The National Register. — London, England, 1808-01-10 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL ILEGISTER. great aristocracy ;n the robes of an Ambassador. Lord Straagfami is disqualified for such an ap poitement, because be had peeullar motives to become thorough 1y acquainted with the language and manners of the Portuguese; because he bad lived at the Court of Portugal a considerable time, and in the very situation best calculated to afford him a complete knowledge the characters and views of all the great men at that Court—in the temporary exercise of the functions of an Ambassador ! If these be the only disqualifications of Lord Strangford, there are few, indeed, of The Morning Chroni cle's men of high rank, who would not be excellently fitted for Ambassnilors at the new Court of the Brazils. But a still heasier charge is attempted to be thrown on Lord Strangford: we are informed that he has exposed himself as a vain boaster, that the dispatches which he sent to hill Govern- Meat contained palpable falsehoods, and that on these accounts be is both contemptible and odious in the eyes of the Prince Regent and his Court. Now we must acknowledge that we do lot perceive the slightest ground for such assertions ; and if this be theme, they can only be considered as malignant calumnies invented for mischievous purposes. From his Lordship's dis patches we perceive that the Court of Portugal had prepared for emigration, as soon as a French ievasion began to he appre iteuded ; and though it might very well be inferred that these preparations wore accelerated by the instances of the British Government, through their agent at Lisbon, yet his Lordship's dispatches do not give a hint that he had any merit in the transaction. Ile afterwards informs us that the Court of Por tugal lost its resolution as the hour of emigration approached ; that, in spite of his remonstrances, it united itself vs ith the enemies of Britain, and was ready to purchase the forbearance of Bonaparte, at the price of engaging in the utmost hostilities against this country ; that, however, he ventured to renew hie Degociations with the Court of Lisboa; that he then found all the Prince Regent's apprehensions directed to a French army, and all his hopes to a British fleet; and that, nu his I , ortbhip . s assurances that the Prince would find protectors instead of ene mies in our ships of war, the Portuguese fle.et immediately began to drop down the Tagus. Now in all this we cannot see any thing. that deserves the name of vain boasting: lord Strang ford merely assumes the merit of having taken the last step to remove every remaining scruple of the wavering Por tuguese ; and of having taken upon himself some arranp.-,e meats for which he had not time •to receive orders from his Court. As to his assertion that the confidence of the Portuguese in the protection of Britain arose from the moderation of our Mlaisters in not menacing their Court, seizing their fleet, plundering their dock-yards, and treating this Ally like a prostrate enemy whom he had hound hand and foot—we have no hesitation in believing it : bad they always behaved in this manner, we should probably have had at least one nation less in the catalogue of otsr enemies. If Lord Sirangford's re presentations were the cause of this moderation, we have mills. In regret that we bad not similar Ministers at some other Courts of Europe. The other insinuation of The Moran, Otrenick, that bis Lordphip must be unacceptable to tht Portuguese (;overnment, does not rest on even the slightest foundation. The Prince Re gent consulted with hint in bit atmoot esttinnity, relied upon Ais, assurances of British forbearance and protection, sailed in bis aompauy till he bad reached the open ocean, and at parting be stowed upon hint cordial expressions of esteem. accompanied by suds presents as it is usual for Priuces so bestow on well deserv ing subjects. From these considerations, we think ourselves entitled to conclude that the attack of TAe ,Morning Chruniele on Lord Strangford was a mere work of party ; a stab to the ministry at she expeuce of an nnoTending Individual. We have no ad.- ' %nate means to jars , of kis Loetiship't rea degree Of :init/ JAN. 10, but if nothing eau be shcwn to his disadvantage, we think it world have been the height of injustice in ministers not to have gluon him the appointment of ambassador at the court of the Brazils. After having attended the Portuguese government in all its fortunes, after having had every opportunity of studyin; its views and character; after having accompanied it as a pm tector in the ino‘t distressing circumstance of its fate, would it have been proper, or politic, or just, to set aside this man, ak substitute in his place Iconic person who knew nothing more ,if the Portuguese than o f the Kamschatkans ? Lord Stmngforif may behave ill hereafter ; but where is the man who from his services or his knowledge hasat present au equal claim to the Brazilian embassy ? We cannot conclude these animadversions, without noticing the pompous declamations which have appeared in 7'he Mot n• ing Chronicle , respectingthe extreme importance of conciliating the Brazilian Court, and the extreme delicacy of this under taking. We're the Court of Russia indeed, in question, a Court of vast and independent power, such language might very pro perly he held ; but as to the Portuguese Clovernmeut, K hich has not, nor ever had the power of injuring us, which depends upon us entirely for the snpply, the protection and improve• meat of its new dominion:, we should not imagine that any great art was requisite, either to gain its good-si ill, or to retain its fidelity. But the unhappy Morning Chronicle, in pursuit of its vocation, was under the necessity of representing this object at too great to be aliCetcd by any but the redoubtable politicians of its own faction. SO 7 simomuminsimmi s sweep* / itiawielet a favootilf is? of the w►be may be inclined *strut s year er tit. 1 FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. FRANCE. • PARTS, near. 13.—The following remarks appear in TB,l Molliteur, upon two articles of news extracted frore the English Papers. The first relates to the communication hosseen Crib raltar and the Spanish territories. The 21foni!oir ni)Nerve, ' " Commerce was carried on then between Spain and fiihraltar.. If the King of Spain knew that his Governor , betrayed their ditty and traded with England, w hilst Lmilaiid invades his el , . lonies, surprises his frigater, nia,sacres his seamen durit... pence. and (Noises so many misvries to his people, his Catholic Majesty could not but be indignant ti t it." Upon the second Extract, w hid] relates to Mr. Rose junior's mission, The Mnniteur remarks, that, " the English have strange ideas o' the Sovereignty of Natiorv, if they think the. Americana pusilla:..imous and impolitic enough to barter a , ‘:tv their independence aad abandon their share of the coninierce of the Colonies to England. If they should adopt such a mods conduct, renounce the sovereignty of their fbig„ - iud interdict themselvc from all commerce with France, there is no sloulo that tearing thus to pieces their first charter of independence, they would he at war with France, and with all the Continen tal * Powers." Dec. 16.—General sTunot's Proclamation, upon entering Lisbon, states in substance, that the French army entered that city to rave the Prince and the country from the intluenee of England—but that the Prince, so rerpectalsic fur his stirtut-. has suffered himself to be guided by the aftvkc of some bad per sons about him, and has thrown himself into the arms of his enemies; that these persons insinuatecl npprehensioas for his personal safety ; his subjects ;lave been considered as nothing, and their interests have been sacrificed to the cowardice some courtiers.—" Inhabitants of Lirlitin," adds the General Chief, " remain quiet in your houses, neither fear my army nor myself; we are Only terrible to our enemies and to the wicked. The great Napoleon, my Master, has sent me to pro tect y ou-1 will protect you,"—lt was not Fort Buller, but Fort Belem, the guns of which were Spiked by the Prince's order. Central Delabode has been appointed Commandant ut Lisbon, and of all the troops in that city. We hoped that the Prince, knowing at length w hat Were the real Interests of his kingdom, was preparing to accede to the grand Confederacy of Europe; but all these demonstrations were only so mauy to gain time. And what use has he made of this time ?—he has deserted the throne which he might have rendered free. Tlie result of his wise manceuvres, is to ensure himself, till fresh in cidents haw, the post of Viceroy or Coyernor of an English coattail' I has proved the neteuity of the Exikdi- -`1 ~~