It is almost needless to say that the guilty parties—­though doubtless well known—­were permitted to escape with impunity; the president alleging as his excuse, “the insufficiency of the regular troops to preserve the tranquillity of the city;” this remark being intended to throw upon me the responsibility of having secured on board the black savages whom he had organized.  My reply was, that—­“for what I had done, I was responsible to the supreme Government and the public, and if he could not find means to preserve the public tranquillity, I must do so; as he must be sensible that I had acted with propriety in relieving him from a portion of the labour and responsibility which he had hitherto sustained.”

On the 28th of November, I forwarded to the Minister of Marine, at Rio de Janeiro, a full report of these transactions, from which the subjoined are extracts:—­

The completion of the task of tranquillizing Ceara in a manner I trust satisfactory to His Imperial Majesty, was, in a great measure, effected by the pardon promulgated in the name of His Majesty—­consigning to oblivion those occurrences which would otherwise have agitated the public mind.  The only exception made was the intrusive President Araripe, and this, because, instead of availing himself of the first proclamation of amnesty, in which he was included, he retired into the interior with a band of robbers, in order to excite further disturbance.  The consequence of this obstinate perseverance in disobedience on the part of Araripe, has been his death, and the capture of all his followers.

The restoration of Ceara to its allegiance and tranquillity having been thus accomplished, we proceeded to Parahyba, where all was tranquil, the inhabitants having unanimously declared His Imperial Majesty Constitutional Emperor, the moment that they became free from the terror of their more powerful and military neighbours at Ceara.  Some dissensions, however, remained in the province.  With respect to Maranham, things are different:  no republican flag has been displayed—­nor, as far as I can learn, did any intention exist on the part of the inhabitants of raising the standard of rebellion; the state of civil war in which we found the presidency arising from personal animosities amongst some of the principal families, especially between those families and that of His Excellency the President.  Certain it is, that all were united against the President, who, to protect himself, had recourse to the assistance of the lowest classes of the community, even to emancipated slaves.  The result has been, military disorders of all kinds—­and there is no outrage which has not been perpetrated.

The general complaint against the President is, that the constitution has in no way been put in practice; that he has not established any lawful council; and that he has been guilty of arbitrary acts.  The original documents relating to these