In Brazil, a Catholic colony captured from the Spaniards and the Portuguese, who were common enemies of the Jews and the Dutch, the Jews considered themselves allies of the victorious Calvinist Dutch and apparently acted accordingly during the early period of the Dutch occupation. Soon thereafter, however, they were compelled to change their view of the situation. Besides their important position in the sugar industry and in tax farming, they dominated the slave trade. From 1636 to 1645 a total of 23,163 Negro slaves arrived from Africa and were sold for 6,714,423 florins. The West India Company, which monopolized imports of slaves from Africa, sold slaves at public auctions against cash payment. It happened that cash was mostly in the hands of Jews. The buyers who appeared at the auctions were almost always Jews, and because of this lack of competitors they could buy slaves at low prices. On the other hand, there also was no competition in the selling of the slaves to the plantation owners and other buyers, and most of them purchased on credit payable at the next harvest in sugar. Profits up to 300 percent of the purchase value were often realized with high interest rates.
If it happened that the date of such an auction fell on a Jewish holiday, the auction had to be postponed. This occurred on Friday, October 21, 1644.
On January 10, 1641, 66 Christian merchants residing in Dutch Brazil submitted to the government in Recife a report very hostile to the Jews. It stated that the country's trade and brokerage were passing more and more into Jewish hands, and that almost the entire sugar trade was dominated by Jews; that the Jews were adept at laying their hands on all profitable transactions, generously leaving the rest to the Christians; and that they would lie and cheat, use false weights and measures, practice usury, and enrich themselves. The report suggested that they be forced to wear red hats or yellow insignia upon their chests, as was done in other countries, so that everyone would be able to identify them. It further stated that the Jews had an unfair advantage in that their knowledge of the Portuguese language caused the Portuguese to come to their shops and to use them as brokers. Their unfair business methods were alleged to give them a privileged position. It was stated that Jews often sold below purchase prices in order to obtain liquid funds, which they then loaned to persons in need of capital in the interior of the province at monthly interest rates of 4, 5, and even 6 percent. Non-Jews would be compelled either to give up their business or to adopt the practices of the Jews. The report, which further stated that Brazil had Jews from Poland, Spain, Italy, Turkey, the Barbary States (North Africa) and Germany, ended with the request that Jews be excluded from the retail trade. Johan Maurits and the Supreme Council hastened to report to the Heeren XIX in Holland on the same day. Their report dealt with the complaints of the clergy and the citizens against the Jews. The complaints concerning the economic questions were repeatedly summarized. Grievances with regard to religious problems were also taken up, and it was stressed that the Jews were permitted to hold public divine services and were building a synagogue. The report requested instructions. It leads us to believe that the government of Recife, in response to the complaints of 1638, 1639, and 1640, had been directed by the Heeren XIX to comply with the charters of 1629 and 1636 and not to hinder the Jews in the practice of their religious customs, but to take strict measures only in cases of blasphemy and religious demonstrations in the streets.
