Manuscript letter by the Brazilian railway engineer Constancio da Franca Amaral (dates unknown), addressed to Dom Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil (1825-1891), written on the very same day that the famous Lei Áurea (Golden Law) came into force. This law, abolishing the slavery in Brazil, was signed by Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil (1846-1921), who acted as regent to Emperor Pedro II, who was in Europe at the time. Brazil was the last country in the Western world to abolish slavery.
The author thanks both Dom Pedro II and Dona Isabel for the abolition of slavery.
Franca Amaral was an engineer who was granted in 1880 the privilege of building a narrow gauge railway from the bay of S. Francisco (the Baía de Babitonga near São Francisco do Sul) on the coast of the province of Santa Catarina to Rio Negro in the province of Paraná; on the condition that he would start the necessary research project for drafting the construction plans within 6 months.
A number and date of response ("R. no. 75 24-5-88") has been added in brown ink in the upper right corner (recto) and an annotation in pencil stating that the author wants to give thanks has been added in the upper left corner (recto). The leaf is slightly foxed and browned and shows faint folding lines. Otherwise in good condition. For the decrees concerning the author, see: Decree no. 7619 (January 31, 1880) via https://www2.camara.leg.br/legin/fed/decret/1824-1899/decreto-7619-31-janeiro-1880-551459-publicacaooriginal-67975-pe.html and Decree no. 8546 (March 20, 1882) via https://www2.camara.leg.br/legin/fed/decret/1824-1899/decreto-8546-20-maio-1882-545159-norma-pe.html; for the almanac see: Almanak Laemmert do Rio de Janeiro para 1899, p. 1307, online viahttp://memoria.bn.gov.br/docreader/313394/17855 (digital page number 1116 of 1388).