No. 69.
Mr. Partridge to Mr. Fish.
United
States Legation,
Rio de
Janeiro, March 23, 1875.
(Received April 21.)
No. 243.]Sir: On the 16th March the extra session of the
legislative assembly was opened by the Emperor with the usual speech from
the throne, in which he declared that the motive of their being called
together before the usual time was the necessity of passing the
appropriation bills and of establishing the electoral reform.
Up to this time nothing has been done, notwithstanding this extreme urgency,
and there is barely a quorum of members present in the city, for which
number they have frequently to wait before opening the session; and, as it
is often found when a vote is to be taken a number suddenly disappear, the
vote has to be adjourned until next day.
It seems there is no mode of compelling the attendance of members, and the
delays are so many, that the regular progress of every measure is
exceedingly slow and wearisome, while any very important and vital measure,
upon which very often discussion might be useful, is, upon occasions and an
unusual attendance of the party in power, thrust through without alarming
discoveries.
[Page 108]
There are very many important matters claiming regulation or legislation,
such as the export-duty rate, the assistance to the railways, and
agricultural-advance banks; but nothing has been said on these matters.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure in No.
243.—Translation.]
Speech of the Emperor at the opening of the
legislative chambers March 16, 1875.
August and Most Worthy Representatives: The
urgency of the laws for appropriations and the electoral reform, which
could not be passed at the last session, has compelled this extra
session, which will again give proof of your solicitude for the
country.
Public order was disturbed at some places in the interior of the four
northern provinces. Gatherings of seditious persons, moved by religious
fanaticism and prejudices against the new system of weights and
measures, attacked some of the towns, destroying the public records and
the new standards.
Happily this criminal attempt was promptly suppressed, the public
authorities being assisted by the most prominent citizens in those
places.
The health of the country has been better than during the preceding
year.
Our foreign relations remain unchanged. The boundary-line between the
empire and the republic of Paraguay has been finally marked, and postal
conventions have been ratified with Germany, Italy, France, and
Belgium.
August and Worthy Representatives: Always upheld by a complete trust in
the protection of the Almighty, and with full confidence in your
enlightened devotion, I look to the meeting of the general assembly for
those measures which may insure the prosperity of our country.
The extraordinary session is opened.
DOM PEDRO II,
Constitutional Emperor,
&c.
