Journal of a Voyage to Brazil: And Residence There During Part of the Years 1821, 1822, 1823Callcott, Maria, Lady
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Journal of a Voyage to Brazil: And Residence There During Part of the Years 1821, 1822, 1823
Callcott, Maria, Lady
Brazil -- Description and travel
"The government which does not guide itself by public opinion, or which
is ignorant of it, must become the scourge of humanity. The monarch who
knows not this truth will precipitate his empire into a gulf of
misfortunes, each more terrible than the preceding. Providence has
granted to me the knowledge of this truth. I have founded my system on
it, and to that system I will be faithful.
"Despotism and arbitrary acts are detested by me. It is but a short time
since that I gave you one among many other proofs of this. We may all be
deceived; but monarchs rarely hear the truth: if they do not seek it, it
seldom appears to them. When once they know it, they should follow it. I
have known it, and I do act accordingly. Although we have not yet a
fixed constitution to govern ourselves by, we have at least those
foundations for one, built on reason, which ought to be inviolable.
These are the sacred rights of personal security, property, and the
inviolability of the home of every citizen. If these have hitherto been
violated, it was because your Emperor knew not that such despotism and
acts of arbitrary power, improper at all times, and contrary to the
system we profess, were exercised. Be assured that henceforth they shall
be religiously supported: you shall live happy and safe in the bosoms of
your families, in the arms of your tender wives, and surrounded by your
beloved children. In vain shall imprudent men try to belie my
constitutional principles; they will always triumph, as the sun breaks
through the darkest clouds. Rely upon me, as I on you, and you will see
democracy and despotism annihilated by rational liberty.
THE EMPEROR."
The address has been well received; and perhaps those incidents, which,
in a time like the present, bring the monarch and people more together,
are really conducive to the harmony and stability of the whole political
system. Meantime, Jose Joaquim Carneiro de Campos is prime minister, and
Manoel Jacintho Noguerra de Gama is at the head of the treasury; a man
so rich as to be above temptation, and whose character for integrity is
scarcely lower than that of his predecessor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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