TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 27 



several towns of the province, there is a munici- 

 paHty exactly as there is in Portugal, the peculiar 

 office of which is to manage all affairs relative to 

 the civil administration of the town. The mem- 

 bers of this tribunal are chosen by the citizens out 

 of their own body ; it consists of a judge (Juiz da 

 Camard), several assessors ( Vereadores), a secretary 

 (Escribdo da Camard), and a treasurer (Thezou- 

 reiro). On important occasions, the juiz de fora 

 attends the sittings of the chamber. He is like- 

 wise in most towns the president of the board for 

 the administration of the affairs of orphans (Juiz 

 dos Orfdos). The direction of the charitable insti- 

 tutions is in the hands of the municipality. A 

 similar arrangement prevails in all parts of Brazil. 

 In the year 1808, the capitania of S. Paulo, with the 

 population of 200,478 souls, had 418 ecclesiastics, 

 of whom 331 were regular, residing in fifteen con- 

 vents, the remaining 87 were secular. There were 

 two convents of nuns, in which there were 53 

 persons. This proportion has not augmented since 

 that time, and the government does not seem dis- 

 posed to favour the restraints of the cloister, which 

 are so prejudicial to the population. On the other 

 hand, it has very carefully promoted the organis- 

 ation of the armed force in the province. The 

 troops of the line consist of one regiment of dra- 

 goons and one of infantry, which are distributed 

 along the coasts and in the capital, and some 

 points in the interior, especially at the frontier 



