Star. — London, England, 1820-09-20 00:00:00

- -, ...~J ~ - ‘ • v. '.. THE EVENING STAR. LONI)ON. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1820. ,THE FUNDS. MCI , Of STOCKS THIS DAY AT 0111 O'CLOCK 3 per Cent. Cons. 66% 5 / 8 S per Cent. Navy 102% % % • Imperial .' per Cent. Ann. 6.5% India Stock 213 1 / 2 —Ditto Bonds 19s. pre. Exch. Bills (2d.) Ss. ss. pr.—Omnium 3% pre. Cons. for Acct. 66 1 5 /s % 5 / 8 • We find that it is not concealed on the part of those. who are engaged in carrying on the prosecu tion against her MAJESTY, that should the Bill of Pains and Penalties pass the House of Lords, of which they affect to entertain the utmost confidence, a great many more witnesses will be adduced in support of it before the House of Commons, than were produced before the Peers. Not only the whole of the Luga inian importation, which did not arrive till after the case was cliiised, but many of the Cotton-garden Co .lony, who were in waiting from the first, but were not called, are to be brought forward to assist in carryiilg home conviction to the sturdier minds of the British Commons. We have nothing to- say against the propriety of bringing forward every tittle of evidence which her INIAJEsTy's prosecutors may imagine to be essential to the establi•hment of their case; but we must take notice of one thing, extremely important as to the estimation in which any evidence which may be ad duced hereafter, is to be held. The testimony given before the Lords was upon oath, and any of the wit nesses may be prosecuted and punished for swearing falsely. But the testimony to be given before the Commons can only be on qihntalion, and the wit nesses cannot be prosecuted for perjury, The Commons may, it is true, ex privilegio, corn-- mit for prevarication, but that is a check evidently of very limited sway, having no influence whatever on the conscience of the individual, however much it may have on his fears, and 'involving punishment of no longer duration than the current Session. Now, such being the indisputable fact, we beg to know w healer it is to be one anomaly more of this unparalleled case, that there shall be two degrees of swearing—a big oath and a little oath —or, more fitly speaking, a real oath, and no oath at all ? Are the prosecutors to have the option of examining their wit nesses under either the one or die other sanction as they please ? that is to say, the power of chusing be fore which House they shall bring such and such wit nesses ? Are they to be permitted to push forward the stout,v,ouled of their recruits to meet the first en counter—individuals who per chance would swear any thing ! and then, in an after stage of the proceeding, to be at liberty to bring up such as being of weaker stuff, would doubtless say a great deal if not sworn to it, but from whom not a word of accusation could be expected if it were under the awful sanc tion cf " well and truly answering, as they shall answer to Goy at the great day of judgment?" Can anything so monstrous be meditated? For the ho nour of this Christian land—for the honour of hu man nature, we hope there is not. Still it is unde niable, that, by the very nature of the proceeding by a Bill of Pains and Penalties, the managers of it have that option ; and until we know who are at the bottom the managers of this prosecution (for that is )et a secret to Le discovered) we can form no opinion whether they are men of such cha racter us would make use of it or not. This much we will affirm—that if a single witness is produced before the house of Commons, to be examined on affirmation, who could have been examined in the Ilouse of Lords on oath, it will be a full realization of the case we have supposed—monstrous and ab horrent as it is to every sentiment of religion, justice,' and humanity. The present state of the Continent has produced much fluctuation in our public Funds, and a degree of dein es ion, which marks sufficiently the alarms of monied men; nor is this to be wondered at when we consider the complexion which the Continental i4tcl ligence has for some time worn. If, however, we may credit accounts from Frankfort, by the Ham burgh Mail, there is less ground fur alarm than was apprehended. They are of the ith instant, and state that " the Baron d'ANcsrerr, Minister Plenipoten tiary from Russia to the Diet. has just made to that Assembly, in a confidential Sitting, a communica tion, of which the following is the substance The Emperor of RUSSIA does not recognise in any Power the right of interfering in the affairs of other States, on account of innovations introduced into the Go vernment of those States. His IMPERIAL MAJESTY declares, that his approaching interview with his Ally the Emperor of AUSTRIA, is far from having for its object to concert means or measures tending to re press the new order of things in Spain or Naples.'" It should be remembered also, that some time since a disclaimer of the document, purporting to be a Russian Declaration, issued from Frankfort. The same accounts state, Mat on the 6th it was torrent' y reported on the 'Change at Frankfort, " that Austria would very shortly formally declare war against Naples, and that General BIANPHI was already appointed to command the corps which is to open the csal i paige But first, it is said, an Austrian - army will ester amiably the Room Utter, and occupy Fbfl Corm and Benevento, described to be at preseniin a state of anarchy. Austrian occupation will, no doubt, tranquillize them. In Sicily, there is general re, pose; and the port of Palermo - is open - for trade, as ,usual. The ruling party in Palermo is evidently in the Austrian interest. The Austrian Consul there has published a high eulogy upon the Junta. The Austrian parr falls every day : in fact, it is scarcely posiible to conceive how, in the deraiged and im poverished state of the finances, that .Power could make a single step in war, the old system of being subsidized from this country being now at an end. PORTUGAL. We have at length accounts direct from Lisbon, and we may now state with confidence that no blood has been shed in that City. We ire still inclined to think, from the contents of the Extraordinary Gazette of Lisbon, Nos. I and 2, that the Regency will bend to circumstances, having already published a Decree for convoking the Cortes of the Kingdom. It is true that, in their Proclamations (which are sul • joined), they speak against the Oporto Leaders as Insurgents; but, in convoking the Cortes, it may be questioned whether the Regency are not in the exer cise of the powers confided to them by the KING in a manner not intended, and applied to a case by no means foreseen by the Sovereign when he delegated his own power to them; and, however this may be, the very act of convoking the Cortes chews that they found themselves pressed with difficulties which they knew not how, otherwise, to prevent or suspend. The very assembling of the Cortes—whether by the Re gency or fhe Revolutionists—is, in itself, a step towards an important change. In fact the Regency, in the circumstances in which they found themselves placed, seem to have had no alternative, but either to convoke the Cortes, or ship themselves off for the Brazils, as they must have seen that they could place no reliance on the troops. The fact of General PAMPLONA'S regiment desert ing and joining the Constitutionalists, when ordered to advance, must have been appalling, more parti cularly to Count AMARANTE, an Officer who, it is well known, was originally in the Oporto scheme with his brother, the President of the Oporto Junta: it was, in fact, by AMARANTE that the design was revealed to the Regency. According to private accounts, the Regency, in the perilous situation in which they found themselves, hastened to pay the troops in Lisbon all their arrears, and two months in advance.. This was deemed an extorted measure ; for till the Revolution had taken place at Oporto, nothing was said about paying up, even the arrears.—This very measure, therefore, tended to proclaim their apprehensions, and the call ing of the Cortes confirms them. If, however, the Regency hope by means of the Cortes to put down the Revolution, they will most probably be disappointed. if the three estates of Nobles, Clergy, and People, art to be assembled, for mere form's sake, to sanction their measures, the na tion will not be satisfied. The Constitutionalists will insist on reforms. An insurrection arising out of the progress of public calamity and digress, cannot be put down by temporising measure, such as the Kings of Spain and Portugal usually resorted to in the lat ter et as of their Cortes. FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY GAZETTE OF LISBON. " It having been announced by the Proclamation of their Excellencies the Governors of the Kingdom, that a Revolution had broken out in the city or Oporto on the 24th ult. we can now with the greater' satisfaction make known, that happily the Provinces of 13eira, Alentejo, and Algarve, remain tranquil, with almost a certainty that in that of:Tras-los-Montes there likewise remains the same tranquillity : the loyal and honourable conduct which the Governor of the fortress of Elvas, Lieutenant-General John Lobo Brandao de Almeida, and the other Authori ties, both Civil and Military, who had, on the occa sion, received an intimation from the Provisional Government of Oporto, inviting them to unite with that Government, deierves the greatest praise. That, honourable and worthy General, according to what he wrote on the 30th ult. to the present Commander of the Army, Lieutenant-General Francisco de Paula Leite, as soon as he received the above communica- Lion, called together the Commander of that for tress, Brigadier Maximiano da Brito Mozenho, and Brigadier John de Silveira de Lacerda, and in con sequence of the assent of the three, all the other Au thorities, Ecclesiastical, Military, and Civil, the No bility, and the people, were called together, and voted unanimously the following Protest : " THE DECLARATION OF THS AUTHORITIES, ZCCLE SIASTICAL, CIVIL, AND MILITARY, THE NOBILITY, AND PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ELYAS. " On the 30th of the month of August, 1820, in this city and fortress of Elvas, the Authorities, Ec clesiastical, Civil, and Military, having been con voked at the head-quarters of the most illustrious and excellent Lieutenant-General John Lobo Bran dao de Almeida, together with all the people of the same, represented by the Senate, and having all met, it was represented to them by the said Lieutenant- General, that last night there was received, by the 'Captain of thq 11th Regiment of Cavalry, Antonio de Lima Barreto Praga, a dispatch signed by Fran cisco Gomes de Silva, acting as Secretary to the Provisional Junta of, the Supreme Government of the iogdom, installed in the city of Oporto, on the P instant, with a Proclamation tb all the guese, calling upon them to recognize it as such, and with one accord to ipptove of the convocation of the :Cortes; and the new Constitutio9 which may after wards be established )br the government of these kingdoms, accompanied by a singular Proclamation to the soldiers, and by theform of the oath which all were bound to take; the prompt execution of all these orders being requirid. Aid as soon as these abovenientioned documents were read in !he presence of WI, it was asked .what consideration they should receive, and what steps should be taken regarding their object? It was unanimously.determined, that all having once s*orn fidelity . and obedience to our august Monarch John VI. and, in his absence, to the governors of the kingdom, it belonged to the latter alone to decide on the present point, and that they ought in consequence to be informed of it, since obe dience was the sole duty of all subjects, obliged, as they were, to adhere to the oath which they had sworn. And moreover it was agreed that the Presi dent of the Town Council, on receiving an invitation to that purpose, should take the means that appeared to him the most proper to maintain the peace and tranquillity of the city, pointing out to the people the injurious consequence and sad results of the con trary system. As it is the duty of the Commanders , of the military corps of this garrison, they were re quired to preserve their subalterns in the same obc dience and subordination to the existing Government which they have hitherto preserved, unless the con trary should be determined. All this being agreed upon, a minute of the proceedings was ordered to be drawn up, and all present promised to comply there with; and signed it. " Elvas, August .10, 1820." [I lore follow the signatures of the Lieut. Governor and others.) The conduct of Lieutenant-General Antonio Mar cellina de Victoria is ran less worthy of priise. He having received from the Military Chief of Beira a similar intimation to that which we have mentioned above, loyally and honourably rejected it, making the necessary provisions relative to the troops and garrisons of his Province." - • COPY OF A DISPATCH WHICH THE CORREGIDOR OF TILE DISTRICT OF VILLA-REAL, DIRECTED TO TUE OFFICE OF THE INTENDAT-GENERAL OF POLICE, DATED THE 28TH OF AUcUST LAST. " Most Illustrious Sir, Intendant-General of the Police of the Capital of the Kingdom— " The day before yesterday 1 happened to be in Nlondim de Basto, commencing the correctional pro ceedings of that and the adjacent- towns, when I re ceived a dispatch of the Conde de Amarapte, Gene ral of this Province, of which I subjoin a copy. I immediately set out for this city, and arrived here on the sane day. I found all in perfect tranquillity, and have a well-founded hope that the public peace will not here be disturbed. To-day I have received another dispatch, and already those steps are taken which it commands. You must be better informed of the events that have taken place at Oporto than I :;m, and I shall never be negligent in taking the means which may be thought proper, and in com municating what occurs ; but I can affirm with cer tainty that them is no symptom of the contagion bet*. Villa Real, August 27." [llere follow copies of the dispatches referred to above, which contain nothing new.] PROCLAMATION FOR ASSEMBLING THE CORTES; The following Proclamation has been sent to all the Tribunals and Public Offices, and ordered to be posted in all public places: Portuguese--The Governors of the Kingdom, persuaded of the imminent danger which the Nation and the Monarchy incur if the crisis produced by the insurrection-of Oporto be prolonged, and employing the extraordinary powers which have been conferred upon them by their instructions in urgent cases, after hearing the opinion of a great number of persons in cluded in the Council of his Majesty, and conspi cuous among the different classes of the Nation, have resolved, in the name of the King our Lord, to con voke the Cortes, nominating immediately a Commis sion, for the purpose of proceeding with the arrange ments necessary for the prompt assembling of the same. The Governors of the Kingdom hope that a measure which so decidedly proves their determina tion will immediately unite in a legitimate and com mon centre the whole people, and that all classes of which it is composed will acknowledge the necessity of such an union, to avoid the threatening evils of anarchy, of civil war, and, perhaps, a dissolution of the Monarchy. " Lisbon, Palace of the Government, Sept. 1. (Signed) '• CARDINAL PATRIARCH, " MARQUEZ DE BORBA, " CONDE DE PENICHE, " CONDE DA FEIRA, " ANTONIO GOMEZ RIBEIRO." PROCLAMATION OF THE CONDE DE AMARANTE. " Francisco da Silveira Pinto da Fonseco, Count of Amarante, of the Council of his Most Faithful Ma jesty, Grand Cross of the Tower and Sword, and of St. Ferdinand of Spain, Commander of the same Orders and that of Christ, Lieutenant-General of the Royal Armies, and Governor of the Armies of the Province of Tras-los-Montes : " Brave and faithful People of Tras-los-Montes— This is the third time that circumstances have made me summon you to arms, and I always have had the satisfaction of seeing you hasten to defend the sacred right of our august Sovereign John VI. King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and Algarve. In 1808, it was you that broke through the captivity , which the armies of a perfidious invader had thr-vm around us: but unfortunately what we did had n, result; for, although we here had no longer any foreign enemies, we have found among us am..., !Nis, mad, and desperate men, oho, unhappily, in tn.: •atite of the Portuguese, seek to change the Govertautatt, and, under specious and false pretences, endeavour to induce us to be traitors to the King, and false te. tie sacred oath which we took to hint; and, sowiag anarchy in the nation, promise us great blessings ai the result of such innovation: but remember wit at sort of blessings revolutionary Frenchmen gave to France, being nothing else but deat!.-., cottflagvation, and robberies, and, lastly, a destructive war; hut your loyalty is so well known, that it is not neces sary to awaken it by arguments. lam determined, by all the principles of honour, of duty, And of lei:. gion, to sacrifice even the last drop - of my blood in defence of the sacred rights of the King our S reign. lam sure that these sentiments will b those of you all. It is a crime to recognize the Rovolu tionary Government of Oporto. The Cou:tetk ?,fa gistrates, and all the Authorities, as well ttS civil, ought to repel, and not to recognize, such a Government. Inhabitants of Tras-log-MOnte.,, ri us preserve our loyalty; and let our ge..eral cry he— . Long live the King! and long live those honour able Portuguese who are faithful to him.' .4 Conde d'AMARATE. " Head-quarters, at Chaves August 2.) : 1820." - The foregoing are the Proclamations, &c. of the Regency : the following is the Address wl.ich the Oporto Junta sent to ti.e People of Lisbon: THE PROVISIONAL JUNTA OF THE SUPREME Gt•VE'IIN. )LENT OF THE KINGDOM, TO TIIE INHABITANTS OF LISBON. • " Oporto, Palace of Goverment, August 2R. " The cry of a hundred thousand persons, who in this city solemnly proclaimed their will of recovering their rights, re-echoed in the provinces, and was to peated with that holy enthusiasm which so heroic an act was calculated to produce. " We have, Lill now, smothered the expression our sentiments, in the daily exFectation that justice and the affection of our Sovereign would remedy tl e evils which have driven The.nation to the brink of the abyss; but convinced that evil-minded men keep from his knowledge the event of our stifFerings, we enter on the rights which belong to Its, and form ourselves the noble resolution, .of making known to him the truth. • " The descendants of the immortal Pelagius, ozlr happy neighbour's, - themselves set the example, and Ferdinand, possessed of. the most lively. and paternal satisfaction, now knows that he was never truly a King till 'the 7th March of this year, a day memo rable in remarkable events. " Thexame religion, the same language, the same noble and heroic sentiments, finally, the same mis fortunes, and perhaps others more severe. But, In habitants of Liibon, what more is required to justify the noble resolution adopted by the honourable inha bitants of Oporto, and which you also ought to adopt? a Let not the consideration of our being divided into three united kingdoms, and our beloved Sove reign living at so great a distance, deter you. When a Constitution, wisely organized by the Representa tives of the Nation, regulates the affairs of States, however vast and distant they may be, they will al ways find their centre to be where the Monarch fixes his Court; because, as Chief of the Nation, he be comes the point of union for all interests and social relations, and is present everywhere, through the measures he ordains, in order to see the laws execu ted ; he reigns peaceably, since the People alwa) s have at hand easy and prompt means of causing their rights to be respected, without disturbing pub lic order, Without stopping the sacred course of 'us. tice,-and without attacking public security. " From one extreme to the other of his empire the Sovereign then experiences the love of all his subjects, and receives the demonstrations of more firm obe dience from his People, in acknowledgment of the benefits derived from the wisdom with which they ase governed ; and it was in the hope of this mutual correspondence of rights and obligations that man first renounced a part of the great blessing he en joyed in the possession of freedom. " Inhabitants of Lisbon!—Look to the reverse of the picture, and see what we now are. We have no means of experiencing anything else than evils. From. a distance of more than 200 leagues, Decrees come over to us, made in the name of a Sovereign ; but this Sovereign is good, just, and wishes. our happi ness, yet his Decrees create our misfortune and mi sery ; then these Decrees cannot be his. Thus you see the Monarchy exists, but the Throne is empty. " The honors of anarchy would soon have con vinced us of this truth, if the brave army of the Pro vinces had not resolved to sustain our rights by estat Wishing this Junta till the meeting of the Cortes took place. It is about to exercise its authority among you. Those among you who are more capable by their talents, better known through their zeal for the public good—in short, real Portuguese, will aid .us to raise up this structure, truly grand and majestic. By uniting with us, you will be able to complete the I work of National Representation, as perfect at least as it can he made under existing circumstances. We shall also receive the Deputies of Alentejo and Al garve, whom distance has not yet allowed to join us. " onfide, therefore, in the army, which will sus tain and cause the Government to be respected; con fide also in the Government, which will cause the t ' r 4111T1 aul fec Co ar It 251 471 re( Pr of of