The Statesman. — London, England, 1821-01-12 00:00:00

or TIII MANIFESTO ••T'.:'' •II NATION TO THE ROVEREIONS ♦ND PEOPLE OP EUROPE. -~ The Porttignese Nation, animated with the most sin cere and ardent desire to maintain the political and com mercial relations which have hitherto bound it to all the Governments and People of Europe, and having more particularly at heart to continue to merit in the opinion of illustrious men of all nations the.return and consi deration which have never been refused to the loyal and honourable character of the Portuguese, judges it is in dispensihly necessary to the public a succinct hut frank exposition of the causes which produced the memorable events that have lately taken place in Portugal, of the true spirit which directed them, of the sole object to • which the changes tended that have been made, or which it is intended to make, in the internal form of its Go vernment ,• it is confident that this exposition, rectifying the false ideas which may perhaps have been conceived of those events, will merit the kind attentions of the So vereigns and cf the people. All Europe knows the extraordinary circumstances which in 1807 forced his Majesty, John Vi. at that time Prince Regent of Portugal, to remove with his Royal family to his transatlantic dominions ; it is granted that this resolution of bit Majesty was judged then of the most decided advantage to the general cause of liberty in Europe. Nobody, however, failed to perceive the critical situation in which Portugal was placed by this absence of its Prince, and succeeding events proved that this forboiling was not vain or rash. Portugal, separated from her Sovereign by the vast expanse ca; the ocean, deprived of all resources from her transmarine possessions, and of all the benefits of com merce by the blockades of her ports, anal governed at home by a hostile force, which was then thought invin cible, seemed to have reached the final term of its poli tical existence. never to be replaced in time rank of in dependent nations. In such a desperate crisis this heroic people did D ot lose its honour, its courage, or its fidelity to its King, which could not be torn from its heart by the force of circumstances, nor by the preponderant power of the enemy. They in fact displayed themselves in the named energetic manner as soon as a favourable opportunity Of fered. The Portuguese, with the assistance of their Al lies, recovered at the expenee of the most painful sacri fices their political existence ; restored with generous loyalty to their Monarch the Throne and the Crown ; and impartial Europe most confess (though this justice is not always done) that to them are also in a great mea sure owing the triumphs which have since been joined to the advantages of the liberty and independence of 'thrones and Nations. It is more easy to conceive then to express what was the internal situation of Portugal, after circumstances so new, effects so extraordinary, and a convulsion so general. The ruin of its population; commenced by the emigra tion of the inhabitants who followed the Prince, or en deavoured to withdraw front the distrustful suspicion, or the systematic perseenthon of the enemy ; was increased by the two fatal invasions of 1509 and ISIO, and by the inevitable losses of a long and obstinate war of seven years. Commerce and industry, which can never prosper but tinder the beneficent protection of peace, security, and public tranquillity, were not only depresses! and aban coned, hut seemed to have been wholly destroyed by the unlimited liberty given to foreign vessels in the ports of Brazil, by the disastrous Treaty of 181 U, by the conse quent decline of the national manufactures, by the almost total destruction of the •••••••••ntibe Wet naval force; by mho Absolute want of all care to protect anal encourage these two most important branches of public prosperity. Agriculture, the basis of the riches and strength of nations, deprived of the arms which the army or death tonic from it; destitute of the capitals which supported it, and which had been sometimes employed on objects of the more urgent necessity, deprived of the vital strength which it used to receive from the national in dustry, and from the active circulation of commerce, noth domestic and foreign, lay in a fatal lethargy, and presented to the astonisbeml spectator only the melan choly picture of famine and misery. The sensible diminution of the public revenue, caused by the ruin of the population, of commerce, anal of in dustry; by the irrevocable loss of the great sums which the enemy violently extorted from the hands of the Por tuguese; and by the excessive expenses of the war, ob liging the nation to contract new and enormous debts, for the payment of which its resources were engaged, gave the final blow to public credit, which was already shaken by the scandalous snalversations of the fiscal agents, as well as by the most erroneous system of admi nistration. If the Portuguese did not love and respect their Prince and his august dynasty with a kind of love and admiration almost religions. if they did not wish to receive from his justice and kindness alone the reforms Agit public improvements which such a state of things i•nperiously demands, it would be very easy at that time to tix limits to power, or dictate conditions suitable to such urgent circumstances. They were not ignorant of eleir rights: the general tendency of opinion, guided by the lit of the ag.e, and openly manifested among t i ee most civilised nations of Europe, invited them to sowh use of these rights which their ancestors had re coenized and exercised on less pressing occasions, the victorious and triumphant army would bare supported such just pretensions, and the nation would be now free or certainly less unfortunate. But the character of the Portuguese could not belie itself. They chose rather to hope every thing from their Prince than to give to Europe, already afflicted by the late misfortune*, the sight of a turbnlent and 'inpa tient nation, or to appear to abuse the facility afforded by circumcances to chew a spirit of revolt and want of submission. The silent and peaceful endurance of their evils was the blsis of their proceedings—oinfWence in the acknowledged virtues of the Prince, the foundation of their hopes. _ lint (it is hard to say it!) these hopes were wholly deceived, and this suffering was car►ied to the utmost extent to which it seems possible for the patience of a high-spirited nation, full 51 the feelim: of its mis fortunes, and not ignorant of the means of remedying them. After this introduction, the Manifesto proceeds to ob serve, that it is unnecessary to paint in detail the melan choly picture of the progressive decline of Portitzal in the last six years, as being notorious to all Europe.— lieferrini to the proceeding, it states, as additional cause' of ruin, the sending so many thousand troops to Brasil to carry on a war of which Portugal bore the bunko, sad which exposed it to the attacks of a pow erful neighlbour, always its rival, and now o ff ended and pro volteq. • Continence was without encouragement, and every re /illation tended only to the advantage of foreigners. Matsufactufers were equally discouraged, and while tbeir own manufaitures were going to decay, and innu merable workmen reduced to idleness and want, the most osignificast articles of furniture or dram w ere imported trout other c.pantries. Portstruese vessels were taken by .riends and enemies; insulted and captured by pirates. in lit of our own fortresses. The Portuguese sew and : cred. Bat why renew these profound sorrows ? • ••• gTA.TESMAN Even strangers, who profit by the dreaffel indifference or coldness of the Portuguese Government, often said with honourable frankness—" This_ he country was worthy of a better fate." Blessed as Portugal is with a most (miffed soil, overflowing with agricultural riches, augmented in quantity by the improvident permission of exeessive importation, yet the general distress was so extreme that the poor were perishing with famine in the midst of plenty, and the bounty of Heaven was blasted by the folly of man. The Manifesto then shows how this distress was still further aggravated by continuing an immense expend iture, as if the Court were still at Lisbon, while the revenue was sensibly diminishiug by the above causes, as well as by the negligence and peculation of the offi cers. The sums sent to Brazil for the war in America, &c. increased the distress and caused the salaries of the public servants in every department, as well as the interest of the public debt, to he dreadfully in arrear; anti, finally (with shame he it spoken), it was not possible to complete a loan of only four millions of erns:Woes. The Portuguese knowing the heart of their Sovereign, hoped he would prepare the necessary reforms, a hope 1 which his Majesty sometimes encouraged ; but the hope vanished, and the Ministers at Rio Janeiro turned aside the King's mind from it, and were displeased when any patriot dared to publish his opinions on this important subject, and slimed the necessity of restoring the seat of Government to Portngal. Bence time Portuguese began to lose their confidence in the sole remedy which remained ; the idea of being reined to a colony affected them ; and all saw it was impossible for the affairs of a Monarchy to go on regularly at sneh a distance from the centre of its action, frequently impeded by the malignity of men, the violence of passions, and even the erects of the elements. What could time Portuguese nation do in such a situa tion? Suffer and hope. It did suffer and hope in vain for many Years. Sigh, remonstrate, complain ? It did sigh, but its sighs were not listened to. Nut listened to? They were repressed, cruelly stitled. It remon strated and complained, but its remonstrances and coin plaitits. never readied the throne. 'Vise King was told. that his people were contented and faithful, and the M a . nifesto prote-sts, in the face of Europe, the unalterable lovalty of the nation, but observes that content is incona , ps;tible with a situation like theirs—it shows that the late events have nut their origin, as has been intimated, in the false principles of an absurd and disorganising philosophy, or the love of unbridled chimerical liberty, , but in the conviction of the public distress, and the de- sin. oaf remedying it. It chews that Government is e,.--eit- tial to society; Cut that whatever may he time species of government establishes! in *nation, and by whomsoever , exercised, neither force, nor habit, nor lapse of time, can , deprive a nation of its inalienable right of ravishing its fundamental laws, and introducing such improvements as may he necessary. The Portuguese acted upon these principles ; they wished to glare the throne oil the solid basis of justice and law ; they did nut ilesireto introduce aim innovation, but a restoration of time state of things which formerly existed in Portugal, awl when in 1139 they gave the Crown to their first Monarch, and made the first fundamental laws of the Monarchy in the Cortes of ',amigo ; when in 13-5 they gave the throne to John I. on conditions which he arcepted ; when in 1630 they gave it to John IV. who alto respected their liberties; 1 when the Portuguese had their Cortes through a long period of five centuries, when they reached the summit of glory and greatness. It is thererore, absurd and unjust to stigmatise what they have done as rehellious or tits. I—rful. Philip IV. in time state manner denounced eh. L ; tos loos mining tit th.• inos tuguese in Ili 19, as rebellion. ITaking every timing into ronsiderstion, but just praise, both in the public opinion of enlightened nations, and in the Cabinets of the European Sovereigns. In conelnsinn the. Manifesto remarks, that it would be most afflicting to the Portuguese nation, if time power ful Sovereigns with whom it has alwvs been on the terms of friendship; should abuse their power to impose laws on it, or to repress the noble efforts of a nation, in capable by its geographical position of troubling the peace of other people, which has never interfered in time internal concerns of others, and which mar depend on time acknowledged justice of the Princes of Europe; but which, if its hopes in this respect should be disappoint ed, it will risk every thing in the defence of its jest rights ; that the maxim, " No nation ever failed to he free which desired to he so," is their encouragement ; and that if unhappily they should fail in attaining this happiness, the nation will be destroyed sooner than con quered, and no good citizen will survive the ruin of public felicity. They, however, anticipate a more for tunate result. L.lty ravreLLIGENCE. COURT OF KINWS RI:SCH.-JAL 11. THE QUitil i f'S4AnT TO 7118 RING'S LBTTER. From a curious publicat ~l ion under the above title, we extract the following observations : " With the ' line of policy' the Ring has pursued, and means to pursue, I have no opinion to offer. The policy that directed my persecution has been the most unfortunate that any set of men or Ministers ever adopted. My acquittal has been their condem nation in the opinion of all the unprejudiced part of the nation. " I have never been the Tool of a Party.' I repel the charge with indignation. The party that now supports tae is the ,eliole of the people of Riefflaad, my devoted sttljerts. If Radical Refo►mers choose to address me, I cannot refuse to receive such a testimony of their affection, and I have no reason to suppose than worse or better than other men. It is not be coming in me to despise the homage of any part of my subjects t and I* may as well be called the head of the !{'hi;•s or Tories, because they have sympathised with my miseries, and rejoiced in the triumph of my innocence, as the head of the Radicals, who hive don• the saute. " When the letter of the King alludes to the con spiracies for the destruction of his Ministers, I know not what it can have to do with myself,but see plainly it is meant to throw a slur of some kind upon - my conduct, as if I had taken advantage of a troubled hour, to advance my just claims. I had no need of adventitious aid to regain my rights. I had no more to do with creating the internal troubles of Great Britain than the babe unborn. The Cato-street con spiracy had no more connection with my case, than I had a hand in setting fire to ltome during the reign of Nero. " The men employed as spies have been at the bot tom of all these plots, that have answertil the pur pose for which they were got tip, and retained Minis ters in their places in defiance of popular opinion, which views every• :lio,' of their's with disgust and reprobation, I fear too justly merited. "At the time of my return there were no signs of disaffection in the country. The general stagnation of trade felt all over the world gave rise to 'immur ing, particidarly in the northern districts ; but in this there was not any thing treasimalde, and my ap pearance at this season operated wore as a halm to heal the discontented, than as a stimulus to rouse them to more desperate measures. " After a separation and a persecution of twenty four years' continuance, I had no wish of r..turtiitt; to the palace of the king. 11'e had parted no niore to engage." I only cattle to demand my just rights. and, in sle doing, I trust I have done no wrong. Had I lingered abroad after toy husband was raised to the throne of these realms—had I accepted of the offer at Saint (liners, of 50,t 00/. per annum, the future historians r •.1d have t e brand Inv name with merited obloquy, as one of the most weak and sleprav ed characters that existed since the days of a Julia or a Slessalina. " But l have a monitor within which will not per mit me to be guilty of a crime—' Honour, sole judge and umpire of which will carry me to the tomb with an unsullied conscience. All the Insults I have endured since I first set foot in this once happy country—all the calumnies that have been heaped upon nev brad, I am firmly convinced in my mind originated with his Majesty's advisers alone. They only are the disatiected—they only are the feverish spirits that keep the country in a ferment, from one extremity to the other—they only are hated fur their bad deeds, and I moat solemnly believe that the KING, individwally, is dearly beloved by all his Atflierts. " From the infatuation of such a set of impotent advisers, I have to regret much humiliation and wanton cruel persecution, nomad!, as directed against a woman, diehomeNt as tending to deprive me of my honour, titles, and rank in the state, and treasonable as adopted against their legal Sovereign. Aided by the Pets.% and the People I have triumphed over the most deep laid scheme that ever was laid to ruin any person of my rank. It seems that they still intend to renew the cowardly attack, but my bosom will con tinue invulnerable to the assaults of vire, as long as I hare a grateful recollection of the gratitude I owe to my loyal and generous people, and a detestation of what is corrupt and balk." LAWTON C. 1110 TD. This was an action fur goods sold and delivered. The amount sought was I IV. Ilk 2d: The plaintiff is a maker of gas apparatus in Cow lane, Smithfield ; the defendant, master and owner of a vessel in the West India Trade. It appe %red that some time in August, ISM, this latter, upon a spe culation, gave the plaintiff an order for a gasometer, which be meant to carry with him to Jamaica, Capt. Boyd sailed, but hr left a renewed order for the appara tus to be sent after him as soon as it was ready. It was not till the fol:owing March that the gasometer was entirely perfected, and it was Oen put on board an other vessel consioied to the defendant at Jamaica. It arrived in due time at its destination, but it. was found, or said to be, too large for the purpose, it being originally intended to light up an apothecary's shop at Kingston, and was to hare seven burners, to be lighted for four hours. Under these eircumstances the apothecary refuse.l to take it, and an attempt made by time defendant to sell it to the theatre at Kingston, being no less unsuccessful, he suffered it to remain at Jamaica as it was scarce worth the freight home. Now the questions in the cause were, first, whether the apparatus was not larger titan the order ; and secondly, whether the defendant was discharged on account of its not being perfected in the time first agreed upon? There was also another ground upon which the defendant went, but which did not arise out lof the circumstances of the cause, and this was, that I it was to the plaintiff's son, and not himself, that the order been given. After bearing evidence, the Learned Judge, in summing np, declared all these grounds to be untenable ; and he was of opinion, that as the defendant had order ed a gas apparatus, which order the plaintiff, as near as could be, had complied with, he, time defendant, ought to pay fur it. If the speculation on which he gave the order turned out inauspicious, he bad only to settle the account with himself. The plaintiff was tit) party to it, he was a tradesman who Goan fide furnished his goods, and the law would protect and sanction his claim to considera:ion fur them.—Ver dict foe the plaintiff. • - --, ••• INA • • I a_t- -2-411 - MIMI ..~.s " CAROLINE." PlygotxDs.—The person who are now receiving their Dividends, should think of the best way to lay theta nut to advantage; and what is so likely to in• crease their Capital, and, consequently, their future Dividends, an a.iventotre in the present popular Lotterv, which begins 2311 instant, the day when Parliament meet ; ou which day three of the Nine Prises of 21,000/., at least, must be drawn in First Five Minutes' Disraven.--At Bow-street, vesterdarafternoon, at four o'clock, the Huard of the Birmingham Mail Coach, lefl a hand-hill at this office, describing a per ' son who had defrauded a gun-beaker in that town of several valuable fowling pieces. This hand-bill was 'Arced in the hands of Lavender, ;the officer, and in less than two hours, he brought the person described to the bar. Ile is a decently-dressed, middle.aged man, and gave his name Williams Nov Dashell." i • Information of his arrest was sent off to Birmingham, , and meanwhile he was ordered to be detained. Thursday night .2 gentlewoman had her pocket picked in the Pit of Drury-lane Theatre, in a very remarkable scanner: her upper petticoat was cut through, and both maulers of her pocket cut off. She felt somethin„l about her feet in the time of the performance, which she took to be a dog, but now supposes it to have been a little boy under dr. bench, who cut her porkrt, and stole two half crowns, three shillings, a silver thimble, and other articles. THF: GRF.AT PEDESTRIAN ltisTal.—lt has been already stated, that a yeoman of Somersetshire, of the name of Arnot, started - on Tuesday, to go on foot two Atiwttred and si.rtoOor miler ir four days. Mr. Arnot went into the Vale of Berkshire, after starting front the Kdgerare road, on Turoby. taking his course through Dorches ter, Oxon, Spillingford, Sac., making a reach of serail two miles% eighteen hours. On Wednesday tire pedes trian crowd the country to Saliabery, and 4onz thence to Poole—die day's work being seventy-four tulles. He started again yesterday writing at three o'clock, for Somerrtsbire, fresh and well ; • but the odds incettinte against bins. ~_' 01 1 4 P ARILEY SRSi 104 - - Yesterday , the following priisonerti were eapitalli convicted Joseph Palmer and James Palmer, for staling id the dwelling-house of Samuel !fart, a desk, $. bo e k. i ; James Rail, for horr,larionslv braking and en tering the dwelling -house ofJohn Finch, mid stealing a remnant of print; John l'opkihs, for stealiag watch, &c. the property of Margaret Tydeman,-in h er dwelling-house ; John Murphy ands (isle, for return. ing from transportation before the expli..ition of the term of his natural life, for which he had bees or d em t, to be transported ; and Thomas Elliott, for Anthony Names, on the Aing's highway, aad from his person a watch, &c. NACTIC4I, INTELLIGENCE: The Perseverance, Higgins, from Oporto to Lam • put into Lisbon 29th ult. leaky, and it was samo ose 4 would he obliged to discharge. The Villorius, Pol.liernley, from the River Plate to Bo vannab, was wrecked at Baracoa, the end of Sept. Mon of the cargo saved, and arrived at Havannah. The Regent, Barron, from London to St. Potetsbargh, was driven on shore int Hogland in Nov. Most of the cargo expected to be saved. o• B utesLo y A , H E T. :a—Yesterday morning same into this port, Spanish Patron and his crew, in th e i r boat, having made their escape from an Insargens pri rateer,or, a Pirate, who attacked them the night befor e o ir Shges, a small port about eight leagues to the westward of Barcelona ; said privateer had a Spanish Melee in tow, and it is reported that a French vessel had been robbed of merchandise of considerable volute. She is a Brigantine schooner, but no particulars of her force ars as yet known ; last night sloe had the audacity to coolie in front of this pm:. There 1n iig no Spanish vessel cf war at present here, the alt . 11.i. - itirS 11:1Ve villb ironed tl - best vessel in port, and are arming her wiqs ail possible dispatch." l)s t, JAN. 10 —Thic 'morning ab o rt 9 .1. M. a to. set waft observed h, sulk on the liuodwin Sat 1, her sails ?et ;t he hu.s vo Wins hate been ulltu her, report her to he either ..tin..cican or French built, from the sp , pearance of her r; ; ; ; ;.) : :-. The hull is To ler water. and we cannot learn any further portienlars at present. — " ItuNnt E. JAN. 7.—The t:eres.. An of 1/”. dee, from Riga tUr London, in 110pe Ilaads, Frith sf Forth, on Saturday, the 6th inst. after beit.g as far m the Southward as it ; all well.—The Olive, Ban clay, of Dundee, from Riga to Dundee, went on shore on the night of the sth inst. near Fifeness. The vesui a total tercel; ; four of the crew drowned ; cargo landing in a damaged state." Ilsstncrium, JAN. 2.—We still experience a most io• tense frost, n ith au easterly wind. " I.lsnox, Pee. 341.—'f1,e l'ondessa da Ponte, whtrh arrived on :Mb inst. from Bahia, brought 49 persons, who ?seeped from the itheona, Capt. Pritchard, from the Clyde, bound to the Cape of Bood Ilope, nith tiers, which took tire and was burnt on the 25th skis tat. 5. N. lon. —, and 112 lives were lost. The age.% Lieut. Mudge, the captain, surgeon, '2l torn, WI boys, 4 women, and 5 girls, got into three boats. and fortunate. Iv fell in with the Condessa da Ponte the morning after the fatal event." " RAMSGATE, JAN. IO.—A brig, coal laden, name un known, sunk this day on the tioodwin Sand." " Iturreetwe, JAN. .5.—A letter from tiorre, state% that the Alartition. Brown. front ManilL, was t. run on shore about half a mile to the westward harbour, on account of the quantity of ice rendering it impossible to get her into tloreelsaven. The cargo Wel. ins: wills great difficulty, but it was expected that a con sides able part, if nut the whole, wouid be saved, art some hopes were entertaised that the ship ;bight be rot off. The rivers are frozen over, and the roads are Cull of frozen ice." VEssaLs sroneN WlTlL—Oonsalres, (Portiirtic.r) from Oporto, bound to Loudon. Sth inst. oil the M.o. man, with loss ants' oast. Duke of Keut packet from Lisbon to Fa' th, 23.1 ult. within Cape Finisterre, by the Stanu►er packet, dr. rived at Falmouth. Union of Ipswich, from Lisbon, 511) inst. lat. -17. 1..1% , . 8..13. by the Samuel and Ana, Howes, arrived at El mouth. Friday morning a letter was received at the Custom house from Lieutenant White, 11. N. Inspecting Meer of the Preventive Water (hard at Wexford, natio,. that a smuggler, called the Leather Ler, has be.n totally lost nearCansure Point, and all hand perishe.!. This vessel had landed part of her cargo, alai, h, through the activity of Lieut. White, has been seireti, and safely lodged in Wexford Castoni-House. FIAT—On Thursday night, Mr. Snr.d. grass's mill, at Mile-end, neartilaagow, was discovered to he on fire: no water could be prorored for a re' , - siderable time. The two upper floors of t':e mill an the roof were completely burned, and the lower floor much injured. The fire originated in the envi•r• house, which is also burned. The premises are pr.'• tially insured to the extent of 4,000/. At 20 minetes before 12, a man was observed running from ti,e north-end of the mill; and passing throngh a door is the wall, escaped across the fields. Immetliat•ly after this, the picking-room, in which there had brill no light, was discovered on tire, from which it is .ar poses' to have been the work of some incendiary: a l. though the proprietor is giving the Manic wages to I:t 4 workmen that the workmen receive at the neighb' ut inF mills. 'este:lbw a chimnev-sweeper, of the name of fr:rri , • was ritargid with stealing two spoons, at the brow Mr. John Johnstone, the Comedian, in Taristock.rec Covent-garden. lie was permitted to sweep the chinos v having told the servant he was sent by emintaio, ti' person generally employed.—lle was committed, tal , - titer with one &Thy, to whom he hod given the spo..'o to keep for bins, am! who had concealed them in a ho:e in the wall in Jacob:a-court, Turnmill-street; Clerlote MARRIFI). Yesterday. at Bt. George's. Illoontsl arc. John Rei ..• I).. or (7rentille-street. Orgasm irk-square. to lEt;tabr ,, Jesser, second daughter of William Starch, Esq., of Sea 4- ampton-street. Bloomsbury-ignore. At Kt. George's. Hanover-sonar*. the Rer. 1)r. Rota I.anibeitt, tbirrey. and of the city of Bristol. to Mars Aro. relict of the late John (Nney Deckles. Esq.. late of Colette,- street. London, and of Wickham. Kent, DIED. On the oth inst.. at Nensdcn, iu the house of W. Alone). EN.. U. I'.. Airs. f'sloninglont. wife of the K. J. W. t:untunghans. star of Harrow. len% In a hipibentl re nine children to lamest the tau of one of than/est wan ." wins and noothers. _ Loosksw:Med. Printed, end Pub:ished at the "'hes tkrefaisist%" end "Tut row.TI rut-tee - (Sg"' ; Paper) Ile. !at; Strew,. opposite St. etement'sebe e by R , WAXDULL. Jut.. H.: so when ell 0" " esenieetloas, Orders, to. are requested to be mktsesgr#l M • i N~ -..-' ..A..