No. 58.
Mr. Partridge to Mr. Fish.
Rio de Janeiro, October 24, 1874. (Received Nov. 21.)
Sir: The news from the river Plate of the civil war in the Argentine republic, now led by General Mitre, has been the chief matter of interest here lately, and since, the wordy debates and “discursos” of the chamber have ceased. Our information as to the progress of the revolution is unreliable and uncertain, notwithstanding our telegraph; and the news of one day is frequently contradicted on the next morning. But as commercial movements hence to Buenos Ayres are active, much interest is felt in the condition of things in a place where large Brazilian interests are concerned. It is impossible not to see also that Brazilians look upon the misfortune of their neighbors with complacency at least, and that it is regarded by very many even with satisfaction. “This is the people,” they say to themselves, “which is continually threatening us with war and extermination, and an extinction of monarchy, and to drive us from our province of Matto Grosso, and to abolish our prestige in South America, and to extinguish us in Paraguay: and yet they cannot keep their own dwelling from being on fire!” Even those few Brazilians who look upon this calamity of the Argentines with neither complacency nor satisfaction, find great relief from whatever sorrow it may cause them in the reflection that their neighbors will now have enough fighting to do at home and with each other, and can afford to let Brazil alone, for a while at least.
From the provinces of the empire we have reports of continued quiet, except from Pará, where there has been some disorder in one district, and an outbreak with violence against foreigners, chiefly Portuguese, some of whom have been murdered. At last accounts, however, these disturbances had ceased, and quiet is again restored in the province of San-Pedro-do-Sul, where some religious fanatics, followers of one Maurer, a German colonist, had disturbed the public peace.
The Emperor has been visiting and opening some new lines of railway just extended to the neighboring provinces, has inaugurated the [Page 92] new dock at the navy-yard here, and attended the dedication of some new edifices intended for public schools.
The general prosperity of the empire is uninterrupted, and the planters are still busy with the coffee-crop, which has been unusually abundant, as well as of very good quality. Indeed, it may safely be said that when in Brazil, as now, and even generally, there occurs nothing of interest that deserves to be reported, it is because the great mass of the people here take no interest in political occurrences; and since there is no question of succession or election to the throne, people find it more to their advantage to devote their attention to commercial and industrial enterprises. These are going on, and successfully, not so rapidly as in the United States, but the country is steadily and surely, although slowly, progressing.
I am, &c.,