February r, 1882.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. /15 
upon it. 11 
in the case 
burdensome 1 
Bra/ilia,, con, 
will eventual: 
planters will 
Wo have I 
-that these various 
a fatal hindrance to 
markets, but they 
so unprofitable that 
melon it altogether. 
basin 
laws f. 
xx up< 
011 the 
lished 
are a 
his pr 
open mark 
not before 
criminating 
ally the ta 
to th 
they 
ity to 
"1" 
de Ji 
centage i« paid. This tax 
rary oflicial valuation for t 
for all grades. Applying th 
from this percentage upon a 
ation, it will be found that 
wid ly different from the iiri 
illustrate this fact, let us t; 
average valuation, for the wei 
and the actual market quota 
several grades. The pauta foi 
kilo, or 3$730 per 10 kilos 
valuation gives 485 reis, whicl 
10 kilos. Applying this rate 
and tabulating the results, v 
Quotations and percentages 
■hipped from Kio de Janeiro 
October 24. 
Pauta, 373 reis' per kilo. 
Duty on 10 kilos at 13 per 
grade current quotations 
ghly unjust and dis- 
dly wrong. Nomiu- 
exported from Rio 
reality ho such per- 
officiail 
r 24th, 
or the 
: specific duty upon 
current quotations, 
,-e the following : — ■ 
>ort duty on coffee 
the week beginning 
cent., 485 reis. 
duty equivalent to 
Washed 
t.*2i H> „ oS'Iiii) In, rs. II-.-..-.,- .s-22 per cent. 
Superior ...5 000 « 5 200 „ 9-70 «- 933~ 
Good 1st ...4 350 a 4 450 „ 1115 a 10 90 
Regular 1st ...3 850 a 3 950 „ 12 60 « 12-28 „ 
Ordinary 1st.. .3 400 a 3 550 „ 14-26 a 13-06 „ 
Good 2nd ..A 850 a & 050 „ 17-02 « 15-90 
Ordinary 2nd 2 450 a 2 650 „ 19-80 « 18-30 „ 
It will be seen from this table that the actual duties 
• paid on coffee range from about S per cent, to 20 per 
cent. — the high .-ates falling upon the lower grades. 
If an equal quantity of each grade were sold, the 
high rates would be balanced by the low ones, and 
the exporter, or producer, would be subjected to no 
injustico— the average rate being about 13 per cent. 
But as the low grades make up the greater part of 
the export, it is manifest that an average rate of 
over 13 per cent, is paid. And then, inasmuch as 
tho low grades of coffee are produced and marketed 
St tho eam^ cost, it is clear that they are compelled 
to hear more than their share of tho burden. From 
this came, thoso districts which naturally produce the 
lower grades, and thoso which have been visited by 
drouth, disease, or any hurtful influence, are further 
punished by this discriminating tax. 
It must bo admitted that, if tho export duty is to 
be continued, there is no apparent remedy for this 
discrimination. Tho only remedy — and it is demanded 
ftliko by the economic requirements of the country 
and by the just and equal imposition of the burdens 
»ol taxation— is the total abolition of the whole system. 
A tU which works so great discriminations nnn>t be 
inherently wrong, and should have no place in the 
laws of any country. Tho injustice, which it occasions, 
snd tho losses which it Sautes, can not bo balanced 
by tho revenues which nro dorived from it, and it. 
becom, - therefore a matter of economic policy as well 
as of justice to suppress it in every form and feature. 
If wo turn to the other groat question in l'.ra/.il. 
Slavery, wo find the Wo .Whs, with a courage and 
louc ol argument bJghlj creditable to ■ paper 
I published in a slaveh. 
the policy of a Govern 
freedom, sells human 
slaves^ — 
On the 10th instant 
take place at the V'ak 
services of eleven b«/eti 
months to seven years, 
Under the law of Sept 
ding country, thus denouncing 
lent which, after having decreed 
beings by public auction as 
official sale of slaves is to 
slave mart in which the 
varying in age from two 
to be sold at public auction, 
er 28th, 1S71, these children 
are notniually free, though their master has the right 
to their services until they reach the age of twenty- 
one years. This right, however, has been quietly 
stretched to include the right of property in su f ;h 
children, limited only by the period fixed by law ; 
and under this interpretation the master assumes the 
same powers of control and sale as with his older 
slaves. In such a state of affairs, it is difficult to 
determine just what benefits this law is conferring 
upon the free-born children of slave mothers. Nomin- 
ally they are free ; but practically they aro sold in the 
open market. And besides, they are sold by govern- 
ment officials, after due advertisements, in cases where 
they are placed under judicial control through death, 
bankruptcy, or other similar cause. The exercise of 
this right by the judicial authorities implies a corre- 
sponding procedure on the part of private individuals 
by whom ingenuos can be bought and sold without 
let or hindrance. This certainly could not have 
been the intent of the author of this law, nor can it 
be the interpretation of any intelligent man today, who 
honestly desires the just enforcement of the law and 
the final extinction of slavery. The custom, as now 
practised by slave-holders, and legalized by judicial 
authorities, is clearly an infraction of the spirit, if 
not the letter, of tho law, and is unequivocally a 
damning disgrace to the country. There can be no 
condemnation too severe, no denunciation too scathingc 
in convicting it of perjury and oppression before th, 
world? What excuse can be urged in its behalf? A 
child only tiro months of age, still babbling in its 
mother's arms, is advertized for sale in the leading 
newspaper of the country, with an official valuation 
of 15$00Q i. placed upon its services ! What services 
upon which a valuation may be placed ? or, are 
t he planters aud courts of Brazil speculating 
upon its future life and limbs as the slave- 
dealers once did? Is this the vaunted desire for 
emancipation of which we hear so much? Is it the 
law of free birth ? And is it an honest execution of 
the law which has been praised before the world, and 
which has been so recently used to check the adop- 
tion of any other measure more radical than itself? 
We have before called attention to this shameful 
practice, but the government has simply turned a 
deaf ear to every appeal. "O governo ndo coi/ita 
dessa quevtdo," sa.\s the cabinet — and tho accursed 
traffic go, s on unhindered! There will bo a day of 
reckoning for all these crimes, and it will be a reckon- 
ing for which this country will pay with tears, and 
blood, and bitter humiliation. It will be easier to 
do justice today than to meet tho penalties of an 
outraged justice tomorrow. 
COFFEE IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 
Messrs. Alstons it Co. favour p with the follow- 
ing buppieiuentury information: — 
(To the Alitor of th* " Ceylon Observer. ') 
Or. ah Silt,— As suggested iu'a rccout issue nf jour 
papor, wo send a statement of coffee and neppcr .x- 
ported from tin- coast for the year IS79 MI. It includes 
exports from Madras nod Tutieor.n as well. Wo re- 
gret wo have no statements for previous years bat 
trust the enclosed will bo useful. 
Thu cofleo crop in the Coorg and Wyiiaad district* 
