s became more monarchical than the
regent himself; and under this influence a movement to give the regency
into the hands of the princess Donna Januaria, now in her 18th year, was
set on foot. It was soon perceived, however, that if the empire could be
governed by a princess of eighteen it could be managed better by the
emperor himself, who was then fourteen.

Majority of Pedro II., 1840.

A bill was accordingly presented to the legislature dispensing with the
age of the emperor and declaring his majority, which after a noisy
discussion was carried. The majority of the emperor Dom Pedro II. was
proclaimed on the 23rd of July 1840. Several ministries, in which
various parties predominated for a time, now governed the country till
1848, during which period the rebellious province of Rio Grande was
pacified, more by negotiation than force of arms. In 1848 hostilities
were roused with the British government through the neglect shown by the
Brazilians in putting in force a treaty for the abolition of the slave
trade, which had been concluded as far back as 1826; on the other hand
the governor of Buenos Aires, General Rosas, was endeavouring to stir up
revolution again in Rio Grande. The appearance of yellow fever in 1849,
until then unknown in Brazil, was attributed to the importation of
slaves. Public opinion declared against the traffic; severe laws were
passed against it, and were so firmly enforced that in 1853 not a single
disembarkation took place. The ministry of the Visconde de Olinda in
1849 entered into alliances with the governors of Montevideo, Paraguay
and the states of Entre Rios and Corrientes, for the purpose of
maintaining the integrity of the republics of Uruguay and Paraguay,
which Rosas intended to reunite to Buenos Aires, and the troops of
Rosa's which besieged Montevideo were forced to capitulate. Rosas then
declared war formally against Brazil. An army of Correntine, Uruguayan
and Brazilian troops, under General Urquiza, assisted by a Brazilian
naval squadron, advanced on Buenos Aires, completely routed the forces
of Rosas, and crushed for ever the power of that dictator. From 1844
Brazil was free from intestine commotions, and had resumed its activity.
Public works and education were advanced, and the finances rose to a
degree of prosperity previously unknown.

War with Paraguay.

In 1855 the emperor of Brazil sent a squadron of eleven men-of-war and
as many transports up the Parana to adj