tuated by sinister and reprehensible views, may seek to excite in the kingdom criminal commotions, perhaps making use of my name to cover their perfidious views. Under these circumstances, and considering the distance which separates me from Portugal, I have thought that it was not only suitable, but absolutely necessary, to express, by the only means in my power, that, far from authorizing, directly or indirectly, any seditious machinations, tending to disturb the tranquillity of our country, I positively declare that nobody respects more than I do the last will of our august father and master; and that I shall always disapprove every thing that shall not be conformable to the dispositions of the decree of the 6th March of the present year, by which his majesty the emperor and king so wisely provided for the public administration, by creating a junta of government for these kingdoms, till his legitimate heir and successor, who is our dear brother and master, the emperor of Brazil, shall have provided for it, as he, in his wisdom, shall see fit. been, on his part, a violation of the constitution of Brazil. Das er In the event of Don Pedrore solving to sacrifice the crown of Portugal, and transferring it to one of his children, it was doubtful hows far Don Miguel and his ad herents would patiently submit to such an arrangement. They were declared enemies to the separation of the two countries; there was reason to apprehend, that, when Pedro relinquished the throne him self, they would dispute his right to fill it with another; and, at all events, Miguel's elevation to the vacant seat, would be the triumph off their own principles. On his father's death, however, Don Miguel cappeared to be most submissive and respectful. When that event happened, he was still resident at Vienna, whither he had been sent as into a kind of honourable relegation, after his attempt against the authority of his father; and, however little the Austrian cabinet might be inclined to give countenance to political changes, by encouraging princes who acknowledged the independence of revolted colonies, they had nothing to gain for her by exciting in- "I beg you, therefore, my ternal discontent in Portugal, or tender sister, in the improbable raising up a competitor to its law- case that anyone should dare ful monarch. Accordingly the rashly to abuse my name, to serve answer which Don Miguel re- as a cover to projects subversive nof turned to his sister, on receiving good order, and of the legal existofficially the notification of this ence of the government established brother's accession, while it plainly by him who had the incontestible showed what apprehensions were right to do s so, to take care to cause entertained of his own inclinations, to be published and declared, lor of the purposes for which a when, how, and where you shall party might employ his name, was please, by virtue of the present frank and satisfactory. Though letter, the just sentiments which the fidelity," said he, which the site contains, which spontaneously Portuguese nation has always ob- emanate from my heart, and are Iserved towards its sovereigns be inspired by the fidelity and respect unalterable, it is, however, possi-due to the memory of the last will ble that evil-minded persons, ac-of our dear father and sovereign." སྙན The intelligence of the death of king John reached Rio Janeiro on the 24th of April, the anniversary of the day on which he had embarked from it to return to Portu gall Don Pedro had now before him a choice which on every side was surrounded by difficulties. At first sight it would appear natural that he should prefer the ancient and settled throne of his European monarchy, to a new and unsteady dominion, whose population were not attached to him by habit, while their national and political prejudices were strongly directed against his native country, and whose territory came, on every side, into contact with states the very form of whose government made them his enemies, and were incessantly presenting seductive examples to the discontents and antipathies of his own heterogeneous provinces. In Europe there was prepared for him a crown venerated for its antiquity and respectable for its strength; a people accustomed to obedience and attached to his family; a state of society which had nothing in it to produce uneasiness, excepting the remaining traces of a momentary convulsion which half the liberality he squandered upon the constitution of Brazil, if joined with prudence, would speedily have re moved; establishments military, na val, and commercial, which had existed for centuries; and allies both able and willing to support his au thority, if he should be so inclined, against any popular encroachments. In Brazil, he was to give steadiness to a throne tottering amid the storms of surrounding revolutions; laws and institutions, a fleet, an army, and a treasury, were to be created; a war already begun, but neither popular nor successful, was to be prosecuted; his subjects were to be jealous colonists, and savage, or half-civilized aborigines; and he was to have for neighbours, not powerful allies, and monarchs who had the same interest with himself, but vigilant, and inimical republics. But it was natural for him to desire that, although he could not rule over both countries him self, they should both remain subject to the House of Braganza. The successor whom he might ap point to the throne of Portugal, was not likely to be attacked by any dangerous and extraneous competitor: the habits of legiti mate succession were too deeply rooted in Europe, and it was too much the interest of all its monarchies to preserve them, to allow the tranquillity of the legal suc cessor of a sovereign who had abdicated to be seriously disturbed. Brazil, however, was in a very different situation, and to relinquish it to reign in Portugal brought the imminent danger of losing it entirely. Of all the colonies which Spain and Portugal had planted in South America, Brazil alone had retained a monarchical government; and her continued adherence to monarchical forms had been the result, in no small degree, of the presence of the king and the court during the 1 1 been, on his part, a violation of tuated by sinister and reprehensible the constitution of Brazil. Den er views, may seek to excite in the In the event of Don Pedrobre kingdom criminal commotions, solving to sacrifice the crown of perhaps making use of my name Portugal, and transferring it to to cover their perfidious views. one of his children, it was doubtful -off Under these circumstances, how far Don Miguel and his ad and considering the distance which herents would patiently submit to separates me from Portugal,ti such an arrangement. They were have thought that it was not only declared enemies to the separation suitable, but absolutely necessary, of the two countries; there was to express, by the only means in reason to apprehend, that, when my power, that, far from authoriPedro relinquished the throne him zing, directly or indirectly, any self, they would dispute his right seditious machinations, tending to to fill it with another; and, at all disturb the tranquillity of your events, Miguel's elevation to the country, I positively declare that vacant seat, would be the triumph nobody respects more than I do of their own principles. On his the last will of our august father father's death, however, Don Mi- and master; and that I shall guel appeared to be most submis- always disapprove every thing that sive and respectful. When that shall not be conformable to the event happened, he was still re- dispositions of the decreez of the sident at Vienna, whither he had 6th March of the present year, by been sent as into a kind of honour- which his majesty the emperor and able relegation, after his attempt king so wisely provided for the against the authority of his father; public administration, by creating and, however little the Austrian a junta of government for these cabinet might be inclined to give kingdoms, till his legitimate heir countenance to political changes, and successor, who is our dear by encouraging princes who ac- brother and master, the emperor knowledged the independence of of Brazil, shall have provided for revolted colonies, they had nothing it, as he, in his wisdom, shall see fit. ton gain for her by exciting in- "I beg you, therefore, my ternal discontent in Portugal, or tender sister,ins the improbable raising up a competitor to its law- case that any one should dare ful monarch. Accordingly the rashly to abuse my name, to serve answer which Don Miguel re- as a cover to projects subversive of turned to his sister, on receiving good order, and of the legal existofficially the notification of his ence of the government established brother's accession, while it plainly by him who had the incontestible showed what apprehensions were right to do so, to take care to cause entertained of his own inclinations, to be published and declared, lor of the purposes for which a when, how, and where you shall party might employ his name, was please, by virtue of the present frank and satisfactory. Though letter, the just sentiments which the fidelity," said he, which the it contains, which spontaneously Portuguese nation has always ob- emanate from my heart, and are Iserved towards its sovereigns, be inspired by the fidelity and respect unalterable, it is, however, possi- due to the memory of the last will ble that evil minded persons, ac-of our dear father and sovereign." Such was the language of Don Miguel on the 6th of April. In the course of a few months a wide spread rebellion was raging in the kingdom, to overturn the succession appointed by his "dear brother and master," and place himself upon the throne, without its drawing from him any speedy, or decisive, or public disavowal of the traitors who were levying war in his name against a government to which he had sworn allegiance. H " The intelligence of the death of king John reached Rio Janeiro on the 24th of April, the anniversary of the day on which he had embarked from it to return to Portu gal Don Pedro had now before him a choice which on every side was surrounded by difficulties. At first sight it would appear natural that he should prefer the ancient and settled throne of his European monarchy, to a new and unsteady dominion, whose population were not attached to him by habit, while their national and political prejudices were strongly directed against his native country, and whose territory came, on every side, into contact with states the very form of whose government made them his enemies, and were incessantly presenting seductive examples to the discontents and antipathies of his own heterogeneous provinces. In Europe there was prepared for him a crown venerated for its antiquity and respectable for its strength; a people accustomed to obedience and attached to his family; a state of society which had nothing in it to produce uneasiness, excepting the remaining traces of a momentary convulsion which half the liberality he squandered upon the constitution of Brazil, if joined with prudence, would speedily have re + moved; establishments military, na val, and commercial, which had ex isted for centuries; and allies both able and willing to support his au thority, if he should be so inclined, against any popular encroachments. In Brazil, he was to give steadiness to a throne tottering amid the storms of surrounding revolutions; laws and institutions, a fleet, an army, and a treasury, were to be created; a war already begun, but neither popular nor successful, was to be prosecuted; his subjects were to be jealous colonists, and savage, or half-civilized aborigines; and he was to have for neighbours, not powerful allies, and monarchs who had the same interest with himself, but vigilant, and inimical repub lics. But it was natural for him to desire that, although he could not rule over both countries himself, they should both remain subject to the House of Braganza. The successor whom he might appoint to the throne of Portugal, was not likely to be attacked by any dangerous and extraneous competitor: the habits of legiti mate succession were too deeply rooted in Europe, and it was too much the interest of all its monarchies to preserve them, to allow the tranquillity of the legal suc cessor of a sovereign who had abdicated to be seriously disturbed. Brazil, however, was in a very different situation, and to relinquish it to reign in Portugal brought the imminent danger of losing it entirely. Of all the colonies which Spain and Portugal had planted in South America, Brazil alone had retained a monarchical government; and her continued adherence to monarchical forms had been the result, in no small degree, of the presence of the king and the court during the years of his exile from Europe. The Brazilians were as bitter in their enmity against the policy and in stitutions of the mother country, as the natives of any other South American states; they were equally determined against the interference of her influence with the conduct of their government; if opposition to their demands had been persisted in by Portugal as obstinately as it was by Spain to the demands of Colombia or Buenos Ayres, Brazil would have ranked among her sister republics; and even now dangerous symptoms were occasionally shewing themselves in the northern provinces. The children of Don Pedro were all infants: a long minority, and regency, could not fail to be most dangerous to the supreme authority of the royal house of Portugal in a country which had just conquered its independence; which, in conquering its independence, had naturally been drawn towards forms of government by which that independence would be most strongly expressed, and was attracted by political affinities to the republican institutions that every where surrounded it. Hatred of European governments, and European princes, had been both a cause and an effect of the South American revolutions; and, although circumstances had hitherto saved monarchy in Brazil, monarchy itself was not an object of affection, and the family who enjoyed it was, from its very connection with the mother country, an object of jealousy. Considerations like these may have had some weight with Don Pedro and his counsellors in making a choice which it can never be agreeable to a monarch to make -which of two crowns he shall resign. At all events, he made his decision in favour of Brazil, and that without either temporizing, of any undue delay. On the 2nd of May, he abdicated the throne of Portugal, and, in announcing this step to the Brazilian chambers, when he opened their session four days afterwards, he made it a new merit with his American subjects. "I considered the interest of Brazil; I reflected that it would be a disgrace not to make Portugal happy, but what was my affliction in seeking means to make Portugal happy without injuring Brazil, and separating them never again to be united. If there be any Brazilians still incredulous, they may now know that such is my consideration for the interests and independence of Brazil, that I have abdicated the crown of the Portuguese monarchy, which was mine by indisputable right, merely, lest in future, something might arise prejudicial to the interests of Brazil." This act of abdication of the crown of Portugal was in favour of his eldest daughter Donna Maria da Gloria, who was then an infant of seven years of age. Until she should arrive at legal age, the powers of government were vested in her aunt, the present regent. At the same time, in order to remove as far as possible every occasion of internal disturbance, and obviate any dangers which might be apprehended from the faction of the queen dowager, and Don Miguel, it was made a condition of the cession to the infant princess, that, on coming of age, she should marry her uncle Don Miguel. An amnesty was at the same time granted for all political offences where the punishment had not exceeded condemnation to the gallies for three years. A new constitution was formally promised to Portugal; and |