ing especially represented by the
adverse faction as evincing a tendency to absolutism.

On the 20th of June, 1823, a project of law had been laid before the
Assembly, for the expulsion of all Portuguese deemed hostile to the
cause of the empire. This measure might have originated with the
Andradas, or not; it was certainly defended in the Assembly by Antonio
Andrada. The Portuguese party, alarmed by the still impending danger,
formed a coalition with the Brazilian party, to eject the Andradas from
the ministry, and having, during a severe illness of the Emperor, gained
the ascendancy, the now obnoxious ministers were dismissed; and--though
the patriots had not calculated thereon--were succeeded by the leaders
of the Portuguese faction itself, who, to the regret of all true
Brazilians, effected an immediate change of policy in the Government.

The chief object of the new administration, appeared to be to limit the
functions of the Emperor to an extent almost subversive of his
authority; His Majesty, in the unsettled state of the empire, being
comparatively powerless amidst the machinations with which he was
surrounded.

No constitution had, as yet, been fixed upon--His Majesty resenting the
former attempt to force upon him a constitution framed solely by the
will of the Assembly, which was still seeking an opportunity to assert
its supremacy. As the city and province abounded with influential
Portuguese, desirous of overthrowing the new _regime_, and as many of
these were in the Assembly, there was a total want of unity between the
Emperor and his legislature, the administration leaning to the side of
the latter.

About this time, the Marquis of Palmella had widely circulated a
document, appealing to the loyalty of the Portuguese, and declaring the
policy desired by the mother country; which policy was--to divide Brazil
into a number of petty states, easy to be intimidated and controlled. As
this scheme held out large promise of irresponsible power to influential
persons in such anticipated states--it could scarcely fail to be
agreeable to many expectants of office, whose interest it therefore was
to prevent the consolidation of the empire, by promoting disunion. It
was scarcely a secret that some in the administration were favourable to
these views, though not openly professing them; so that the patriotic
efforts of His Majesty were paralysed, and the administration, no less
than the legislature, exhibited a policy