re was neither granted, nor was the request
noticed, yet--notwithstanding that the ministerial organs of the press
teemed with matters injurious to my reputation, and displayed the most
unfair comments on my proceedings--no complaint was officially made to
me, as indeed none could be made; this ungenerous mode of attack being
resorted to, whilst the whole of my letters and despatches were withheld
from public knowledge.

On the 3rd of January, intelligence was received that an outbreak had
occurred at Caixas, promoted by the adherents of Bruce on learning the
fact of his suspension from the presidentship. The interim-president,
Lobo, was anxious to re-arm the disbanded troops against them, but this
I forbade, telling him that, "in my opinion a military mode of governing
was neither suited to the maintenance of tranquillity nor the promotion
of obedience to the law, and that it would be better to give the civil
law a trial before proceeding to extremities; and that although some
outrages had occurred in the heat of party spirit, yet they would
probably cease on the intelligence that President Bruce had embarked
for Rio de Janeiro." The result was in accordance with these
anticipations, for, on learning this fact, the insurgents immediately
laid down their arms--being only too glad to escape further notice.

In the expectation that His Imperial Majesty would approve of the act,
and that his ministers could offer no opposition, I considered it my
duty to the officers and seamen of the squadron, no less than to myself,
to obtain repayment from the Junta of Maranham--at least in part--of the
sums temporarily left for their use in the preceding year.

It will be remembered that after the expulsion of the Portuguese from
Maranham in 1823, considerable sums of money and bonds had been taken in
the treasury, custom-house, and other public offices, together with
military and other stores--and the value of these, though guaranteed by
His Imperial Majesty to the captors, had, with the consent of officers
and seamen, been temporarily lent to the then Provisional Government,
for the double purpose of satisfying the mutinous troops of Ceara and
Piahuy, and carrying on the ordinary functions of Government--there
being no other funds available!

At the period of this temporary surrender of the prize property to state
exigencies, it was expressly stipulated and fully understood that, as
soon as commerce had returned to its usual chann