BRAZIL. 



77 



22,000 sacks, having been only 344,154 against 

 366,192 in the first nine months of 1867. A 

 part of the deficiency is, however, made up by 

 an increased stock on hand, namely, 189,000 

 sacks against 59,000 sacks October 1, 1867. It 

 is notable that a cycle of about five years ap- 

 pears to obtain in regard to the coffee crop of 

 Brazil, a very large crop being usually fol- 

 lowed by .crops successively decreasing to the 

 third year, after which it rises gradually to an- 

 other extraordinary crop about the fifth or 

 sixth year. It is said, however, that, if the cof- 

 fee plantations be ploughed, the yield is toler- 

 ably regular and the average much increased. 



The movement of the liberal party toward 

 carrying through much-needed reforms has 

 been gaining ground in the nation. The ne- 

 cessity of depriving the authorities of some 

 part of their excessive power is deeply felt. The 

 great wants of Brazil are independent courts to 

 protect the people from illegal oppression, 

 for at present the judicial power is wholly 

 subordinate to and dependent on the execu- 

 tive. The Emperor is a ruler of enlightened 

 views ; but Brazil has a constitutional Govern- 

 ment, with ministerial responsibility, and the 

 present conservative ministers are opposed to 

 liberal reforms. The accession of the conser- 

 vative party to power has given a serious check 

 to the emancipation movement. The liberal 

 part of the press is, however, bold in denun- 

 ciation of a policy which compromises the na- 

 tion in the eyes of the whole civilized world. 

 In fact, the day of independence was in gen- 

 eral kept in the provinces with a freeing of 

 slave children by societies already formed. 



Brazil was, during 1869, still actively engaged 

 in her war with Paraguay. The return of the 

 chief commander of the Brazilian forces, Marshal 

 Oaixas, in the beginning of 1869, without ask- 

 ing leave, enraged the people and embarrassed 

 the government. The army had lost within a 

 month one-third to one-half its number, and 

 an extraordinary proportion of its general of- 

 ficers ; in fact, the whole army was in need of 

 immediate reorganization. When the mar- 

 shal's departure became known in the army, 

 it almost produced a disbandment. The com- 

 mand was turned over to Marshal Souza, who 

 knew nothing of the details of his command. 

 In March, Count d'Eu, son-in-law of the Em- 

 peror, was appointed commander-in-chief. (See 

 PABAGUAY.) 



Owing to the demand of the American 

 Government (dating as far back as 1857) for 

 indemnity in the case of the American whale- 

 ship Canada, which demand was renewed in 

 November, 1868, a rupture of diplomatic re- 

 lations between Brazil and the United States 

 took place in May, 1869. General Webb, the 

 United States minister at Rio Janeiro, had been 

 authorized to propose to the Brazilian Govern- 

 ment the payment of $70,000 as a full satisfac- 

 tion for the claim. The Brazilian Government, 

 however, declined this proposition, declaring 

 that, u inasmuch as the minister from Brazil in 



the United States lias not advised this Govern- 

 ment that he has been informed by Mr. 

 Seward of his having issued renewed instruc- 

 tions to the United States minister in Brazil, 

 no action can be taken upon such instructions 

 until such advice has been received from our 

 minister, informing this Government that the 

 matter has again been referred to this lega- 

 tion." Against this decision General Webb re- 

 monstrated, stating that, if such a course was 

 persisted in, he would resent the offence to his 

 Government and demand his passports. On 

 the 1st of May, General Webb received a dis- 

 patch from the Foreign Office, in which he was 

 again officially told that "The American Gov- 

 ernment not having announced to the Brazilian 

 minister in Washington the result of the prom- 

 ised reconsideration, nor of the issue of re- 

 newed and modified instructions to General 

 Webb, keeps this Government in the same state 

 of uncertainty that it was in before ; and from 

 which it cannot depart, except in such man- 

 ner as shall have full consideration for the 

 respect due to our minister, and from one 

 Government to the other." 



To this General Webb replied in a note, 

 dated the 3d of May, in which he employed 

 very strong language of indignation and re- 

 proof, stating that he did not consider it any 

 honor to be present and flattered at his 

 country's expense, and concluding in the fol- 

 lowing terms : 



The undersigned, in closing his mission of- now 

 nearly eight years' duration, nas the satisfaction to 

 reflect that he has on all occasions, under all circum- 

 stances, and at no inconsiderable personal sacrifice, 

 proved himself a very sincere friend of Brazil and of 

 the Brazilian people. That friendship will not yield 

 to the injustices so recklessly done him and his 

 Government; attributable, as it is, to a conserva- 

 tism and a contempt for republics and republican 

 institutions which, belong to another age. 



This note was returned to General Webb by 

 Baron Cotegipe, with the remark, " it wound- 

 ed not only General Webb's own dignity, but 

 also that of the Government and the country, 

 and could not be preserved in the archives of 

 the Brazilian ministry." At the same time 

 the passports for which the general had asked 

 were sent him, with the assurance that " not 

 the least obstacle would be placed in the 

 custom-house to the embarkation of his ef- 

 fects." 



This rupture produced great excitement and 

 alarm among all classes of the population. 

 Commercial men dreaded the worst conse- 

 quences, not only to the general trade of the 

 country, but to the credit of Brazil in Europe. 

 Public opinion turned decidedly against the 

 Government, and compelled it to yield. The 

 diplomatic relations were restored, and all was 

 granted that General Webb had demanded. 



The opening of the Amazon, in 1867, has 

 proved a great benefit to the bordering His- 

 pano-American republics, and to the mari- 

 time nations of the earth. The exports and 

 imports of Para for October and November, 



