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336 



THE TREATY OP COMMERCE 



expressed or implied in it shall be perpetual 

 and immutable, and that they shall not be 

 changed or affected in any manner, in case 

 H. R. H. the Prince Regent of Portugal, his 

 heirs or successors, should again establish the 

 seat of the Portuguese monarchy within the 

 European dominions of that crown." 



Brazil is thus laid open for ever. However, 

 even if the government was so inclined, it 

 would be impossible to close the ports of that 

 kingdom to foreign trade ; the benefits which 

 have resulted from the direct intercourse with 

 Great Britain have been too generally felt for 



British subjects cannot be arrested, nor can their houses 

 be searched without an order from their judge-conservator. 

 Then follow some regulations by which their law-proceedings 

 may be rendered as easy as possible. They are not subject 

 to the jurisdiction of the Juiz de Orfaons &> Auzentes.* 



The copy of the privileges from which the above has been 

 extracted is passed in the name of John Bcvan. I obtained 

 it at Pernambuco as a curiosity. If the state of government 

 in Brazil is considered, these privileges are absolutely neces- 

 sary for the prevention of oppression ; and even the privilege 

 of wearing arms is not more than is requisite, because al- 

 though the laws which prohibit Portuguese subjects from 

 carrying arms ordain severe penalties, still scarcely any man 

 in Brazil leaves his own home without some species of 

 weapon ; and the crime which is committed in so doing is 

 too general to be punished. 



* The officer into whose hands ihe property of orphans falls, and of those 

 persons who die without heirs resident upon the spot. It is difficult to 

 reclaim what has found its way into this office. 



