clared their grievances to be intolerable, and that
nothing but a total reform in the government should reconcile them to
longer subjection to the government of Rio. The royalist troops were
sent out against them and were victorious, after an action of six hours,
in which they lost six officers and 19 men killed, and 134 wounded. The
loss on the other side was much greater, and as usual severe military
executions increased the evils of the civil war, at the same time that
they farther exasperated the people, and prepared them for a future and
more obstinate resistance.

Bahia was far from tranquil. The old jealousy which had subsisted from
the time the seat of government had been transferred from the city of
St. Salvador to Rio, combined with other causes, tended to increase the
desire of a constitutional government, from which all good was to be
expected, and under which, it was hoped, that all abuses would be
reformed. Rio itself began to manifest the same feelings. The provinces
of St. Paul's and the Minas were always ready to unite in any cause that
promised an increase of freedom; and the whole country seemed on the
brink of revolution, if not civil war.

The court party, however, still flattered themselves that the
determination of the King to remain in Brazil, instead of returning to
Lisbon to put himself into the power of the Cortes, would be so grateful
to the Brazilians, that they would be contented to forego the probable
advantages of a constitution, for the sake of the positive good of
having the seat of government fixed among themselves. But it was too
late; the wish for improvement had been excited. The administration had
been too corrupt, the exactions too heavy to be longer borne, when
reform appeared to be within reach. The very soldiers became possessed
with the same spirit, and though highly repugnant to the King's
feelings, it soon became evident that a compliance with the wishes of
the people and with the constituton, as declared by the Cortes at
Lisbon, was inevitable.

It is said, that some of the wisest ministers hail long pressed His
Majesty to a compliance with the wishes of his people, but in vain. His
reluctance was unconquerable, until at length, perceiving that force
would certainly be resorted to, he adopted a half measure which probably
accelerated the very event he was anxious to avoid.[30] On the 18th of
February, 1821, the King accepted as a junta, to take into consideration
such pa