Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/774

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LISBOA
LISBOA SERRA

it. He also published "Jornal de Timon" (1851); " Historia do Maranhao " (Maranhao, 1850) ; and a life of Father Vicera (Lisbon, 1860).


LISBOA, José Antonio, Brazilian statesman, b. in Rio Janeiro, 23 Feb., 1777: d. there, 29 June, 1850. He received his early education in his native city, and was graduated in mathematics at Lisbon in 1801. He afterward went to France and England, and in 1804 returned to Portugal, where he was ac- cused before the Inquisition of importing irrelig- ious books, and fled to Brazil. In 1810 the king of Portugal created several new institutions in con- nection with the government of Brazil, and one of these, the Junta do commercio, was placed under the direction of Lisboa. He was appointed super- visor of the newly founded Bank of Brazil in 1821, and in 1825 commissioned to treat with Portugal and England regarding the liquidation of the Bra- zilian debt. He dismissed many of the English claims, and in 1830 the British envoy asked the government of Brazil to retire him ; but this re- quest was refused in a note dated 4 Sept., 1830, and on 3 Nov. Lisboa was called to occupy the ministry of finance. In 1832 he was appointed a member of the commission for forming a commer- cial code, which was finished in a few months. From 1833 till 1835 he steadily worked to relieve the condition of the treasury, contributed to estab- lish the mint, and organized a new bank. During the reign of Pedro II. Lisboa's services to the na- tion were rewarded with several decorations. He was a councillor of state and member of the Insti- tute historico-geographico Brasileiro. He pub- lished a biography of his friend Silvestre Pinheiro Ferreira (Rio de Janeiro, 1842).


LISBOA, José da Silva, Brazilian scholar, b. in Bahia, 16 July, 1756 ; d. in Rio Janeiro, 20 Aug., 1835. He went to Portugal in 1772, and was gradu- ated in philosophy at Coimbra in 1779. He was made assistant teacher of Latin, Greek, and He- brew in Coimbra before his graduation, and on his return to his native country was appointed pro- fessor of languages and natural philosophy in the College of Bahia. After twenty years of teaching he was pensioned, on his return to Portugal in 1797, by the prince regent, and later appointed to a government office at Bahia, where he employed his leisure time in writing works on political econo- my. The regent, John VI., after the arrival of the royal family in Brazil, called Lisboa to Rio Janei- ro, and there appointed him professor of political economy. To his efforts was due the royal decree of 21 Jan., 1808, opening the ports of Brazil to all nations, which was strongly opposed by the mer- chants of Portugal. In defence of this measure Lisboa published his most notable work " Obser- va§5es sobre o commercio franco " (Rio Janeiro, 1808). When the " Tribunal da junta do commer- cio, agricultura, fabricas e navegacao do Brazil " was created, Lisboa was appointed a member, or- ganized the first tribunal of commerce, and formed the commercial code of laws. In 1821 he was ap- pointed inspector of the literary establishments of Brazil, and in that year began to take part in poli- tics, publishing the journal "O Conciliador do Reino Qnido," which favored the continued union of Brazil and Portugal; but when Prince Pedro declared the separation of Brazil from the mother country, Lisboa adhered to the cause of independ- ence, and published his work " Reclamacoes do Brasil" (Rio de Janeiro, 1822). He was elected from his province to the constituent assembly of Brazil, in 1826 appointed senator, and in 1831 Vis- count de Cayru. From that year till his death he was contributor to the official paper, " Diario do Rio de Janeiro." Besides the works mentioned above he published " Principios de Dereito Mer- cantile " (Lisbon, 1801) ; " Principios de Economia Politica," in part a translation of the work of Adam Smith (1804); and twenty-three others, nearly all relating to political economy and the politics and history of Brazil. — His brother, Bal- thazar, b. in Bahia, 6 Jan., 1761 ; d. in Rio Ja- neiro, 14 Aug., 1840, studied in Coimbra after 1775, and was admitted to the bar in 1784. He was appointed judge of the city of Rio de Janei- ro and a member of the tribunal of forestry in 1797, and in his leisure hours composed several of his works. He was also appointed in 1812 to study and report on the mines of Bendego and Cotegipe. He resigned from the tribunal of forestry in 1817, went to Lisbon in 1818 for his health, and on his return retired to his estate on the river Das Contas. In 1823 he was accused by calumniators of being an enemy of independence and was imprisoned; but he proved his innocence, and was appointed by Pedro I. to the council of state, employing his leisure in writing. In 1838 he was one of the founders of the " Institute Historico e Geographi- co Brasileiro." He published " Phisica dos Bosques dos Ilheos " and " Descripcao do comarca de Ilhe- os " (Lisbon, 1803) ; " Annales da provincia da Ba- hia" (Bahia, 1820); " Bosque jo Historico da Lit- teratura portugueza " (Rio Janeiro, 1838) ; and con- tributions to scientific, literary, and political jour- nals. — Jose's son, Bento da Silva, b. in Bahia, 4 Feb., 1793 ; d. in Rio Janeiro, 26 Dec, 1864, was liberally educated, and in 1816 entered politics. In 1821-'3 he took an active part in the movement for independence. During the government of Pe- dro I. he held several offices in the administration and represented his province in the assembly. At the dissolution of that body he continued to be a friend of the government. During the regency of Father Feijo and the government of Pedro II. he was twice secretary of state and special envoy to Portugal, England, and Germany, and was also commissioned to Italy in 1843 to settle the marriage of Pedro II. In his leisure hours he composed several works, and also wrote biographies of his father and his uncle Balthazar (1841). He took an active part in the foundation of the " Instituto Geographico Brasileiro," wrote several years for its journal, and was a member of several scientific and literary societies in Europe and America. He died poor, and the government made an appropriation for the support of his family.


LISBOA SERRA, Joao Duarte, Brazilian poet, b. in Nossa Senhora das Dores de Itapecurumirim, 31 May, 1818; d. in Rio Janeiro, 16 April, 1855. He received his early education in Maranhao, and was graduated in arts and sciences at Coimbra, Portugal. From early life he cultivated poetry and published several compositions that were highly praised, including "Subindo pelo Vouga" and "No Cemiterio dos Christaos." In 1839 he returned to Brazil and there contributed to several newspapers. In 1842, falling heir to a large fortune, he abandoned journalism and poetry, and in 1847 was elected to congress by the province of Maranhao. In 1848 he was appointed by the government president of the province of Bahia, where he founded the provincial bank. In 1850 he became treasurer of the nation, councillor of state, and president of the Bank of Brazil. In the elections of 1853 he was chosen a representative in his native province, and took his seat in the assembly, but declined the post of a cabinet minister. Feeble health finally compelled Lisboa to retire to private life, and, his taste for poetry returning, he composed several