POLITICAL STATE OF BRAZIL. 85 



to try causes. The juiz de decrito (judge of law) sits with them in 

 court, acts as president, and applies the law to the cases the jury may 

 decide. Jurymen serve for one year, and are chosen in the following 

 manner. In each district the vigairo (vicar), a justice of the peace 

 and a member of the municipality, select from a list of male pa- 

 rishioners, those qualified in their judgment for jurymen, and submit 

 the names to the municipality, who, assisted by the vigairo and justice 

 of the peace, purge the list of such as may be considered improper 

 persons. It is then officially communicated by the municipality to 

 the justice of the peace, and posted up for public inspection in the office, 

 and on the doors of the parish churches throughout the district. 



To entitle any one to vote at an election, he must have an income 

 of two hundred milrees per annum from property, trade, labour or 

 employment of any kind. The vigairo sits with the judges at elections 

 to decide on the qualifications of voters. Friars or members of 

 religious fraternities are not entitled to a vote. Free blacks have all 

 the civil rights, and vote at elections the same as white men. 



The attorney-general of the nation is the accuser in all criminal 

 cases. Criminals have the right of counsel. 



It may be said that there is no standing army in Brazil, for the few 

 troops do not merit that name. A military staff on a large scale is 

 supported, w T ith a large corps of military police, and a national guard. 

 The national guard is organized by law, and in it all males from 

 eighteen to forty-five years of age are enrolled. They are equipped 

 at their own cost, the nation furnishing arms and ammunition only. 

 Detachments of this guard are on duty daily at the palace and public 

 offices. 



The navy is not effective ; they want seamen, and are not likely to 

 have any. A naval academy is established for the education of cadets 

 or midshipmen. Here they enter at twelve years of age, receiving 

 some of the first rudiments of education, and remain four years. 

 After passing an examination, they are sent to sea, serve there four 

 years, and if found qualified are then promoted to second lieutenants. 



The military academy they enter later, remain seven years, passing 

 through various courses of study, and if found competent, they are 

 made lieutenants. From what I understood, the system of education 

 is very imperfect. 



Schools for educating the people have been established, and the 

 female sex are now allowed to be educated. 



Agriculture is extending ; and the slave trade, since the treaty with 

 England, has been prohibited; but large numbers of slaves are still 

 easily smuggled, by the connivance of the authorities, and although 



H 



