Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil, from Spanish and Portuguese Domi | Page 4

London, to engage officers and seamen there; and to stimulate these, a decree was, on the 11th of December, 1822, issued by His Imperial Majesty, to sequestrate Portuguese property throughout the Empire, and also another, that all prizes taken in the war should become the property of the captors, which decrees must be borne in mind.
His Imperial Majesty, having ascertained that the War of Independence in the Pacific had been brought to a successful conclusion by the squadron under my command, ordered his minister, Bonifacio, to communicate with me, through the Brazilian Consul at Buenos Ayres; judging that, from the termination of hostilities in the Pacific, I might be at liberty to organize a naval force in Brazil, which--if properly conducted--might successfully cope with the Portuguese fleet protecting the Northern harbours of the Empire.
Accordingly, whilst residing on my estate at Quintera, in Chili, I received from Antonio Manuel Correa, the Brazilian Consul at Buenos Ayres, a letter on the part of His Imperial Majesty, inviting me to accept service under the Brazilian flag, guaranteeing moreover rank and position in no way inferior to that which I then held under the Republic of Chili; the Consul exhorting me, in addition, "to throw myself upon the munificence of the Emperor, and the undoubted probity of His Majesty's Government, which would do me justice." The following is one of the letters of invitation:--
Le Conseiller Agent du Brésil, près le Gouvernement de Buenos Ayres à l'Amiral Lord Cochrane, Commandant-en-Chef les forces navales de la République du Chili.
MILORD,
Le Brésil, puissance du premier ordre devint un nouvel empire, une nation indépendente sous le légitime héritier de la monarchie, Pierre le Grand, son auguste defenseur.
C'est par son ordre--c'est de sa part, et en vertu des dépêches ministériales, que je viens de re?evoir de Monseigneur Joseph Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva, Ministre de l'Intérieur et des Relations Extérieures du Brésil, en date du 13 Septembre dernier--que j'ai l'honneur de vous adresser cette note; en laquelle votre Grace est invitée, pour--et de part le Gouvernement du Brésil--à accepter le service de la nation Brésilienne; chez qui je suis d?ment autorisé à vous assurer le rang et le grade nullement inférieur à celui que vous tenez de la République.
Abandonnez vous, Milord, à la reconnaisance Brésilienne; à la munificence du Prince; à la probité sans tache de l'actuel Gouvernement; on vous fera justice; on ne rabaissera d'un seul point la haute considération--Rang--grade--caractère--et avantages qui vous sont d?s.
(Signé) ANTONIO MANUEL CORREA DA CAMARA, Consul de l'Empire du Brésil, à Buenos Ayres, 4 Novembre, 1822.
Annoyed by the ingratitude with which my services were requited in Chili, and disliking the inaction consequent on the capture of Valdivia, followed by the annihilation of the Spanish naval force at Callao, and elsewhere in the Pacific--whereby internal peace had been obtained for Chili, and independence for Peru--I felt gratified by the further terms of invitation, contained in a second letter--"Venez, milord, l'honneur vous invite--la gloire vous appelle. Venez--donner à nos armés navales cet ordre merveilleux et discipline incomparable de puissante Albion" --and on mature consideration returned the following reply:--
Valparaiso, Nov. 29, 1832.
Sir,
The war in the Pacific having been happily terminated by the total destruction of the Spanish naval force, I am, of course, free for the crusade of liberty in any other quarter of the globe.
I confess, however, that I had not hitherto directed my attention to the Brazils; considering that the struggle for the liberties of Greece--the most oppressed of modern states--afforded the fairest opportunity for enterprise and exertion.
I have to-day tendered my ultimate resignation to the Government of Chili, and am not at this moment aware that any material delay will be necessary, previous to my setting off, by way of Cape Horn, for Rio de Janeiro, calling at Buenos Ayres, where I hope to have the pleasure of meeting you, and where we may talk further on this subject; it being, in the meantime, understood that I hold myself free to decline--as well as entitled to accept--the offer which has, through you, been made to me by His Imperial Majesty. I only mention this from a desire to preserve a consistence of character, should the Government (which I by no means anticipate) differ so widely in its nature from those which I have been in the habit of supporting, as to render the proposed situation repugnant to my principles--and so justly expose me to suspicion, and render me unworthy the confidence of His Majesty and the nation.
(Signed) COCHRANE.
To Don ANTONIO MANUEL COEREA DA CAMARA, His Brazilian Majesty's Consul at Buenos Ayres.
Having obtained the unqualified consent of the Chilian Government--there being now no enemy in the Pacific--- I chartered a vessel for my own conveyance, and that of several valuable officers and seamen who, preferring to serve under my command, desired to accompany me. Knowing