Mr. Adams to Mr.
Blaine.
Legation of
the United States,
Rio de
Janiero, December 6, 1889.
(Received January 2, 1890.)
No. 23.]
Sir: I have the honor to continue my report on the
progress of events relating to the change of Government.
On November 25 I cabled the Department a list of the Governments which had
recognized the Provisional Government to that date. Later
[Page 67]
Switzerland, France, and the Pope recognized
also. On the 9th the European powers unofficially resumed diplomatic
relations, excepting Austria, who gave in her adherence to-day.
On November 25, seeing a statement that the Government proposed abolishing
the requirement of passports for foreigners, I addressed a letter to the
secretary of exterior relations, a copy of which is inclosed.
On November 26 a reply was received to my letter of the 20th, transmitting
the instructions of the Department by cable to maintain diplomatic
relations. A translation of reply is inclosed. In pursuance thereof I had
the honor to call at the hour appointed on the secretary of exterior
relations. A most agreeable and cordial interview ensued, in which he
expressed the profound appreciation of the friendly attitude of the United
States towards the effort to establish a republican form of government in
Brazil.
On December 1, I received Department’s cable of November 30. As soon as
opportunity offers, the instructions thereof will be cheerfully carried out.
I inclose a translation of decree No. 7, which will give some idea of the
measures adopted. In a recent decree, a commission of four was established
to draught a constitution. No word of an election is heard for delegates to
an assembly.
On Wednesday, November 28, the United States frigate Richmond arrived in port. I had been requested by the English
minister and by some excited American citizens to request the presence of a
war ship. But as there was no necessity and the fever had already shown
itself in Bio I saw no reason to do so. The Richmond
sailed for Bahia on the 5th instant.
I am, etc.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 23.]
Mr. Adams to Mr.
Bocayuva.
Legation of the United States,
Petropolis, November 25,
1889.
Sir: I see it stated that the Provisional
Government contemplates dispensing with, the requirement that foreigners
must procure passports before leaving Brazil. Allow me to express the
hope to your excellency that the Government may accomplish this i
proposed measure of relief I know of nothing that would tend to
facilitate more the trade of the ports of Brazil than this free entrance
and exit of the merchants of other countries, many of whom now are often
harassed by the delay caused in procuring passports and the necessary
vise”; sometimes to the extent of missing their; steamers.
The extension of this liberty to foreigners would be in harmony with the
spirit of freedom that has so recently overspread your beautiful
country.
With expressions, etc.,
[Inclosure 2 in No.
23.—Translation.]
Decree.
The Provisional Government of the Republic of the United States of Brazil
decrees:
- Article I. All provisional
assemblies, created by law of 12th October, 1832, and 12th
August, 1834, are hereby dissolved.
- Art. II. Until the adoption of a
definite constitution by the United States of Brazil, the
following attributions shall belong to the governors of states:
- Section 1. To establish the
civil, judicial, and ecclesiastical divisions of their
respective states and order the removal of the capital
to the most convenient place.
- Sec. 2. To provide for the
public instruction houses of public instruction, and in
general promote instruction in all its grades.
- Sec. 3. To determine the cases
and regulate the form of disappropriation of private
property condemned for the use of the state, in the
states wherein the subject may not be already regulated
by law.
- Sec. 4. To fix the public
expense of the state and lay and collect the taxes that
may be necessary, which must not, however, prejudice in
anyway the general imposts of the United States “of
Brazil.
- Sec. 5. To fiscalize the
employment of the public revenues of the state and the
accounts of the same.
- Sec. 6. To create public
offices, appoint officials and establish their
salaries.
- Sec. 7. To decree public works
and provide roads and navigation in the interior of the
state, the construction of prisons, labor, discipline,
and regulation of the same, houses of public aid as well
as any political or religious societies.
- Sec. 8. To create the police
force that may [be] absolutely necessary, and provide
for their enlistment, organization, and discipline, in
accordance with the Federal Government.
- Sec. 9. To nominate, suspend,
and dismiss public employés of the respective states,
excepting only life magistrates, who may be suspended in
order to be duly tried and punished, having recourse to
the General Government.
- Sec. 10. To contract loans and
regulate the payment of interest and their amortization
dependent upon the approval of the General
Government.
- Sec. 11. To regulate the
administration of state property and authorize the sale
of such as is to be sold.
- Sec. 12. To promote the
organization of the statistics of the state, instruction
and civilization of the Indians, and to establish
colonies.
- Sec. 13. To make
representations to the Federal Government against the
laws, resolutions, and acts of the other states that may
be injurious to their respective states.
- Art. III. The Provisional Federal
Government reserves to itself the right to restrict, amplify,
and suppress any of the attributions that may be conferred on
the provisional governors of states, or to change them, as may
be most convenient, in the actual period of national
reconstruction for the public good and for the peace and right
of the people.
Hall of the sessions of the Provisional
Government of the Republic of the United States of
Brazil, November 20, 1889.
- Marechal Manoel Deodoro da
Fonseca,
Chief of the
Provisional Government.
- Aristides da Silveira
Lobo.
[Inclosure 3 in No.
23.—Translation.]
Mr. Bocayuva to Mr.
Adams.
Ministry of Foreign Relations,
Rio de Janeiro, November 26,
1889.
I received in due time the note that Mr. Robert Adams, jr., envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of
America was pleased to address me on the 20th current month, informing
me that his Government had ordered him by telegraph to maintain
diplomatic relations with the Provisional Government of the United
States of Brazil. This Government received so important a communication
with the greatest pleasure, and believes with your excellency that the
circumstance of this country having adopted the republican form of
government will certainly contribute to the strengthening, if possible,
of the already cordial relations existing between this country and the
United States of America.
I beg your excellency to excuse the delay of this reply which I could not
give without telling you when the chief of the Provisional Government
would have the satisfaction of receiving your excellency.
Unfortunately, the state of his health will not permit this for the
present.
I shall be happy to inform you when this may be possible.
As to myself, Mr. Adams will find me at his orders in this secretary’s
office of state, on Thursday, the 28th of the current month, at 1
o’clock p.m.
With pleasure I take advantage, etc.
