On the 1st of August the inhabitants of Alcantara made a declaration of adherence to His Imperial Majesty, notwithstanding a report sedulously circulated amongst them that the Portuguese troops at Maranham were about to recover the city.  An assurance from me, that the Portuguese troops were embarked, and were under the guns of the flagship, as well as the fire of their own gunboats, which could be turned against them, and that the European militia was disarmed, speedily dispelled all grounds for alarm.

The proceedings of the temporary Provisional Junta being unsatisfactory, especially as regarded their desire for retaliation on the Portuguese, I determined to embody a more popular Government, though, as yet the election would, of necessity, be confined to the inhabitants of the city only.  Accordingly on the 8th of August, in less than a fortnight after my first appearance off the port, a Provisional Government was chosen by the population, and the city and province were incorporated with Brazil, with the national advantage of adding nearly a million of dollars to the annual revenue of the empire; and this without the expense of another expedition to the Government, or the loss of time which would have been necessary, and might, had the reinforcements intercepted, gained their destination—­have ended in a different result to the integrity of the empire.

The first act of the new Government was to address a congratulatory letter to His Imperial Majesty, explaining that they should long before have espoused the Imperial cause, but from fear of the Portuguese troops.  The following is an extract from this letter:—­

What was our joy when unexpectedly we saw the Pedro Primiero summoning our port.  Oh, 26th of July, 1823!  Thrice happy day, thou wilt be as conspicuous in the annals of our province, as the sentiments of gratitude and respect inspired by the illustrious admiral sent to our aid by the best and most amiable of monarchs will be deeply engraven on our hearts and on those of our posterity.  Yes! august Sire! the wisdom, prudence, and gentle manners of Lord Cochrane have contributed still more to the happy issue of our political difficulties than even the fear of his force.  To anchor in our port—­to proclaim independence—­to administer the oaths of obedience to your Majesty—­to suspend hostilities throughout the province—­to provide proper government—­to bring the troops of the country into the town, but only in sufficient numbers to ensure order and tranquillity—­to open the communication between the interior and the capital—­to provide it with necessaries—­and to restore navigation and commerce to their pristine state—­all this, Sire, was the work of a few days.  Grant Heaven, that this noble chief may end the glorious career of his political and military labours with the like felicity and success, and that your Imperial Majesty being so well served, nothing more may be necessary to immortalise that