One of the most popular formats among the handwritten pamphlets that circulated in Rio de Janeiro in support of Brazil's Independence was that of little verses. Whether in the form of long sonnets showering praise on His Majesty or in direct verses with a sharper edge, the Carioca “papelinhos” were always packed with ideas that spilled out into the streets. The tone might vary, but the content was almost always the same: attacking the old absolutist regime and openly defending constitutionalism, along the lines of what had happened in the Porto Revolution of 1820. And plenty of creativity flowing from the tip of the pen!
A fun example of this type of pamphlet circulated in the year 1821. "Thomaz, deves apresentar isto ao El-Rei" was a little rhyme that oozed sarcasm and had not the slightest interest in rhetorical beating around the bush. The vocative in the title was none other than the Portuguese Thomaz Antonio Villanova Portugal, minister of the Court who had come over with the royal family in 1808, a trusted man of D. João VI and an inveterate absolutist.
Figure 1 – Portrait of Minister Thomaz Antonio Villanova Portugal, National Historical Museum Collection.
Image description: The image is a black-and-white engraving. It shows a male figure in profile, looking to the left. The person has short, well-groomed hair, wearing a suit with ornamental details on the sleeves. The background is uniform, with no additional elements.The minister's reputation -- he had been a staunch opponent of Portugal's Revolution of 1820 and advocated keeping the Court's seat in Brazil -- was far from the best among Rio residents who publicly championed the Constitution. In another pamphlet, which bore the far-from-subtle title "List of persons who should be arrested, according to the electors of Rio de Janeiro's new government," Villanova Portugal's name appeared in a place of honor: right at the top of the list.
Figure 2 — Pamphlet “List of persons who should be arrested according to the intention of the voters of the new government of Rio de Janeiro,” 1821. Box 195, folder 6, item 2. Azeredo da Silveira Library of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Itamaraty Historical Archive.
Image description: The image is a photograph of an old document, handwritten in Portuguese. It is in black and white, with uneven lettering and some ink stains. At the top, there is a line of cursive text, followed by a list of names written in Gothic script. The layout is vertical, with the names listed one below the other."Trust not the wicked one, / The treacherous Thomaz Antonio: / Look, when he speaks to you / It is the Devil speaking through him," advised the pamphlet in verse to D. João VI, signed "By a Lover of the Homeland Presented in Ten Stanzas of Four Verses," the handwritten rhyme piled up constitutionalist advice upon advice to D. João VI. "If you still wish to Reign / Look, pious João, / You must go to Portugal, / And sign the Constitution." There are moments when the warnings serve like a friendly nudge to His Imperial Majesty – "Detest any traitor / Who urges you to the contrary." But, at times, the truth is that they truly take on the shape of demands. Probably, the author tasted the freedom granted by anonymity and decided to be bold in addressing the King. "Prepare for what I tell you, / Don't be a deaf pope, / Don't displease Portugal / Before disgrace bites you." Or even: "This is what you must do, / If you're not a fool, / Otherwise it will come to pass / That you'll lack that very bread."
Figure 3 – Landing of His Majesty King João VI, accompanied by a deputation from the Cortes, in the magnificent Terreiro do Paço square on July 4, 1821, returning from Brazil, stippled burin engraving by Constantino Fontes, 1821. Fundação Biblioteca Nacional.
Image description: This is a black and white engraving. The image depicts a public disembarkation at a port. On the left side, there is a building with several windows and open doors. Near it, groups of people walk toward the water. In the center, a staircase leads down to the sea, where boats are moored. On the right, a crowd watches the events. In the background, other boats sail on the horizon. The sky is cloudy, and the lighting suggests it is daytime. In the lower corner, there is text in Portuguese mentioning the disembarkation of King Dom João VI on July 4, 1821.Almost always written to be pasted on walls or read aloud in public squares, the peculiarity of the pamphlet in question demonstrates the variety of actors involved in the circulation of this medium of ideas. One important detail stands out immediately: since it displayed impeccable handwriting, verses in seven-syllable meter, and no spelling mistakes – a trait that was, incidentally, quite common in the “little papers” of this period –, everything indicates that whoever wrote the pamphlet was someone well versed in letters. What's more, they were very well informed about what was happening in the Americas: “Sign the Constitution / Don't set yourself apart, / Look how your neighbors / Have already been made to sign.”
Figure 4 — Pamphlet "Thomaz, deves apresentar isto a El-Rey," 1821. Box 195, folder 6, file 13. Azeredo da Silveira Library of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Itamaraty Historical Archive.
Image description: The image is a photograph of an old handwritten flyer in Portuguese. The layout is vertical, with the text divided into two columns. The first column is on the left and the second on the right. The paper is white, and the text is written in black. There are no additional colors. The flyer appears to be a historical document, possibly dating from the 19th century, based on the writing style and format. At the top, there is a signature on the left, but it is not clear enough to identify who made it. The text contains references to historical figures and political events, suggesting that it is a document related to the independence of Brazil."Thomaz, deves apresentar isto ao El-Rei" is a compendium in verse of anti-absolutist ideals, in favor of Brazil's Independence. The strength of this pamphlet comes from its ability to bear witness to the climate of political discussions in Rio de Janeiro in 1821. And, of course, from showing how the modern concept of "constitution" was stirring the hearts and minds of many "Lovers of the Homeland" in that period.
Bibliographic References
CARVALHO, José Murilo de; BASTOS, Lúcia; BASILE, Marcello. To arms, citizens!: handwritten pamphlets of Brazilian independence (1820-1823). São Paulo: Companhia das Letras, 2012.
CARVALHO, José Murilo de; BASTOS, Lúcia; BASILE, Marcello (Org.). Guerra literária: pamphlets of independence (1820-1823). Belo Horizonte: Editora UFMG, 2014.
