Sailing from Maranham on the 20th of September, the Pedro Primiero arrived at Rio de Janeiro on the 9th of November—the Emperor doing me the honour to come on board to welcome me. I immediately forwarded to the Minister of Marine a recapitulation of all transactions since my departure seven months before; viz. the evacuation of Bahia by the Portuguese in consequence of our nocturnal visit, connected with the dread of my reputed skill in the use of fireships, as arising from the affair of Basque Roads; the pursuit of their fleet beyond the Equator, and the dispersion of its convoy; the capture and disabling of the transports filled with troops intended to maintain Portuguese domination in Maranham and Parà; the device adopted to obtain the surrender to the Pedro Primiero alone of the enemy's naval and military forces at Maranham; the capitulation of Parà with the ships of war to my summons sent by Captain Grenfell; the deliverance of the Brazilian patriots whom the Portuguese had imprisoned; the declaration of independence by the intermediate provinces thus liberated, and their union with the empire; the appointment of Provisional Governments; the embarkation and final departure of every Portuguese soldier from Brazil; and the enthusiasm with which all my measures—though unauthorised and therefore extra official—- had been received by the people of the Northern provinces, who—thus relieved from the dread of further oppression—had everywhere acknowledged and proclaimed His Imperial Majesty "Constitutional Emperor."
The powers which I had taken upon myself to exercise during this eventful period, were, no doubt; in excess of those conferred by my orders, but, knowing that everything depended upon the annexation and pacification of the Northern provinces by the expulsion of the enemy—setting aside my own interests—I considered it better for the welfare of the empire to exceed my instructions, than to entail the continuance of civil war by confining my operations within their scope. In the exercise of this self-imposed duty it may be said that I had also exercised Imperial functions, but this was only in the unavoidable absence of Imperial instructions, which it was my constant endeavour to anticipate rather than to exceed; that I judged and acted rightly, the elevation to the title of Marquis of Maranhaõ, before reaching Rio de Janeiro—the vote of thanks of the legislature, and the warm acknowledgment of His Imperial Majesty on landing, sufficiently testify. In addition to the gracious reception accorded by His Majesty, I received from his own hands a decoration of the Imperial Order of the Cruizeiro, and, though a foreigner, was subsequently nominated to the high office of Privy Councillor—the greatest honour in the Imperial gift to bestow.
During my absence from Rio de Janeiro, Lady Cochrane—ignorant of my having quitted Chili—was on her way to rejoin me at Valparaiso, but the vessel in which she embarked, having fortunately put into Rio de Janeiro, she was at once made acquainted with my change of service, and remained in the capital till my return. The most hospitable attention was paid to her by the Royal family, the Empress conferring upon her the appointment of Lady of Honour to Her Majesty. The relief to my mind on finding Lady Cochrane at Rio de Janeiro was very great, for, as there had not been opportunity to apprise her of my departure from Chili in time to prevent her return thither, it had been a constant source of regret to me that she would have to endure the discomfort of two tedious voyages round Cape Horn before she could join me in Brazil. The fortunate circumstance of putting into Rio happily terminated the embarrassment.
CHAPTER V.
FIRST EFFORT 10 CURTAIL THE IMPERIAL POWER—PORTUGUESE
INTRIGUE—DISMISSAL Of THE ANDRADAS—THE ASSEMBLY DISSOLVED BY
FORCE—EXILE OF THE ANDRADAS—LETTER TO HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY—MY ADVICE
PARTLY ADOPTED—AND CAUSES MINISTERIAL ENMITY TOWARDS ME—RATIFICATION
Of MY PATENT—I DEMAND THE ADJUDICATION OF PRIZES—LETTER TO THE
MINISTER OF MARINE—OFFER OF PERSONAL ADVANTAGE TO FOREIGN
CLAIMS—SQUADRON REMAINED UNPAID—I AM APPOINTED A PRIVY COUNCILLOR—THE
PRIZE VESSELS PLUNDERED—SHAMEFUL TREATMENT OF CAPTAIN
GRENFELL—TROUBLES IN PERNAMBUCO—HOSTILITY OF THE PRIZE
TRIBUNAL—CONDEMNS ME TO THE RESTITUTION OF PRIZES—FORBIDS MAKING ANY
CAPTURES AT ALL.
Shortly before returning to Rio de Janeiro, a total change had taken place in the administration of which José Bonifacio de Andrada was the head. As that minister's views were patriotic, he was, in consequence, obnoxious to the Portuguese faction, which had made one or two unsuccessful efforts to supplant him, these only serving to confirm his power amongst the people, who justly appreciated his leadership in the cause of independence. Becoming, thus, more confident in his position, he was accused, whether rightly or wrongly, of intolerance towards persons who were plotting against him, though, even if the accusation were true, he was scarcely to blame for discountenancing those whose chief aim was to paralyse the independence they were unable to prevent.
On the proclamation of the Empire, two influential Portuguese, in the Assembly, endeavoured to impose a condition on the Emperor that, before ascending the throne, he should make oath to a constitution framed by the Constituent Assembly alone, thus reducing His Majesty to a cypher in the hands of the legislature. The proposition was plausible enough to those who were anticipating power, but it gave rise to such dissensions, that Bonifacio de Andrada and his brother sent in their resignations, which, under these difficult circumstances, were accepted by the Emperor.
A violent tumult amongst the people was the immediate consequence, and His Majesty was induced to recall the patriotic Andradas to the cabinet—they however, refusing to resume their functions, unless their Portuguese opponents were banished; to this the Emperor assented, and the Andradas returned to office amidst the plaudits of the populace, who drew the carriage of José de Andrada in triumph into the town.
As might have been expected, less tolerance was manifested by the triumphant ministers than before, this just but perhaps impolitic course being eagerly seized on by the Portuguese faction to excite the apprehension of the patriots, who were somewhat dissatisfied by the revival of what were considered feudal usages; above all, by the creation of an Imperial Guard of Honour, selected from the youth of the principal families, who were required to take an oath "of implicit obedience to His Majesty"—this act being especially represented by the adverse faction as evincing a tendency to absolutism.
On the 20th of June, 1823, a project of law had been laid before the Assembly, for the expulsion of all Portuguese deemed hostile to the cause of the empire. This measure might have originated with the Andradas, or not; it was certainly defended in the Assembly by Antonio Andrada. The Portuguese party, alarmed by the still impending danger, formed a coalition with the Brazilian party, to eject the Andradas from the ministry, and having, during a severe illness of the Emperor, gained the ascendancy, the now obnoxious ministers were dismissed; and—though the patriots had not calculated thereon—were succeeded by the leaders of the Portuguese faction itself, who, to the regret of all true Brazilians, effected an immediate change of policy in the Government.