removes all motives
for unnatural conduct in a mother, and it may sometimes produce reform
of future conduct, by the facility afforded of concealing what has
already passed.
The friars are not numerous, though they are far too much so. These
useless beings[22] amount to about one hundred and fifty in number
at Olinda, Recife, Iguaraçu, and Paraiba[23]. But there are no nuns
in the province, though of the establishments called _Recolhimentos_
or Retreats, three exist. These are directed by elderly females, who
have not taken any vows, and who educate young persons of their own
sex, and receive individuals whose conduct has been incorrect, but
whose characters are not notorious, and who are placed here by their
relations to prevent further shame. The number of churches, chapels,
and niches in the streets for saints, is quite preposterous; to these
are attached a multitude of religious lay brotherhoods, of which the
members are merchants, and other persons in trade, and even some are
composed of mulatto and black free people. Some of these continually
beg for a supply of wax, and other articles to be consumed in honour of
their patron. Almost every day in the year, passengers are importuned
in the streets, and the inhabitants in their houses, by some of these
people, and among others, by the lazy Franciscan friars. A Portugueze
gentleman refused to give money for any of these purposes, but after
each application, threw into a bag, placed apart for the purpose, a
5 _reis_ coin, the smallest in use, and in value the third part of a
penny. At the end of a twelvemonth, he counted his 5 _reis_ pieces,
and found that they amounted to 30,000 _reis_, about 8_l._ 6_s._ He
then applied to the vicar of his parish, requesting him to name some
distressed person to whom he should give the money.
The Holy Office or Inquisition has never had an establishment in
Brazil, but several priests resided in Pernambuco, employed as its
familiars, and sometimes persons judged amenable to this most horrid
tribunal, have been sent under confinement to Lisbon. However, the
ninth article of the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance, between the
crowns of England and Portugal, signed at the Rio de Janeiro in 1810,
has completely determined, that the power of the Inquisition shall not
be recognised in Brazil. It will appear surprising to English persons,
that in a place so large as Recife, there should be no printing
press or bookseller. At the convent of the _Madre de Deos_, are sold
almanacks, prints and histories of the Virgin and saints, and other
productions of the same description, but of very limited size, printed
at Lisbon. The post-office is conducted in a very irregular manner. The
letters from England are usually delivered at the house of the merchant
to whom the ship which conveyed them is consigned, or at the office of
the British consul. There is no established means of forwarding letters
to any part of the interior of the country, nor along the coast, so
that the post-office merely receives the letter bags which are brought
by the small vessels that trade with other ports along this coast,
and sends the bags from Pernambuco by the same conveyances, and as
there is not any regular delivery of letters, each person must inquire
for his own at the office. When the commerce of Brazil was trifling,
compared to its present state, a post-office managed in this manner was
sufficient, but in consequence of the increased activity of the trade
along the coast, and with Europe, some attention ought to be given to
the subject, to facilitate communication. There is a theatre at Recife,
in which are performed Portugueze farces, but the establishment is most
wretchedly conducted.
The Botanic Garden at Olinda is one of those institutions which have
arisen from the removal of the Court to South America; it is intended
as a nursery for exotic plants, from whence they are to be distributed
to those persons who are willing and capable of rearing them. Thus the
bread fruit tree has been introduced, the black pepper plant, the large
Otaheitan cane, and several others. I much fear, however, that the zeal
shown at the commencement has somewhat cooled. A botanist has been
appointed with an adequate salary. He is a Frenchman, who had resided
at Cayenne, and with this choice many persons were much dissatisfied,
as it was thought, and with good reason, that a Portugueze subject
might have been found, quite capable of taking the management of the
garden.
The sight, of all others, the most offensive to an Englishman, is that
of the criminals, who perform the menial offices of the palace, the
barracks, the prisons, and other public buildings. They are chained
in couples, and each couple is followed by a soldier, armed with a
bayonet. They are allowed to stop at the shops, to obtain any trifle
which they may wish to purchase, and it is disgusting to see with what
unconcern the fellows bear this most disgraceful situation, laughing
and talking as they go along to each other, to their acquaintance
whom they may chance to meet, and to the soldier who follows them as
a guard[24]. The prisons are in a very bad state, little attention
being paid to the situation of their inhabitants. Executions are rare
at Pernambuco; the more usual punishment inflicted, even for crimes of
the first magnitude, is transportation to the coast of Africa. White
persons must be removed for trial to Bahia, for crimes of which the
punishment is death. Even to pass sentence of death upon a man of
colour, or a negro, several judicial officers must be present. There
does not exist here a regular police; when an arrest is to be effected
in Recife or its neighbourhood, two officers of justice are accompanied
by soldiers, from one or other of the regiments of the line, for this
purpose. A _ronda_ or patrol, consisting of soldiers, parades the
streets during the night, at stated periods, but it is not of much
service to the town. Recife and its vicinity were formerly in a very
tranquil state, owing to the exertions of one individual; he was a
sergeant in the regiment of Recife, a courageous man, whose activity of
mind and body had had no field upon which to act, until he was employed
in the arduous task of apprehending criminals, and at last he received
special orders from the governor for patroling the streets of Recife,
Olinda, and the villages around them; he and his followers were much
dreaded, but at his death no one stepped into his place.[25]
The military establishment is much neglected. The regular troops
consist of two regiments of infantry, which ought to form together a
body of 2,500 men, but they seldom collect more effective than 600;
so that sufficient numbers can scarcely he mustered to do the duty of
the town of Recife, of Olinda, and the forts. Their pay is less than
2¾_d._ _per_ day, and a portion of the flour of the mandioc weekly,
and their clothing is afforded to them very irregularly. From their
miserable pay, rather more than one farthing _per_ day is held back for
a religious purpose. Recruits are made of some of the worst individuals
in the province; this mode of recruiting, and their most wretched pay,
account completely for the depreciated character of the soldiers of
the line[26]. They are formed chiefly of Brazilians, and people of
colour. Besides these regiments, the militia of the town sometimes
do duty without pay, and these make but a sorry shew. The militia
regiments, commanded by mulatto and black officers, and formed entirely
of men of these casts, are very superior in appearance; but these I
shall have again an opportunity of mentioning.
There is one political arrangement of this province which, above all
others, cries aloud for alteration; it is a glaring, self-evident evil,
it is a disgrace upon the government which suffers its existence. I
speak of the small island of Fernando de Noronha. To this spot are
transported, for a number of years or for life, a great number of male
criminals. No females are permitted to visit the island. The garrison,
consisting of about 120 men, is relieved yearly. It is a very difficult
matter to obtain a priest to serve for a twelvemonth, as chaplain
in the island. When the bishop is applied to by the governor, for a
person of this calling, he sends some of his ecclesiastical officers
in search of one; the persons of the profession, who are liable to be
sent, conceal themselves, and the matter usually concludes by a young
priest being literally pressed into the service. The vessel employed
between Recife and the island, visits it twice during the same period,
and carries provisions, cloathing, and other articles to the miserable
beings, who are compelled to remain there, and for the troops. I have
conversed with persons who have resided upon it, and the accounts
I have heard of the enormities committed there, are most horrible;
crimes, punished capitally or severely in civilized states, or which at
least are held in general abhorrence, are here practised, talked of,
publicly acknowledged, without shame, and without remorse. Strange it
is, that the dreadful state of this place should have so long escaped
the notice of the supreme Government of Brazil. But the evil ends not
here; the individuals who return to Pernambuco, cannot shake off the
remembrance of crimes which have become familiar to them. The powers,
likewise, conceded to the commandant, whose will is absolute, have
oftentimes proved too great for due performance; punishment seldom
follows. The most wanton tyranny may be practised almost without fear
of retribution. The climate of the island is good, and the small
portion of it admitting of cultivation, I have understood, from
competent authority, to be of extraordinary fertility. It does not,
however, afford any shelter for shipping.
The supineness of the ancient system upon which Brazil was ruled, is
still too apparent throughout; but the removal of the Sovereign to
that country has roused many persons who had been long influenced by
habits of indolence, and has increased the activity of others who have
impatiently awaited a field for its display. The Brazilians feel of
more importance, their native soil now gives law to the mother country;
their spirit, long kept under severe subjection to ancient colonial
rules and regulations, has now had some opportunities of showing
itself,—has proved, that though of long suffering, and patient of
endurance, it does exist, and that if its possessors are not treated as
men instead of children, it will break forth, and rend asunder those
shackles to which they have forbearingly submitted. I hope, however,
most sincerely, that the supreme Government may see the necessity of
reformation, and that the people will not expect too much, but consider
that many hardships are preferable to a generation of bloodshed,
confusion, and misery.
Freedom of communication with other nations has already been of service
to the country, and the benefits which it imparts are daily augmenting.
This shoot from our European continent will ultimately increase, and a
plant will spring up, infinitely more important than the branch from
which it proceeded; and though the season of this maturity is far
distant, yet the rapidity of its advance or tardiness of its growth
greatly depends upon the fostering care or indifferent negligence of
its rulers. Still, whatever the conduct of these may be, its extent,
its fertility, and other numerous advantages must, in the course of
time, give to it, that rank which it has a right to claim among the
great nations of the world.