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Northern Star (1837-1852), 19th June 1847, Edition 2 of 3, Page 7

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    • /orcign ftttefligence
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      Jpys 19, 1847. The Northern Star. «

      Jpys 19 , 1847 . THE NORTHERN STAR . «

      /Orcign Ftttefligence

      / orcign ftttefligence

      Foktugal. Thk Aemed I5tsrvk St£Of» \Fe A...

      fOKTUGAL . THK AEMED I 5 TSRVK ST £ OF » \ fe annonnc edin our last number the capture of njs Antes and two thousand four hundred of the Lta's fao ^ . ^™ . P"f sh , sqnadron , under the Spa aad of Sir T . Maitland . We now give the Lticnlara of Una perfidious transaction , so disgraceful to the British name . " Thcfo'UrffhiS ac ? < ij 3 mainly derived from the jrtjpandence of the Tinies . It must be borne in nindthat that jouraalhag from the first been Stterlyopposodtothe National party , anditscor-S-nondents have taken the utmost pains to throw ^ " ' credit on the cause and actions of the patriots . So Sp . rIv is the Lisbon correspondent a partisan of ^" j Maria , that there can hardly be any donbt rtat he is in the pay of that disreputable personage . Tearing these facts m mind , our readers may take \ t for r anted that the Tones' correspondents a re not fitelv to paint the Queen and her British confede-« t « blacker than they really are , bnt rather the re-£ rse' J * these said correspondents disclose facts

      « hich decide lor ever me miamy the British ^ xcets . who , by a combination of fraud with force , l ive affected the rain of the National cause . We first quote from the budget of the Lisbon cor-^ fiBOS , Jnne i—In my last I mentioned the return fl ihc « ar-steamer Bulldog to Lisbon , on the evening ftte 2 ? t n ult .. after a rapid voyage of four days from to'tnouft , w'th despatches for Sir H . Seymour « ij Admiral Parker , commumcatrag the signing of Jlj , protected and the furfherinstructions . Not an iatf-ni was ' osfc ' n tKinsni ' *' eT correspondin ? in-^ rti ons bvth e Bulldog to the commander of our " jjroa at Oporto , who was directed ( as I intimated iainvlast ) to " make the blockade effective , "in jLjnnetion w ; th a French ship of war . Within 30 tots after these instructions reached Oporto , a « and expedition which the Junta had prepared ioi ^ jf-rPeniche . about 30 miles north of Lisbon , and , ^ embarking there , to march on thecapital , in

      purines of the policy wnicn l desmbed m a former ma , and which designed to hustle Donna Maria « fthethrone and get her out of the kingdom before jmi Palmerston could have arranged with France ml Spain as to the ulterior proceedings , sailed from rte Donro . with Das Antas on board as commanderin-ch ief , when they fell , quite innocently , into the lands of ourblockadins squadron , whose commander ¦ "slept the way * and intimated that they could not piss . The expeditionary squadron chose to disre * i no * ' this intimation , and was proceeding to pass Jatof the river , when of course , without firing a siot , which would have been madness , considering fesuveriority of naval force on our side , they gave fonHseh-es up as prisoners , with many protestations

      ( Sat" they yielded only to constraint and torce , " and , nia a formal declaration that they surrendered to tie Allied Powers , and not to the Q-ieen of Portugal . Tuirimportant seizure took place at sunset on the Sjtihult . It was the more important because the tins insurgent steamers which left Oporto about jen days since , had returned and formed part of the pe = ent expedition . The vessels seized by the allied smadron were the following : —Steamers . —Royal jar , Mindello , Porto , corvette Eighth if July ; Merchant vessels . —Flor da Amizade and Amor da Paha , and six Mates—in all twelve vessels , having on board a force o ? 2 , 400 men of all arms , with 50 horses snd two pieces of artillery , the military commander cf the expedition being the Conde das Antas , and

      thenars ! commander an Englishman , namedSaljer , who deserted at tho commencement of this insurrection from the naval service of tbe Queen of Portngal , and has since been doing ail the injury he coa ! Jto his adopted sovereign . Das Antas was on bond the Mindello steamer , and was allowed torejusn there ; bnt Salter was removed onboard the Balldog . Several of the most important amongst Hie insurgent leaders were likewise onboard the vessel firming the insurgent squadron . We now turn to the Oporto correspondent of the Times . The Junta had deliberated on the possibility ef the expedition being interfered with by the British squadron off the bar , and come to the conclusion that such interference was net probable , ositp to that

      Osx { three o ' closk , p . m ., May 29 th ) , " no distinct threotof seizure or stoppage had been made by any British agent . " Under these circumstances the order to embark was given : — Abiutfive o clock , 2 , 400 men were drawn twin Stent of the home occupied by Das Antas—colours were distributed by his lady to one of the hattajions —a speech was made by the Commander-in-Chiefhearty vivas were given by the surrounding multitude , aud the embarkation commenced amidst the greatestenthusiasm , both en the part of the troops and tbe people . While this was going on , the British squadron , consisting of afrizate , a brig of war , and three large steamers , lay off the bar , a witness of all that passed , but no message was sent in , nor any order

      given , even under the shape of "friendly advice . About 6 o ' clock the British Consul arrived at the Foz , and had an interview of nearly half-an-i ; oiir with Das Antas . The object of the Consul was to deliver a letter , dated the 28 th of May , from Sir Hamilton oeymonr , refusing to protect the commissoners whom the Junta had proposed to address personally to the Queen , for the purpose ofliaving a national question deeidedby national means . Our Consul I have no doubt advised Das Antas in a becoming manner ; bat I am positively informed that Mr JohnSOHDID 501 DECLARE THAT IHE EXPEDITION WOCLD

      be seized , or use any language unqualified by the word " probably . " The interview being over , Das Antas himself embarked , and the Consul returned to town for the purpose of delivering to the Junta the letter alluded to , as Das Antas had declined officially to receive it , on tbe ground that being Commanileiin-Chiet of an expeditionary movement he had for the time resigned his presidency of the Junta . The Ccnsnldil deliver the letter , and had at the same Cme a long conversation with that body ; but I hirereasoa to know without once exceeding the limit * of advice , or converting " probability" into ertainty .

      Thus closed the Sunday night , some degree of confidence being siven to the few English families remaining , by a hint that nothing hostile would be dene by cur fleet in this vicinity , on account of the great value of British property in Oporto ; and that the expedition would not be disturbed till it reached Caseacs . In fact , on Monday morning the whole of the squadron and the ships of the Junta were seen peaceably , and , to all appearance , sociably , at anchor off the bar— " the wolf lying down with the lanib "wt a notice placed on the bar book soon altered the case , and we saw , as it explained , that the Portuguese fleet was in fact environed by the British squadron . The whole truth then became known ,

      and it was found that , at 4 a . m . on Monday , Sir Thomas Maitland had captured the whole of the Junta ' s ships , and had disarmed ihe expedition . Ink was done in so offhand and characteristic a manner that I cannot do less than g " nre the correspondence which accompanied it . The correspondence begins jjjih the following summons to surrender from Sir Thomas Maitland to the Count Das Antas : — " Her Majesty ' s Ship America , off Oporto , May 31 . '' Ihave the honour to inform yon that my ordeis are imperative to take possession of the Junta ' s vessels of war , troops , & c . If they do not immediately anchor near the America , I shall be compelled , how-2 re £ reluctantly , to use force , "t . Maitlasd . "

      Of coarse Das Antas , on receiving this letter , saw that he had nochance of escaping , and so , making a virtue of necessity , he struck his flag and wrote the following answer to Sir Thomas : — " Mindello , off Oporto , May SI . " I have received the communication which your Excellency has made me . Surrounded by forces so much superior to those under my command , I consider myself a prisoner of war . I protest most solemnly ¦ against this violent infraction , of the laves of nations ; against war , without any previous declaration of war on afrienoVy nation ; against ike greatest abuse of force ever made under circumstances of the greatest aggravation , which dishonours for ever the English nation . Your Excellency will be pleased to give orders as to the ulterior destination of the force now under your command . "Cosde Das Astas . "

      Sir Thomas Maitland did not leave Das Antas long in ignorance of his intentions , and he proceeded at once to the disarmament of the troops in the following characteristic manner : — " Her Majesty ' s ship America , off Oporto , May 31 . < : As the troaps under your command are now prisoners of war , in order te prevent unnecessary bloodshed I have the honour to request that you will give the necessary directions to them to lay down their arms , —otherwise I must use the means in my power to < Mge them to do it . " T . Maitland . " This order was obeyed without resistance . lam told that one of our boats fared unnecessarily into one of ihe smaller Junta vessels , andtltat two men were killed . I hear that one ojjfcer stabbed himsel f to the heart sooner than give up his sword , and that two sailors threw themselves overboard , one of whom had the good luck to sirim to shore .

      The full extent of the news was not known till the afternoon of Monday . It of course produced a violent irritation in the town , and caused the remaining English subjects to reflect very seriously on their situation . The Junta , however , behaved admirably . Had the Junta shown the white feather , had they consulted their personal safety and fled , I should not probably be alive to write this letter , nor any other of my fellow-residents . The Junta certainly deserve credit for their forbearance , for , according to the account which they have published , and J to the

      answers which they have given to such Englishmen as called on them , the letter of Sir Hamilton Seymour , declaratory of the final intentions of the British government , though dated Lisbon , May 20 . was not delivered to the Casa Pia ( palace of the Junta ) till one o ' clock of the afternoon of the 31 st , HS 1 CXLT KI 5 B H 00 B 3 AFTER THB PLBET ' iSD EXFKDIDoa were camubbd . "This fact is so strangev-itiB 80 contrary to British good faith and repugnant to every feeling of fair play , that I have made minute inquiries into it ; and Icon state with certainty that th letter in question was not delivered by our Consul till after one o ' clock p . o ., on Mmday ths 31 rt » the cap-

      Foktugal. Thk Aemed I5tsrvk St£Of» \Fe A...

      ture of the expedition having taken place ati a . m . or just nine hours previously . ' The Junta addressed a forma ] protest to the English Consul , but as this document is very lengthy I ° only extract the most pointed passages . After reciting- the facts of the case , the Jnnt i say , " We protest solemnly against this foreign intervention in the domestic affairs of Portugal , which , as a nation free and inde-P ™ " *' - " ? an ^ disputable right to constitute itself politically-according to tkeexisting laws . Wc orotest against this flagrant violation of the rights of nations" The Junta adds , "Yielding to force and violence , but still solemnly protesting we assent i «

      tue armistice required by Sir H . Seymour , on the fn ™ ° n r l . h » letter- «** the forces of the government of Lisbon shall at the same irae 6 f / ore the receipt of th said letter of Sir H . jU Vr the commander of the British naial forces S he fcLte " th 0 Ug ' - lt P ™ P ^ ^ thout any del nation of war or previous intimation , to take wbm . So » £ ? J ? fl : ,, ! ' 0 f the s 1 uadr ° a »« troops thl ^ f 1 Ja ? fc « . ^ e protest so lemnly against 2-f ; o M one w * , eh y iolate * n" nation Aw , and Sfc-Af ? » ?» d haTe expected from fte old Si " . ft lS « y « f Portosal" lam glad to say that not a single Englishman has had reason to comnlain ine

      m lightest insnlt or injury . The people were «^ L ^ teted l . on , secin S tnei ' fleet carried tethe southward each of our steamers having a Portuguese vessel m tow ; but the peace of the city was so well preserved that we walked about in full securitv . and eveni those : who committed the imprudence of fiS - utat 1 kJe ^ "r * of ihe n !^ t cached their homes in safety . This good conduct was observed nn er tbe additional aggravation that Marshal Saluanha , m defiance of the armurticc . advanced his head quarters to Gngo within two leagues of the city . and nis advanced posts to Campo 6 rande , only one league , anil that a Spanish force had crossed at Valenoa , from Gahcia . and defeated with great loss the Junta troops atationed near that nlace . I am told that .

      aaidanha , when remonstrated with for disregarding the armistice , said , that the orders for advance had been previously given , and that he was glad to be near Oporto to assist the Junta in protecting the persons and property of strangers . 1 suppose the leader of the Spanish troops at Valenca will offer a similar excuse . The conduct of Saldanha does not escape criticism here—and men exclaim againsf the Duke , who re mained four months quiet at Oliveira . and never moved a step forward until he had the cover of an armistice , aud found that the Junta lost A * 00 men in one sweep . We now torn again to the Lisbon correspondent of the Ttmes : — r

      The news of this important capture was carried toLisbonby the Madrid Peninsular packet , which reached this m the afternoon of the 1 st inst . It speedily became disseminated throughout the metropolis , and produced a most extraordinary sensation , bavins taken every one by surprise , and filling the Queen ssupportcrs with joy , and the adherents of the Junta with dismay . The landing and securin » of the prisoners within the precinct * of St . Julian ' s was completed vesterday afternoon , June 4 th : then are guarded by dstrong f ^ S of our marines . On Wednesdav some 50 cavalry and 38 artillerymen wentdown in a steamer to conduct the captured horses and mules to Lisbon , and arsenal baats to bring np the armament & e .

      , The great number of the captured vessels arrived here in a miserable state , short both of provisions and water . Too many men were likewise crammed on board some of the vessels , and they arrived like the human cattle of a slaver , terribly exhausted by tte excessive heat and confined space . We havo thus got a little army of prisoners on our hands , and will not perhaps find it so easy to set rid of them . Whenever s . t at liberty they may immediately proceed to make a fresh rebellion , of which their numbers would form a sufficient nucleus .

      We are loth to charge Admiral Parker with the treaehermis design of seducing , under false pretences , the Viscount Sa da Bandeira to surrender himself and followers , but the extract following , from the Admiral ' s letter , wears that ugly appearance , when he so grossly exaggerates the number of the Junta's troops . seiz- 'd , and speaks as though Das Antas had voluntarily surrendered . Oar readers will remember that Sada Bandeira commanded the Junta ' s forces at St Dbea , near Lisbon . " Her Majesty ' s shin Hibernia . at Lisbon , "June 1 , 1847 . 1

      My dear Viscount , —I have this instant received , by the packet from Oporto , a despatch from Captain Sir Thomas Maitland , of the America frigate , who commands the British squadron <> ff the Douro , informing me that yesterday the whole of the insureent naval force , consisting of tbe vessels enumerated in the margin , and having on board the Count das Antas and 4 , 000 troops , surrendered themselves , to the British squadron , and are now on their way to the Tagns . "They are in the hands of the English ; and I need notasmreyou that notonly will their lives besafe . and that they will not be delivered un to the Portuguese government , nor obliged to land in Portugal against their will ; but I flatter myself they will find themselves kindly treated . "Needlintreat yon . my dear Viscount , to cease hostilities , and / olfow t / jscrampleof your associates in arms ? * * * .

      " W . Pabker , Vice-Admiral . " The following is an ex ' ract from Sa da Bandeira ' s answer : — "In reply , I have to tell you that I shall defend myself if I am attacked ; but also , that upon the appearance of the new and powerful enemy which has presented itself against the cause of the peuple of Portngal , I shall suspend hostilities until I receive the instructions of the Junta of the supreme government of the kingdom . " I have the honour to be , Mons . L'Amiral , & c . "ViseonntDE Sa da Basdeiua . " St Dbes . June 2 nd , 1847 , 2 am . Admiral Parker assured Sa da Bandeira that the prisoners would . not be obliged to land in Portugal aeainst their will ; yet three days afterwards the prisoners were landed in Portugal and consigned to a Portugue .-e fortress , nnder the guard of a body of British marines !

      Since the above was in type we have received by ths Madrid , Peninsular steam-ship , intelligence from Lisbon to the 9 ; h , and from Oporto to thellth instant The correspondent of the "Daily News " thus writes : — The consequences of the coup domain perpetrated by the English squadron on the 31 st of May have not been long in making themselves apparent . It is no exaggeration to say that , with ths exception of the court parly , and of a very small and bigoted party of Englishmen , ( whose monied and stock-jobbint : interests are implicated in the triumph of absolutism , ) the whole population of Lisbon feel alike contempt and indignation for a nation which could first foster tho insurrection of Portugal , and then

      use its irresistible power to quell It , and to deliver its chiefs over to the hands of their enemies ' . The firm determination of the Viscount deSaBandiera toyield nothing short of direct aggression on thejpart of Great Britain , hasapparently occasioned someembarrassment to the ambassador and the admiral , for no step had been taken up to the evening of the 8 th of June to compel the insurgent forces at St Ubes to lay down their arms . A Spanish force of upwards of 1 , 400 men , under the command of General Mendez Vigo , marched into Pertugal on the 3 rd inst .. crossing the frontier river Minho , at Valenffa . Colonel Damazio , commanding the Junta ' s forces in that quarter , offered some resistance to the advance of the Spaniards , but subsequently retreated to Ponte de Lima .

      It is difficult to ascertain what diplomatic steps are being taken in the present confused state of affairs . The report most current is that Sir XlauiiUon Seymour has been unintermittinuly employed , since the news of the capture of the expedition of Count das Antas reached him , in an endeavour to induce Donna Maria and her ministers to carry out the preliminary steps of the conditions accepted by her , and upon which the whole of the recent acts of the British sqnadron are based . These preliminary steps consist

      in the immediate nomination of a ministry calculated to give the popular chiefs confidence in the future conduct ef the court aad government , in the restoration of the personal guarantees , and the liberty of the press , and in the liberation of all persons confined under the rigorous regime of the Marquis Frontera and Lis brother , on suspicion of being disaffected . But np to the moment at which I write nothing whatever has been effected either by the representations or entreaties of cur ambassador , nor has Donna Maria or her advisers advanced one

      inch towards rendering her government more in accordance with the policy recommended and imposed on her by Lord Palmerston . Indeed , if the official part of the Diario may be accepted aa evidence of the Queen ' s determination , conduct the very reverse to what I have above indicated must be looked for , iaasrauch as the Gazette of the 7 th instant contains a decree , dated the preceding day , prolonging the suspension ef personal freedom , and of the liberty of the press and this , too , in the very teeth of Donna Maria's own personal engagement with Sir II . Seymour to annul every illegal act passed by her , amongst which this stands first and foremost . Of the general sentiments which animate all classes in the capital , save a select few to whom I have already

      alluded , it only remains for me to say , which I can most conscientiously , that one common feeling of indignation and sorrow appears to pervade the whole mass of society , from the highest to the lowest . Even the more enlightened aud liberal amongst the Cabral partisans feel that a blow has been struck at the honour and independence of Portugal by a power which , up to that moment , had at least the confidence and esteem of the nation , but which , by this act of partisanship and of police intervention , ( for that wUl be the- effect of Lord Palmereton ' s proceedin" ) has forfeited its pretensions to be considered a friend to the Portuguese people , whatever it may be to the court and camarilla . Accounts from Oporto represent that the Junta ha ^ signified their wUliagaesa to accept the terms

      Foktugal. Thk Aemed I5tsrvk St£Of» \Fe A...

      dictated by the British ; at the same time protesting against the intervention . UNITED STATES AND MEXICO . By the nviil steam-ship Britannia , we have news from New York to tho 1 st instant . Letters from the seat of war state that General Scott was advancing rapidly upon Mexico . Although short of troops—a large number of volunteers having lelt him , their time of service having expired—he had pushed on a column to Puebla , where no resistance was expected . GeEeral "Worth had taken possesiion of Perote , without opposition . General Taylor , in consequence of a large number of troops havinj left him , was unable to move from his position . In the capital of Mexico everything was in confusion . Little or no preparation for defence was made .

      Ifmpenai Praams

      Ifmpenai praams

      House Of Coumos5.—[In Consequence Of Our...

      HOUSE OF COUMOS 5 . —[ In consequence of our punliahing arrangements precluding the insertion at any length ol the commencement of the important debate on the intervention of this country iu the affairs of Portugal , we here give an abstract of the discussion on Friday evening last . ] Avfaibs or Poetcoal—Mr Home moved that in the judgment of the house , the armed interference ot the British Government between political' parties in Portugal was unwarrantable in principle , and likely to lead to mischievous consequences . After reminding thehouBe of the popular struggles by which tho liberties of this country baa heen achieved and established , and insisting upon the right of other people to fulfil iu tbe same way their own political destinies , without being interfered

      with by any foreign power , the honourable gentleman proceeded to criticize tlio foreign policy of her Majestj ' s government ia relation to Portugal—a policy to the principle of which he objected , as ho also did to tin : manner in which it had been carried out . Without quaationing the absolute right of tho executive government to act as it had done , he contended that the whole question should have , been submitted to parliament before the intervention of which he comp lained was decided upon For such a course tbe conduct of Mr Canning , in relation to Portagal , had not left them without a precedent . lie regarded the news of that morning as casting a greater stain upon the honour of the British name than had ever been cast upon it before . It had allied itself with despotism , and succeeded in crushing a

      popular movement , to which a patient and suffering nation had been driven by a series of arbitrary acts , which tnOre than justified the people ta the armed resistance which they offered to their government . The liberties of tbe Portuguetehad been nominally guaranteed by charter , but the whole conduct of Donna Maria ' s government bad been subversive of that charter , at war with every principle of freedom , and destructive of everj right and of every guarantee for the enjoyment ttf those rights which tbe people of that country had imagined that thij had secured .. Yet such wag the new ally of her Britannic Majesty ' s government , in conjunction with whom it was now engaged in crushing a . popalar cause which was sanctioned by every principle of justice . One of the reasons assigned for this unworthy course ou the part

      of eur government was . that if we had not interfered , France and Spain would have done so , to the annihilation of the popular party . But we were yet to be toW what it was precisely that France would have done . " Louis Philippe cannot have forgotten , " said tho hou . gentleman , '' the circumstances to which he owed his throne and the principle by which ho holds it , " an allusion which elicited a bnrst of cheering from all parts of the house . Remembering this , the part which he had taken in this intervention appeared to him ( Mr Hume ) utterly unaccountable . Tha whole of constitutional Europe had acknowledged the right of the French people to resitt the despotism of Charles X „ and it was the exercise of that rijht , uninterfered with , which elevated the present dynasty to the throne ; yet that same dynasty

      was now resisting tbe exercise of the same ri-ht by the Portuguese people , who wire ten times as much oppressed as were the French previous to the revolution of July . It was urged by the advocates of intervention , that the pacification of Portugal , which was its oVject , would be its speedy result . Portugal might be crusned , but it would not be pacified ; and he could assure the government that the step which they had just taken would give rise to political complications which would certainly lead to great future embarrassments . The differences between the government and psopla of Portugal would be multiplied instead of being lessened , and the impediments in the way of the pacification of the country augmented instead of diminished . Such would be the fruits of an intervention ' , unjustifiable in its inception ,

      and unworthy the character of this country in the mode in which it had been conducted ; for the news of lhat morning as to the capture of tbe troops of Das Antus hit them only to infer that the Junta had been entrapped into the hands of the Britith squadron . The evil tendencies of this unfortunate policy on the part of our government could be butter appreciated rthen it was considered that should Russia and Austria , on the deatli of Louis Philippe , march an army to Paris for the re-eitahiishment of legitimacy in France , our cuurse towards Portugal would pr . cluue us not only from resisting , but even from remonstrating with them . "What rendered the conduct of our government all the more indefensible was the fact that the Portuguese people were not in reality in arms against their sovereign , but against a cabal oi

      tyrannical ministers , who oppressed the nation and coerced the government . To interfere in behalf of these was neitter more nor less than to sanction their violation of tbe constitution , and to sustain them in that violation . This W 2 s no party question , but one of national , indeed of universal , interest . What hnd teen done could not now be undone ; but he called upon the house , by affirming his resolution , to manifest !•> the world their unanimous reprobation of a policy which involved a course of conduct ou our part towards another people which , pursued bjc others towards us , would be scornfully repudiated ami indignantly resisted . Tha motion was seconded by Mr Osbobne whereupon Lord Habbt Vane addressed the house in vindication of the policy of the government . Mr Hume had hiaseif

      admttte : thit circumstances mig ht arise to justify the abstract principle of intervention . He ( Lord II . V . nie ) contended that the circumstances of the case in question afforded this justification . Had we not interfered others would have done so , when intervention , independently of us , wvuld have led to results which would have perilled the very existence of the Liberal party . He admitted that Donna Maria had pursued an indefensible and unconstitutional course ; but the object of British inteiference was the maintenance of the constitution , which she had frequently violated . Our abstinence , when otbvrs intervened , would have promoted the establishment of despotism , whereas the ailied intervention , iu which we took So prominent a part , nonld h .-ive the triple eflccc of maintaining ihe constitution , supporting tbe throne , and perpetuating the liberties of the nation .

      No one rising after tbe noble lord had taken bis seat , a pause uf some minutes ensued , during which Lord Palmerston was frequently called for , but he refusing to rise at that stage of the debate , some honourable numbers on the Liberal side , below the gangway , became clamorous for the question , Mr B . Escott vociferou-ly so , that henoarable gentleman concluding his voenl perfoimsnce by noticing that there w . re strangers in the gallery . Strangers being therefore ordered to withdraw , were slowly defiling out of the house , when Mr M Milnes rose and continued the debate . Hccommenced by vindicating the general principle of intervention , on which , if we had not foruurly acted , Spain , Portugal , and Greece would , to this day , havo been destitute of constitutions . If it was proper to interfere for the establishment of a constitution , it was equally so to interpose for its preservation when its existence was perilled . It was because he regarded the present

      intervention aa essential to tho maintenance of the constitutional liberties of Portugal , that he was disposed t " acquiesce in the policy pursued by her Majesty's government . The government had confined itself to tbe use of moral force in Portugal , until the threatened active intervention of France and Spvin necessarily thiew it upon another ceurse , by forcing it to choose between conjoint intervention with these powers , permuting them to interfere alone , or going to war to prevent them from so doing . In adopting the first of tin se alternatives , the government had pursued tho wisest course . Not only had it thereby consulted the best interests of Portugal itself , by restricting the intervention to tbe narrowest limits compatible with the attainment of the object for which it was undertaken , but it had also conserved the interests of the English creditors , to whom the bulk of the Portugusse debt was owing and who mainly depended for their security upon tho maintenance of constitutional rule in tbe indebted state .

      Lord W . Puolett thought that the government should have interfered so far as to hare given the Queen of Portugal an asylum on board one of its vessels but r . o further . Mr Wabbcrton contended that , by depriving , as we had done , the insurgents of aims , wc had rendcicd ourselves virtually responsible for the future good government of Portugal . In addition to this , lis wished to draw the attention of the house to the consequences of inducing foreign governments to look to foreign aid for support whenever and however they might compromise themselves with their subjects . Such was the position in

      which tbe Government of Portugal was placed—depending for iU maintenance , not upon the affections of its subjects , hut upon the physical force of its foreign allies . The consequence was that the Portuguese people , no matter bow grievously they might be oppressed , wc * e in a most hopeless condition , inasmuch as , if they resorted to the ultima ratio , which under certain circumstances they had a right to do , for the vindication of their rights , the government appealed to its foreign allies to crush the people , whom it drove into insurreettea . Under such circumstances , what hope was there that the go . vexnment of that countrv would deviate in future from its former unconstitutional practices 1

      Mr Baiixib observed lhat tbe qusstion with whnh th « housp had to deal was , whether tho govornmtat was justified , under any circumstances , in Interfering by arms in the affairs of Portagal , except when the liberties anil independence of that country might be menaoid by foreign powers . What had we gained by former Inter , ferences in the internal affairs of both Spain and Portugal ? Wo had gained neither the good-will of the people of tha laVUr , nor the confidence of tho government , which , by very unwarrantable meani , we had established in that country . Mr Osbobne impugned the policy of the British government , as laying the seeds of a general war in Europe ,

      House Of Coumos5.—[In Consequence Of Our...

      ns supporting absolutism in opposition to popular liberty , and as suitainiji ^ . at : all hazards , a throne which had divested itself . of , eKSJyT . title to , respect find confidence , eitHM- withbi or without Portugal ; and it therefore be ; cams ; every representative of a liberal constituency to record his reprobation of that policy by supporting the motion before the house . He believed tbflt Lord Palmerston , judging from the papers before the house , was at first averse to such a proceeding , but that he had linen outvote in the Cabinet . By Inviting foreign troops into the country , tho Queen of Portugal had broken her oitli and sacrificed her throne . The lion . gi > atl ? mnn then took a rapid . historic review of events in Portugal since tbe accession of Costa Cabral to power , t . i whom he attributed nil the evils which had recently

      ba allen that country , and who . as Portuguese ambassador at Madrid , had solely concocted this iniquitous intervention . It wits , therefore , Cnsta Cnbral's game lhat t ' iis country was now playing . Vf <> s that the position which befitted its honour and dignity ? We were not bound by any existing treaties to support any particular ruler or dynasty in Portugal , but to extend onr protection to t ' -at country , should it ba menaced with foreign invasion . This Has the { rencral ride of England , both in relation to Portugal and other countries . Besides , there was nothing in the conduct of the government of Portugal to enlist the sympathies or secure the countenance of this country . A government which was still

      ruled by tho spirit and h y the measures of Costa Cabral win not that with which a liberal government in this country should h > tve taken part . If the conduct of the British government surprised him , that of the "King o < the Barriaadiis , "in heenminBr ft parly to the intervention amazed him . The government could not get rid of this damning fact— that a ministry calling itself Liberal had proved itself to he the'friend and promoter of the most absolute principle of government , and the first to pander to the caprices of » court ; in doing which it put the constitutional liberties of n people a . tide , and , in fact , virtually subscribed to the principles of the Holy Alliance . Lord Palmerston should have sc-irned the threat of in .

      terventmn from other quarters , and had that intervention taken place , to the danger of the balance of power , been prepared to uphold that balance . Lord Jons Rdssell regretted that , in the speeches which had been made against the policy of the government , tho facts of the case had been so completely overlooked . Mr Hume , and others who followed him , took it lor irranted , but most unfairly and erroneously , that the government were engaged in an attempt to establish desp . rism in Portugal , on the ruin * of popular liberty . The v * ry reverse was the fact , and this , disposed of much of the speciousness of the argument !) ivbifh had that evening been used . As to the general question , it was necessary to interfere , first for tho welfare of Portugal , next for the interest of this country , and lastly te avert

      the danger of a European war . He was ready to admit that after the insurrection had broken out decrees the mo « t arbitrary and acts the most despotic received the countenance and sanction of this government of Lisbon , But these acts and decrees , so far from making against . the British government in the part which it had taken , was part of its case , for it was to put an end to these that Lord Palmerston wrote his despatch of April 5 , and that the intervention complained of ultimately took place . Whatever might be the character of these acts the Queen should not bo personally blamed for them , but the party who surrounded her , and who threatened to leave her without a government nnd without a direction to her army , unless she conform-d to their vietts . At the period of intervention Portugal was divided into

      three parties . There was first the Queen ' s party , who governed in her naroe , in the most arbitrary manner ; there was next the Junta , which professed to have taken arms in behalf of Liberal principles ; and there was , lastly , the Miguellite uarty , which had coalesced with the Junta , and which would ultimately have had tbe advantage in the coalition . Such w ; is the distracted state of Portugal when it became imperative to interfere , if interference could be effected , for the benefit o ? the country . Thocircumstano s did not warrant interference undel- the quadruple alliance , ' and all that remained for this country , was to mrdiate between the parties , with a view to s reconciliation between them . Lord Palmerston , with this object , first addressed himself to the Portuguese government , of which he demanded , as conditions to

      reconciliation , the revocation of all arbitrary decrees passed since October last , the recal of the prisoners sent to Angala , the calling together of the Cortes , and the modification of the Ministry . The council of the Queen advised her to demand further terms , by which she might banish some of the popular leaders ; terms , however , which were not yielded to her , A new ministrywas nominited , and after some deliberation , the other conditions were agreed to . This being s- > , and conditions so favourable to tho popular party having been lccepted by the government , the British government was ready , according to arrangement , to consult its sillies with n vioiv toindueim , ' tho Junta to accede to them , nnd to call ill the aid of force , if necessary , to compel them to do so There were other considerations counseled

      with the interests of this country and general p-iace which rendered it imperative to interfere . The existence of the throne of Isabella in Sp in was identified with the safety of that of Donna Maria in Portugal . The Spanish government , thero ' ore , deemed it n-eessary to interf re . Had that interferenca taken place , the result would have been that Lisbon would have speedily triumphed over Oporto , when the Spanish and Portuguese gevenments might have acted in Portugal ns they thought fit . And how would thi-y have acted ? They would have insisted upon the banishment of the leaders of the Junta , and would have permitted the administration , which had since f . illen because this country had objected to its aets , to continue in power , when the libmies of Portugal would heve been prostrated . Hut it was u . ' ? eil

      hy soma honourable gentlemen that the proper course for the British government to have pursued would have been to have proven ted Spain , st all hazards , from interfering . But if wo had declared war against Spain , had jhti interfered , we must have taken part with the Junta ajninat Donna Maria ; besides , if Sp . iin interfered , she would have had tho good wi-hes , if not the acrivc assistance , of France . And was the house prepared for the establishment of a Spanish supremacy susiniued by France in Portugal ? A good case for interference had , therefore , been made out . and it hud taken place in conformity with the interests of Portugal , as well as in conformity with those of this country , which were clo = elj bound up with tha maintenance of our old alliance with that countrv . In all this tha

      British government had striven far the restitution of the charter ef Dun Pedro , for the convocation of the Cortes , and ' " or future abstinence from all arbitrary acts , and the revocation of such despotic decrees as had been previously adopted , Tha British government had anticipated that terms so favourable to the Junta would not have been rejected by that body . They w- re rejected , how . ev ? r , and henue th » events which hid recently occurred . The conseqii . ^ ned . of these events must be , and wo » H very r-hortly bi > , that both the Junta at Oporto and Sa d * Bandeira at St Ube ' s , would accept tha ^ erms orig i . nnlly proposed to them , when the constitution would be re-established in Portugal . So far , therefore , from the British government seeking in all this to establish despntism , all that it had done was with a view to put an

      end t-i despotism at Lisbon , and to the irregular and violent government at Oporto , with a view to the welfare of Portugal itself , t'l the obvious interests of Eugbind , and to the maintenance of European peac ? . The history of this country showed that interference was not new ti - lt , either in affording aid to other states or in being aider by them . Again and '¦ again had it interfered before not , however , as the Holy Alliance did , to establish absi lutism , but q establish limited monarchy , with repre scntative assemblies , which would secure the libertie : of the people . Honourable gentlemen had asked wha security they ' had that the term * aci-epted by the Poriu guesugovernment would be faithfully observed . He hat

      no doubt but that they would be carried out , for the Por tuguise government was bound to its allies , not on ' y b ; good faith hut by its own Interests , to carry them out and the means of doing so would be at its command Whatever view the house might take in reference to ihi policy of her Majesty's government in this momentous matter , he would have the satisfaction of knowing th ' a he belonged to a government which would not shrin ! from acting in such on emergency , and in a manner con ducive t > tlio welfare of Portugal , and which had mnhnndoned in the hour of need au aUiinoe whicl England had kept with good faith for centuries , am which he trusted she would adhere to t ' or centuries n

      ct . 'ine . The debate was then adjourned . i MONDAY , June H . I HOUSE OF LOltDS . —The Earl of Euenbobough ) moved for a select committee on the Post-Ofliee Revenue . The Marquis of Claveic \ rdc had no ohj-jction to the appointment of tho committee , and the motion was agreed to . Th « other business was of n routine character , and tits house rose at C o ' clock .

      HOUSE OF COMMON'S . —The hoase s . it at ! 2 o ' clock in order to proceed with a number r-y' private Wis ; upwards of fifty railway and other private bills were read a third time , and passed , and the . house adjourned at 2 o clock till 5 , when the Speaker resumed the chair . Lord it . Hill reported her Majesty ' s answer to . the address on the subject of colonisation , s'atim ; she would direct further inquiries to he : aatle , in order- to . enanl * parliament to adopt a course too from tho . * c evils whivAl past legislation had caused ! s » th to tho emigrant's and the colonies . On the mutton of Lord X . " Russell , th » resolution , on which lo found a hill for &« further suspension & f tho Navigation Laws , whs agjeed to . Mr M . Giiison , in rep ^ to Dr Bowmnq , stated , lhat by the new quarantine regulations , ships having cUan hills of health would bo uwacdiatuly ndaiittcd to " prnthuw " from whatever pari ef the worltS they «)» $ eume , and whatever may he t & eir cargoes *

      Navigation liws . — Theiwraso resolved itself infe > committee on the navigation taws . The resolution for briogtag in a bill suspending Ihe navigation la-wswi- . h respect to vessels importing strain from foreign countries was then agreed to , and tho house resumed , AreiiKs or PoatnaAL . —Tho adjourned debate on Portagal was then resumed by Mr Boetuwics , who contended that on tha precedent established by Mr Canning , In 1820 , Ministers ought to have aeked the sanction of parliament before they interfeved with force » f arms in the nmtirs of Portugal , Tot time was now pone by when the intciference of thehoust could be exercised with any good practical effect ; and i the interference which the government itself had mad < I was not for the benefit of the people or of the Crowa c :

      House Of Coumos5.—[In Consequence Of Our...

      Portugal , but of the basest and most despicable faction which had ever swayed the destinies of a nation . By our ilUtimed intervention we had sacrificed the liberties of Portugal to a faction which had reacted in Lisbon all tha fabled horrors of our own Star Chamber ; and the result of it , after the destruction of our ancient alliance with that country , would be cither the u-ection of a republic m Portugal or the absorption of Portugal into the kingdom of S pain , Mr CimisTiE declared it to be his opinion that her Majesty ' s government had made out n valid and satisfactory de ence for their recent policy . It might be that disturbances might break out again in Spain , as Jl Guiz it predicted ; but even if they did ao , Lord Pal-nerston would have tho satisfaction of knowing that ho had taken tlie best precautions for ihe continuance of Portuguese liberty , and that he dessrved , if he did not obtain success . '

      Lord J . JLtifwEBS , after expressing his intention to support the motion of Mr Hump , proceeded to declare his deliberate conviction that Lord J . ltussell had failed to substantiate any of the propositions which l ie had advanced on Friday evening . lie hael not proved that our interference was required by the interests either of Portugal or of Englond , or that it was necessary to pre vent the occurrence of nn European war . Our former interventions in Portugal had produced no other results than a ruine ,- ] peasantry , an alienated ami exasperated nobility , a bankrupt exchequer , a perjured adminislra . tion , and a languishing condition of commcrcv and agriculture ; and he predicted that oar present intervention , by girin ? a new lease of power end wrongdoing to the present Government of Portugal , wsuld not be productive

      Ot mors fortunate e & sseqnences . Sic contrasted the re . markabfe moderation of tho Junta , Which had never dis . played the sli ghtest hostility to the personal safety or t'hu dynastic rule of Donna Maria , with the violent nnd crbi 'ary conduct of tho supporters of the prwent tyrnnnfeal administratis , nnd lamented that we sliwild have combined with thoao who were anxious to fetfir the chcrice and control the independence of the Portuguese nation ? . It intervention were necessary , as Ministers contended , why had they not interfered at an earlier perfwd after the first successes of tlrs Queen ' s troops , when the ouelties inflicted on the prisoners of Torres Ve ^ ras hn < l not been perpetrated , and when the atrocities which the peasantry of Portugal had since endured were still uncommitted ? He thought that the amendment , of which . Mr 7 . Dun " .

      combe bad given notice that evening , was well worthy tho attention of the house . He concurn . il with Mr . Duncombe in declaring that , ns wo had interfered thus hr in the affairs of Portugal , we w « rebound to interfere still further by obtaining it publis pledge from tlio houso that it would preserve tlie rights and privileges of the Portuguese people , and a pledge from the Queer , that she would rule ia future according to the constitution , and would abstain from all severity n ? ainst those whom he had captured in arms against h' r But , no—Lord J , Russell had already repudiated that amendment hy anticipaiion ; for he-bad told the house that the people ot Portugal must rely on the * faith ofthrir Queen nnd on nothing else . Such being the ease , there was no probability that the . terms which we had laid down would be

      adhered to . Oaths would be violated , a * oath ) had been violated bsforo—and these insurgents wot ; M again be the objects of persecution and oppression . Other insurrections would again take place , and that would lead to other interventions on our part , as unwarrantable and mischievous as the present , but still move likely tiincrease and complicate the di / tiVulties of Europe . " On a review , therefore , of all the circumstan : es , " said the noble lord , " I cannot arrive at any other conclusion than that the conduct of the Portuguese government was such as justified the Portuguese people in an attempt to secure their lives and liberties . The whole conduct of that government appears to me to have heen most extraordinary . The Portuguese roh j ht say to them , as ono of our poets said of a government of his day . — ' What would these madmen have us ?

      They'd bribe us without gold or pence , Deceive us without common sense , And without power enslave us !' I place no reliance upon the promises of this govermm nt for the ; uture ! I do not believe we can trust them ; and it Is because I believe this interference on our part not to be fur the interests of Portugal , because 1 believe that the interests of England must suffor for the disgrace attending tho tr : ii ] saction . becau « esofar fiom promoting peace , I helkveit will produce u thousand greater disas . ters than that it was intended to suppress—it is for these rea . sons that I give my support to the hun . member ' s proposition condemnatory of this intervention . ( Bear , he . ir . ) The past , indeed , is beyond our recall : we tannot recall those who suffered in thef-Atnl exile to Angola ,

      we cannot recall those whohavep-rished in the tumults which havo occurred ; but , sir , there is one thing the Commons of England yet can do—tho future is still before us ; we can repudiate the precedent which has been Set hy the government of our country ; we i-.-m tt-11 tho powers of Europe that we will not be bound by this net , that we protest against it , condemn it , and will not suffer it to be drawn into a precedent ! That is a constitutional course for a House of Commons to take , and 1 trust that or the vote- up ai this question we shall affirm the propriety of assuming that position , and declare that this interference is not satisfactory to thu country , nor in i . ur opinion likely to prove beneficial to ths interests of Portugal and England , whilst ws think it calculated to disturb the tranquillity of Europe and the world . " ( Much cheering . )

      Mr T . Dcncombe could not help expressing his regret that the house hud not earlier in 'he present session heard from the opposite benches those expressions of deep affection for constitutional freedom which had been enunciated that-night . ( Hear , hear . ) Ho was much mistaken if on a previous Decision , this very year , ho had not heard Iroin those s-ame benches an emphatic deelavtuiMi that ihe most perfect blessing was tha most perfect despotism , and that the Emperors uf Ku-sianud of Austria deserved the gratitude of ir . atikin-I for e = tingui . ibing the independence of Cracow , ( liciir , hear ) He could not help tliiuliiiig that there was more thini met the eye in the support which those noMe lords and honourable geiitlenieii were giving to the motion of the honourable nn inker for Montrose , friends as thev

      prot * ssed themselves of absolute mouarcJit ' , perhaps they were convinced that the course pursued hy iter Majesty ' s government tended , rather than otherwise , to promote the causa of ' constitutional freedom . ( Hear , hear ) But , far above the j-mgio of parties , there was one consideration connected with this subject , which , in . his opinion , it > 7 as speciaPy important to keep in view . Now that interlVreiice had cnkcii place , our chief object ought to be , in his opinion , to secure tranquillity to ilisiructed Portugal , and to see her people- placo-i iu the enjoyment of their c . nstitutioir . il rights , aud of all the advantages tho intervention could sAbi-il to them . It was with that view that he was notvunxious to propose the resolution of which he had given notiaa . He mutt frankly say , that , at ' i er

      reading the papers which had been pi iced in tiieir hands , and after attentively considering the speech ofthc . uoblcloru ( which was the best possible" commentary upon those papers ) , he had come to a conclusion very different from the views he had been led to entertain when ho first heard of this interference . Throughout these papers he must confess that he hud found a desire and a determination on the part of the British government to protect the rights of the people who wore in uraa . The govorament here , as all who read the papers must confess , were placodiu u ditncult position , and hud a most difficult duty to pci'iurm . The consequence was that they were abused by bo h parties . ( A laugh . ) There was one p ! e . t , tube sure , set up iu their justification , to which it was impossible for him to subscribe . It had been

      stated , as a reason for inteifereace , that it xinglanu did not interfere , Spiin nould « . ' o so . How , according ^ to Ins view , that was no justification whatever for any inby its own merit or demerit , lfinterference wm wronit , on no account should w . i have been a p-irty to it ; our tert ' ercce on our part . Our conduct must stand or fall eourso tlu-n should 1 > j to njvet all claim to inteif . nentfe to the lust . ( Hear . ) Sueh wa-i the conduct of the British government iu 1 S 2 G , when MrCanuing was in power . What was his language when , in that year , he asked the approbation and concuriu-nuu of parliament to the cour . ie he was about to pursue towards Por tugal ? It « as almost the first speech he ( Mr T , Duno-mb- ) had evct heard tliut t-nnutrut statL-amuu malic In parliament , nml well did he recollect hi * concluding words , — " We KO , " he slid , " to plant the standard o ; England withe heights of Lisbon , ami where that standard is , fereign dominion sh-ll « a coin * . " ( Hear . ) , lfeespeetaag the

      motion of his hon . triead , ho could not , at ' tei-rsauing the papers before the Iwuse , agree in the conclusion to which hiJ hon . friend had rouie . lis did not Hhink the result of our interi ' vrenue wou ; 'd be dangerous , or mis . c ' . ieivous to the lilnrtSfs of Portugal . What said tho Cabral faction , which had been the emise of the whole dissension 1 In ona o £ iheir documents , publish-.- * - in Lisbon , and termed the " Appeal ot Loyalty , '" addressing the- "Portuguese pceple , tV . oi told them wvm . Vnsirs vas the cause o : nationality , that ihe proposal oitho Kngllsh caiK ' iiet sought ta . place the % ieen ' S Huron * below the le- « el of the junia , and that they ought to- rally round thethrone and deand the institutes of the- country . This , showed that is was time i ' w every acm to say whtthsr 1 he government had uncouuaged th » principle of absolutism , or stowi by the constitution *! fsjedom of tho r * oplt . ' Sir 11 .. Seymour , in , addressing Lord Palmerston , un April 1 & said :

      ... " But te two circumstances I should feel sanguaie as to the c & ancps of carrying the wbhas of her Mon ty ' s Kovera » enttnt .. f « Ue « eut : oa . The flwt of th . se has been tie universal disapprobation which ever ? udvuc-r of tb * crown , official and unofficial , has expressed with rcsnlto an aiiuwsty from which no exceptions are to h ^ iade . Th ' s is the great difficulty , I might almost -toy , the unl ) real one , which 1 find in ray ijath ; but this appears almost insurmountable . " He though : it much to the credit of tho government that they would not sanction . the sacrifice w any individual who rose in defence ot * tho constitutional rights of the people of Portugal . The Queen ' s party continued

      obstinate , not being willing to grant a full amnesty , while the junta dem . n led other v-uuruntees than those of the government , if they laid down thoir arms , Tiny Had now laid down their arms ; or nther , wv lind wrtssud them from them —( a laugh)—nnd having interfered so fur . it was our duty to go further . The members ul the junta uud their party were ns sans culottes revolutionists , but men of rank and respectability ; and ho believed they would have confidence in the joint declaration and guarantee of the three powers , particularly if supported bythevoiceofthathouse . ( Sear . hear . ) Their earnest wish , speaking in the name of the Portuguese nation , was to be governed under definite and permanent insti . tuUous , such as . cotttt and would iusura to tip people the

      Tnjoyinent Or Ml Constitutional Freed<.M...

      tnjoyinent or ml constitutional freed < . m-in , titutioM which would not be changed to meet the hnidious de "Bus ufa minister , Wlrich would protect the ri ghts of property , encourage the nalional resources , and lead to the restoration of public confidence , by fair ami equitable means . No one could dissent from lh « e sentiments aa express ; d by the junta . They further observed , that it wMnotdeaire of chan ge , but actual wrong . , that had driven them to tho attitude th * ., u nMnilloJ | aiir 1 which they declared they would not abandon um-i th . yreceircd a guarantee that tho representative govmioient should not be a mockery or irresponsible f ,. r ita own acts Being now prisoners of war , he was sure the house wiuld ' agree to his motion , and , by so doing , not onl y stn n-then the hands of her Majesty ' s government , ami give [ ff Kai totiio recent declarations of the ¦ First lord of tha Treasury and enable them to c : > rry them out , but deserve the gratitude and approbation of evury civilised nation . His amendment

      was"Thot Great Britain . having become a party to foreign armed interference in Portugal to terminate the civil war that unhappily prevails in that kingdom , itii the opinion of this house that , on tranquillity being restored , it will become tho duty of tho British ' government to take measures for securing to the people of Portugal the full enjoyment of their constitutional rights and privileges . " Lord Duncan having seconded it , Mr Macaulay said that lie had heard with great pleasure the amendment which had just been moved —( cheers and counter cheers)—b y his ho « . friend , who had taken a correct view of ths principles which had Kuid ^ d , end would continue to guide , her Majesty ' s government . Ho had also observed with pleasure that his hon . friend and

      others , who were at fir » t disposed to censtre the course adopted hy the government , had , upon an examination of tho unfortunate circumstances which had compelled them to depart from the general rule , which prescribed an abstinence from interference in the internal affairs of foreign nations , seen sufficient na . son in those circumstances to justify that departure . Mr Macaulay then entered into a lengthened deience of the policy of the government , and in doing so virtually travelled over the same ground as Lord i . Ruisi-U It was admitted in every quarter that during tbe early part of the negotiations the principles of non-intervention had never been more clearly expounded than in tbe despatches of ths British Ministers ; but it whs stated that in- spite of those despatches a change took place after a certain time in out- policy , nnd an inteivention was made . How , the cause of that chvinga was thU : so

      long as it was an internal question between the Junta and the (^ tetn , the British Government refused to interfere ; but as soon as it became au international question , iii which Spain and Prance and Portugal \ rero conccrned ,. the situation of affairs became so altered that it was impossible for us to refuse to interfere . Herepented that our interference imposed upon us the duty of protecting the rights and privileges , the lives and liberties of the Portuguese people , and that c ' uty the Britisb Govern , ment was prepared to perform . It had been said thwre was no-guarantee that the Queen of Portugal would perform the engagements into which we had entered on her behalf . He wondered how any man could venture upon such an assertion with the fact before his eyes , that tho convention made between England , France , and Spain was sufficient guarantee , that if tha Queen of Portugal was unwilling to keep the terms which she had granted to her subjects she would be compelled to do so .

      Lord 6 , Bentisck was sure that every member of tbe Cabinet would be delighted to find that Mr T . Buncombe , who had been pleased to refer with cxtraordinory courtesy to his friends on the Protection benches , had left it beyond all doubt that , though he had the Jove of liberty ou his-lips , he had that of despotism in his heart , by coining to their rescue from a vote of censure for their interference in- Portugal , when it was admitted that tlie interests of the Quotn of PortHpal had become quite desperate . Referring to the speech of Mr Macaulay , and the argument which hehad founded on the long-continued alliance between England and Portugal , he defied him to point out ) any treaty by which wo were bound to fly to the assistance of the Queen of Portugal when she was resisting her subjects , forced to rebellion by tbe

      oppression of her government . The noble lord then gave an interesting narrative of the causes which led to the rising of the people of Portugal against the government . In Portugal , under the existing order of things , all was plunder and corruption ; - every place was matter of purchase ; the money going into the pockets of the officers of state . There was Cabral himself ; but five years ago the son of an obscure shopkeeper , and himself since employed at ah ostensible salary of £ 800 a year ; this person was now one of the very richest m <> n in Portugal , and the estate of Thomar , which he hud purchased , and whence he had derived' his title , being alone , it was said , worth £ 10 , 000 a year . With respect to the impost of burial fees for interments in the public cemeteries , this was another cause of excitement to the people , because

      there were no walls erected to surround the cemeteries , which were infested by dogs , and the herds of wild swine peculiar to the country , by which the dead , who had been interred after the payment of heavy fees , were torn from the graves wherever they had been deposited , and the places Were desecrated . These events breught the population of Portugal to a state of frenzy . The case of the poor peasant woman , whose name had been given to an insurrectionary rising , must be remembered by the house . She brought her dead child for burial in the village churchyard , but the priest declined to bury tho child , and appealed to the law , which forbade him to do so . The poor woman , unable to pay the ten shillings ' fine required , insisted upon the burial . The rextilt was that a disturbance arose , the military were called out ,

      blood was spilled in : the- churchyard , the peasantry though only half armed-, defeated the military , and in a few days from the incident the whole country rose iu arms and required the dismissal of the Cabral administration . Another offence given to the people was the monopoly of the _ tobacco contract , which , though n » ver before conceded for a longer term than twelve years , was granted for a period of twenty . rhrec years . So also the contracts for gunpowder and soup : and thus in everyway that it was--pesstble the people had been plundercd and pillaged by a- venal and corrupt ministry . ( Hear . ) These were some of the offences among many others . But , in addition , laws had been passed without any reference to the Cortes , but by the mer « publication of decrees , and the elections were conducted without any

      regard to the freedom of the people ; but on the contrary troops were marched , in- direct violation of the charter , to vote in companies . Ballot papers of a particular colour were distributed ; so that the government could ascertain how every-men voted ; nnd of course the result was that the electiotiswere carried in favour of the then existing government . It was . one of the provisions of the constitution ( as in this-oountry ) that tbe military should not bo ajlowed to interfere at elections ; but in the inatanec hereferred , thi-y had not only interposed by recording their vote * in . whole companies , but they had also interfered with the people by force , and blood had been shed in many of the very churches in which the elections wvre conducted . But this was not all—a poll-tax of twenty pence per- head had been put upon the whole

      population , without any difference being made between tho rich and the poor ; and this tax was imposed under the pretence that it was designed for the maintenance of the public roads .. Under this poll-tax it was arranged , that where the peasantry were unable to pay . the ; , wera permitted to commute bv giving eleven days' labour ou ihe public works .-. This , of itsell , was felt by the people to be : i great grievance r but the grievance became ihi greater , because these v .-ry public works afforded no benefit t . > the country , but were rendered the means of the most nefasious jobbing . It was notorious that Jose Cabral had realised JBuDjOOft by the contract be had secured for public works between Listen and Oporto . These were , as ho thought , causes quite enough to stir up the most patient people that ever existed in tha

      world . And , as-might have been expected , they iose ia arms—juntas assembled in every part of the country , and in May , ISiey a new ministry was appointed ; and no sooner had the people obtained a government which iu their opinion . would dothcisjustice than with one accord they laid down their nrmt > , auu in the course of a very few days universal peace prevailed throughout Portugal . He contended thaS a people who eoiilil so behave and coiiuueMhomjolTOs- were worthy ( if freedom . nnd of a constitutional g ; iVornme » t . ( Hear , hear . ) The Queen of Portugal appointed : ' !!* Duke of I ' nlmeila her minister , aud made to herpceplea proclamation to the * . fleet that all those grievances- should be redressed . The Queea cullciLapon the people-in these honourable words ,

      "Portuguese , . confide , in me . " The Portuguese nation on this invitation had confided in their 'Juccn , but it appeared that thou tho elections which were to take place in Octo . her were nearathund . The people demanded the expulslon . from Portugal of M . Biota , who was supposed to be the adviser of the King of Portugal , and they wore called ugou to insist upon the just impeachment of the minia . ti-ra . who for fiao years had committed so many breaches * f : tho conf tiicJion , aud hud been guilty of so much pressure upon the people . For this reason only , on the nig ht of the ftth of October , the Queen of Portugal , in breach of her coronation oath , in breach of every part and parcel of the constitu'ion , ser . t for the Buke of Palmella and tho military Governor of Lisbon , and put them

      both under arrest , while she appointed a now ministry , which , thengh it had not one of the GabraU at its head , was to all intents and purposes a Cabral udroinistra . tion . Was it not , then , the natural consequence of such a proceeding as this , that tbe country should again risa in arms ? They did so , even though the whole military power of tbe country was agaiast them—though they were quite unprepared and taken by surprise , yet in the course of « i * montns au parties became united , nnd were on the point ot perieet . -. t . .. viuw to dethrone the success-success not with a view to Qaeeu , for no such heli «« . ppe «« «•» * e ^ e ^« J proceedings . It had been » M * " * *»^ " IJJJ : would behest served by this * w « fo » W *> PJ » « g i censure on what the government had done But what oo .. » u . c ou ,,. » . ~ - o- would not

      0 f Portugal ^ TrXvmX ^ X ^ —1 <>*«*• ? htfVanuary henephew of an eminent member of tbe Sta had b n led in the public street and hurriedoff In a dungeon . There he was crowded along with 400 or 500 other political offenders , who knew nothing what , over of the charge against them - , they were keptttwro till the 29 th of April—20 days St ' uv- the intimation giveu by our gavornment of their intention to interfere . They would still havo remained thew , had not the prison been bioken . whenTOorSOofthopi'isoners wire butchered m the streets by tho Queen ' s troops . ( Hear , hoar . ) "What guarantee , then , had wo for constitutional government in Portugal It might bo said the Queen was now I pledged , not to her people , hut to England , France , and

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), June 19, 1847, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_19061847/page/7/