This factor in the general situation appeared at the time to be more than counterbalanced by the great popularity of the Emperor himself.  The Republican spirit was growing, it is true, and the progressive State of Sao Paolo headed the movement.  After a while this tendency was shorn of all disguise, and the formation of a Republic was openly advocated; but the universal desire appeared to be that the form of government should not be changed during the lifetime of the popular Emperor, Pedro II.  In the meanwhile the commercial and industrial resources of Brazil were rapidly becoming extended, and the wealth of the planters increased steadily.

Dom Pedro on various occasions visited Europe for the purposes of the State, and, in 1886, he started on his third journey to the Old World since the conclusion of the Paraguayan War.  At no time in the history of South America has it been found prudent for the head of a State to leave his country for too long in the hands of a Regent or deputy.  In this case the powers of Regent were handed over to Princess Isabel, and this lady lost little time in putting some admirable intentions into effect.  This, however, she managed to effect in a manner, as is frequently the case with well-intentioned persons, which wrought no little mischief to her own interests.

Humane and of advanced ideas, Princess Isabel had always regarded the slave trade with abhorrence.  The Emperor Pedro himself had approved of the conditions very little more.  It is certain, indeed, that he had intended ultimately to do away with this state of affairs by a gradual series of moves, so as to leave the general industrial situation unaffected.  Princess Isabel, on the other hand, favoured the idea of an immediate uprooting of the evil.

As it happened, some steps had already been taken which must in the end, of themselves, have done away with slavery; thus, it had been decreed in 1871 that every child of a slave born after that time was free.  This was not sufficient for the warm-hearted daughter of the Emperor.  In her impatience to free the older generation from their shackles, Princess Isabel determined on a general abolition forthwith.  In 1888, notwithstanding the entreaties and warnings of her Ministers, she issued a decree to this effect, by which it is said that 720,000 slaves became emancipated.

At the time remarkably little stir was caused by this upheaval of the industrial status; but there is no doubt that the measure alienated the sympathies of the most important class of all—­that of the landowners, who were now quite determined that the Princess and her husband should never come to the throne of Brazil.  While all this was occurring, matters had cropped up in Europe which had caused the Emperor’s absence to be prolonged unduly so far as home matters of State were concerned.  His health was bad, and his suite were anxious to save him as much as possible from the anxieties of politics.