Even the payment of wages was not made to the Pedro Primiero till nearly three months after her return, when the seamen—­ irritated by the evasion of their dues—­had nearly all abandoned the ship; and if the crews of the Nitherohy and Carolina did not follow their example on their return to port, it was entirely owing to my perseverance before their arrival in procuring this tardy justice.

It was a maxim of the Emperor Napoleon, that “no events are trifling with regard to nations and sovereigns, their destinies being controlled by the most inconsiderable circumstances,”—­ though circumstances which have the effect of causing the Imperial marine to be abandoned, ought not—­in a national point of view—­to be regarded as inconsiderable; but whether this be of importance or not, the consequences of such abandonment by men who have so faithfully performed their duty, will be far from beneficial to those short sighted and vain individuals who imagine that the employment of foreign officers is an obstacle to their own advancement.  If the present foreign officers are compelled to abandon their situations an explanation must be given of the cause, and public indignation must inevitably fall on the unreflecting heads of the prejudiced or selfish authors of such impolitic injustice.

I have heard it stated, as a motive for the delay in condemning the prizes, that the Government—­in case of a treaty of peace—­ might be called upon to refund the value to the original owners.  But, Sir, let me ask such wretched statesmen, what would have been the situation of Brazil, if foreign officers and seamen had refused to enter the service—­as would have been the case, had no prize money been promised?  In that case, it is true, the vessels in question would not have been taken—­but it is equally true that the enemy’s troops would not have been starved into the evacuation of Bahia, nor their squadron have been intimidated to flee from these shores.  Military warfare would still have raged in the interior, and the hostile fleet might now have been engaged in the blockade of Rio de Janeiro itself.  Would it not be infinitely better that the Government should have to pay the value of these prizes even twice over—­than that such calamities should not have been averted?

But how can it be argued that the Government may be required to restore to the enemy prizes lawfully taken in war?  Is it possible that the victors can be compelled to make humiliating terms with the vanquished?  Certainly not—­unless the means by which victory was obtained are insanely sacrificed, by permitting the squadron to go to ruin and decay.  The results which have been obtained could not have been accomplished by any other measures than those adopted by the wisdom of His Imperial