afterwards wisely aiding the honourable inhabitants of the province
of Maranham in throwing off the said foreign domination, so that they
were enabled, according to their desire, to acknowledge His Majesty
as their constitutional Emperor; and desiring to give your Excellency
a public testimonial of gratitude for these great and extraordinary
services (_per estse altos e extraordinarios serviços_) on behalf of
the generous Brazilian people, who will ever preserve a lively
remembrance of such illustrious acts, I deem it right to confer upon
your Excellency the title of Marquis of Maranhaõ. My Secretary of
State will expedite the necessary patent which I communicate to your
Excellency for your information.

God preserve your Excellency many years.


Palace of Rio de Janeiro, 25th of November, 1823.
(Signed) JOAÕ SEVERIANO MACIEL DA COSTA.

The annexed is the vote of thanks awarded by the _"Assemblea Geral"_
which, as has been said, refused to recognise His Majesty's gift of an
estate in order to support in a dignified manner the title which His
Majesty had graciously been pleased to confer. The reason assigned for
this extraordinary proceeding, in a lengthy debate on the subject was,
that in granting me an estate His Majesty had exercised a feudal
prerogative inconsistent with a free country.

The General Constituent and Legislative Assembly having been
officially informed that your Excellency, after having freed the
province of Bahia from the oppression of Portuguese troops, and
having pursued them beyond the equinoctial line, led the squadron on