Old letters from the Baron of Rio Branco (1893)
Old letters from the Baron of Rio Branco (1893)
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Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Digital Warranty ©
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On his way to New York to defend Brazil's rights, the Baron of Rio Branco reflects on the mission of a diplomat.
- Two old letters from the Baron of Rio Branco, also known as Juca, to an unknown recipient (Avelino).
- Two sheets, four written pages for each letter.
- In Portuguese.
- 20.2 cm x 25.4 cm.
- Aboard the RMS Teutonic, en route to New York.
- May 22, 1893.
- Paper yellowed and brittle with time.
- Unique set.
Excerpts from the first letter
We would like to thank the paleography team at UFMG for their work in transcribing these two letters.
I haven't had a moment's rest since you left (...) that appointment to Washington came to me.
In your letter, you say that I am now in the career that suits me best. We have often spoken about this matter, and you must remember that I always tell you that I do not want to know about a diplomatic career. I am not suited for it, my dear, for many reasons. Two suffice: I do not have the fortune to maintain the position of minister, and I must not give up the work I have in preparation to lead a life of dinners, receptions, etiquette, and parties. I am no longer a man of the world.
I accepted this mission because it is temporary and solely for the defense of a territory that is incontestably ours. It is a matter of history and geography that I know perfectly, a matter dealt with by my Father in 1857. I do not know how the Government knew that I was in possession of new documents and intended to write on the subject: it appealed to me, and I had no right to excuse myself, alleging reasons of convenience or personal comfort.
Once the matter is concluded, I will return to my corner until I can find a way to acquire some property in São Paulo. I do not wish for eminences and greatness, and this abstinence, as you know, comes from afar. In times when such things seemed more lasting and solid, I had already become accustomed to desiring only obscure positions. I should not change that purpose in the agitated days we are going through (...).
Excerpts from the second letter
How boring this life on board! I am scribbling on this paper without really knowing what I am writing. On board, I can only sleep and eat: the rocking of the ship makes me lazy and even incapable of having a romance. I am on the 5th day of the journey. The day after tomorrow we should arrive in New York (...). Juca
In 2012, Brazil celebrated the end of the Baron of Rio Branco's (1845 - 1912) tenure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, valuing the legacy of the patron of Brazilian diplomacy, especially regarding the United States and Argentina. Rio Branco finalized the national borders and established the foundations of Brazil's diplomatic tradition, always seeking to differentiate Brazil from other nations in the southern hemisphere, characterized by great political and financial difficulties.
In this set of two letters, the Baron of Rio Branco writes from the ship taking him to Washington in 1893 to, according to the Brazilian Academy of Letters, "(...) defend Brazil's rights to the Mission territories. The issue was submitted to the arbitration of President Grover Cleveland of the USA, claimed by Argentina. Rio Branco, advocating the Brazilian point of view, presented President Cleveland with an exposition and valuable documentation in six volumes. The arbitral award of February 5, 1895, was entirely favorable to Brazilian claims."
This set of two letters is valuable for the detailed thoughts of the Baron of Rio Branco on the work - sometimes boring - of a Brazilian diplomat ("dinners, receptions, etiquette, and parties"), his goals for this particular mission ("the defense of a territory that is incontestably ours"), and his aspirations for the future ("I do not wish for eminences and greatness").

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