Maranham, March 16th, 1825.
MOST EXCELLENT SIR,
I have to offer your Excellency many thanks for your kind letter, informing me, by anticipation, 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 Parà, 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 MARANHAÕ.
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 assumption 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 constitution 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.