out the
whole country.

Constitution of 1824.

Republican movements now began to spread, to suppress which the
authorities made use of the Portuguese remaining in the country; and the
disposition of the emperor to consider these as his firmest supporters
much influenced the course of his government and his future destiny. The
two Andradas, who imagined they could govern the young emperor as a
sovereign of their own creation, encountered great opposition in the
constitutional assembly, which had been opened in Rio in May 1823, to
discuss the project of a new constitution. In July the emperor resolved
to dismiss them and form a new ministry, but against this the brothers
raised a violent opposition. In November the emperor put an end to the
angry debates which ensued in the assembly by dissolving it, exiling
the Andradas to France, and convoking a new assembly to deliberate on a
proposed constitution more liberal than the former project. The
proclamation of a republic in the provinces of Pernambuco and Ceara,
with the rebellion of the Cisplatina province, favoured by Buenos Aires
and its ultimate loss to Brazil, were the result of the _coup d'etat_ of
November 1823. The Brazilians were universally discontented--on one side
fearing absolutism if they supported the emperor, on the other anarchy
if he fell. Knowing the danger of an undefined position, the emperor
caused the councils to dispense with their deliberations, and adopt, as
the constitution of the empire, the project framed by the council of
state. Accordingly, on the 25th of March 1824, the emperor swore to the
constitution with great solemnity and public rejoicings. By this stroke
of policy he saved himself and Brazil. Negotiations were opened in
London between the Brazilian and Portuguese plenipotentiaries, treating
for the recognition of the independence of Brazil; and on the 25th of
August 1825 a treaty was signed by which the Portuguese king, Dom John
VI., assumed the title of emperor of Brazil, and immediately abdicated
in favour of his son, acknowledging Brazil as an independent empire, but
the treaty obliged Brazil to take upon herself the Portuguese debt,
amounting to nearly two millions sterling.

The rebellion of the Banda Oriental was followed by a declaration of war
with Buenos Aires which had supported it, and operations by sea and land
were conducted against that republic in a feeble way. Meanwhile the
well-deserved popularity of the emperor