measure
to the public, it was anything but agreeable to the despotic body, at
whose ill-advised measures it was aimed; their resource being to
increase the ferment amongst the soldiery brought into the city to
uphold their authority, and who--partly from motives of revenge, but
more from the hope of plunder--were eager to execute the hostile
intentions of the Junta against the Portuguese.

An attempt to arrest the president of the Camara, Senor Luiz Salgado, by
the General-at-arms--who had reason to suspect Salgado of intriguing to
remove him from office, gave a pretext for disturbance. On the night of
the 14th of September, the troops rose and plundered many Portuguese
houses, compelling their owners to fly for safety to neutral and other
vessels in the harbour. They then deposed the General-at-arms, and chose
Salgado in his stead, a proceeding which was next day confirmed by a
decree of the Junta, in conjunction with the Camara.

Addressing a letter to Salgado, I firmly refused to acknowledge him as
commandant, telling him, at the same time, that his only means of being
recognised as a Brazilian citizen, was by allaying the ferment he had
contributed to raise. I wrote also to the Junta and Camara, threatening
to act in a decisive manner, if these disgraceful scenes were not
instantly put an end to, pointing out to them that, as they were the
chief proprietors of houses and stores, so they would be the greatest
sufferers from anarchy. This step checked the disturbance, but the Junta
granted the riotous military a gratuity, levied on the Portuguese who
had been attacked. The more respectable of whom soon after quitted
Maranham in disgust.

It must, however, be stated that these disorders admitted of some
palliation, from the consideration that hundreds of Brazilians had been
transported to Lisbon, by the Portuguese authorities, when in power;
whilst hundreds of others were on my arrival imprisoned at Maranham, in
the gaols and vessels in the harbour. On my entrance into the city, I
released numbers of these, and saved many others from impending
incarceration.

By the 18th, though tranquillity was restored, I postponed the election
of a general provisional Junta till the 20th of October, hoping that
before that period, a reply to my earnest entreaties for instructions,
would arrive from the Imperial Government. It was for the sake of
preserving order during the interval, that I had announced my intention
of taking t