If I have any claim at all for the numerous and important services which I rendered to Brazil, it is founded on the original patents granted to me by His Imperial Majesty, without limitation as to time, which I solemnly declare was not even mentioned—­much less stipulated—­as the patents themselves prove.  The decree awarding me half pay as a pension, “in case I did not choose to continue in the service,” has no reference to me.  I never left the service, but—­as even admitted by Gameiro, in his negotiations with Lieutenant Shepherd—­was most unjustifiably, and by wilful falsehood, turned out of it, in order to rid the administration of my claims on a hundred and twenty ships, and a vast amount of valuable property captured in lawful warfare, under the express directions of His Imperial Majesty.

Why also is no compensation awarded to me for my extra-official services in putting down revolution in the Northern provinces—­an act, or series of acts—­in my estimation, of far greater importance and difficulty than the expulsion of the Portuguese fleet and army?  Every historian of Brazil has spoken in high praise of my execution of this almost impracticable task—­but coupled with the infamous lie derived from the Government that, for my own personal benefit, I robbed the Treasury at Maranham of 106,000 dollars; though in the concluding chapter I will print in full the receipt of every officer under my command for his share of the money returned by the Junta, the original receipts being now in my possession for the inspection of the Brazilian Government, or of any commission or persons it may choose to appoint for that purpose.  Were these services nothing, just as half the Empire had declared itself Republican?  Was my refusal to accept a bribe of 400,000 dollars from the revolutionary president of Pernambuco the act of a man who would afterwards conduct himself as has been falsely imputed to me?  The Brazilian Government cannot refuse to inspect or authorise the inspection of the originals of documents contained in this narrative, and if they consent, I have no fear but that the national honour will yet do me justice.

It is not justice to have awarded to me the above-named pension merely—­even on the assumption of the Commissioners that I did leave the service of my own accord—­for that sum is less than one half the simple interest of the amount of which for thirty years I was, even by their own admission, unjustly deprived.  This may be a cheap way of liquidating obligations, but it is not consistent with the honour of a nation thus to delay its pecuniary obligations, and then pay the principal with less than half the interest!  I feel certain that when making an award—­which they admit could not be avoided—­the Commissioners inadvertently lost sight of this obvious truth.

Let me refer the Brazilian Government to the officially recorded opinions of honourable men on the Commission, or “Seccoes,” when commenting upon this very inadequate reward about to be given after the lapse of thirty years of unmerited obloquy, which would have sunk any man unsupported by the consciousness of rectitude to a premature grave.