MISREPRESENTATIONS MADE IN ENGLAND—­LETTER TO THE EMPEROR—­TENDERING MY RESIGNATION—­REPAYMENT DEMANDED FROM THE JUNTA—­CONDUCT OF THE PRIZE TRIBUNAL—­NO ADJUDICATION OF PRIZES INTENDED—­LETTER TO THE INTERIM PRESIDENT—­DEMANDING THE SUMS OWING TO THE SQUADRON—­DISTURBANCE IN PARA—­STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT TO THE JUNTA—­OFFER OF COMPROMISE—­IMPERIAL DECREE—­RIGHT OF THE SQUADRON TO THE CLAIM.

Worn down in health by the harassing duties of the naval, military, and civil departments, the conduct of all these wholly devolving upon me, whilst the Ministry at Rio, by withholding instructions, neither incurred trouble nor responsibility—­and aware that my character was being traduced by every species of malignity which could be devised by the party whose views were destroyed by the successful manner in which those duties had been performed, I was heartily sick of the ingratitude and misrepresentation with which the service of having twice secured the Northern provinces to Brazil was met on the part of the Administration, in addition to their now apparent determination that neither myself nor the squadron should reap any benefit from the prize property taken in the preceding year, notwithstanding that, under the Andrada ministry, both had been solemnly guaranteed to the captors.

I was, however, even more annoyed on another account, viz. from being apprised that the vilest misrepresentations of my conduct were being sedulously circulated in England by the partisans of the Administration.  Their vituperation in Brazil could, to some extent, be met; but the petty meanness of attacking a man in a distant country, without the possibility of his defending himself, was a matter against which no prudence or foresight could guard.

Determined no longer to contend with an Administration, which could thus conduct itself towards an officer whose exertions had been deemed worthy of the highest honours from the Emperor, and the warmest thanks from the National Assembly, I resolved to request permission from His Imperial Majesty to retire from so unequal a contest, for I did not choose spontaneously to abandon the command, without at least some compensation beyond my ordinary pay.  Even setting aside the stipulations under which I had entered and continued in the Imperial service—­this was at least due to me from the unquestioned fact that to my twice rendered exertions—­first as naval Commander-in-Chief; and, secondly, as a pacificator—­the empire owed its unity and stability, even in the estimation of European governments, which, now that the provinces were tranquillized and the empire consolidated, exerted themselves to promote peace between Brazil and the mother country.

Accordingly—­on New Year’s day, 1825—­I addressed to the Emperor the following letter:—­

   SIRE,