“MONSTROUS AND ILLEGAL PROCEEDINGS”: LAW ...
“MONSTROUS AND ILLEGAL PROCEEDINGS”: LAW ... “MONSTROUS AND ILLEGAL PROCEEDINGS”: LAW ...
Sovereign Proclamations and Renewed Conflicts in the 1820s With the social revolution in the borderlands vanquished, the early 1820s offered a brief moment of relative calm throughout the stormy Río de la Plata. With the imperial court established in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil had managed to navigate the first revolutionary decade without experiencing the widespread violence, political fragmentation and social disruptions of the former Spanish colonies. Following their final victories over Artigas, Brazilian leaders had formally annexed the Banda into the empire as the Cisplatine Province in 1821. Imperial ambitions to extend Portuguese (and later Brazilian) dominions to their “natural” border at the mouth of the Río de la Plata had finally been achieved. However, beneath the triumphant façade, the decade-long wars in the Río de la Plata borderlands had badly strained imperial resources. Soaring inflation resulting from the costs of the war angered the local merchant community in Rio de Janeiro. As imperial resources sagged, tensions on the peripheries increased. The Portuguese empire was at a crossroads. As they had in the Spanish territories, events across the Atlantic finally led to the collapse of the Portuguese imperial structure in the early 1820s. A liberal revolution erupted in Portugal. Reformers in Lisbon demanded a new constitution, a provisional government and most importantly the return of the Portuguese court to its “proper” place at the center of a European empire. The Portuguese Emperor, João, departed for Lisbon. He left his son Pedro as regent in Rio de Janeiro. Intended to placate the growing revolutionary movement in Portugal, the return of the emperor to the old imperial core only accelerated the rupture between the American and European segments of the empire. Although Portuguese reformers included Brazilian delegates in the new constitutional convention, they represented a decided minority. The assembly quickly adopted a pro-European agenda, drafting a series of measures designed to return Portugal to the center of the imperial 54
economy. By 1822, the powerful merchants in Rio de Janeiro had seen enough. They threw their support behind a formal rupture. At this moment, the presence of elements of the imperial family in Brazil proved decisive. Pedro seized the opportunity and declared Brazil formally free from Portuguese rule on 7 September 1822. By taking this action, Pedro ensured that opposition to empire did not evolve into opposition to the monarchy as it had in much of the Spanish territories. The presence of an accepted source of authority equally reduced the danger of a crisis of legitimacy similar to that which had erupted in the Río de la Plata following the May revolution. The Portuguese empire was no more, but a new Brazilian empire had arisen to take its place. 37 The new court continued to possess enough gravity to hold the disparate provinces throughout Brazil together within one unified structure – but only just. For the next two decades, the empire faced constant threats to its existence, particularly on its northern and southern peripheries. Back in the Río de la Plata borderlands where imperial authority was weakest, the Brazilian revolution immediately touched off new conflicts. There, disputes between Portuguese forces occupying Montevideo and troops loyal to the new Brazilian empire threatened to destabilize the tenuous peace in the Cisplatine province. Taking advantage of the cracks in the provincial leadership, a number of revolts broke out against the Portuguese occupation. The oriental opposition to the Portuguese, however, was largely uncoordinated. With memories of Artigas’ campaigns still very fresh, important segments in the Cisplatine, particularly in Montevideo, continued to support the Brazilian presence out of fear of a renewed popular uprising. Within a few weeks, the Portuguese dissidents in Montevideo had capitulated to the new Brazilian government and sailed for Europe. When 37 Adelman, Sovereignty and Revolution, 332-42. 55
- Page 13 and 14: Juan Manuel de Rosas and Facundo Qu
- Page 15 and 16: By moving between stories of law an
- Page 17 and 18: in the continental interior. They d
- Page 19 and 20: the fluid character of borderlands
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- Page 25 and 26: that has greatly expanded the space
- Page 27 and 28: along rivertine trading corridors.
- Page 29 and 30: strains articulated by men like Art
- Page 31 and 32: Bringing the courts back into the s
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- Page 35 and 36: Removing the old colonial order, ho
- Page 37 and 38: the city remained a sparsely popula
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- Page 41 and 42: Imperial Collapse and Fragmentation
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- Page 45 and 46: defend its possessions, peninsular
- Page 47 and 48: They requested that the Junta appoi
- Page 49 and 50: manufactured products for the Andea
- Page 51 and 52: The Paraguayan government proposed
- Page 53 and 54: Montevideo in January of 1811, he i
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- Page 73 and 74: operate throughout the borderlands
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- Page 81 and 82: simmering struggles. By 1840, local
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- Page 85 and 86: earning the faction’s colorado ti
- Page 87 and 88: Guarch’s deal with Carvalho revea
- Page 89 and 90: web of reciprocal relationships tha
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- Page 93 and 94: In short, over the course of a deca
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- Page 97 and 98: opposite direction from Porto Alegr
- Page 99 and 100: Pinto sought to have the property d
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economy. By 1822, the powerful merchants in Rio de Janeiro had seen enough. They threw<br />
their support behind a formal rupture.<br />
At this moment, the presence of elements of the imperial family in Brazil proved<br />
decisive. Pedro seized the opportunity and declared Brazil formally free from Portuguese<br />
rule on 7 September 1822. By taking this action, Pedro ensured that opposition to empire<br />
did not evolve into opposition to the monarchy as it had in much of the Spanish territories.<br />
The presence of an accepted source of authority equally reduced the danger of a crisis of<br />
legitimacy similar to that which had erupted in the Río de la Plata following the May<br />
revolution. The Portuguese empire was no more, but a new Brazilian empire had arisen to<br />
take its place. 37<br />
The new court continued to possess enough gravity to hold the disparate provinces<br />
throughout Brazil together within one unified structure – but only just. For the next two<br />
decades, the empire faced constant threats to its existence, particularly on its northern and<br />
southern peripheries. Back in the Río de la Plata borderlands where imperial authority was<br />
weakest, the Brazilian revolution immediately touched off new conflicts. There, disputes<br />
between Portuguese forces occupying Montevideo and troops loyal to the new Brazilian<br />
empire threatened to destabilize the tenuous peace in the Cisplatine province. Taking<br />
advantage of the cracks in the provincial leadership, a number of revolts broke out against<br />
the Portuguese occupation. The oriental opposition to the Portuguese, however, was largely<br />
uncoordinated. With memories of Artigas’ campaigns still very fresh, important segments in<br />
the Cisplatine, particularly in Montevideo, continued to support the Brazilian presence out of<br />
fear of a renewed popular uprising. Within a few weeks, the Portuguese dissidents in<br />
Montevideo had capitulated to the new Brazilian government and sailed for Europe. When<br />
<br />
37 Adelman, Sovereignty and Revolution, 332-42.<br />
55 <br />
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