It is an error to say that no stroke was
struck for the Emperor of Brazil. As soon (November 17th) as the news reached Maranhao, the capital of the province of that name, the Negroes at once rose in defence of "Dom Pedro, who set us free." They mustered three thousand men, but they only ventured to attack the office of the newspaper, the Globe, which had printed the intelligence without comment. The office was defended by seventeen soldiers, who, after the Negroes had killed two of them with pistol-shots, poured in a volley from their Remingtons which prostrated twenty-three of the assailants, eight being killed at once. The remainder of the crowd turned and fled, and since then order has not been disturbed in Maranhao, which is, however, governed by the soldiers. The gratitude of the Negro for freedom, his readiness to appeal to force, and his incapacity for organisation, are all visible in that momentary emeute, daring which, according to the correspondent of the New York Herald, the white citizens all disappeared, leaving the maintenance of order, even as against excited Negroes, to the few soldiers only. Maranhao contains altogether thirty-six thousand people. According to the latest intelligence, there has been no general rising anywhere of any class against the Republic ; but it is known in Lisbon that the province of San Paulo has rejected the Governor appointed, that a squadron has been sent to Bahia to overawe that city, and that Rio Grande do Sul is expressing a discontent not yet translated into action.
Previous page
