To amend this state of things it was necessary to begin with the officers of Government, of whose corruption and arbitrary conduct, complaints—­signed by whole communities—­were daily arriving from every part of the province; to such an extent, indeed, was this misrule carried, that neither the lives nor property of the inhabitants were safe, where revenge, or baser motives, existed for the exercise of acts of oppression[1].

[Footnote 1:  Numerous original, but lengthy, documents are in my possession proving all these facts.]

I therefore addressed a letter to the president, warning him that such things ought not to be tolerated; that reports of excesses committed by those under his authority were reaching me from all quarters, the perpetrators deserving the most severe and exemplary chastisement; that I had determined to investigate these matters; and under the reservation made—­of personally acting under extraordinary circumstances—­would visit these cases with severe punishment, should the reality come up to the representations made.

The recklessness of human life was amongst the more remarkable features of these excesses.  Only a short time before this, I had granted a passport to Captain Pedro Martins, as the bearer of an offer from an insurgent party to lay down their arms, but he was murdered on his return.  This atrocious act, perpetrated, as I had reason to believe, by some factious adherents to the president’s party, from motives of revenge, was unfortunate, as affording a pretext for others who were ready to submit, to continue in arms for their mutual protection.  I therefore directed that all troops under the authority of the president should remain where they were until further orders from me; and demanded of His Excellency to use every endeavour to apprehend the parties guilty of an act so disgraceful to the Imperial cause, that they might meet with due punishment.

Finding no effort made to apprehend the murderers, I addressed to Bruce the following letter:—­

It is with great regret that I have learned the atrocious act committed by your soldiers against an officer having my passport for the purpose of endeavouring to tranquillize the province, by inducing the dissentient party to lay down their arms.  This is a matter so disgraceful to the cause of those by whom it has been perpetrated, that I must enforce on your attention the necessity of exertion to apprehend all persons who may be suspected of having committed this crime, and send them immediately, prisoners, to this city.

I have further to direct, in the name of His Imperial Majesty, that the troops under your command shall remain where they are until further orders from me, as Commander-in-chief of the military and naval forces of this province, notwithstanding any authority or order which you may heretofore have received, or which you may hereafter receive—­except from me—­to the contrary.

   (Signed) COCHRANE AND MARANHAO