No further news has been received from Brazil as to
any insurrection, or as to the general condition of public opinion. The Government, in fact, appears to control all sources of information, the Press being silent or laudatory ; resident correspondents dumb, lest hostile correspondence should be traced to them ; and even the Captains of American steamers exceedingly cautious if they intend to return. No full account of the events of December 18th, for example, has yet reached Europe ; and, indeed, nothing does reach it, except an occa- sional decree from the Provisional Government. The latest proclamation orders the separation of Church and State, and we presume the further cessation of all further payments to the clergy from the Budget. The amount is not great, £90,000 a year; and Rome may not be sorry to regain its patronage of the Episcopal Sees, which have hitherto been filled by the Emperor with the consent of the Pope. But the order will greatly affect the position of the Church ; and it is clearly one which ought not to have been issued without the consent of the Representatives. The idea seems to be that when the Con- vention meets, it will confirm all the decrees of the dictator- ship as "accomplished facts," and proceed to legislate upon the new basis.
