the course pursued with regard to Pedro Jose de Costa Barros,
who, under the mistaken counsels of a faction here, would have
again involved this province in scenes of bloodshed and confusion.
It is neither my duty nor inclination to become a tool in the hands
of any faction, whose views are contrary to the true interests of
His Imperial Majesty, and, were they countenanced and protected,
would infallibly involve all Brazil in civil war and anarchy.

I contented myself, however, with continuing the usual precautions,
which were sufficient to prevent disasters till His Majesty's
pleasure, with regard to recent occurrences in this province, should
become known, of which I have been in daily expectation for some
time past; but Barros--after agreeing to await the expected
instructions--considered that he had gained over a sufficient party
to overthrow the government by violent means, and addressed to me
the letter A, which was considered by him a sufficient pretext to
warrant the imprisonment of the President interino, during my
temporary absence on board the flagship, whence, it was supposed,
I should not be able to arrive in time to prevent the execution of
that violent measure; and I regret to add, that, in this plot--so
prejudicial to His Majesty's interests, and so disgraceful to the
parties concerned--persons whose duty it was to have at once combatted
such unjustifiable proceedings took an underhand but active
part. The letters of Barros, A and B, will sufficiently shew the
violence of his prejudices, his credulity, and precipitancy in acting
upon false information and reports, as well as his total ignorance of
law and justice, in requiring the seizure of an individual without
specifying either crime or accuser.

I enclose to your Excellency all the correspondence which has
taken place between Barros and myself, together with the proclamation
which I felt it my duty to issue for the maintenance of order;
for the legal department here now profess to consider that, although
the constitution has been granted and accepted, they have no
authority to put it in practice--hence, between the ancient and new
laws, justice is at a stand.

(Signed) COCHRANE AND MARANHAO.

To these and all my previous communications no reply was returned either
in the way of approval or otherwise. There was, however, one member of
the administ