BRAZIL. 



75 



have furnished the largest number of colonists 

 for America begin to feel their interests af- 

 fected by emigration, and consequently the 

 necessity of retarding its progress, as well as 

 the urgency of measures to prevent abuses 

 on the part of emigrant-agents. " The Imperial 

 Government, while it respects the solicitude 

 manifested by the countries referred to, con- 

 siders itself, nevertheless, in duty bound to see 

 that the Brazilian interests be not prejudiced 

 thereby, either in a moral point of view, or in 

 relation to its physical character, which latter 

 is so imperfectly understood in Europe." These 

 remarks, from the Brazilian Minister of For- 

 eign Affairs, were elicited by a circular issued 

 in August, 1875, by the French Minister of 

 Agriculture and Commerce, prohibiting emi- 

 gration to Brazil. The subject was taken up 

 by the Brazilian legation in Paris, and discussed 

 both in conference and by correspondence, but 

 the desired result the revocation of the circu- 

 lar was not obtained. The French Govern- 

 ment, however, declared that the measure was 

 not tantamount to a prohibition, but merely 

 intended to put an end to abuses committed by 

 emigrant-agents, and expressed itself generally 

 in terms which " could not fail to be duly ap- 

 preciated." Very few French emigrate to 

 Brazil, and in this respect the question is one 

 of minor interest relatively. 



A circular of like tenor was issued in Sep- 

 tember of the same year by the Italian Govern- 

 ment, and provoked a similar discussion, lead- 

 ing, at the time, to similar results as in France; 

 but, on a change of ministry shortly afterward, 

 the new Minister of Foreign Affairs issued a 

 second circular annulling the first, and contain- 

 ing a series of measures restrictive of the abuses 

 practised by emigrant-agents. 



Among other inducements and privileges 

 offered to immigrants, as has been previously 

 stated, are the following : 



The payment by the Government of the difference 

 in the amount oi passage-money from the port of 

 departure to the Lnited States and that to Brazil; 

 the advancement of the full passage-money to fam- 

 ilies intending to settle in the government colonies ; 

 exemption from import duty on all effects the prop- 

 erty of and brought into the country by the immi- 

 grants ; a huuting-gun given to each adult ; etc., 

 etc. 



There were in 1875 fifteen colonies immedi- 

 ately dependent upon the central Government, 

 with a population of 23,018, against 16,412 in 

 1873 ; about a dozen others founded under the 

 auspices of provincial governments, and a num- 

 ber belonging to private companies, some of 

 whom, however, receive subsidies from the na- 

 tional Government. Many of the colonies are 

 in a prosperous condition. 



The following remarks on the subject of im- 

 migration are extracted from a speech deliv- 

 ered in the Chamber of Deputies by Sefior 

 Costa Pereira, in 1877 : 



I said, Senor President, that it has been repeatedly 

 asserted, both from the tribune and through the press, 



that we have expended fabulous sums on immigration 

 and colonization, and such, too, is the general opin- 

 ion throughout the country. I shall now lay before 

 the Chamber the result of my researches, namely, 

 that the total expenditure for these purposes during 

 the 30 fiscal years from 1846-'47 to 1875-76 did not 

 exceed $11,825,621.24, including the outlay for the 

 regular service of the public lands. 



I commence with the year 1846-' 47, for the reason 

 that, prior to that period, little may be said to have 

 been done, save the works involved by the establish- 

 ing the colonies of S. Leopoldo, Tres Forquilhas, and 

 Torres, in the earlier days of the independence. 



The subjoined table will show the expenditure in 

 each of the years referred to, including that made 

 out of the appropriation of $3.000,000 voted on Octo- 

 ber 4, 1856 : 



FISCAL YEAR. Amounts. 



l&46-'47 $85,049 66 



1847-'48 6,461 79 



1848-'49 11,75498 



1849-'50 12,000 00 



1860-'51 8,45209 



1851-'62 92538 



1852-'58 2,10400 



1853-'54 11,75892 



1854-'55 15,79047 



1855-'56 100,185 08 



1856-'57 185,718 00 



1857-'58 631,644 79 



1858-'59 588,407 45 



1859-60 416,280 44 



1860-'61 167,37849 



FISCAL YEAR. Amonnti. 



1861- 1 62 $468,786 60 



1862-'68 418,92787 



1868-'64 817,109 91 



1864-'65 249,88281 



1865-'66 275,25587 



1866-'67 478,818 64 



1867-68 710,95802 



186&-'69 665,67529 



] 869-70 828,944 76 



1870-71 410,10650 



1871-72 860,412 71 



1872-78 818,17665 



1878-74 1,071,277 38 



1874-75 1,296,87582 



1875-76 1,872,91029 



It is generally supposed that the appropriation of 



1856 was all exhausted ; but this is an error. Not 

 more than $603,644.46 was expended out of it from 



1857 to 1863, and even in this latter sum is included 

 a loan which was afterward refunded by the Atsocia- 

 cao Central de ColonisafSo. 



The law of September 28, 1871, for the pro- 

 gressive abolition of slavery, has hitherto been 

 observed and fulfilled in a manner highly hon- 

 orable to the national character. 



The number of manumitted slaves up to De- 

 cember 31, 1875, was 21,704, as officially re- 

 ported by the Minister of Public Works, etc., in 

 1876. 



The Emperor, Dom Pedro II. de Alcantara, 

 John Charles Leopold Salvador Bibiano Francis 

 Xavier de Paule Leocadio Michael Gabriel Ra- 

 phael Gonzague, born December 2, 1825, son 

 of Dom Pedro I. de Alcantara (King of Portu- 

 gal and Emperor of Brazil), is the sovereign 

 now reigning.* 



The Cabinet, formed June 25, 1875, was 

 composed as follows : Minister of the Interior, 

 Councilor A. C. Pinto e Silva, Deputy; Jus- 

 tice, Councilor F. J. da Gama Cerqueira, Dep- 

 uty ; Foreign Affairs, Baron D. Valho, Senator ; 

 War, Duke de Caxias, Senator, and President 

 of the Council of State; Navy, Councilor L. A. 

 Pereira Franco ; Finance, Baron de Cotegipe 

 (ad interim); and Public Works, Commerce, and 

 Agriculture, T. J. Coelho de Almeida, Deputy. 



The Council of State is made up of the fol- 

 lowing members in ordinary: Princess Impe- 

 rial, Donna Isabel; Prince Gaston d'Or!6ans, 

 Count d'Eu; Senators Viscount de Abaet6; 

 Marquis de Sao Vicente ; Viscount do Rio 

 Branco ; J. T. Nabuco de Araujo ; Viscounts 



* Reference may be made to the ANNUAL CYCLOPAEDIA for 

 1875, for the Constitution and Government of Brazil (page 86), 

 and for a biographical sketch of the Emperor (page 615). 



