set up in our neighborhood, which we should regard with indifference if on the other side of the Atlantic. Things so utterly dissimilar when brought almost in contact, are apt to be seized with a hatred to each other, merely on account of that dissimilarity. But this is not wise-it can answer no good purpose, when we reflect that to hold intercourse, and entertain relations with them is unavoidable. But I feel myself entering on a difficult subject; possibly if our dislike to monarchy should diminish, our love for republicanism would diminish also; but why should we hate any one merely for being less fortunate than ourselves? There is no danger for the present, at least, that the great body of the American people will look upon monarchy with a dangerous complacency; but there is danger of their declining, on account of their antipathy to certain forms of government, friendly and profitable relations with foreign states. There is also danger that our republican feelings may degenerate into a vicious pride, which will cause us to be the objects of just hatred to other nations. It behoves us to be careful of this.

Brazil contains, according to the best information I could procure, about three millions of souls, independently of the uncivilized Indians who inhabit the interior, and even in some places on the sea coast. Nearly the whole of this population is scattered along the coast, from the Amazon to the St. Pedro; the proportion residing beyond the mountains, is much less than that of our western states. About one million are Europeans, and their descendants; about eight hundred thousand are subdued Indians; the remainder are of the African race. The Indians reside in their villages under a kind of government, combined of the civil

and ecclesiastical, together with chiefs of their own choosing, pretty much in the manner of the Spanish missions. Many of them hire themselves as laborers, and engage in the arduous task of clearing lands, and many are employed as seamen. During the early periods of the settlement, the Portuguese engaged in a continual chase after the natives, for the purpose of reducing them to slavery; and they pursued the same policy with the slave dealers of Africa, in stirring up wars between neighboring nations, for the purpose of purchasing their prisoners. The only excuse that could be alleged for this, was the circumstance of their being nearly all cannibals, and thus prevailed upon to renounce their practices for the sake of profit. The Indian slavery was carried to almost as great an extent, as the negro slavery has been since; and was only renounced from their finding that the negroes answered their purpose better, and could be obtained at a cheaper rate. The Indians were found to pine away in slavery, and to become liable to a variety of diseases, from which they were exempt in their native woods, in consequence of a total change in their habits and mode of life. The exertions of the Jesuits in their favor, must ever entitle that society to respect from the friends of humanity; they drew upon themselves, in consequence, the enmity of the colonists; an enmity exasperated to the highest degree, by what their selfish interest induced them to consider, a meddling interference with their personal rights and possessions. We can form some idea of what this hostility would be, by observing the light in which abolition societies are regarded in other countries where slavery is tolerated. The Jesuits in this instance, acted on

the principle, homo sum, et humani a me nil alienum puto. The colonists, although disposed to yield obedience to temporal or ecclesiastical sovereignty, in ordinary cases, it was found that the authority of both the king and the pope, when called in to the aid of the Jesuits, was of no avail where private interests were so deeply affected; their maxim was, touch my property, touch my life.

The reducing the Indians to slavery was finally arrested, not by convincing the colonists of the inhumanity of the practice, but by furnishing substitutes, whom they preferred. The slave trade is therefore still carried on extensively; the annual importation is estimated at thirty thousand, chiefly males. The price varies from two to three hundred dollars; their natural increase is discouraged, from the calculation that it is much cheaper to import full grown slaves, than to bring up the young ones. Every inducement is thus taken away by the abominable traffic, to alleviate their condition, or to render it comfortable. Where the sordid passions have sway, they are almost always accompanied witn erroneous reasonings, even as to the policy best calculated for the attainment of their object. Experience has proved to us in the United States, that since the abolition of the slave trade, and the improvement, which has every where taken place in the condition of the slaves, both their numbers and value have increased in a proportion far beyond what had been previously observed; the latter, a painful circumstance to the philanthropists of our country, who see increasing difficulties in the way of their emancipation. If we did not look forward to the hope of being able to free ourselves from them altogether,

but regard merely our interests, the circumstance would be remarked with satisfaction. It serves to

prove, however, that even injustice prospers, by consulting as far as is compatible with its acts, the dictates of humanity. The policy of the Brazilians, is, therefore, utterly unsupported by experience, even on their own principles. The idea of the necessity of slavery at all in the torrid zone, any more than in the frigid, is equally founded upon false reasoning. Lands are better cultivated by freemen in all climates; AND SLAVERY IS EVERY WHERE A CURSE. The common plea is, that the Africans alone can withstand the heat of the tropical sun; without denying the fact, it can be easily proved that the freeman, who labors with alacrity, can do more in the mornings and evenings, than the sinking, heartless slave, during the whole of the day. There may not be as many idle and luxurious nabobs, it is true; but there will be a thousand times the number of happy and virtuous families.

The British government has induced the king of Portugal to agree to an abolition of the slave trade, for the consideration of half a million sterling. But the act will be very little relished by his subjects, and it is thought by many, that it will be only nominal, on account of the vicinity to Africa, and the facility of smuggling the slaves, when it is presumed that no great pains will be taken to prevent it.

The following is a statement of the population of the different provinces of Brazil, and of the chief towns.* It is derived from a source in which I place the greatest reliance.

*The political divisions are, 1. provinces; 2. camarcas, or counties; 3. cities; 4. villas or towns; 5. povacoas; 6. aldeas, or villages,

The proportion of blacks in the great cities, is at least fifteen for one; that of the mixed breed, African or Indian, I had no means of ascertaining. The whole population probably increases with as much rapidity as in the United States. There is every disposition on the part of the present sovereign, to encourage emigrations; but it is not in his power to prevent vexations from being practised on the emigrants, and they are not received with good will by the inhabitants, especially of cities. The obstacles in the way of obtaining lands, is very discouraging, on account of the enormous fees and exactions of the public officers, or the uncertainty of titles, where they purchase from individuals. As in all countries so thinly inhabited, lands are worth little more than the improvements put on them, and perhaps with greater reason here than elsewhere, on account of the difficulties of clearing them.

With the exception of the three provinces, Minas, Matto Grosso, and Goyaz, all the rest have a maritime boundary. These three provinces may be called the back country of the Brazils. The province of Minas,