POLITICAL STATE OF BRAZIL. 83 
ture of Don Pedro I., remained in the country, and who, having lost 
their importance with their offices, returned to private life, with their 
pride wounded, their fortunes and reputation impaired and injured, 
and themselves dissatisfied with their condition. These persons have 
sought every occasion to disturb the even current of events, and to 
array themselves against the power of the state, wielded as they deem 
it to be, by plebeian usurpation of the royal prerogative ; but hitherto 
they have failed. 
Causes of dissatisfaction are not wanting to produce discontent. 
They are indeed numerous, and among them are a total want of 
justice in the administration of the laws ; the neglect of all petitions 
for political reform and the remedy of abuses; the onerous and 
injurious regulations imposed by the government, and the haughty 
conduct and absolute power of those who hold office. Notwith- 
standing all these discouragements, well-informed residents perceive 
an improvement within the last few years, on the part of the govern- 
ment and of the people also. The establishment of a public press has 
had its effect in producing this change by enlightening the public 
mind, and will gradually exercise the same control here that it does 
elsewhere; and education is better attended to than it used to be, 
although as yet it is far in the background. 
According to the best information, the present government was 
established by, and is under the guidance of, a few leading men, a 
small party in Rio, who manage all the political concerns of the 
empire. They seem to act without any desire of personal aggran- 
dizement, and apparently without ambition to be distinguished 
beyond the circle of their party. From what has already been said 
of the interior and the character of its inhabitants, it will be seen 
that there is no great difficulty to manage the provinces by a few 
influential men, and thus the whole power seems concentrated within 
the city of Rio, where it is easy to direct things to the issue that they 
may desire. 
It was this party who overthrew or effected the reform in the 
constitution under Don Pedro I. in 1823, and established the new 
Congress, consisting of a senatorial body of fifty, who were chosen for 
life, and of one hundred deputies, for three years; the reformed 
constitution provided that the succession should devolve on the eldest 
son of Pedro I., during whose minority there should be three regents 
chosen for life. 
Things went on badly after the beginning of the new order of 
