Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil Volume II Part 20

(Signed) COCHRANE AND MARANHA.

To PEDRO JOSe DE COSTA BARROS.

Barros strongly remonstrated against this proceeding; but knowing that the machinations of his party had been the direct cause of renewed disorders, I resolved not to give way; telling him that he had only himself to blame, by not having abstained from meddling with public affairs till the arrival of competent authority from His Imperial Majesty. Accordingly, I insisted on his immediately embarking on board the _Cacique_, in charge of Captain Manson, for conveyance to Para, to the President of which province I addressed the following letter:--

Maranham, 13th March,1825.

MOST EXCELLENT SIR,

Since I had the honour of writing to your Excellency, Pedro Jose de Costa Barros, who arrived from Ceara with the intention to take upon himself the office of President here--has unfortunately been the occasion of stirring up old animosities, which I had hoped experience might have taught him the advantage of leaving dormant. Had Barros been provided with proper authority under the sign manual of His Imperial Majesty, the difficulties that have occurred since his arrival might have been prevented; though I am extremely apprehensive that if ever he shall be invested with such authority, still greater evils will befal the province. The Portuguese party are in favour of Barros, and have expressed their sentiments unequivocally, and this your Excellency knows is sufficient to raise up the native Brazilians against him.

The Portuguese and some others had combined to place Barros in the Presidency by force, which intention I happily frustrated by arriving in Maranham with a considerable reinforcement from the _Pedro Primiero_, at midnight--when the attempt was to have occurred. To put a stop to proceedings so injurious to the interests of His Imperial Majesty and the public, I have felt it necessary to remove Barros from Maranham until his commission shall arrive, or until His Majesty's pleasure respecting the appointment of Manoel Telles da Silva Lobo, shall be known. Barros therefore proceeds in the _Cacique_ (which is the bearer of this) to Para--where having no pretensions, he will have no partisans, and will be inoffensive.

I have not time, nor would it be of any utility to occupy your Excellency with a minute detail of the affairs of this province, whilst your Excellency has so much to do in that under your immediate superintendence: I am convinced that in all I have done, I have acted in conformity with the true interests of His Majesty and his people, and am in no degree under any apprehension that the malevolent aspersions of self-interested or disappointed individuals will have the least influence on any candid mind, when a real statement of facts shall be laid before the public.

I shall be gratified if your Excellency attains the satisfaction of preserving the province of Para free from those party dissensions, the danger and inconvenience of which are best known to those who are obliged to be on the watch to counteract them.

(Signed) COCHRANE AND MARANHA.

To Jose Feliz de Azevedo e Sa, the President of Ceara, I addressed the subjoined letter of thanks for the warning he had given me respecting Barros:--

Maranham, March 16th, 1825.

MOST EXCELLENT SIR,

I have to offer your Excellency many thanks for your kind letter, informing me, by antic.i.p.ation, of the character of an individual whose principles and plans I was not long in discovering.

Scarcely had he placed his foot on the soil of Maranham, when he was surrounded by all the Portuguese of the city, who expressed their joy at his arrival in no equivocal manner. To give you a history of his intrigues would require pages. Suffice it to say, that--after having attempted to thrust himself into the Government within forty-eight hours after his arrival,--without having any lawful commission from His Imperial Majesty--and being defeated in that object--he placed himself at the head of a faction, brought charges against the President interino, and on the night of the 10th formed a plan to seize his person! This, however, I defeated, and as his charges against Lobo were entirely false and malicious, I have sent him off to Para, there to await the determination of His Imperial Majesty.

The intrigues here are so numerous, and there are so many interests to reconcile, that the harmony now restored will probably cease with the departure of the force under my command. But it is obvious that the squadron cannot remain here for ever to watch over private broils and feuds of so contemptible a nature. The only thing of which I am seriously afraid, is the influence and number of the Portuguese settled here, should they find a president desirous of promoting their views and supposed interests.

(Signed) COCHRANE AND MARANHA.

There was great difficulty to act for the best in this matter: but whether Barros were appointed to the presidency or not, the course taken was the only one even temporarily to ensure public tranquillity. If appointed, it was evident, from his acts, that he had been selected by the administration to put in execution their anti-Brazilian projects; whilst the Portuguese party in Maranham unequivocally expressed their intention to revive the old animosities between themselves and the native Brazilians; thus causing a renewal of disorder which I was determined not to permit, in favour of one who had no patent to shew for his a.s.sumption of authority.

This monstrous state of affairs--fostered by the Imperial administration--was a natural consequence of their Portuguese predilections, and could not have existed, except from want of union amongst the Brazilians themselves, who, unskilled in political organization, were compelled to submit to a foreign faction, unable to carry out its own views, and only powerful in thwarting those of the patriots. Their policy was the more reprehensible, for even the government of the mother country conceded that Brazil was too extensive and powerful to be again reduced to a state of colonial dependence, and therefore confined its aims to the Northern provinces, the Portuguese party in the administration seconding the intentions of the parent state; both, however, shutting their eyes to the fact, that, if these were separated from Brazil, they would become disorganized in a vain attempt to imitate the const.i.tution of the United States--by whose more enlightened citizens they were greatly influenced--and, as a consequence, would be lost both to the parent state and the Empire. As it was, all I had effected for their annexation and tranquillization was regarded with perfect hatred by the Portuguese residents in the provinces as well as by the administration, who did everything in their power to thwart my measures for the union and consolidation of the Empire.

During the whole of this period, I repeat that I had received no communication from Rio de Janeiro, with the exception of the letter before mentioned, with the rubrick of His Imperial Majesty, thanking me for the course I had pursued. Though no instructions were sent for my guidance, nor any fault found with my acts, yet, from private sources, I was advised that my success in restoring order to the Northern provinces had greatly embittered the administration against me, as having destroyed the hopes of Portugal--expressed through Palmella--of profiting by disorder. I was also left to provide for the pay and maintenance of the squadron, one vessel only with supplies having been forwarded since our departure from Rio de Janeiro, in the preceding August!

Notwithstanding this marked neglect, I took care to keep the administration well advised of all my proceedings, and the causes thereof, the following being extracts from my letters to the Minister of Marine, respecting the events just narrated:--

No. 290.

Maranham, March 16th, 1825.

I beg to acquaint your Excellency, for the satisfaction of the Imperial government, that I have caused the provinces which required military a.s.sistance, to furnish pay and provisions for the ships immediately under my command; and further, that I have required the government of Maranham to pay, as a recompence to the officers and seamen, _one-fourth part_ of the amount of money and bills, and _one-fifth part_ of the value of the military stores surrendered by the Portuguese authorities on the 28th of July, 1823. Thus the Imperial government at Rio de Janeiro will be relieved from considerable disburs.e.m.e.nt, and the officers and seamen--notwithstanding the great additional trouble to which they have been put--will be satisfied, so far as regards their claim to the value of their captures in compensation for their services at Maranham.

I cannot refrain from drawing the attention of the Imperial government to the abuses which exist in every department of the provincial government, where, notwithstanding the great revenue derived from various sources, the Junta of Fazenda possess so little credit, that their bills have actually been sold at 30 per cent.

discount, and I am credibly informed that no money can, at any time, be received from the treasury without a heavy per centage being given to the inferior officers; but how such per centages are afterwards disposed of, is to me unknown.

The price at which provisions were being purchased by the Intendente for the use of the squadron being exorbitant, I inst.i.tuted a minute inquiry, the result of which was the discovery of a fraudulent system which I abolished by purchasing our own provisions. American salt beef, for which the Provincial Government charged 25 milreis the barrel, I have purchased for 12 milreis--pork charged 32 milreis, I buy for 15-1/2 milreis. Bread is charged 10 milreis the quintal, whilst the English sloop-of-war _Jaseur_ is purchasing it at 5 milreis, for bills on England. Indeed, the abuses here of all kinds are too numerous to be detailed by letter, and to endeavour to put a stop to them, unless under the express authority and protection of the Imperial Government, would be a thankless task.

No. 291.

Maranham, March 17th, 1825.

The difficulties with which I have had to contend in this province have been greatly increased by the arrival of Pedro Jose de Costa Barros on the 5th of last month--when intrigue within intrigue was set on foot by different parties, and which--if Barros were placed in power--I clearly foresaw would end in anarchy and bloodshed--and probably in the destruction of all the Portuguese part of the community, whose unequivocal reception of a partisan President excited at once the jealousy and distrust of the Brazilians.

Under these circ.u.mstances, I felt that the only course to be adopted, for the prevention of serious evils, was to defer the introduction of Barros into authority, and to leave Lobo as President interino, until further directions from the Imperial Government.

This additional degree of responsibility I took upon myself with the less reluctance, as Barros had no other authority to a.s.sume the Government than a letter to Bruce, whom I had previously been compelled to suspend from office and send to Rio--to whom, therefore, such letter could not be delivered. Besides which, having appointed Lobo to be President interino, until His Majesty's pleasure should be known, I could not consistently consent to his removal from office until His Majesty was acquainted with his appointment, and had expressed his pleasure thereon.

No. 292.

Maranham, March 18th, 1825.

As I observe by the Lisbon newspapers that most of the vessels acquitted by the Court of Admiralty have arrived at Lisbon, I beg to call your Excellency's attention to the fact that I have received no reply to my letter addressed to your Excellency on the 1st of August last, requesting to know whether, in addition to the loss of the property, _which ought to have been condemned_, I was personally liable to the enormous costs and damages decreed against me by that tribunal.

No. 293.

Maranham, March 18, 1825.

In my letter, No. 291, I acquainted your Excellency of the course pursued with regard to Pedro Jose de Costa Barros, who, under the mistaken counsels of a faction here, would have again involved this province in scenes of bloodshed and confusion.

It is neither my duty nor inclination to become a tool in the hands of any faction, whose views are contrary to the true interests of His Imperial Majesty, and, were they countenanced and protected, would infallibly involve all Brazil in civil war and anarchy.

I contented myself, however, with continuing the usual precautions, which were sufficient to prevent disasters till His Majesty's pleasure, with regard to recent occurrences in this province, should become known, of which I have been in daily expectation for some time past; but Barros--after agreeing to await the expected instructions--considered that he had gained over a sufficient party to overthrow the government by violent means, and addressed to me the letter A, which was considered by him a sufficient pretext to warrant the imprisonment of the President interino, during my temporary absence on board the flagship, whence, it was supposed, I should not be able to arrive in time to prevent the execution of that violent measure; and I regret to add, that, in this plot--so prejudicial to His Majesty's interests, and so disgraceful to the parties concerned--persons whose duty it was to have at once combatted such unjustifiable proceedings took an underhand but active part. The letters of Barros, A and B, will sufficiently shew the violence of his prejudices, his credulity, and precipitancy in acting upon false information and reports, as well as his total ignorance of law and justice, in requiring the seizure of an individual without specifying either crime or accuser.

I enclose to your Excellency all the correspondence which has taken place between Barros and myself, together with the proclamation which I felt it my duty to issue for the maintenance of order; for the legal department here now profess to consider that, although the const.i.tution has been granted and accepted, they have no authority to put it in practice--hence, between the ancient and new laws, justice is at a stand.

(Signed) COCHRANE AND MARANHA.

To these and all my previous communications no reply was returned either in the way of approval or otherwise. There was, however, one member of the administration, Luiz Jose Carvalho e Mello, who had ever been my friend, being himself a man of patriotic and enlightened views, but without the influence to counteract the designs of his Portuguese colleagues. As I knew from private sources, that this silence had its objects, I addressed to Carvalho e Mello the following letter:--

Maranham, March 22nd, 1825.

MOST EXCELLENT SIR,

By the arrival of my despatches transmitted by the _George_ and other ships, your Excellency will have been successively informed of such public transactions and occurrences as seemed to me worthy of the attention of the Imperial Government. But notwithstanding that three months and upwards have now elapsed since the date of my first communications, I have the misfortune (for so I must call it) to be left without any precise or applicable instructions from Rio de Janeiro. The responsibility, therefore, rests entirely on my shoulders, and I feel this the more--being aware that not only shall I meet with no support from the majority of the Ministry itself--but that the most powerful faction in Rio de Janeiro will represent every thing I have done--or may do--in the blackest colours.

I console myself, however, with the knowledge that I possess the means of exposing the falsehood of every allegation that can be brought against me. I have acted towards His Imperial Majesty and the Brazilian nation, in the same manner as I should have done for my native Sovereign and country; and I must say--that, had I freed the sh.o.r.es of England from a superior hostile force, and rescued half the country from the dominion of an enemy--the British Government would not have left me to seek the fruit of my labours, and those of the officers and seamen who served with me, in the manner in which I have been compelled to seek them in Brazil; and would never have subjected me to the necessity of having recourse to measures capable of being so perversely represented as to obscure for a time that credit to which I am ent.i.tled for the successful conduct of the naval war. I am, however, resolved never to be deterred, by fear of consequences, from using every endeavour within my power to obtain justice for all who have continued to perform their duty in the Imperial service. And I have the less hesitation in persevering in this resolution--because it cannot be denied that I have strictly limited the claims of the naval service to such rewards as would have been admitted to be due, under similar circ.u.mstances, in the navy of England.

I have used the freedom to say thus much to your Excellency as my friend--because I am well aware that the old cry of the Portuguese faction in Rio will be set up against me the moment they hear that I have caused the Junta of Fazenda of this province to pay a part of the amount of the money and bills taken on the surrender of the Portuguese authorities at Maranham. This, of course, though only one-fourth of the amount due, _will be represented as an outrageous robbery_; but I again say, that it is not from the Portuguese faction at Rio, that I expect either credit or justice. Their object is sufficiently evident, namely--_the expulsion of every foreign officer from the service, by means of privation and insult, in order that they may fill the ships with their Portuguese countrymen and dependents_; a result which I should lament to witness, because fraught with mischief to His Imperial Majesty and Brazil.

I feel myself much shaken in health by the great heat of the climate, and the anxiety occasioned by the peculiar circ.u.mstances in which I have been placed; all of which I might have saved myself under the plea of want of instructions, but for my desire to promote the real interests of His Imperial Majesty, by once more accomplishing that which His Majesty, in his instructions to me of the 31st of July last, was graciously pleased to describe as "_of no less importance than the integrity and independence of the Empire_."