Notes on Brazilian questions

Front matter

{PM^ff$t&^

CORNELL

UNIVERSITY

Contents

NOTE.

CARTAS BO SOLITARIO " OF DR. TAYARES BASTOS . . Page Xvii

INTRODUCTION ADDRESSED TO VISCOUNT PALMERSTON.

Chapter II. The Story Of The Free Africans

REPLY TO CRITICISM ON LORD PALMERSTON'3 STATEMENT — SIR JAMES HDD- SON'S REPRESENTATIONS, 1846-1850 — LORD RUSSELL'S INSTRUCTIONS AND MY REPRESENTATIONS, 1861 7

CHAPTER in.

THE STORY OF THE FREE AFRICANS.

RECENT EMANCIPATIONS OF FREE AFRICANS — INATTENTION OF BRAZILIAN' GOVERNMENT TO BRITISH REPRESENTATIONS — EFFECT OF THE REPRISALS — BRAZILIAN DECREES — COMPLAINTS BY BRAZILIAN SENATORS AND DEPU- TIES — MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALD — " REVUE DES DEUX MONDES " 17

Chapter IV. The Story Of The Free Africans

H[STORICAL SKETCH — LORD ABERDEEN'S INQUIRIES, 1846— LORD IIOWDEN — SIR JAMES HUDSON — Mr.. CONSUL HESKETH's LIST OF 857 FREE AFRICANS, 1851 — MR. SOUTHERN — SIR HENRY HOWARD — MYSELF— LIST

OF 1,301 FREE AFRICANS, 1860— FREE AFRICANS OF ITAPURA WAGES

DUE TO THE FREE AFRICANS NOT TAID . 29

Contents. vii

Chapter V. The Aberdeen Act And Its Proposed Repeal

lord Aberdeen's notes before passing of the Aberdeen act — brazilian refusals of all proposals — annual importation of 70,000 slaves — aberdeen act, 1845 — defended bt sir robert peel and sir frederick thesiger, 1849 — lord aberdeen's, sir robert peel's, and lord palmerston's speeches, 1845 — lord brougham's speech of august 2, 1842 — his proposal to repeal the act, 1864 — lord Aberdeen's language of 1845 — his declarations in 1856 and 1858 — mr. seymour fitzgerald's speech in 1858— lord Aberdeen's private communications to lord malmesbury — me. osborne's misstatements . Paee 51

Chapter VI. Slavery In Brazil

recent statements that slavery is doomed in brazil — correspondent OF "DAILY NEWS "—THREE millions of slaves — national SLAVES — PRESENT PRICES — ADDRESS OF BRITISH AND FOREIGN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY TO EMPEROR OF BRAZIL — STATEMENTS OF SENHOR ANDRADA OF THE LATE BRAZILIAN LEGATION AND OF SENHOR ALMEIDA PORTUGAL — SEPARATION OF SLAVE FAMILIES BY SALE — "QUARTERLY REVIEW" ON BRAZIL — NO BEGINNING YET OF ABOLITION OF SLAVERY . 67

Chapter VII. Slavery In Brazil

SALE BY BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT BY AUCTION OF UNCLAIMED SLAVES ^SLAVES ILLEGALLY IMPORTED SINCE MARCH, 1830, AND THEIR CHILDREN — REJECTION OF LORD PALMERSTON'S^ROPOSAL OF 1850 FOR A MIXED COMMISSION TO EMANCIPATE THESE NEGROES — NEWSPAPER viii Contents.

'advertisements fob sale oe hire of such NEGROES — SIR H. Howard's and mi^ consul tereker's reports— Brazilian government DO NOTHING — STORY OF AN ENSLAVED FREE AFRICAN WOMAN AT BAHIA Page 80

Chapter VIII. Slavery Is Brazil

LORD MALMESBURY'S SUSPENSION OF SEIZURES IN BRAZILIAN PORTS AND WATERS, 1852 — HIS INSTRUCTIONS AS TO COASTING SLAVE TRAFFIC — SLAVE-TRADE SUPPRESSED UNDER ENGLISH PRESSURE — TESTIMONIES OF MR. SOUTHERN AND MESSRS. CANDLER AND BURGESS — SIR HENRY HOWARD, MR. JERNINGHAM, LORD CLARENDON, AND MR. SCARLETT ON COASTING SLAVE-TRADE — FIVE THOUSAND SLAVES ANNUALLY TAKEN FROM NORTHERN PROVINCES TO RIO — SCARCITY OF LABOUR IN THE NORTH — MR. BRIGHT ON SLAVERY IN THE CONFEDERATE STATES — CON- DEMNATIONS OF COASTING TRAFFIC BY BRAZILIAN STATESMEN — HORSEWHIPPING OF MOTHER AND SON BY A BRAZILIAN'S SLAVE AT JUIZ DA FORA, 1864 — LORD BROUGHAM ON SLAVERY 87

Chapter IX. Commercial Relations "with Brazil

LORD PALMERSTON CHARGED WITH SPITE TO BRAZIL — NEWSPAPERS IN EUROPE SUBSIDIZED BY BRAZIL— SECRET SERVICE EXPENDITURE OF £30,000 A YEAR — MR. CANNING'S POLICY — THE TREATY OF COM- MERCE OF 1827 — FIFTEEN PER CENT. MAXIMUM OF BRAZILIAN DUTIES ON ENGLISH IMPORTS — CONSULAR ADMINISTRATION OF ENGLISH INTES- TATE SUCCESSIONS — SIR HUGH CAIRNS AND BRITISH CLAIMANTS- EXCUSES FOR BRAZIL BY BRAZILIAN ADVOCATES— BRAZIL OBJECTS TO TREATIES OF COMMERCE WITH SUPERIOR NATIONS— HIGH IMPORT DUTIES AND SMUGGLING — CORRUPTION IN BRAZILIAN CUSTOM-HOUSES —MR. OSBORNE'S INFORMATION ABOUT BRAZIL .... JQ3

Contents. ix

Chapter X. Commercial Relations With Beazil

CONSULAR CONVENTIONS REFUSED TO ENGLAND AND AUSTRIA— ABSO- LUTE EQUALITY AND RECIPROCITY REQUIRED — COMPLAINTS OF BRITISH RESIDENTS IN BRAZIL AFTER EXPIRY OF TREATY OF COMMERCE IN 1844 — MR. GRIMSDITCH, MR. MILNER GIBSON, AND MR. BRIGHT, 1845 — BUENOS AIRES AND MOST SOUTH AMERICAN STATES HAVE GRANTED WHAT BRAZIL REFUSES — LORD KINGSDOWN's ACT, 1861 — PROPOSED OPENING OF AMAZON RIVER —CORRUPTION OF ORPHANS' COURTS IN BRAZIL— ORPHANS' COURT OF PIRAHY — MISREPRESENTATION OF AN OPINION OF SIR CRESSWELL CRESSWELL — PRESENT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN BRAZIL AND THE FIVE EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS WITH WHICH SHE HAS MADE CONSULAR CONVENTIONS . Page 117

Chapter XI. Commercial Relations With Brazil

STATISTICS OF COMMERCE WITH BRAZIL — INCREASE OF COMMERCE SINCE SUSPENSION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS — SIR HUGH CAIRNS— IMPROVE- MENT IN BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT SINCE THE REPRISALS — CHANGE OF COMMERCIAL POLICY NECESSARY IN BRAZIL — IMPORT AND EXPORT DUTIES — CUSTOMS REGULATIONS — ACTION OF SOME BRITISH SUBJECTS AGAINST THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT — STATEMENTS OF LORD BROUGHAM, LORD HOWDEN, SIR JAMES HUDSON, LORD PALMERSTON, AND MR. CONSUL COWPER — THE SECRETARY OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY . . 129

Chapter XII. British Claims On Brazil

CLAIMS CONVENTION OF JUNE 2, 1858 — BRITISH CLAIMS — BRAZILIAN CLAIMS AGAINST FINAL JUDGMENTS OF SLAVE-TRADE MIXED COMMISSIONS AND AGAINST ABERDEEN ACT — SUSPENSION OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMIS- SION — MY REMONSTRANCES AGAINST SUSPENSION — LAPSE OF COMMIS- SION — MY NOTE OF SEPTEMBER 11, 1860, NOT ANSWERED TILL NOVEMBER

: Contents*

1861 — THE BRAZILIAN REPLY EXAMINED — MY NOTES OF APRIL 14, 1862, NOT ANSWERED BEFORE THE SUSPENSION OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS — LORD RUSSELL'S COMPLAINT THEREOF, JUNE 6, 1863 . . Page 140

Chapter XIII

BRITISH CLAIMS ON BRAZIL. ' SIR HUGH CAIRNS AND MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALD.

SIR HUGHCAIRNS's STATEMENT, JULY 16, 1863 — MR. FITZGERALD'S, MARCH 6, 1863 — MR. FITZGERALD'S MISTAKES ABOUT GUATEMALA, MR. ELLIOT'S SPECIAL MISSION OF 1859 TO NAPLES, AND PARAGUAY — HIS IGNORANCE OF THE EMANCIPADO QUESTION— LORD JOHN MANNERS AND SIR JOHN PAKINGTON 155

Chapter XIV. Brazil, Buenos Aires, And Monte Video

TREATY OF 1828 FOR INDEPENDENCE OF MONTE VIDEO BY ENGLISH MEDIATION — DISPARAGEMENT OF BUENOS AIRES BY BRAZILIAN WRITERS— M. CHARLES REYBAUD — "QUARTERLY REVIEW " OF OCTOBER, 1860 — PRESENT DISPUTE BETWEEN BRAZIL AND MONTE VIDEO — "THE BRAZILIAN AGENT'S " MISREPRESENTATIONS AND INCONSISTENCIES — HIS LONDON CORRESPONDENCE IN THE " JORNAL DO COMMERCIO" — BRAZILIAN REPRISALS IN MONTE VIDEO, AND ENGLISH REPRISALS AT RIO — THE RIO GRANDENSES AND THEIR MILITIA — PLUNDER OF THE WRECK OF THE " PRINCE OF WALES," AND MURDER OF THE CREW . 163

Chapter XV. The Reprisals In Brazil

THE PORTUGUESE MEDIATION — THE "BRAZILIAN AGENT" CHARGES ME WITH INDISCRETION— LORD PALMERSTON'S AND LORD RUSSELL'S CON- TRARY OPINIONS— ARTICLE IN " QUARTERLY REVIEW " ON FOREIGN POLICY, APRIL, 1864 — ITS MISREPRESENTATIONS ON THE BRAZILIAN QUESTION — LORD ROBERT CECIL -,74

Contents. xi

Appendix

Extracts from " Correspondence with British Ministers and Agents in Foreign Countries and with Foreign Ministers in England, relating to the 1 Slave-trade. Class B. " Presented to Parliament.

No. I.

Mr. Hudson to Viscount Palmerston. August 5th, 1848.

GENERAL CORRUPTION OF CUSTOM-HOUSE OFFICERS AND LOSS OF REVENUE ASCRIBED TO THE SLAVE-TRADE — EFFECTS OF SLAVERY . . Page 183

No. II.

Mr. Hudson to Viscount Palmerston. October loth, 1848.

PROJECT OF LAW FOR REPEAL OF BRAZILIAN" LAW AGAINST SLAVE- TRADE — CONDUCT OF BRAZILIAN MINISTRY CONTRARY TO FORMER DECLARATIONS — INJURIOUS BEARING OF PROPOSED MEASURE ON AFRICANS ILLEGALLY IN SLAVERY 186

No. III.

Mr. Hudson to Viscount Palmerston. February iOth, 1850.

THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT COULD EASILY SUPPRESS THE SLAVE-TRADE IF IT CHOSE — EXECUTION OF ITS LAW8 WANTED . . ... 189

No. IV.

Mr. Hudson to Viscount Palmerston. February Wth, 1850.

MORAL AND ECONOMICAL EFFECTS OF SLAVE-TRADE AND SLAVERY — OPEN CONNIVANCE IN SLAVE-TRADE — NATIONAL DIGNITY . . . . 190 xii Contents.

No. V.

Viscount Palmerston to Mr. Hudson. April IZth, 1850.

CONTINUED VIOLATION BY THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT OF ITS TREATY- ENGAGEMENTS, AND MODERATION OF THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT.

No. VI.

Viscount Palmerston to Mr. Hudson. October 15th, 1850.

CANNOT TRUST TO BRAZILIAN PROMISES — FORCE ONLY WILL MAKE THEM SUPPRESS THE SLAVE-TRADE — DOUBTS THE POLICY OF THE PARTIAL SUSPENSION OF THE ORDER FOR CAPTURES OF SLAVERS IN BRAZILIAN PORTS AND WATERS WHICH MR. HUDSON HAD AGREED TO . . 193

No. VII.

Mr. Hudson to Viscount Palmerston. January Uth, 1851.

MR. HUDSON REVOKES THE SUSPENSION OF THE ORDER FOR CAPTURING SLAVERS IN BRAZILIAN PORTS AND RIVERS, WHICH HE HAD AGREED TO ON PROMISES FROM THE BRAZILIAN MINISTER, AND THE PRUDENCE OF WHICH LORD PALMERSTON HAD DOUBTED — HE ACCUSES THE BRAZILIAN MINISTRY OF BREACH OF FAITH 196

No. VIII.

Viscount Palmerston to Mr. Hudson. July 5th, 1851.

REPLY TO REFUSAL BY THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT TO APPOINT A MIXED COMMISSION TO EXAMINE AND FREE SLAVES HELD IN ILLEGAL SLAVERY — RIGHT OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT TO DEMAND THE FREEDOM OF SLAVES ILLEGALLY IMPORTED . 203

No. IX.

Mr. Southern to the Earl of Malmesbury. December 13th, 1852.

CASE OF A "FREE AFRICAN" WHO HAD SERVED SIXTEEN YEARS IN THE MILITARY ARSENAL WITHOUT ANY REMUNERATION 205

Contents. xiii

No. X.

Mr. Consul Cowper to the Earl of Malmesbury. May 6th, 1852.

COASTING TRAFFIC IN SLAVES — ITS CRUELTIES — TREATMENT OP SLAVES

in brazil Page 206

No. XI.

Mr. Howard to the Earl of Clarendon. January &th, 1854.

CONVERSATION WITH VISCOUNT PARANA ABOUT THE REPEAL OP THE " ABERDEEN ACT " 208

No. XII.

Mr. Howard to the Earl of Clarendon. January ith, 1854.

THE BRITISH CRUISERS AND RIGHT OF SEARCH NECESSARY TO AID THE BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES IN MAINTAINING THE DISCONTINUANCE OF THE SLAVE-TRADE 213

No. XIII.

The Earl of Clarendon to the Chevalier de Macedo. July 6th, 1854.

THE SLAVE-TRADE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED IN BRAZIL BUT FOR THE PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE "ABERDEEN ACT " — THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT CANNOT DISPENSE WITH THE AID OF THE BRITISH CRUISERS — ENCLOSES REPORT OF CONVERSATION OF MR. SOUTHERN WITH SENHOR PAULINO, ADDRESSED TO LORD MALMESBURY . . 214

No. XIV.

Mr. Howard to the Earl of Clarendon. August 10th, 1854.

DISADVANTAGES FOR ENGLISH RESIDENTS IN BRAZIL — CUSTOMS-TARIFF AND ADMINISTRATION OF INHERITANCES— GENERAL CONVICTION THAT THE SLAVE-TRADE WAS SUPPRESSED BY THE ACTION OP THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT 217 xiv Contents.

No. XV.

Mr. Howard to the Earl of Clarendon. August 12th, 1854.

PROJECT OP LAW FOE OBLIGING OWNERS OF SLAVES TO MAINTAIN THEM WHEN DISABLED BY AGE OR ILLNESS — COMMON PRACTICE OF FREEING SLAVES WHEN UNFIT FOR WORK . . .... Page 218

No. XVI.

Mr. Howard to the Earl of Clarendon. November 9th, 1854.

ADVERTISEMENTS IN NEWSPAPERS FOR SALE OF NEGROES ILLEGALLY SLAVES . . ....-■■• 219

No. XVII.

Mr. Howard to the Earl of Clarendon. May 28th, 1855.

BRAZILIAN STATEMENT AS TO THE EXTINCTION OF SLAVE-TRADE— REMISS- NESS OF BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE EMANCIPADOS . . 220

No. XVIII.

The Earl of Clarendon to Mr. Jerningham. January 9th, 1856.

CAUTION TO BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT THAT IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO REVIVE CAPTURES IN BRAZILIAN WATERS . . . 221

No. XIX.

The Earl of Clarendon to Mr. Jerningham. January 17th, 1856.

DISSATISFACTION WITH PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES IN THE CASE OF A LANDING OF SLAVES AT SERINHAEM . . . 222

No. XX.

Mr. Jerningham to the Earl of Clarendon. April 9th, 1856.

TREATMENT OF EMANCIPADOS IN GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT . . 223

No. XXI.

Mr. Jerningham to the Earl of Clarendon. September 11th, 1856.

COASTING TRAFFIC IN SLAVES FROM THE NORTHERN PROVINCES DANGERS

OF THE WANT OF LABOUR IN THE NORTH .... , 224

Contents. xv

No. XXII.

Mr. Scarlett to the Earl of Clarendon. December lift, 1856.

ACQUITTAL OP THOSE IMPLICATED IN THE SERINHAEM AFFAIR — THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE PROPOSES TO DISMISS THE JUDGES. Page 225

No. XXIII.

Mr. Scarlett to the Earl of Clarendon. April 1st, 1858.

COASTING TRAFFIC IN SLAVES ... .... 226

No. XXIV.

Mr. Christie to Lord J. Russell. August 27th, 1860.

ADMISSION BY LEADING BRAZILIAN STATESMEN IN 1860 THAT THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT HAD JUSTIFICATION FOR ITS FORMER PROCEED- , INGS, WHICH CAUSED THE SUPPRESSION OF THE SLAVE-TRADE . . 228

No. XXV.

Mr. Christie' to Lord John Russell. December 20ft, 1860.

DIFFICULTY OF OBTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT THE FREE AFRICANS — WAGES DUE TO THEM . . . 229

No. XXVI.

Mr. Christie to Earl Russell. November 12ft, 1862.

FREE AFRICANS TREATED AS SLAVES BY BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT — CANNOT GET INFORMATION .... . . 231

No. XXVII.

Mr. Christie to Earl Russell. December 15th, 1862.

RENEWED APPLICATION FOR ANSWER TO LONO-TjNANSWERED NOTES . 232

II. Note

" Cartas do Solitario " of Dr. A. C. Tavares Bastos.

The publication of this volume has been unexpectedly delayed till the beginning of 1865.

Since all that follows this note was in type, I have received from Rio de Janeiro the second and enlarged edition of the " Cartas do Solitario," of Dr. A. C. Tavares Bastos, published in December, 1863. The author of these " Hermit's Letters " was formerly an official in the Ministry of Marine ; he has been, and perhaps still is, a Deputy ; he has been lately, in 1864, since the publication of the work from which I am about to quote, appointed Secretary of Legation to the special mission to the Eiver Plate.

Dr. Tavares Bastos quotes in his work, from the Diario

do Bio, the same account of the difficulties in the way

of freedom for the emaneipados which, some months

later, was used in the House of Commons by Lord

Palmerston. He introduces his quotation with these

words : —

b

Note.

" In addition to what I have written on the delays in giving letters of freedom to the Africans who have completed the term of service, I will transcribe an article from the Diario do Rio de Janeiro, showing that it is not without innumerable formalities, without vexatious conditions, and without running the gauntlet of many departments, that the ' free African' succeeds in obtaining his emancipation."

And having transcribed the passage at length, the author observes : —

"The accusations of the philanthropic writer are unanswerable. The central government is the first to give the evil example of scandal. It is not scrupulous. It does not keep decency with the free Africans in the House of Correction, and banishes them to Itapura, to the Upper-Amazon, or to the famous iron-foundry of Matto Grosso. Its false position with reference to the English government inspires more and more serious apprehensions."

This was published by the Brazilian official writer in December, 1863, seven months before the speech of Lord Palmerston, of July 12, 1864, in which he produced the same account from the Dicvrio do Rio ; whereupon, six days after, on July 18, Mr. Osborne was instructed to speak as follows : —

" I now come to the most extraordinary statement that ever issued from the Treasury bench. It was said that

Note.

xix there were twenty requirements, without satisfying which no negro could obtain his freedom. I was puzzled to find where the document containing those requirements came from. It is well known that our agents and consuls abroad all know what the Foreign Office wishes, and they know the spite of the noble lord at the head of the government against Brazil, and these twenty requirements were forwarded in a despatch from Mr. Christie. But where did he get them from ? From any official document ? By no means. They are contained in an Opposition newspaper, which is a sort of half-Owl and half- Pwnch, and the object of publishing them was to ridicule the law's delays in Brazil. However, Mr. Christie was only too happy to see them in the newspaper, cuts them out and sends them to this country, and the noble lord, the Prime Minister, seriously produces them in this House as official (Hear, hear, and laughter). What would the noble lord say if he saw quoted in the Brazilian Chambers Punch's ' Essence of Parliament ' as authentic ? and yet that would be just an analogous proceeding (Hear)."

And Mr* Seymour Fitzgerald, following Mr. Osborne, also censured Lord Palmerston for having quoted what he described as a " squib in an Opposition [newspaper cut out by the Charge d Affaires."

I have referred at page 16 of the following work to a published statement of Dr. Octaviano, a Brazilian Deputy, of the Liberal party, praising the tone of my notes to

XX

Note.

the Brazilian government on the subject of the emandpados. Dr. Tavares Bastos, in his work, quotes at length the testimony of Dr. Octaviano, published in July, 1862, and containing the following passage : —

" It is right to say that the notes of the English Legation to our government and its despatches addressed to Lord Russell breathe always the greatest cordiality and the desire of arriving at solutions favourable to the Africans, without, however, creating embarrassments for Brazil. This amicable mode of proceeding, which was, indeed, spontaneously initiated by Mr. Christie, was afterwards expressly recommended by Lord Russell."

Dr. Tavares Bastos speaks also of the coasting traffic in slaves, which is treated of in Chapter VIII. of the following work, and which has' been defended by the "Brazilian agent" in his character of "Friend to both Countries." The Brazilian author of the " Cartas do Solitario" speaks of it as an abomination. "It is," he says, " in any case undeniable that there is nothing more barbarous than this traffic, which tramples under foot all the respect due to the ties of family and the requirements of decency."

These are statements of a Brazilian Deputy and official, which cannot be disposed of by charging Lord Palmerston or myself with spite and hostility to Brazil.

W. D. C.

Jtmuary 1, 1865.

Introduction

ADDEESSED TO VISCOUNT PALMEESTOK

origin of the work — the brazilian agent — misrepresentations in "daily news" about reprisals — the rio correspondent of the " daily news " — honourable conduct of the editor of the ' ' daily news" — emancipados — recent proceedings of the brazilian government for their benefit — good effect of reprisals and lord palmbrston's speech of july 12— former inattention to sir james hudson's and my representations — lord palmerston*s and sir james Hudson's former advice to brazil on national dignity — sir james Hudson's language to" and of Brazilian government — slavery in brazil and its inevitable effects— sir william ouseley and mr. consul vredenbitrg — sale of infants by nurses of rio foundling-hospital for slavery — mr. cobden and mr. bright on brazil— mr. milner gibson and mr. h.utt formerly misinformed about the brazilian government and slave-trade — mr. roebuck's motion of may, 1857— arts of brazilian agents — misrepresentations, contradictions, and calumnies — delusions about brazil in england from systematic misrepresentation — influence of great capitalists — "edinburgh review" — lord russell and lord palmerston on repeal of the "aber- DEEN ACT."

My deak Lord Palmerston,

I venture to preface this publication with some introductory remarks addressed to you. I do so without asking your permission, and you will not see or know of what I write till it is published. Your lordship, therefore, is entirely free from responsibility for this publication.

Otherwise, I hope your lordship will not object to the association of your name with this publication, made by one whom you introduced into the diplomatic service, and xxii Introduction.

have constantly honoured with your kindness and friendship ; and I am anxious to hare the aid of your name for engaging public attention to a subject in which I know that you feel a deep interest, and about which unfortunately great ignorance, indifference, and prejudice prevail in this country.

The following chapters are in the main letters which appeared in the Daily News from July 2 to October 5, with the signature " C." This newspaper had for a long time systematically attacked and misrepresented the policy and acts of Her Majesty's government as to Brazil, and been the vehicle of incorrect accounts of that Empire. It led the way in attacking Her Majesty's government and myself, their agent, for the reprisals of January, 1863, and the elaborate misrepresentations which appeared in its columns greatly contributed to the general misleading of opinion. It was well known to me, indeed it is notorious to every one connected with Brazil, that the misleader of the Daily News, whose operations and misleading influence were, however, by no means confined to that newspaper, was a virtual agent of the Brazilian Legation. Your Lordship, in alluding in the House of Commons to this " Brazilian agent," declined to mention his name ; and I shall follow your example. But his name is no secret at Rio de Janeiro or among London merchants connected with Brazil. It is enough to say that he is a member of the Reform Club, who has been for many years in the closest relations with the Brazilian Legation in London and London Brazilian Companies, and is the paid correspondent of the chief journal of Rio de Janeiro, the Jornal do Commercio, the Editor

The Brazilian Agent. xxiii

of which has lately declared in its columns that its London correspondent had inspired all the speeches in both Houses of Parliament, and all the chief articles of the English journals, in favour of Brazil in connexion with the question of the reprisals. I take the opportunity of mentioning and exposing a few of the studied misrepresentations which appeared in the Daily News as to my own conduct about the reprisals.

" The correspondence shows that Earl Russell, in issuing instructions to Mr. Christie, expressly gave him authority to make another reference to Her Majesty's government concerning the response that might be made to his ultimatum before resorting to reprisals, and that Mr. Christie, concealing that authority from the Marquis of Abrantes, preferred the abuse to the use of those instructions." {Daily News, February 23, 1863.)

Lord Russell instructed me as follows, November 4th, 1862 : "Her Majesty's government are very reluctant to proceed to extreme measures against Brazil but as a last resource, and any proposal on her part for arbitration on the questions at issue may be referred to Her Majesty's government." That is, I was told that I might, not must, refer to Her Majesty's government any proposal made by the Brazilian Ministry for arbitration. They made none. I was not told to refer any and every answer to Her Majesty's government, and I was not told to communicate to the Marquis of Abrantes the readiness of Her Majesty's government to consider a proposal of arbitration. That would have been equivalent to telling me to propose arbitration myself. Mr. Layard observed in his speech, March 6th, 1863: "It was not for the party who dexxiv Introduction.

manded redress, but for the party of whom it was asked, to offer arbitration." Lord Russell also said in the House of Lords, June 19, 1863 : " Mr. Christie was not told to make an offer of arbitration, because I did not think that it lay with Her Majesty's government to make it. If we had made such an offer, the Brazilian government might have said in its evasive way, ' This shows that you are not confident of your case,' and they would have tried some further delays." I need not say that, if arbitration had been proposed to me, I should have acted on Lord Russell's permission to forward the proposal to him, treating it indeed as an order; but it escaped the interested critic that, in the absence of any such proposal from the Brazilian government, I might have believed that they were going to yield, and should, in that case, by suggesting arbitration have prevented their doing so. It is fully explained in my published despatches to Lord Russell that I had made known to the Brazilian Minister that the great heat of the season, and the beginning of illness in the crews of Her Majesty's ships detained at Rio for this business, made it my duty to do everything in my power to prevent unnecessary delay. (See my despatches to Lord Russell, December 8 and 24, 1862, and my note to the Marquis of Abrantes of December 30.)

"Brazil has submitted to pay under protest such damages as the Foreign Office may assess, and that submission under duresse Mr. Christie, with a perversion of all sense of justice and moral sense, warned the Brazilian government might aggravate the amount of the assessment. Lord Russell, however, gave no sanction to

Misrepresentations in "Daily Netvs." xxv

this monstrous doctrine of Mr. Christie, hut, practically rebuking his extravagance and spite, tells him, ' the sum to be fixed as indemnity will be based upon the most accurate estimate that Her Majesty's government can form.' " (Daily News, February 23, 1863.)

It is quite clear from the correspondence that I never . said anything of the sort to the Brazilian government, and that Lord Russell did only what I left it to his Lordship to do. Having urged the Brazilian government to refer the questions of their responsibility and of the amount of indemnity in the " Prince of Wales " case to arbitration, and the Brazilian government declining to do so, and preferring to pay under protest, I wrote to the Marquis of Abrantes : — ,

" The force of a protest against responsibility cannot, I think, but be weakened by a refusal to submit the point to arbitration ; but at any rate Her Majesty's government cannot be open to any imputation of indelicacy in .taking on themselves to fix, as they are requested to do, the amount of compensation." (January 5, 1863.)

I thus explained to Lord Russell that I proposed to leave it to his Lordship to fix the sum : —

The Brazilian government had declared their readiness to pay immediately under protest whatever sum I or Her Majesty's government might demand in the affair of the "Prince of Wales." I voluntarily proposed that they should oblige themselves to pay whatever Her Majesty's government might demand. I was not able myself to fix the sum, and could only have named a sum large enough to cover all contingencies, which would have been invidious, and I wished to show perfect confidence in the honour of the Brazilian government on this point." (January 8, 1863.)

xxvi Introduction.

I think that none but a "Brazilian agent" could pretend to see any extravagance or spite in the above.

" A deep censure on Mr. Christie's note as to the "Forte" is involved in this reference to the King of the Belgians. For so confident in the justice of its case in that matter did the Brazilian government feel, that it proposed to. constitute the British government itself the arbitrator to judge and decide on the whole case. But that did not suit Mr. Christie, he rejected the proposed reference to his own government. He resorted to reprisals, and then, when effectually frightened by the storm his conduct had raised, he accepted the arbitration of another government on a single point of the case." (Daily News, February 23, 1863.)

The Brazilian government did not propose to make the English government arbitrator ; they proposed to instruct their Minister in London to treat the question with the English Cabinet. If the Brazilian government had said that their Minister would be instructed to agree to whatever the English government demanded, the question would have been at once settled, but this of course they did not say. The Brazilian government was not likely to propose to make its own adversary " arbitrator " ; malice only could have so far blinded the critic that he should emit so ridiculous an idea. The Brazilian government not having proposed arbitration before the reprisals, I took on myself the responsibility of suggesting it soon after they had been begun. Your lordship and Lord Russell regarded this step of mine as a proof of conciliatory conduct ; the "Brazilian agent" asserts that I was frightened. My suggestion, however, led to proposals from the Brazilian

Rio Correspondent of " Daily News." xxvii

government of payment in the case of the "Prince of Wales," and arbitration in the case of the " Forte," which, I felt, justified me in stopping reprisals and restoring the vessels which had been captured, while I referred the proposals to Her Majesty's government ; and if the Brazilian governmeut had adhered to their agreement with me, which Her Majesty's government accepted, the whole question would have been long since settled. The subsequent demand of satisfaction and pecuniary indemnity, ending in the withdrawal of the Brazilian Minister from London, was a departure from the agreement made with me by the Marquis of Abrantes, under which I stopped reprisals and restored the captured vessels.

The Daily News has also had a " correspondent " at Rio de Janeiro, of whom I will say a word. The tone of his letters sufficiently reveals to those acquainted with Brazilian matters Brazilian influences ; and he is known to be a person, closely connected with the bank of Viscount Souto, which has lately failed. This person last year was in England, and wrote some letters in the newspapers signed with his name. The accuracy of his anonymous letters in the Daily Neivs may be judged by his misstatements when he puts his name to an epistle. On June 22d, 1863, he addressed a letter to the Editor of the Morning Herald, which appeared in that journal on the 23d, and which was written in consequence of Lord Russell's speech in the House of Lords of June 19th, warning Lord Russell against the danger to lives and properties of Englishmen in Brazil from a persistence in his policy, and recounting the perils, which, he said, had been dreaded, but which were not realized, when the xxviii Introduction.

reprisals were made in January, 1863. " Mr. Christie can himself inform Lord Russell," said this accurate gentle-' man, "that he judged it necessary to have an armed cutter belonging to the ' Forte ' at his orders, stationed at the back of the Hotel dos Estrangeiros where he resided, and to ask the Brazilian government for a detachment of infantry for his own protection, which was granted." Both these statements about me are absolutely untrue. The origin of the story of the "armed cutter" I cannot conceive ; it is entirely without foundation. It is equally untrue that I asked for a detachment of infantry. It is true that the Brazilian government placed a guard near my residence ; I stated this to Lord Russell in my published despatch of January 8th, 1863, but I also stated that the Brazilian government did this " without any application direct or indirect from me, and without any communication with me." I am by no means satisfied that there was any danger. Great attempts were made to terrify me. I had so little fear, though I was receiving anonymous letters threatening assassination, and though the official journal was directing indignation against me personally and fixing ou me personal responsibility, that I walked out every evening either alone or with a single companion, and without arms. It has since been the game of the Brazilian agents to accuse me of grave indiscretion, and to support this accusation by asserting the immense danger to which I exposed the lives and properties of Her Majesty's suh^ jects. I thought I knew Brazil well enough to feel satisfied that there was no danger for them ; and the result was that, with a great deal of spurious agitation, and many vain attempts to frighten me by magnified representa-