Star. — London, England, 1822-10-11 00:00:00

PUR FUG i IL. ma AND POLITICAL STATE OP LETTER H. tO tlit EDITOR OF THE STAR. lgta—Portugal, as every one knows, is the Lusi tania of the ancients —a country distingUishedin all ages for the mildness of its climate, the richness of its soil, and the bravery of its inhabitants. It forms but a small portion of the Peninsular Continent, and for It long period was considered a province only of that extensive country. Much of the precious metals, in the early times, were drawn from the mountains of Portugal ; the Phoenicians established colonies upon her shores—the Carthagenians conquered and ruled the Country. Hannibal was born in Lisbon.—When Carthage, fell the Spanish Provinces were yielded to the Romans; and these again, in the decline of the Empire, were driven from the Peninsula by the' Northern Barbarians—the Franks first over.run the country in the time of the Emperor Decius, and the Visgoths took full possession of it about the year of our LORD 411. • The Sheri and Alani, tribes the most renowned for valour in the country from which they came, go verned the Lusitanian Provinces, as a separate State, for a period of nearly two hundred years, but at last they were overcome or incorporated with the other Provinces, and the whole of the Peninsula had but one King. The Historian has recorded and the Poet has sung the crimes and the conduct—the glory and the sufferings of Roderic, the last of the Goths. With Iris fall, the unity of the Spanish Empire ceased for ever, and its existence u a Christian country was for a time doubtful. But as a remnant of the faithful, escaped from the slaughter, they established them selves in the mountains of Austuria, and from thence, under the command of a leader who either was, or was supposed to be, descended from their ancient Princes, made war upon the Moors, their Mahome tan conquerors. The Provinces, as they were reco vered from the invaders, were erected into kingdoms by the Generals who commanded, until at last, about the year 1037, the whole of their Provinces, viz. Leon, Navarre, Arragon, and Castile, centred by de scent or marriage in Ferdinand the First, who, on that account, is styled " The Great" and Emperor. Spain at this period was the great theatre for the display of military talent, and the fame of King Fer dinand drew many Christian youths of the most Noble families in Europe, to his standard. Alphonso, his son and successor, was also of great renown as a warrior, and during a reign of thirty-seven years, constantly kept the field against the Moors. He married Corlantia, a daughter of Robert the First, Duke of Burgandy, and niece of Henry the First, King cf France ; and this Princess was accompanied or followed into Spain by her nephew Henry, the youngest son of her only brother. The Count Henry, as he is called in history, became a great favburite at the Court of his aunt, and having distinguished himself in the war against the enemies of Spain and of the Faith, he obtained the good opinion and ap probation of the King. In 1093, Alphonso prevailed upon Henry to marry his daughter Theresa, of whose illegitimacy there can be little doubt. Alphonso's first marriage, which was with Henry's aunt, was in 1080—she died in 1092 ; so that Theresa, who was marriageable in the following year, must have been born while the King was yet a bachelor. As a reward, however, for the alliance of a Prince, the great-grandson of Hugo Capet, the King of Spain bestowed upon his daugh ter the castle and port of Cale, near the mouth of the river DoUro, together with the cities and country that had been recovered from the Moors on the north aide of that river; and gave Henry authority to take sad possess in full sovereignty all that could be re covered from them between the rivers Douro and Guadiana. Henry of 'Burgundy now took the title of Count of Porto-Cale—hence Portugal, and having lived for eighteen years as an independent Prince, he gained not less than seventeen signal victories over the Moors. Alphonso Henry, the only son of Henry and Theresa, succeeded his father es Count of Portugal at the age of eighteen. He had to struggle for a time against the pretensions of his mother and her second husband; but having succeeded in establish 111g his authority, and rising superior to the intrigues of his family, he now became distinguished as the commander of a Christian army. His growing power So alarmed the Moors, that they determined to crush him at once: an immense army was collected from all the Mahometan States, and placed under the orders of Ishmael, King or Governor of Alemtejo. Alphonso's troops were not numerous, but they were ' , /eterans. Many of them had fought under his • lather—all of them had witnessed his own valour. The two armies met on a large plain in the province of Alemtejo, called the " Campo d'Ourifue." The . Moors were ten to one against the Chri,tians, yet Ishmael and most of his host were cut off, and not less than five standards,belonging to an equal number of Moorish kings, fell into the hands of the victors The army of Alphonso Henry, in the fullness of its joy, and as a reward for the skill and bravery with' which he had commanded them, proclaimed him King on the field of battle. Here then, Sir, was' e,tablkhed the Portuguese Monarchy, and thus did a band of valiant bercnts honour with the title of King the General Silo coßmanded them, and who for 'thirty years had lad them to victory. :the,victorY of Ourique was gained in 1142, and from this year we may date the commencement of the kingly of fice in the present Royal Family of Portugal. Alphonso was not satisfied with the decision of his military followers; and as soon as the exigencies of , the war would admit, he called together his civil sub jects. and in the first General Cortes of the Nation, which was held in the Cathedral Church of Lamego, in May, 1143 when were assembled the Archbishop of Braga, the Bishops of Viscu, Oporto, Coimbra, and Lamego, the Nobles of his Privy Council, the men of good condition, as Representatives from all the cities and towns of the country he governed, as also a great number of Monks and regular Clergy men, as Representatives of the Church, he caused the Pope's letter, confirming the title conferred upon him by the army, to be read ; and then his Advocate or Procniateur rose and demanded of the assembly if it was their pleasure that Alphonso should be their King? Upon which, as the chronicle-of the day re- 1 ports, they all arose, and with one voice exclaimed, "It is our will— Volumus quad sit Rex." The Con stitution which was then drawn up, the original Char-, ter of the State, is short and simple; and I trust your Readers will excuse me for giving a few extracts.— The King swore to govern justly, and the People bound themselves to maintain his authority, and yield obedience to the laws; upon which be was pub licly crowned by the Archbishop. The King then commanded the Assembly to de clare by what laws they wished the people to be go- 1 verned ; and, first of all, to decide on the succession in the Monarchy. In this it was decreed, that if the King left either a son or a daughter, he or she should succeed of right to the throne ; but if he left no legi timate succession, then the .nomination of the King remained with the People. The right of primogeni ture, and of males succeeding in preference to fe males, is also clearly determined. One thing only l strikes me as singular : it was decided, that if the King died, leaving only a brother, that Prince should have a right to the Crown during his lifetime, but that his son could not succeed as a matter of right, and must submit his claim to the decision of the Ge neral Cortes. It appears that various and important questions were proposed, canvassed with great free dom, and decided upon in this. Assembly. The sons' of the King, and' their children—whatever Portu guese subject (not descended from the Moors or Jews) who might rescue the King or his standard from thel hands of the enemy—whoever in battle slew the King of the nation with which they were at war, or took ,his standard—all who were of the King's Council, or, , descended from the ancient Nobility—and all who had been present in the great battle on the plains of Ourique, were declared hereditary Nobles of the land, "per total suds generationes." Thieves, for the first crime, are to be put in • the stocks, for the second they are to be branded with a hot iron, but, if they stole a third time, they were to suffer death. Every woman taken in adultery is to be burnt alive, and the man with whom she commit ted the crime is to be burnt with her; but, if the , husband of the adultress should object to her being burnt, then the man should also escape. Whoever commits murder is to suffer death ; and the ravisher of virgin innocence is not only to die, but his goods are forfeited to the injured victim. Whatever person injures another with a drawn sword, a stone, or a stick, shall be carried before the Judge, and obliged to compound for the injury he has done, as also to pay a fine to the King of ten morabitini. The King is prohibited from attending the Cortes of the King of Leon, to whom he had hitherto, in some measure, been considered subject; and is forbidden to pay tri bute to any one except the Pope. When the last 'questions were proposed, we are told that the whole Assembly rose and swore, upon their naked swords, that as they themselves were freemen their King also should be free, and their swords would keep him so; and the person who should own himself subject to any one should not reign over them. The King, as soon as silence was obtained, rose, and drawing his sword, thus addressed the Assembly -« You know how many battles I have fought for your liberty—you are witnesses, this hand and this sword are witnesses, and if any one shall dare to ac knowledge the authority of a foreign Power within this realm let him die—were he my son or my grand- son he should not reign!" With this short sketch of the early history and original Constitution of the Kingdom of Portugal, I shall conclude the present letter, and in my next bring down the succession and changes in her Go vernment to the present time. I am, Sir, your's respectfully, A BRITON. •., According to the statistical account in 1821, Rome contained 135,171 inhabitants ; and in 1822, 136,085, making an increase of 914. The Assessment on Houses, &c. in Liverpool, re- j turned to the Select Vestry, isitated for 1822, Houses a►td Warehouses at £23,6e0; in 1820, £21,400; in -1 crease, in two years, £1,600! Intelligence from Rome of the 27th ult. states that the health of the Pees is considerably improved. By the same channel it aprtats that Madame LiuriA Ilmsemtre, who has been along time in bad health. is at the last extremity--she had received the lase sacrament. Her sou Louis, who intended to have remained at Florence during - the M. weather, had been celled back in all bum e ~~M .. ~~ ~. ~.. ~J . ~ sl ~ ~ . t ~. :-. . rim AMY . , . _ -One liaMpilly of Ai 15th Regiment of Foot wail. ioiie to- day at Manchester Bariaeks, from Wolverhattipton. ' • . Tliref tompank4 of dsb ililith for Berkshire) llegnitellt of root arrived teiltetdat it Hull, from Sunderland. One coodkanrof de iSth Foot Will arrive. at Livetpool this day, from Neweastie-ander-Line, and embark with the Mae di vision of its carps, for Dublin, oft Monday Mg*, . A detaihment of she 3d Diagtion"Guardd Bred to march on Monday next, from Neweastle-upon-Tlie n! . or Scarborough; where it win arrive on th e 18 t h i nst .—Th e ackment will be afterwards distributed in small parties on the Yorkshire coast; viz. at Bridlington, Hotnsea, Brainston, and Skipaea, in aid of the Revenue Micas. The 43d (or Masunouthddie) Light Infantry, Geperal J. F. Lord HOWDX3c G.C.B. and K.C. Colonel, embarked at Cork, for Gibraltar; as follows;—Three companies on the 31st of Au gust, on board the Success transport ; five companies on the 18th ult. on board the Sophia and Ocean transports. . ,i NAVAL. INTELLIGENCE. The Mercurius schooner, from Newcastle to Holland, foun dered off Huntly Foot. The vessel that was lost off Milford was the Britannia, Be vans, froth Youßaal for Bristol. With reference to the letter from the Admiralty to Lloyd's, in our Paper of yesterday, the reported protection for the trade against the depredations of pirates in the vkinity of Cuba, ap pears to be incorrect; for, instead of his Majesty's ship Cau sation being stationed off there, she was, on the ,15th of Au- I gust, returning to Jamaica from Campeachy and Havannab, with specie; and the other ship of war alluded to. the Daman., arrived at New York the 20th August, from Jamaica and -Ha vangsb, with specie, leaving the pirates to continue their.depre ' Idations and they were not inactive. The Ceres, from Youghal to Chichester, put into Milford on Tuesday, with her cargo shifted and pumps cLoaked. Caaaurstow, Aro. 29.—The United Staten' ship John Adams yesterday left her anchorage off this bar, where she arrived the day previous, and proceeded on her voyage. She will touch at Pprto Rico, for the purpose of protesting against the fitting out in that port of privateers, which capture American *ends under an alleged order of the Spanish Government, blockading the South American provinces, which blockading decree has never been officially communicated to the United States. A Spanish brig and a schooner, laden with rum and sugar, from Haven nab to Cadiz, arrived off Cornea on the 11th of August, prizes to the Guyana Libra, Columbian schooner. The Fanny, from New York to Curacoa, was taken about the 12th August in the Mona Passage by the Spanish armed brig Polona, and carried into Salinas. Facstocrrir, Ocv. 9.—Wind &W.—Arrived the Minus, Glans, from Seville, in 19 days ; Pilchard, WILCOCICI, from Cape Coast, in 81 days, with sails split; Fortitude Increased, Mannino, from London for St. Kitt's—she has been as far to the Westward as losg. 8.0; and Aurora, Gikaarrr, from ditto to Seville. PLYMOUTH, Octane 9.—Wind &W.—Arrived the Alpha, Toweas, from Shields for Buenos Ayres. His Majesty's ship Winnows Came has been got off, without receiving any mate rial damage, and is brought back to her moorings. Haat Oct. 10.—Wind W.—Sailed the remainder of the homeward -bound for the River, except the Madras, which ship remains, to have her "(ladles repaired. Arrived this morning, and sailed for the River, the Scaleby Castle, from China. Came down from the River, the Woodford, Czarinas' for Madras and Calcutta ; Lucy Davidson, Gamut, for Tri nidad; Juno, SLADE, for Cadiz; Racket, CHADWICK, for Bilboa, and remain with the rest of the outward-bound. Hera., OCT. O.—Yesterday it. blew a gale from S.W. and to wards five o'clock a vessel which was going down the Humber upset, near Clea Thorp, and the crew drowned—name unknown, but supposed to belong to Dover. Curium-House, Oct. 10.—Ships Entered Inwards :—Crown, from Rica; Flora, from Calais ; Looden, from Quebec ; Marie, from Malaga; Nautilus, from Grenada; Caroline, from Pa lermo ; Friends, from Quebec • Susan, from Memel ; Favourite, from Poitou-Prince; Jane, erom Bourdeaux ; Waterloo, from Cork ; Prince Regent, from Waterford David, from St. Peters burgh ; Shamrock, from Malta; William and Mary, from Cha rente ; Defence, from Quebec ; Fortitude, from St. Petersburgh; Endeavour, from Palermo; Mary Filen, from 'Port-au-Prince; Sally, from Gijon; Sovereign, from Jamaica; John and Wil liam, from Limerick ; Bee Hive, front Curb ; Hannah, from Bombay ; Carshalton Park, from Jamaica • Asoph, from Per nambuco ; and St. Vary, from Jamaica. Entered Outwards : Margaret, for Limerick ; Jane, for Hamburgh ; Ceres, for Me mel ; Arundel, for Trinidad ; Britannia, for Jamaica ; Jane, for Dublin; Atlantic, for Hanaburgh ; and Neptune, from Oporto. Cleared Outwards:—Barbara,,' for Bahia; Traveller, for Santa Martha; Vittoria, for Eldneur; Hope, for Hamburgh ; Re liance fur ditto ; Vestal, for Santa Cruz ; and Mary, for Bilboa. THE DISCOVERY SHIPS—(From the Aberdeen Chronicle.) Every day there are articles appearing in the Papers calculated to create alarm about Captain Esaav's expedition. We venture to affirm, on the contrary, that nothing has occurred since the expedition sailed to cause fear for its safety, or to make us con clude it has been unsuccessful. The discovery ships are not at all in the track of the whalers. They were seen in July last year, at the entrance of Hudson's Bay, which is far to the southward of the fishing ground; and it is probable that Capt.PA Kay has chosen that route to get to Cumberland Strait, or to some other lead to the westward. He was not to go north to Lancaster Straits again. The fishery at Davis Straits has failed so completely this year because, for the two years preceding, the vessels having pene trated to the inlets on the west of Baffin's Bay, and having met great success there, abandoned the old fishing ground this year, and lost their time in attempting to regain the west ; but a barrier of ice, compact and impenetrable, extended from one end of the bay to the other, and not a ship was able to proceed more than 20 or 30 miles from the land on the east side. There is no one sanguine of Capt. PARRY'S success, but no one need be alarmed for his safety. This barrier was not owing to an uncommonly frosty season, but to winds prevailing from the S. W. that is, right into the Straits, thus preventing the ice from passing into the main ocean: but these very winds would serve to break up the ice in the inlets on the American side, and drive it into Baffin's Bay—the very thing to encourage the expedition to proceed. The west side of the bay, there is every reason to suppose, would be clear sea. The ships are provisioned for three years, with every attention to comfort which the experience gained by the former expedition pointed out as proper ; and supposing they made some progrestlast year and this, if there is any chance of getting further they will winter there again • and, if the attempt has been aban doned,we may infer, from w hat happened on the former occasion, that the ice inland would not break up till August, and after this, there is a tedious navigation before they could reach the sea. It was the month of November when the Heck passed Aberdeen, from the last expedition. If they remain there this winter our first accounts of them will probably be from some of the Hud son's Bay North West Company's establishments in the interior. Extract of a letter from India : " POMMY, MAT 50.—We have little news in India—all is quiet; houfher, it is confidently reported, that there will be a rupture with Persia, as it is said our Envoy had received an in. suit and left the Court. The Exchange is jog now much against Lndia—l s. loci. for Is Bermuda Papers to the 9th of August have come Bermudian to hand. The following, from the of the Ist, is the only article of any interest :—" We have seen a respectful Memorial to his MAJZsTY, respect. ing Governor Lusautx, stating his various acts ofop pression and injustice, and praying that bis MAJISTY will be pleased not to send him back to the Govern ment of this Colony. It had about 500 signatures to it, comprising all the really respectable and inde pendent inhabitants of Bermuda. ' A Gentleman applied, a few days ago, at Brixton jail to see Corporal George, who was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment (and hard work at the tiead-mill), by a Court Martial, for accusing Colonel GORE of unoflicer-like conduct.- Although he had an order to see the Corporal, signed by the visiting' Ma- , gistrates, the jailor refused to admit him unless in the )resence of a third person. The Gentleman had an interview with Corporal George, iA the Presence of iisiting Magistrate, and is about to commence legal proceedings in rayon; of Corporal George. . - :;~ .~,;~ •- _ . .... • , , . ... ~ ...,.4•0140 AND LADY POILTSMOUT r ate.4 - the attention of the fashionable world his late!j seen a good deal occupied by di* singular manner in which Lord Poarsatourn was removed from Edin burgh, and the proceedings consequent thereon.. ? Lady PowesmouTH being near her confinement, did not follow her Lord immediately; but remained in the North till 'she gave birth to an heiress. Mr. NEW.;" TON Fau.osva, the heir. Lat-law to the Portsmouth •property, since the removal, and since the return of his Lordship to Whitchurch, is said to have been con- steady spout the person of his Lordship. Some difa fereaces having arisen between the noble pair, Lord PORTSMOUTiI, it appears, interdicted her'Ladship's return to Whitchurch; but she; insisting on her rights as consort to the Noble Lord, had refused to yield obedience to the mandate. ' Saturday, Dr. BANIMICAD and a Solicitor arrived at the splendid seat of the Peer, and announced that Lady PORTSMOUTH, having recovered from her ac couchentent, was then on-the road to Whitchurch, to which place the repaired for the purpose of insisting on being received as the consort of his Lordship.. This information was not very favourably received * and the leg-al gentleman wasforced out of th e groun d s -by two of his Lordship's domestics, wh o were f o ll owe d by his gamekeeper, armed with a gun, which is said to have been loaded. He was not released from the grasp of the persons who expelled him, till he had been conducted beyond the Lodge. The gates were_ then chained together: they were further secured by bolts of.an uncommon length and strength, and men were stationed to watch at them day and night, to guard against any new invasion. Between four and five o'clock an open carriage and four, with two postillions, followed by two servants wearing the Portsmouth liveries, was seen approach ing Whitchurch. • In the carriage her Ladyship was seated, and with her a nurse with the infant. • 0a the way the postillions grteted the coaches as they passed with loud huzzas. They travelled with ex traordinary speed; so much so, that the servants could not without difficulty keep up with the car riage. Arriving at the White Hart, at Whitchurch, her Ladyship alighted, and rested for some time. ' The people at Whitchurch were all on the alert to witness the experiment, and a variety of whimsical reports were in circulation. A number of the towns folks were assembled in front of the gates to the Park, and within a party of men, dressed in smock frocks, and others apparently labourers, were drawn up, as it should seem, for the purpose of opposing, by main force, if necessary, that entrance on which her Ladyship was expected. to insist. Just beyond the Lodge one or two timber-carriages were placed, without horses, to obstruct the way. These were so disposed that it was impossible for a carriage to pass either to the right or to the left of them, on account of the obstructing trees. Lady PORTsItOUTH did not make the expected at e tempt on Satnrday, btit after resting for some time at the White Hart, retired to Whitchurch. She at present remains in the neighbourhood, being, as we are infotmed, on a visit to Sir H WILSON, whose resi dence is about three miles distant from that of Lord PORTSMOUTH, and it is her intention to return in a day or two for the purpose of acting on that resolu tion which she was expected to carry into effect on Saturday. The inhabitants of the neighbouring town takea lively interest in the struggle, and seem anxious for her Ladyship's success, of which some assert that there Cannot be the smallest doubt, while others de clare that she will never enter the mansion of this Noble Lord again. There are those who imagine that she intends to oppose force by force, and that the Lodge-gate must shortly become the scene of a most obstinate conflict ; but persons who are probably more in the secret, understand that she will make a formal claim to be admitted, merely for the purpose of taking legal measures against those by whom she considers, herself to be unlawfully excluded. The report in- some of the Papers that t , o Bow street officers are iu constant attendance cu the Earl, Is unfounded. Earl THANEr has returned to his seat in Kent, from a tour. The Earl and Countess of JIMSZY have left Brighton on a visit to the Earl of ECITMONT, at hit seat, Petworth, Sussex. RESTORATION OF THE STOLEN NOTES TO TILE IPS wicu BANKERS.—Wednesday, between four and five o'clock, the negociation which has been for some time going on between Messrs. Aletanders, of the Ipswich Bank, and the " borrowers" of their notes, terminated. It was stated on a former occasion that a restoration of the property was offered for £6,000, and that the bankers manoeuvred until they had made arrange ments likely to defeat the aims of those with %%lion they had found it so difficult to deal. Having called iu all the black notes, they took care to stamp those whiCh had passed though unhallowed hands, and to refer the possessors to the banking-house at Ipswich for satisfaction. The references have not been very great, and it is supposed that very few of the stolen notes are in circulation. The " borrowers," alairned at this measure and the consequences. held a meeting and discussed thence .ssity of abating i their demand, a id antr some sharp words upon toe subject of the division of the spoil, came to the deteimination 'to offer L'28,000 worth of the notes for the s ,m of £1,500, The gang sent this proposal to Messrs. Ft y, the Lou don agents; and added, that as for the deficiency rf £3,000, which their necessities had obliged them to circulate throtsgh the country, after an honourable division amongst the several gentlemen concerned in the transaction, the bankers had no doubt made up their minds to be at that loss. The negociation was not concluded, as may be readily imagined, without the interposition of' lawyers, who, it is supposed, have not forgotten themselves. ~. - .7 • • • t color EXCHANGE, MARK-LANE, OCT. 11. Owing to the continuance of contrary winds the supplies ar still prevented from coming iu this week, and dr • price of Whea remains the same aslast Monday's quotatior. There is but ve.sy little good Barley left for sale, and the price is nearly nominaL -- p ees an d Beans fully support last market day's prices. Oats sell well to necessitous buyers ; most of the purchasers are determined to wait till the supplies arrive. Sanest nun Maarcr, OcTosaa rostket was short of sheep this morning, in consequence of which they ask Mew prices for the above article. In Oxen the Market was well WI • plied, but most of them kin cattle : upon the whole the trade was dull, and but few buyers.—C.'urrent prices: Beef, Is. od. to 34. Od. per .stone of nibs.; Mutton, as, od; to 3s. Od. Veal. 06 od. to 36. Od. Pork, ' Lamb. Os. Od. to Os. W.—Cattle at Oarless r 190; abeep and Limbs, 4600 ; Ply, 900: loads May, Si. as, to 44, Os. aavor,3l. ' U. Is.. to IL 111 s. Pock, 34. ed. co 44; doe:: Beast,* Milk Camp, 900.—ay.,and Sttko/ pet 51. 10, a 91. lOpm. *kw, -fix i