No. 36.
Mr. Partridge to Mr. Fish.
(Petropolis,) Rio de Janeiro, April 23, 1873. (Rec’d May 21.)
Sir: The yellow fever has not yet entirely disappeared from Rio, where, a day or two since, I found the weather still warm, even after a week of cooler temperature which had much diminished the mortality. There are but few cases, however, now, in comparison with what has been, and it may be hoped that in a fortnight it will have disappeared.
The senate still continues its sessions, but the house of deputies has adjourned until the 29th of April, when the session will close, and a new one be opened on the 3d of May. By this ingenious mode the members of both bodies have contrived to double their allowance for the present [Page 97] year, the pay being, senators $4,500, and deputies $3,000, per session, of which there is ordinarily only one each year, lasting from May till September.
At a late election (20th April) in the city of Rio, for a deputy to rill a vacancy, the government’s (Rio Branco) candidate was defeated, and a liberal, Brigadier-General Pinheiro Guimaraes, returned. This is hailed by the extreme conservatives with peculiar delight, as the city of Rio has almost always elected men of that party. But, on this occasion, they joined hands with the liberals and republicans to defeat the government.
The Emperor has regained his health, but cannot walk out yet. The princess imperial and her husband (Comte d’En) went to Europe on the French packet of the 17th, to be absent at least eighteen months. In connection with this voyage several rumors have been spread that, finding a difficulty in having permission to go, (from apprehension of any accident to the Emperor’s life, whom she is expected by some to succeed,) the princess had declared that, rather than remain, she would abdicate her right of succession in favor of her nephews, the children of her late sister; that her husband was unwilling to return and reside in Brazil; and that she would prefer to remain with him in Europe.
These rumors, or the reasons given, are only noticeable because they show what may be perhaps suspected by the princess and her husband, as well as by others, as likely to occur in such a contingency.
Meantime, “A Republica,” a daily newspaper in Rio, after having had its office attacked by a mob, as stated in my No. 99, has resumed its publication. Its language and tone is so extreme, however, that it has not half the hearing given “A Reform,” the liberal journal, which does not yet call itself republican.
The coming crop of coffee (now gathering for market after July 1) is said to be a very short one. There will be no loss, however, in value, for the prices in Rio are higher than ever before. It is remarkable that within the last months the price here has been kept up by the markets in the north of Europe instead of by those in the United States. It is probable that the change from spirit-ration in the Russian army to coffee has a good deal to do with this.
I have, &c.,