Heading: (African-American, 1849)
Author: Green, L. C.
Title: New Yorker admires slavery in Brazil, 1849 letter
Place Published: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Publisher:
Date Published: April 11, 1849.
Description:

 Autograph Letter Signed.  3pp.+ stampless address leaf. To Amy Carpenter, Poughkeepsie, New York

A young New Yorker, probably visiting Brazil on business at the start of the California Gold Rush, was so “enchanted with the beauties of this country and climate that I think at some future time I shall come here to live…” He extolled not only the scenery and lush vegetation but also the social order in this last South American bastion of the African slave trade: “The ladies are more richly dressed than our American females. Aristocracy in this country is on a more extensive scale than in our own. People here do not the least thing, everything is done by slaves…” who carried water on their heads and performed every menial task. “The Young senoritas most enjoy themselves sleeping during the day and in the evening walking out, having around them slaves to do anything for them that they might wish.” He himself was “offered a fine little black girl with her teeth filed short for 250 mil reis or $125…”

 

The writer extolled the “grand scenery” of "valleys and Peaks… so green and beautiful”, with vast groves of orange trees, bananas, figs, coconuts and pineapples…all fine and good”, and coffee,“growing wild”. As for the social order, “it appears so odd to see the monks and convents the priests and ceremonies, the Negroes so plenty and the natives so dark, the guard patrolling the streets”, and the palatial homes, surrounded by “most beautifully arranged statuary” and granite fountains and “everything…most elegant and extravagant…” The aristocratic residents, who went about in English carriages driven by servants in livery, patronizing “extravagantly dressed out” shops, “more richly fitted up then Broadway stores”, were “grand looking, all are very dark… rather a fine-looking set of people very polite and the men effeminate...” The few Americans in the city were all warmly greeted as “Californians” by the Brazilians, who were “greatly excited” by the Gold Rush and wildly pro-American, with Yankee Doodle and the Star Spangled Banner often to be heard decks of ships in the Bay.

Very good.