Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil, from Spanish and Portuguese Domi | Page 3

leaning to the
Brazilian party, he gave proportionate offence to the Portuguese faction,
which--though inferior in number, was, from its wealth and position,
superior in influence; hence the Regent found himself involved in
disputes with the latter, which in June 1821 compelled him to submit to
some humiliations.
Shortly previous to this, the Cortes at Lisbon--aware of what was going
on in Brazil, and disregarding the temperate views of the King--issued
a declaration inviting the Brazilian municipalities to repudiate the
Regent's authority at Rio de Janeiro, and to adhere to the immediate
administration of the Cortes alone--thus indicating a course to be
pursued by the Portuguese faction in Brazil. The result was--as had
been anticipated--disunion amongst the people, consequent on the

formation of petty provincial governments; each refusing to pay
revenue to the central Government at Rio de Janeiro, for the alleged
reason that the Regent was only waiting an opportunity to invest
himself with absolute power. This opinion was eagerly adopted by the
commercial class--consisting almost exclusively of native
Portuguese--in the hope that the Cortes would reinvest them with their
ancient trade privileges and monopolies, to the exclusion of foreigners,
whom they considered as interlopers--the English especially, who,
protected by a treaty of commerce, were fast undermining the former
monopolists. Amidst these difficulties Don Pedro, though nominally
Regent of Brazil, found himself, in reality, little more than Governor of
Rio de Janeiro.
In July 1821, the Lisbon Cortes passed a decree, that thenceforth the
Brazilian and Portuguese armies should form one body; the object
being to ship the Brazilian troops to Portugal, and to send Portuguese
troops to Brazil, thereby ensuring its subjection. The Regent was,
moreover, ordered to return to Portugal.
These rash steps greatly irritated the native Brazilians, who saw in them
a subversion of all their hopes of nationality. With scarcely less
rashness, they issued proclamations declaring Brazil independent, with
Don Pedro as Emperor; but he repudiated the act, and prepared to quit
Brazil in obedience to orders.
The approaching departure of the Regent caused a general ferment,
when a popular leader arose in the person of José Bonifacio de Andrada
e Silva, vice-president of the provisional Junta at San Paulo.
Summoning his colleagues at midnight, they signed an address to the
Regent--to the effect that his departure would be the signal for a
declaration of independence--daring the Cortes at Lisbon to promulgate
laws for the dismemberment of Brazil into insignificant provinces,
possessing no common centre of union; above all, daring them to
dispossess Don Pedro of the authority of Regent conferred by his
august father. This address was conveyed to the Prince by Bonifacio
himself, and was shortly afterwards followed by others of a similar
nature from the Southern provinces, and from the municipality of Rio

de Janeiro--all begging him to remain and avert the consequences of the
late decrees of the Cortes. On more deliberate reflection Don Pedro
consented, and was shortly afterwards invested with the title of
"Perpetual Protector and Defender of Brazil."
Meanwhile the Cortes, confident in their own power, were enforcing
their obnoxious decrees by the despatch of ships of war and troops to
the Northern provinces. As the intention of this step was unmistakeable,
His Royal Highness the Protector promptly issued a manifesto,
declaring the wish of Brazil to maintain an amicable union with
Portugal, but at the same time calling on the Brazilians to secure their
independence by force, if necessary. In furtherance of this
determination, an attack was made by the Brazilian troops upon
General Madeira, the Portuguese commandant at Bahia, but from want
of proper military organization, it proved unsuccessful.
Despatches now arrived from Portugal, which cut off every hope of
reconciliation, and on the 12th of October, Don Pedro was induced to
accept the title of "Constitutional Emperor of Brazil," with Bonifacio
de Andrada as his Minister of the Interior, of Justice, and of Foreign
Affairs.
The Southern provinces gave in their adhesion to the Emperor, but all
the Northern provinces--including Bahia, Maranham, and Parà--were
still held by Portuguese troops; a numerous and well appointed
squadron commanding the seaboard, and effectually preventing the
despatch of Brazilian forces to those localities by water; whilst by land
there were neither roads, nor other facilities of communication with the
Northern patriots, who were thus isolated from effectual aid, could such
have been rendered from Rio de Janeiro.
His Imperial Majesty saw that, without a fleet, the dismemberment of
the Empire--as regarded the Northern provinces--was inevitable; and
the energy of his minister Bonifacio in preparing a squadron, was as
praiseworthy as had been the Emperor's sagacity in determining upon
its creation. A voluntary subscription was enthusiastically entered into;
artisans flocked into the dockyard; the only ship of the line in the
harbour required to be nearly rebuilt; but to man that and