Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil Volume II Part 13

CHAPTER VIII.

REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT PROCLAIMED AT PERNAMBUCO--ITS CONCORDAT----THE PRESIDENT CARVALHO--THREAT OF BOMBARDMENT--A BRIBE OFFERED TO ME AND REFUSED--THE REVOLT ADMITTED OF PALLIATION--IT WAS FAST BECOMING GENERAL--INTIMIDATION INEFFECTUAL--THE REVOLUTIONISTS EXPECT FOREIGN AID--PERNAMBUCO TAKEN POSSESSION OF--PAYMENT OF PRIZE MONEY--THE ACCOUNTS RENDERED IN DUE COURSE--ORDERS TO PUT DOWN REVOLT AT PARA--CHARACTER OF THE REVOLUTION--DIFFICULTY IN FINDING PROPER GOVERNORS--REVOLT AT CEARA--STEPS TAKEN TO SUPPRESS IT--THEY PROVE SUCCESSFUL--THE INSURGENT LEADER KILLED--MEASURES FOR PRESERVING TRANQUILLITY.

On the 2nd of August, 1824, the Imperial squadron again quitted Rio de Janeiro, the rendezvous being appointed at Jurugua, where we arrived on the 13th, and on the 16th landed a body of twelve hundred troops under General Lima, at Alagoas, seventy or eighty miles from the seat of revolt! this notable step being taken in pursuance of strict orders from the Administration at Rio de Janeiro.

On the 18th, the squadron reached Pernambuco, falling in, near the entrance of the port, with a number of Portuguese vessels quitting the city with pa.s.sengers; but in consequence of the prize tribunal having _decreed damages_ for the seizure of enemy's s.h.i.+ps within a certain distance of the coast, they were permitted to pa.s.s unmolested.

We did not reach Pernambuco too soon, for proclamations had been issued by Manuel Carvalho Paes de Andrade, the revolutionary President--denouncing Don Pedro as a traitor, whose aim it was to abandon Brazil to the Portuguese; which denunciation, though right in one sense, was wrong as regarded the Emperor, whose views were thoroughly national--though the object of his ministers was as thoroughly Portuguese. Had the Pernambucans been aware of the want of concord between the Emperor's intentions and those of his ministers, who had forced themselves upon him--the probability is that they would have supported, instead of denouncing his government.

The revolution had, however, now taken vigorous root, and the democratic spirit of the Pernambucans was not to be trifled with. A republican form of Government had been proclaimed, the views of which were on a more extensive scale than was commensurate with the abilities of those propounding them; it being their vain hope to const.i.tute all the equatorial provinces into a federation, on the model of the United States, a project fostered--if not originated--by Americans resident in the city. To further this object, an appeal was made to the other Northern provinces to repudiate the Imperial authority, and to form with Pernambuco an alliance, under the t.i.tle of "Confederation of the Equator;" the consequence being, that a large proportion of the inhabitants of Parahyba, Piahuy, Rio Grande do Norte, and Ceara, declared in favour of the measure.

The annexed is the Concordat of the revolutionary provinces:--

In the year of Our Lord 1824, third year of the Independence of Brazil, and the 3rd of August in that year, in the Hall of Session of the Government of the Province of Pernambuco, there being present, the Brazilian citizen, Quaresma Torrea, on behalf of His Excellency the President, Carvalho Paes de Andrade, and the Ill.u.s.trious and Reverend Francisco da Costa Leixas; Jose Joaquim Fernandez Barros, and the Citizen Jose Joaquim Germiniano de Moraes Navarro, on behalf of the province of Rio Grande del Norte, by diploma dated August 16, 1824, and also the Ill.u.s.trious deputies commissioned by His Excellency the Governor of the Province of Pernambuco to treat on behalf of his Government, with a view to extinguish dissension in political opinions, which has so greatly r.e.t.a.r.ded the progress of Brazil, and of independence and liberty; and, at the same time, to do their endeavour to banish a servile spirit which tends to enthral Brazil by a pretended Const.i.tution, domineering over the Brazilian nation like that of the Grand Seignior of the Ottoman Porte.

The Commission of the Government of this province, and the ill.u.s.trious deputations before-mentioned, having maturely considered these subjects, agree--

First,--That these provinces of Pernambuco and Rio Grande unite in a fraternal league, offensive and defensive, to a.s.semble all their forces against any aggression of the Portuguese Government, or that of the Government of Rio de Janeiro, to reduce these provinces to a state of thraldom.

Secondly,--That the said league shall extend to the establis.h.i.+ng const.i.tutional liberty throughout the said provinces, and to supplant the servile spirit with which they are infected, and thus avert civil war, engendered by the intrigues at Rio de Janeiro, the influence of which now pervades the whole of Brazil.

Thirdly,--That to insure the effect of this compact, the Government of Rio Grande must form a body of troops, and place them on the borders of the province of Parahyba, to be employed as necessity requires.

Fourthly,--That this body of troops shall be supported by the province of Pernambuco, but shall be afterwards supported by the "Confederation of the Equador." And that the same may be carried into immediate effect, this Concordat shall have full force, after being signed and ratified by their Excellencies the Presidents of the said provinces of Pernambuco and Rio del Norte.

(Signed) P. FRANCISCO DA COSTA LEIXAS.

JOSe JOAQUIM FERNANDEZ BARROS.

JOSe JOAQUIM GERMINIANO DE MORAES NAVARRO.

BASILIO QUARESMA TORREAo.

MANOEL DE CARVALHO PAES D'ANDRADE, President.

_Printed at the National Press._

Carvalho, however, was not the man to carry out such a scheme, his enthusiasm being without prudence or daring; hence, on our arrival--in place of union, the contending factions were engaged in destroying each other's sugar-mills and plantations, whilst Carvalho himself had taken the precaution to station a vessel at the island of Tamarica, for the purpose of escaping, if necessary, from the turbulence which he had raised, but could not control. On learning this, I felt it my duty to despatch a corvette to seize her, _though at the risk of four-fold damages, according to the regulations of the Admiralty Court!_

Knowing that it would take some time for the troops to come up, I determined to try the effect of a threat of bombardment, and issued a proclamation remonstrating with the inhabitants on the folly of permitting themselves to be deceived by men who lacked the ability to execute their schemes; pointing out, moreover, that persistence in revolt would involve both the town and its rulers in one common ruin; for, if forced to the necessity of bombardment,--I would reduce the port and city to insignificance. On the other hand, I a.s.sured them that if they retraced their steps, and rallied round the Imperial throne, thus aiding to protect it from foreign influence--it would be more gratifying to me to act the part of a mediator, and to restore Pernambuco to peace, prosperity and happiness--than to carry out the work of destruction which would be my only remaining alternative.

In another proclamation I called the attention of the inhabitants to the distracted state of the Spanish republics on the other side of the Continent, asking whether it would be wise to risk the benefits of orderly government for social and political confusion; entreating them not to compel me to proceed to extremities, as it would become my duty to destroy their s.h.i.+pping and block up their port, unless within eight days the integrity of the empire were acknowledged.

These threats were held out in the hope that by intimidation a struggle might be prevented, but they failed to produce the desired effect. One result was, however, not a little curious, as originating an offer to myself from the revolutionary President, of a bribe of 400,000 milreis, to be s.h.i.+pped immediately on board the English packet anch.o.r.ed off the port, if I would abandon the Imperial cause, and come over to the Republicans; this offer alluding, in strong terms, to the "infamous treatment with which my services had been met by the administration at Rio de Janeiro, and warning me that, by adhering to it, I should meet with nothing but continued ill-treatment and ingrat.i.tude."

The subjoined is the revolutionary President's letter:

MY LORD,

Frankness is the distinguis.h.i.+ng character of free men, but Your Excellency has not found it in your connection with the Imperial Government. _Your not having been rewarded for the first expedition affords a justifiable inference that you will get nothing for the second._ I therefore use the freedom to a.s.sure Your Excellency the amount of 400 contos of Reis, as an indemnification for your losses.

The services required from Your Excellency are to take up the cause of the "Confederation of the Equator," as adopted by the majority of the Northern provinces, whose limits will be the river of Francisco da Norte.

I have the honour to be Your Excellency's most humble servant,

MANUEL DE CARVALHO PAES D'ANDEADE.

The letter contained, in addition, an argumentative justification of the revolt, but as it abounds in abuse of the Emperor, couched in the most indecorous language, I will not sully these pages by printing it entire.

The result predicted by Carvalho--as I had learned by experience--was not improbable, but it did not follow that, because the Brazilian ministers were unjust and hostile to me, I should accept a bribe from a traitor to follow his example. I therefore transmitted the following reply to his impudent proposal:--

_Pedro Primiero,_ Off Pernambuco, Aug. 26, 1824.

SIR,

If I shall have an opportunity of becoming personally known to Your Excellency, I can afford you proof to conviction, that the opinion you have formed of me has had its origin in the misrepresentations of those in power, whose purposes I was incapable, on principle, to serve.

I have, &c. &c. COCHRANE AND MARANHA.

His Excellency M. DE C. PAES D'ANDEADE.

On the 19th, the Junta requested the interposition of the English and French consuls to induce me to give further time for consideration. This I refused, from the dangerous nature of the anchorage, by which the safety of the s.h.i.+ps was imperilled.

Unwilling, however, to injure this fine city, I sent in proposals for capitulation, giving permission to the revolutionary leaders to depart unpunished, together with their property, provided they quitted the Brazilian territory--demanding in return the surrender of the forts, s.h.i.+ps of war, gunboats, &c. as well as of all public property. In order to prevent waste of time in correspondence, I proposed to Carvalho to meet me on board any neutral s.h.i.+p of war, pledging my honour as to his being permitted to return in safety; he nevertheless declined the interview, proposing in return to meet me on sh.o.r.e on an island near the town but--as after his insulting proposal, I could have no confidence in his honour, this was of course declined.

Still anxious to avoid extremities--from which, after the threats made, I could not consistently refrain--I again wrote to Carvalho, that, had he possessed the means of distinguis.h.i.+ng between the intentions of the Emperor, and the proceedings of a foreign faction, he would not have been in arms against His Imperial Majesty, by adherence to whom Brazil could alone be saved from that anarchy and confusion into which Mexico and other South American States had fallen through individual rivalry and the ignorance of their popular a.s.semblies. I further pointed out to him, that if, by procrastination I was compelled to bombard the city, the popular clamour against the insurgent authorities might be followed by melancholy proof to himself how quickly political adventurers may be abandoned or betrayed in the hour of danger, and that he had better yield to reason, what he could not prevent my effecting by force.

By writers who could not have known anything of the circ.u.mstances--which exist only in my own doc.u.ments--I have been blamed for this tone of moderation towards the revolutionary President. There were two valid reasons for this course; first, that the conduct of the Pernambucans admitted of great palliation, seeing that the distractions resulting from the Portuguese faction in the administration at Rio de Janeiro had been ignorantly construed into acts of His Imperial Majesty--so that the injured people argued that it would have been better for them to have remained a colony of Portugal, than a colony of the Government at Rio de Janeiro--this mode of reasoning not being very far wrong. Secondly--and this fully accounts for the moderation complained of--I knew, from the most authentic sources that, in case of attack on the city, Carvalho had determined to retire into the interior, there to carry on civil war by enlisting the negro population under his standard; to avert which, I considered that moderation was the best course to induce him and his partisans to quit the empire, which would thus have been well rid of them.

It was folly, therefore, to consider the rebellion local, as had been represented to the Imperial Government, or that its actors and instigators were few and insignificant, for, in truth, as has been said, it had already extended far and wide into the adjacent provinces, I therefore wrote to the Minister of Marine, that "although it might not be difficult to put down the revolution in the city, which, even the land forces could have already accomplished, had they not been landed at a distance--yet that without great circ.u.mspection, the prevention of further revolution in the interior would be a work of time, trouble, and expense; and that even all these would be thrown away, unless the causes which had led to the rebellion, were removed or explained."

The time given having expired without acceptance of the terms, it became necessary to make at least a shew of enforcing them, though the water was too shallow to admit vessels of large burden to approach with safety, and the small vessels were ill adapted to the purpose; still I determined to make a demonstration, and as a preparatory step ordered Captain Welsh, of the _Paragua.s.su_, to s.h.i.+ft into the flags.h.i.+p all the English petty officers and seamen; but a heavy swell set in, and as the anchorage was bad, I considered the risk imprudent.

The schooner _Leopoldina_ was therefore ordered to try the effect of a few experimental sh.e.l.ls; but the mortar so shook the vessel, that she had to be withdrawn, it being evident that nothing further could be done till the weather would permit the approach of s.h.i.+ps, or that rafts could be constructed--for which purpose timber had been ordered from Bahia.

Little damage was effected by this experiment, for the wealthiest inhabitants had fled into the interior, taking with them all their valuable property.

Heavy weather having now set in compelled the flags.h.i.+p to run to Bahia for safety, the outer road of Pernambuco being at this season exceedingly dangerous from the coralline nature of the bottom, as was practically proved by the fact that the _Pedro Primiero_ lost every anchor but one, so that to remain was certain destruction, and there was no alternative but to make for Bahia to procure anchors.

Nothing had been heard of General Lima's force since its debarkation, I was therefore anxious to know what had become of it, and how far it was in a condition to cooperate, the speedy possession of the place being nautically an important point--for, whilst blockading we had intercepted a Portuguese vessel, only forty-three days from the Tagus, and learned from her letters that a large force was preparing at Lisbon, consisting of sixteen s.h.i.+ps of war and numerous transports, their destination being Pernambuco; this forming sufficient proof that the Portuguese Government counted on the recovery of those disorganised provinces which had alike revolted against the mother country and the Emperor of Brazil.

On the 4th of September, the flags.h.i.+p left for Bahia, first visiting the island of Alexo, where the _Cacique_ and _Maranha_ were at anchor. From them we learned that General Lima's head-quarters were at Leimham, his advance guard having joined the troops at Mogado, on the banks of a river near Cape St. Augustine, the revolutionary forces occupying the other bank.

On reaching Bahia, we received information that the rebel Government at Pernambuco was in immediate expectation of several fast sailing vessels, ordered by the revolutionary President from North America, and also of two steamers from England. I therefore wrote to the Minister of Marine to send me some superior sailing vessels, as, if the antic.i.p.ated expedition from Lisbon, or those expected from England and America, made their appearance, four at least of our force would, from their bad sailing, run the risk of being captured on the first appearance of the enemy.

On learning the panic which had been created in Pernambuco, by the show of bombardment, and its antic.i.p.ated repet.i.tion in earnest on my return, General Lima pushed forward towards the capital with no more formidable opposition than a few desultory skirmishes; and on the 11th of September, with the co-operation of the naval officers and seamen there left, took possession of the city, Carvalho retreating into the suburbs, where, breaking down the bridge which united them, he entrenched himself. On the following day, it was said that General Lima found in the treasury 400,000 dollars; perhaps the same which Carvalho had offered to me as a bribe to join the republican party.

The _Piranga_ arriving at this juncture with a convoy bringing eight hundred additional troops, preparations were made to attack Carvalho; but the insurgent president, making his escape on a fis.h.i.+ng raft, took refuge on board the British corvette _Tweed_, and afterwards got to sea.

During the interval which elapsed between my departure for Bahia and my return to Pernambuco, the distribution of prize money amongst those ent.i.tled to it took place, the flags.h.i.+p and the _Maria de Gloria_ being paid at Bahia, and the rest at Pernambuco. As His Imperial Majesty had left me altogether unfettered by orders or instructions, and as he had given the 200,000 dollars to be used in furthering the Imperial objects, I determined not to regard the advances which had been made at Rio de Janeiro, as forming any portion of the reward, especially to the flags.h.i.+p, which had, unaided, achieved the more important results of the late campaign, and was therefore ent.i.tled to a share commensurate with the arduous exertions of the officers and crew, now again under my flag.