RHETORIC and RIOT in RIO DE JANEIRO, 1827-1831 William M
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RHETORIC AND RIOT IN RIO DE JANEIRO, 1827-1831 William M. Wisser A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of History. Chapel Hill 2006 Approved by Advisor: John Charles Chasteen Reader: Louis A. Pérez Reader: Lars Schoultz Reader: Kathryn J. Burns Reader: Roger W. Lotchin ABSTRACT WILLIAM M. WISSER: Rhetoric and Rio in Rio de Janeiro, 1827-1831 (Under the direction of John Charles Chasteen) This dissertation examines the effect of the new and powerful newspaper corps on the rapidly deteriorating political environment in Rio de Janeiro in the waning years of the First Empire (1822-1831). The dissertation traces the lives of the major newspaper editors and attempts to show the impact their periodicals had on the political turmoil that characterized the last years of Emperor Pedro I's rule. Through an analysis of every extant newspaper originally published in Rio de Janeiro from 1827-1831, this dissertation concludes that editors had a significant role in events by providing a new and powerful forum for political debates outside of the strict confines of the state. The findings of this dissertation challenge the impression that the presence of a European monarch ensured Brazil's stability and cohesion, especially in the pivotal First Empire. The newspapers in Rio de Janeiro played a defining role in the direction of the state and encouraged an aware populace to defend the hitherto undefined nation. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS While at times writing a dissertation may seem like a solitary, alienating, and isolating experience, in retrospect it is a communal exercise. I could not have completed this dissertation without the help and support of family members, scholars, friends, and librarians/archivists. In reverse order, I would like to thank the many librarians, archivists, and funcionários who tracked down obscure titles and pointed out items I did not know existed. In particular, Carl Piraneo of UNC-CH Davis Library microforms and Maria Angela Leal of the Oliveira Lima library were particularly helpful. Friends have provided much needed diversions and perspective throughout the whole writing process. In particular, the Isnard family, Denise, Leticia, Nice, and Pinga made my stay in Rio de Janeiro comfortable and fun. Friends at the Writing Center at UNC-CH provided valuable advice and support, and friends from the History department made sure I knew I was not walking this path alone. I would like to especially thank my employer and friend Kim Abels for providing an experienced ear, and my long-time friends Tony Salerno and Michael Dosch for understanding enough to be sympathetic but not enough to be excuse all my faults. My advisor, John Chasteen, has been a stalwart supporter through too many years of dissertation denial. He allowed me space and time but then pushed when I him needed to. In iii the last year, specifically, his tireless work on reading multiple drafts of each chapter ensured I finally finished. His timely help on two key translations was also essential to the completion of this dissertation. For that and more, I thank him. Finally, my family, while at times not fully understanding the pressures and challenges of graduate school, never faltered in their support and encouragement. And my wife Kathy, while fully understanding what I was going through, never allowed me to wallow in self-pity or entertain the idea of quitting. To her, this dissertation is dedicated. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Pages INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................1 I. NEWSPAPERS, EDITORS, AND READERS........................................13 Newspapers...................................................................................17 Editors...........................................................................................20 Readers..........................................................................................31 Conclusion.....................................................................................39 II. THE “ABSOLUTISM OF OPINION”: NEWSPAPER EDITORS AND THE CREATION OF AN ACTIVE PUBLIC.....................................................................................................40 The Liberty of the Press.................................................................42 Abuses of the Liberty of the Press.....................................45 The Case of Balthazar and Albino.....................................56 Honor.............................................................................................63 The Affair of Látego and Saturnino...................................70 Conclusion.....................................................................................77 III. PEDRO, THE PRESS, AND POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY........................................................................................80 Personal Politics.............................................................................85 Legitimacy.....................................................................................91 v Conservatives......................................................................91 Liberals...............................................................................97 Moderates...............................................................99 Radicals..................................................................100 Transcending the Newspapers.......................................................103 Conclusion.....................................................................................111 IV. THE BATTLE FOR CONTROL OF THE PASSIVE PUBLIC: FIRST EMPIRE RIO DE JANEIRO’S CIVIC RITUALS...................................................................................................114 Rituals.............................................................................................122 Competing Interpretations of Brazil’s Foundational Rituals.......................................................................129 12 October..........................................................................130 7 September........................................................................135 25 March.............................................................................137 Putting the People in their Place.....................................................139 The Battle for Control of the Passive Public..................................150 Conclusion......................................................................................153 V. BUILDING TENSIONS............................................................................156 Contested Rituals............................................................................158 7 September 1830...............................................................159 12 October 1830..................................................................164 Specter of Absolutism.....................................................................167 The July Revolution in France............................................167 Arrival of Munitions...........................................................176 vi The Impact of a New Corps of Editors..........................................182 The Beginning of the End..............................................................187 Death of an Editor..............................................................188 Minas..................................................................................191 Conclusion......................................................................................196 VI. RHETORIC AND RIOT............................................................................197 The Nights of the Broken Bottles...................................................198 Editors as Actors.............................................................................202 The Press as Site for Debate...........................................................210 Making Politics Matter...................................................................219 Network of the Press.......................................................................227 Conclusion......................................................................................232 CONCLUSION......................................................................................................234 Appendices 1. PROCLAMATION GIVEN BY EMPEROR PEDRO I TO THE RESIDENTS OF MINAS GERAIS (MINEIROS), 22 FEBRUARY 1831........................................................242 2. NUMBERS OF NEWSPAPERS IN RIO DE JANEIRO, 1827-1831.................................................................................................244 3. ARTICLE SUBJECTS..............................................................................245 4. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR...................................................................247 5. BOOKSTORES IN RIO DE JANEIRO, 1827-1830................................249 6. TYPOGRAPHERS IN RIO DE JANEIRO, 1827-1830...........................250 BIBLIOGRAPHY..............................................................................................................251 vii INTRODUCTION Pedro I, Brazil’s First Emperor, left the troubled city of Rio de Janeiro for the relative calm of the neighboring province of Minas Gerais in late December, 1830. Instead of the expected throngs of well-wishers, groups