seriously detrimental to the
interests of the Empire.

Indeed, a powerful party in the legislative assembly openly called in
question the Emperor's authority--even requiring His Majesty to divest
himself of his crown in their presence. They deprived him of his council
of state; denied him a voice in the enactment of laws, and the functions
of administration; even objecting to His Majesty's exercise of the
common prerogative of royalty to confer crown lands as territorial
rewards for public services--the latter limitation of the royal
prerogative being avowedly directed against the grant of an estate to
myself, as spontaneously accorded by His Majesty, in gratitude for my
recent services to the nation.

This was the state of affairs on my return to Rio de Janeiro, and as
His Majesty did me the honour to consult with me in his difficulties,
I unhesitatingly recommended him to support his dignity
constitutionally--despite all attempts made for its limitation by the
Portuguese faction; which--extraordinary as it may appear--was now said
to be countenanced by the Andradas, who, though out of office, were
still deputies to the assembly, and who--in consequence of their
dismissal from power--were considered to be giving opposition to every
measure calculated to promote unity between the Emperor and the
legislature. The Brazilian patriots--and with good reason--were becoming
alarmed, lest an attempt might yet be made to place Portugal and Brazil
upon their former relative footing, and the Emperor, who was thoroughly
Brazilian--from a conviction that Portuguese ascendancy could never be
regained--was no less so.

Matters, at length, rose to such a pitch in the assembly, that the
intentions of the factious majority became no longer doubtful, when His
Majesty somewhat unceremoniously adopted the course pursued in England
by Cromwell in a somewhat similar predicament, viz. to dissolve the
assembly, and, should it prove refractory, to turn the members out by
force. Cutting short all farther altercation with his legislature, the
scene of the English protectorate was re-enacted in Brazil; the Emperor
entering Rio de Janeiro at the head of a body of cavalry--surrounding
the chamber with a military force--planting cannon before it--and
ordering its instantaneous dissolution; the members--after in vain
remonstrating against this proceeding--being compelled to retire.

The Andradas were soon afterwards arrested, and exiled--a proceed