ink of abandoning Brazil for
which I had done so much. The real fact was, that although the
Administration was endeavouring to delay the expedition for the
suppression of revolution in the North, they were afraid of its results,
dreading that a _republican_ Government might be established, as was
indeed imminent. It was only from a conviction of not being able to meet
such an emergency, otherwise than through my instrumentality--that my
resignation was not accepted.

Determined to pursue the course I had now begun, I addressed the
following letter to the prime minister:--

Rio de Janeiro, March 30, 1824.

Most Excellent Sir,

The late Prime Minister, Jose Bonifacio de Andrada
e Silva, was pleased to express a desire that I should communicate
directly with him in all extraordinary difficulties with respect
to the naval service. If I have not had recourse to your Excellency
until the present juncture, it has not been from any doubt of your
readiness to accord me similar indulgence, but because the evils
of which I had to complain were so palpable, that I conceived a
remedy would--of necessity be applied in the ordinary course of
things. But now that a system is adopted which must very soon
bring the naval service of His Imperial Majesty to utter insignificance
and ruin, I can no longer abstain from calling on your
Excellency as Minister of State for the internal affairs of the
empire, to interfere before it is too late.

Here follow complaints of the wretched state of the squadron--its
want of repairs--the neglect of pay--the illegal imprisonment of
officers for months without trial and on untenable grounds, &c. &c.

By the promises held out last year of punctuality in payment, and of
other rewards, foreign officers and seamen were induced to enter the
service--believing in the good faith of the Government. The
result--in the short period that has elapsed--has been the complete
expulsion of the enemy's forces, naval and military; all of whom
would have been still in arms against the independence of Brazil, had
it not been for the assistance of the foreign officers and seamen.

In the course of these important services, various captures were
made and sent for adjudication to Rio de Janeiro, under the
authority of His Imperial Majesty's orders to make war on the
subjects and property of Portugal. The captures made in prosecution