Mr. Lidgerwood to Mr. Seward.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the chief of the scientific expedition from the United States to Brazil, Professor Louis F. Agassiz, left Rio de Janeiro for New York on the 2d instant, having, during his sojourn in this empire, besides subdividing the expedition formed by himself into small parties, and directing them in their researches in the interior provinces, made a personal exploration of the great Amazonian region, part of the province of Ceara, and Rio de Janeiro. From his arrival in Brazil until his departure he has been the [Page 310] honored recipient of the gracious attention, consideration, and interest in his requirements of his imperial Majesty Don Pedro II.
The imperial government placed at his disposal a steamer to ascend the Amazon and its affluents, while the presidents of those vast but sparsely inhabited riparian provinces vied with each other in personally rendering to Professor Agassiz aid in his labors by every possible means.
The example of the Emperor and imperial government, in thus honoring and aiding the professor, met, throughout the empire, with a hearty response, and wherever the explorers of the expedition journeyed, whether near the sea-coast or far in the mountains or plains of the interior, they were welcomed and assisted by the authorities and people in the prosecution of their researches.
The national aid and hospitality thus bestowed upon the Agassiz expedition enabled it to accomplish in a year more than, unassisted, it could have performed in five, and to increase the scientific collections of the museum at Cambridge to such an extent as to make them at least equal, if not superior, to any in the world.
Upon the 25th June I invited a number of Brazilians of highly eminent position, and members of the imperial government, to take leave of Professor Agassiz, and to partake of a “dejeûner à la fourchette” which would enable me to express to the imperial government the high appreciation in which the services rendered by it to the scientific expedition would be held by the government of the United States, and would also afford an opportunity to Professor Agassiz to convey personally to the ministers of the cabinet, by whom the favors were conferred, his deep sense of gratitude for the honors and aid he had received, and for the invaluable services rendered to the expedition. It was also my desire that the councillors of the Emperor should have the pleasure and benefit of hearing, socially and informally, a description of the Amazonian region from a savant, the representative, almost the embodiment, of the science of America, who, by his convincing truthfulness, frankness, and, excepting his desire to see Brazil advance in progress and increase in prosperity, disinterestedness would recount what he had seen and discovered, and his impressions as to the means to be employed in making some beneficial modifications, counteracting present difficulties, which I was confident would have the effect of convincing them of the necessity of granting the free navigation of the Amazon, for Brazil to avail itself of the great, though at present comparatively valueless, wealth of the northern riparian provinces.
Among those present were his excellency the Marquis of Olinda,, minister of the empire, (formerly regent of the empire,) and his colleagues, Conselheiro Saraiva, minister and secretary of state for foreign affairs, Conselheiro Paula Souza, minister of commerce and public works, Conselherio do Amaral, undersecretary of state for foreign affairs, and the honorable Tavares Bastos, advocate of the opening of the Amazon and member of the Chamber of Deputies.
After the usual formalities several hours were spent socially. Professor Agassiz, to the great pleasure of all present, described the magnitude and immense resources of the region of the Amazon, the great advantage to be gained by Brazil from the immigration there of an active and intelligent population, with his views relative to the means to be employed to accomplish it, first of which was the free navigation of the river.
Prior to the offering of the toast— “The imperial government of Brazil” —I made a few remarks in Portuguese, of which the following is the substance:
That it was scarcely a year since the scientific expedition of Professor Agassiz left the United States with the view of exploring the scientific treasures which lie hidden, and nearly unknown, in the empire.
The expedition upon its departure from the United States was accompanied by the heartfelt wishes of thousands of the good and distinguished men of our country for its success and safe return; and though entirely a private undertaking, [Page 311] it still assumed more or less of a national character, from the valuable results that were expected to accrue from its labors, and from the President of the United States having, in his message at the last opening of Congress, made special mention of it, and from the governor of the State of Massachusetts having written a letter of thanks to his Majesty the Emperor of Brazil for the kind reception it had met with.
Animated by the knowledge of the scientific acquirements of the Emperor, and of the numerous scientific societies honored and protected by him, and confiding in the proverbial hospitality of Brazil, it was not a matter of surprise that our countrymen should have expected to have been received with welcome and aided in their views.
Those expectations have been infinitely more than realized, and it is with sentiments of sincere gratitude that I desire to express my high appreciation of the deep interest and inestimable aid accorded to the expedition by all concurring with the wishes of his Majesty the Emperor, from whom emanated instructions for the proper conveyance and requirements of its members.
The result of an expedition thus fostered and aided will be of incalculable magnitude, whether considered from a commercial point of view or from a scientific one; and the interest which will be awakened in the United States will attract the attention to Brazil of those whose position and means will enable them to develop, with great benefit to both of our countries, the treasures and illimitable resources of this magnificent empire.
It has already created a new and strong tie between the two countries, attaching them yet more by a sentiment of common interest and sympathy, which will last as long as the language we speak. Indeed, the discoveries made by this commission are already facts of history.
Profoundly thanking his Majesty the Emperor, and the imperial government, for the aid and gracious reception extended to the scientific expedition in its name, and as the representative of my government, I proposed the toast above alluded to—”The imperial government of Brazil “—which was responded to by the Marquis of Olinda, who proposed, in his turn, “Our great and good friend, the government of the United States.”
Other toasts followed, appropriate to the occasion, and closed with the customary one of “His Majesty the Emperor.”
The minister for foreign affairs expressed a regret that Professor Agassiz could not remain any longer, as he might by so doing be the bearer of a decree opening the Amazon to the navigation of all nations, which he hoped would soon be passed.
Admiral Godon, commanding the United States South American squadron, and Captain Patterson, of the flag-ship, came before the party separated, in time to be presented to the members of the cabinet who were present, but having only arrived from Montevideo the evening previous, their duties had prevented them from being present at an earlier hour.
I have reason to believe that all the objects of the entertainment were accomplished.
The imperial pleasure was again made manifest by the Marquis of Olinda, minister of the empire, courteously conveying Professor Agassiz, on the day of his departure, from his residence to the imperial navy yard, where the imperial barge was in waiting to carry him to the mail steamer.
Professor Agassiz proceeded in the imperial barge to the United States flagship, and thence in Admiral Godon’s barge to the United States and Brazil mail steamer.
I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.