12th of August, when every thing was finally settled. It begins by
congratulating him on the happy state of things in general in Brazil. It
then sets forth the wishes of the people of Maranham to have joined
their brethren long since, but that these wishes had been thwarted by
the Lisbon troops.--"But what was our joy and transport when
unexpectedly we saw the ship Pedro Primeiro summoning our port!!! Oh,
26th of July, 1823! Thrice happy day! thou wilt be as conspicuous in the
annals of our province, as the sentiments of gratitude and respect
inspired by the virtues of the illustrious Admiral sent to our aid by
the best and most amiable of Monarchs will be deeply engraven on our
hearts and those of our posterity! Yes, august Sire! the wisdom, the
prudence, and the gentle manners of Lord Cochrane, have contributed
still more to the happy issue of our political difficulties, than even
the fear of his forces, however respectable they might be. To anchor in
our port; to proclaim independence; to administer the proper oaths of
obedience to Your Imperial Majesty; to suspend hostilities throughout
the province; to cause a new government to be elected; to bring the
troops of the country into the town, and then only in sufficient numbers
for the public order and tranquillity; to open communication between the
interior and the capital; to provide it with necessaries; and to restore
navigation and commerce to their pristine state: all this, SIRE, was the
work of a few days. Grant, Heaven, that this noble Chief may end the
glorious career of his political and military labours with the like
felicity and success; and that Your Imperial Majesty being so well
served, nothing more may be necessary to immortalise that admirable
commander, not only in the annals of Brazil, but in those of the whole
world!"
And this, I think, is all of importance that I have learned with regard
to the capture of Maranham to-day. It is true, the brig Maria,
despatched by His Lordship on the 12th of August, only arrived to-day;
so that much may be behind.
_2d October_.--A friend who was present at the Assembly to-day gives me
the following account of the debate.--In the first place, the Emperor
sent notice of Lord Cochrane's success at Maranham; and Martim Francisco
Ribiero de Andrada rose and proposed a vote of thanks to His Lordship.
The deputy Montezuma (of Bahia) opposed this, on the ground that he was
the servant of the executive government, and the government ought to
thank him. He felt as grateful to Lord Cochrane as any member of the
Assembly could do, and would do as much to prove his gratitude; but he
would not vote to thank him there. Dr. França (known by the nickname of
Franzinho) seconded Montezuma, and said it derogated from the dignity of
the legislative assembly of the vast, and noble, and rich empire of
Brazil, to vote thanks to any individual. On which Costa Barros, in a
speech of eloquence and enthusiasm, maintained the propriety of thanking
Lord Cochrane. That the triumphal road, as in ancient Rome, did not now
exist; but the triumph might be granted by the voice of the national
representatives. The gentleman who thought no thanks should be voted
was a member for Bahia, and talked of his gratitude. He could tell him,
that grateful as he (Costa Barros) now felt, were he, like that
gentleman, a member for Bahia, his gratitude, and his eagerness to
express it, would be tenfold. Who but Lord Cochrane had delivered Bahia
from the Portuguese, that swarm of drones that threatened to devour the
land? But he supposed the greatness of Sen. Montezuma's gratitude was
such, that it smothered the expression. This produced a laugh, and that
a challenge, and then a cry of "order, order" (_a ordem_).
Sen. Ribiero de Andrada then said, that as to the observation that had
fallen from França, that His Lordship had only done his duty, was no man
to be thanked for doing an important duty? Besides, though the blockade
of Bahia was a duty, the reduction of Maranham was something more--it
was undertaken on his own judgment, and at the risk of consequences to
himself. Sen. Lisboa observed, that as to its being beneath the dignity
of the Representative Assembly of Brazil to thank an individual, the
English Parliament scrupled not to thank its naval and military chiefs;
and could what it did be beneath the Assembly of Brazil? Would to God
the Assembly might one day emulate the British Parliament!
After this there was more sparring between Montezuma and Costa Barros:
the former resuming the subject of the challenge; Barros bowing, and
assuring him he did not refuse it: on which a member on the same side
observed sarcastically, only half rising as he spoke, that those who
meant really to fight would hardly speak it aloud in the _General
Assembly_. This ended the dispute; and the vote of thanks was carried
with only the voices of Montezuma and França against it; and so passed
this day's session.
I must say for the people here, that they do seem sensible that in Lord
Cochrane they have obtained a treasure. * * * * That there are some who
find fault, and some who envy, is very true. But when was it otherwise?
Sometimes I cry,
"O, what a world is this, where what is comely
Envenoms him that bears it!"
At others, I take it more easily, and say coolly with the Spaniard,
"Envy was honour's wife, the wise man said,
Ne'er to be parted till the man was dead:"
and neither envy, nor any other injurious feeling, nor all the
manifestations of them all together, can ever lessen the real merit of
so great a man.
The acquisition of Maranham is exceedingly important to the empire: it
is one of the provinces that, from the time of its first settlement, has
carried on the greatest foreign trade.[129]
[Note 129: See the Appendix.]
_6th_.--We had three days of public rejoicing, on account of the taking
of Maranham; and on Friday, as I happened to be at the palace to show
some drawings to the Empress, I perceived that the Emperor's levee was
unusually crowded. During these few days, though I have been far from
well, I have improved my acquaintance with my foreign friends; but of
English I see, and wish to see, very little of any body but Mrs. May.
_9th_.--I resolved to take a holiday: so went to spend it with Mrs. May,
at the Gloria, only going first for half an hour to the library. That
library is a great source of comfort to me: I every day find my cabinet
quiet and cool, and provided with the means of study, and generally
spend four hours there, reading Portuguese and Brazilian history; for
which I shall not, probably, have so good an opportunity again.
This day the debate in the Assembly has been most interesting. It is
some time since, in discussing that part of the proposed constitution,
which treats of the persons who are to be considered as Brazilians,
entitled to the protection of the laws of the empire, and amenable to
those laws, the 8th paragraph of the 5th article was admitted without a
dissentient voice: it is this--"_All naturalised strangers, whatever be
their religion_." To-day the 3d paragraph of the 7th article came under
discussion. This article treats of the individual rights of Brazilians;
it runs thus--"The constitution guarantees to all Brazilians the
following individual rights, with the explanations and limitations
thereafter expressed:--
"I. Personal Freedom.
II. Trial by Jury.
III. Religious Freedom.
IV. Professional Freedom.
V. Inviolability of Property.
VI. Liberty of the Press."
The 14th article goes on to state, that all Christians may enjoy the
political rights of the empire: 15th, "Other religions are hardly
tolerated, and none but Christians shall enjoy political rights;" and
the 16th declares the Roman Catholic religion to be that of the state,
and the only one beneficed by the state.
Now this day's discussion was not merely one of form; but it has
established toleration in all its extent. A man is at liberty to
exercise his faith as he pleases, and even to change it: should he,
indeed, have the folly to turn Turk, he must not vote at elections, nor
be a member of the Assembly, nor enjoy an office in the state, civil or
military; but he may sit under his vine and his fig-tree, and exercise
an honest calling. All Christians are eligible to all offices and
employments; and I only wish older countries would deign to take lessons
from this new government in its noble liberality. The Diario of the
Assembly is so far behind with the reports of the sessions, that I have
not, of course, a correct account of the speeches; but I believe that I
am not wrong in attributing to the Bishop the most benevolent and
enlightened views on this momentous subject, together with that laudable
attachment to the church of his fathers that belongs to good men of
every creed.
_October 12th_.--This is the Emperor's birth-day, and the first
anniversary of the coronation. I was curious to see the court of Brazil;
so I rose early and dressed myself, and went to the royal chapel, where
the Emperor and Empress, and the Imperial Princess were to be with the
court before the drawing-room. I accordingly applied to the chaplain
for a station, who showed me into what is called the _diplomatic_
tribune, but it is in fact for respectable foreigners: there I met all
manner of consuls. However, the curiosity which led me to the chapel
would not allow me to go home when the said consuls did; so I went to
the drawing-room, which perhaps, after all, I should not have done,
being quite alone, had not the gracious manner in which their Imperial
Majesties saluted me, both in the chapel and afterwards in the corridor
leading to the royal apartments, induced me to proceed. I reached the
inner room where the ladies were, just as the Emperor had, with a most
pleasing compliment, announced to Lady Cochrane that she was Marchioness
of Maranham; for that he had made her husband Marques, and had conferred
on him the highest degree of the order of the Cruceiro. I am sometimes
absent; and now, when I ought to have been most attentive, I felt myself
in the situation Sancho Pança so humorously describes, of sending my
wits wool-gathering, and coming home shorn myself: for I was so intent
on the honour conferred on my friend and countryman; so charmed, that
for once his services had been appreciated,--that when I found the
Emperor in the middle of the room, and that his hand was extended
towards me, and that all others had paid their compliments and passed to
their places, I forgot I had my glove on, took his Imperial hand with
that glove, and I suppose kissed it much in earnest, for I saw some of
the ladies smile before I remembered any thing about it. Had this
happened with regard to any other prince, I believe that I should have
run away; but nobody is more good-natured than Don Pedro: I saw there
was no harm done; and so determining to be on my guard when the Empress
came in, and then to take an opportunity of telling her of my fault, I
stayed quietly, and began talking to two or three young ladies who were
at court for the first time, and had just received their appointment as
ladies of honour to the Empress.
Her Majesty, who had retired with the young Princess, now came in, and
the ladies all paid their compliments while the Emperor was busy in the
presence-chamber receiving the compliments of the Assembly and other
public bodies. There was little form and no stiffness. Her Imperial
Majesty conversed easily with every body, only telling us all to speak
Portuguese, which of course we did. She talked a good deal to me about
English authors, and especially of the Scotch novels, and very kindly
helped me in my Portuguese; which, though I now understand, I have few
opportunities of speaking to cultivated persons. If I have been pleased
with her before, I was charmed with her now. When the Emperor had
received the public bodies, he came and led the Empress into the great
receiving room, and there, both of them standing on the upper step of
the throne, they had their hands kissed by naval, military, and civil
officers, and private men; thousands, I should think, thus passed. It
was curious, but it pleased me, to see some negro officers take the
small white hand of the Empress in their clumsy black hands, and apply
their pouting African lips to so delicate a skin; but they looked up to
_Nosso Emperador_, and to her, with a reverence that seemed to me a
promise of faith _from them_, a bond of kindness _to_ them. The Emperor
was dressed in a very rich military uniform, the Empress in a white
dress embroidered with gold, a corresponding cap with feathers tipped
with green; and her diamonds were superb, her head-tire and ear-rings
having in them opals such as I suppose the world does not contain, and
the brilliants surrounding the Emperor's picture, which she wears, the
largest I have seen.
I should do wrong not to mention the ladies of the court. My partial
eyes preferred my pretty countrywoman the new Marchioness; but there
were the sweet young bride Maria de Loreto, and a number of others of
most engaging appearance; and then there were the jewels of the
Baronessa de Campos, and those of the Viscondeça do Rio Seco, only
inferior to those of the Empress: but I cannot enumerate all the riches,
or beauty; nor would it entertain my English friends, for whom this
journal is written, if I could.
When their Imperial Majesties came out of the great room, I saw Madame
do Rio Seco in earnest conversation with them; and soon I saw her and
Lady Cochrane kissing hands, and found they had both been appointed
honorary ladies of the Empress; and then the Viscountess told me she had
been speaking to the Empress about me. This astonished me, for I had no
thought of engaging in any thing away from England. Six months before,
indeed, I had said that I was so pleased with the little Princess, that
I should like to educate her. This, which I thought no more of at the
time, was, like every thing in this gossiping place, told to Sir T.
Hardy: he spoke of it to me, and said he had already mentioned it to a
friend of mine. I said, that if the Emperor and Empress chose, as a warm
climate agreed with me, I should not dislike it; that it required
consideration; and that if I could render myself sufficiently agreeable
to the Empress, I should ask the appointment of governess to the
Princess; and so matters stood when Sir Thomas Hardy sailed for Buenos
Ayres. I own that the more I saw of the Imperial family, the more I
wished to belong to it; but I was frightened at the thoughts of Rio, by
the impertinent behaviour of some of the English, so that I should
probably not have proposed the thing myself. It was done, however: the
Empress told me to apply to the Emperor. I observed he looked tired with
the levee, and begged to be allowed to write to her another day. She
said, "Write if you please, but come and see the Emperor at five o'clock
to-morrow." And so they went out, and I remained marvelling at the
chance that had brought me into a situation so unlike any thing I had
ever contemplated; and came home to write a letter to Her Imperial
Majesty, and to wonder what I should do next.
_Monday, October 13th._--I wrote my letter to the Empress, and was
punctual to the time for seeing the Emperor. He received me very kindly,
and sent me to speak to Her Imperial Majesty, who took my letter, and
promised me an answer in two days, adding the most obliging expressions
of personal kindness. And this was certainly the first letter I ever
wrote on the subject; though my English _friends_ tell me that I had a
memorial in my hand yesterday, and that I went to court only to deliver
it, for they saw it in my hand. Now I had a white pocket-handkerchief
and a black fan in my hand, and thought as little of speaking about my
own affairs to their Imperial Majesties, as of making a voyage to the
moon. But people will always know each other's affairs best.
_16th._--I have continued going regularly to the library, and have
become acquainted with the principal librarian, who is also the
Emperor's confessor. He is a polished and well-informed man. He showed
me the Conde da Barca's library, which, as I knew before, had been
purchased at the price of 15,530,900 rees, and added to the public
collection. To-day, on returning from my study I received a letter from
the Empress, written in English, full of kind expressions; and in the
pleasantest manner accepting, in the Emperor's name and her own, my
services as governess to her daughter; and giving me leave to go to
England, before I entered on my employment, as the Princess is still so
young.
I went to San Cristovaŏ to return thanks.
_19th._--I saw the Empress, who is pleased to allow me to sail for
England in the packet, the day after to-morrow. I confess I am sorry to
go before Lord Cochrane's return. I had set my heart on seeing my best
friend in this country, after his exertions and triumph. But I have now
put my hand to the plough, and I must not turn back.
[Illustration]
_October 21st._--I embarked on board the packet for England. Mrs. May
walked to the shore with me. Sir Murray Maxwell lent me his boats to
bring myself and goods on board. I had previously taken leave of every
body I knew, English and foreign.
After I embarked, Mr. Anderson brought me the latest newspapers. The
following are the principal ones published in Rio:--The DIARIO DA
ASSEMBLEA, which contains nothing but the proceedings of the Assembly;
it appears as fast as the short-hand writers can publish it. The
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, which has all official articles, appointments, naval
intelligence, and sometimes a few advertisements. The DIARIO DO RIO,
which has nothing but advertisements, and ship news, and prices current;
it used to print a meteorological table. The CORREIRO, a democratic
journal, which the editor wrote from prison, only occasionally for some
time, but lately it has been a daily paper. The SENTINELA DA LIBERDAD E
A BEIRA DO MAR DA PRAYA GRANDE is edited by a Genoese, assisted by one
of the deputies, and is said to be pure _carbonarism_. The SYLPHO, also
an occasional paper, moderately ministerial, and engaged in a war of
words with several others. The ATALAIA, an advocate for limited
monarchy, whose editor is a deputy of considerable reputation, is
another occasional paper; as is also the TAMOYO, entirely devoted to the
Andradas: it is, in my opinion, the best-written of all. The SENTINELA
DA PAŎN D'ASUCAR is on the same side; its editor formerly published the
_Regulador_, but this has ceased to appear since the change of ministry.
The _Espelho_ was a government paper; but the writer has discontinued
it, having become a member of the Assembly. The _Malaguetta_ was a paper
whose first number attracted a great deal of attention; it fell off
afterwards, and ceased on the declaration of the independence of Brazil.
It was remarkable for its hostility to the Andradas. Indeed the war of
words the author waged against the family was so virulent, that they
were suspected of being the instigators of an attempt to assassinate
him. This they indignantly denied, and satisfactorily disproved; and the
man being almost maniacal with passion, accused any and every person of
consequence in the state, and conceived himself, even wounded as he
was, not safe. In vain did all persons, even the Emperor himself, visit
him, to reassure him; his terrors continued, and he withdrew himself the
moment he was sufficiently recovered from his wounds. He was by birth a
Portuguese, and his strong passions had probably rendered him an object
of hatred or jealousy to some inferior person, the consequences of which
his vanity made him attribute to a higher source.--I believe there are
some other occasional papers, but I have not seen them.
_Oct. 25th_.--Happily for me there are no passengers in the packet, and
still more happily, the captain's wife and daughter are on board; so
that I feel as if lodging in a quiet English family, all is so decent,
orderly, and, above all, clean. I am under no restraint, but walk, read,
write, and draw, as if at home: every body, even to the monkey on board,
looks kindly at me; and I receive all manner of friendly attention
consistent with perfect liberty.
_Nov. 1st_.--"The longest way about is often the nearest, way home,"
says the proverb; and, on that principle, ships bound for England from
Brazil at this time of the year stand far to the eastward. We are still
in the latitude of Rio de Janeiro, though in long. 29° W., and shall
probably stand still nearer to the coast of Africa, before we shall be
able to look to the northward. To-day the thermometer is at 75°, the
temperature of the sea 72°.
_9th_.--Lat. 14° 19' S., long. 24° W., thermometer 74°, sea 74-1/2°.
_17th_.--Lat. 5° N., long. 25° W. For several days the thermometer at
80°; the temperature of the sea at noon 82°. We spoke the Pambinha, 60
days from Maranham. She says Lord Cochrane had gone himself to Para,
whence he meant to proceed directly for Rio; so that he would probably
be there by this time, as the Pedro Primeiro sails well. I had no
opportunity of learning more, as the vessel passed hastily.
We have, generally speaking, had hot winds from Africa, and there is a
sultry feel in the air which the state of the thermometer hardly
accounts for. I perceive that the sails are all tinged with a reddish
colour; and wherever a rope has chafed upon them, they appear almost as
if iron-moulded. This the captain and officers attribute to the wind
from Africa. They were certainly perfectly white long after we left Rio;
they have not been either furled or unbent. What may be the nature of
the dust or sand that thus on the wings of the wind crosses so many
miles of ocean, and stains the canvass? Can it be this minute dust
affecting the lungs which makes us breathe as if in the sultry hours
preceding a thunder-storm?
_Dec. 3d_.--We came in sight of St. Mary's, the eastern island of the
Azores. I much wished to have touched at some of these isles; but this
is not a good season for doing so, and the winds we have had have been
unfavourable for the purpose. This afternoon, though near enough to have
seen at least the face of the land, the weather was thick and rainy, so
that we saw nothing.
_18th_.--After passing the Azores, a long succession of gales from the
north-east kept us off the land. These were succeeded by three fine
days; and the sea, which had been heavy, became smooth. Early the day
before yesterday, however, it began to blow very hard from the
northwest; and yesterday morning it changed to a gale from the south and
south-west, and we lay-to under storm stay-sails, in a tremendous sea.
About one o'clock the captain called to me, and desired me to come on
deck and see what could not last ten minutes, and I might never see
again. I ran up, as did Mrs. and Miss K----. A sudden shift of wind had
taken place: we saw it before it came up, driving the sea along
furiously before it; and the meeting of the two winds broke the sea as
high as any ship's mast-head in a long line, like the breakers on a reef
of rocks. It was the most beautiful yet fearful sight I ever beheld; and
the sea was surging over our little vessel so as to threaten to fill
her: but the hatches were battoned down; we were lying-to on a right
tack, and a hawser had been passed round the bits in order to sustain
the foremast, in case we lost our bowsprit, as we expected to do every
instant. But in twenty minutes the gale moderated, and we bore up for
Falmouth, which we reached this morning, having passed the cabin deck
of a ship that doubtless had foundered in the storm of yesterday.--Once
more I am in England; and, to use the words of a venerable though
apocryphal writer, "Here will I make an end. And if I have done well,
and as is fitting the story, it is that which I desired; but if
slenderly and meanly, it is that which I could attain unto."[130]
M.G.
[Note 130: 2 Maccabees, chap. XV. ver. 37, 38.]
APPENDIX.
It will appear from the following TABLES of the Imports and Exports of
the Province of Maranham, from 1812 to 1821, of how much importance the
acquisition of that Province is to the Empire of Brazil. Some other
Tables are added, which may serve to give a clearer idea of the state of
the country. The amount of the duties on the importation of Slaves, paid
by Maranham to the treasury at Rio de Janeiro during those ten years,
was 30,239 milrees.
Nothing is wanting to the prosperity of that fine Province but a steady
government, and a regular administration of justice. Without these two
things, it will be in vain to expect either prosperity or tranquillity.
The people are multiplying too fast to be managed by the former clumsy
administration; and their intercourse with the rest of the world has
taught them to wish for something better.