The Express.
London, England, 1847-11-27 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

Yesterday afternoon the Oriental Company's steam
packet Iberia, Captain J. Bowen, arrived at South-
ampton, and landed her mails under the charge of
Lieutenant W. P. Newenham, R.N., Admiralty agent.
She brings dates from Gibraltar to Nov. 17 ; Cadiz,
18; Lisbon, 21 ; Oporto, 22 ; and Vigo, 23.
The news from Lisbon will be found detailed in our
I correspondent's letter. The ministry had resigned,
but they held office provisionally until the elections,
which take place on the 28th instant, were over.
The Marquis of Fronteira is relieved from the civil
governorship of Lisbon, but retains the commander-
ship of the national battalions, and Baron de Ourem
is named in his place. The Septembriats have de-
cided to go to the poll, but it is generally supposed
that Cabral and his party will gain the victory. The
Miguelites give their support to the Septembrista.
Monetary and commercial affairs were still in a
confused and unhealthy state. Distress was general,
and the pay of public officers, including those of the
royal household, one year and a half in arrear. Not-
withstanding this state of affairs, an expensive
operatic company had been engaged at the theatre ;
the presence of our squadron being of great benefit to
the opera as well as the shopkeepers. The officers
are getting tired of their monotonous duties and drills
in boats. The admiral's discipline and movements
were, however, imitated in miniature by the Psyche,
the small, but heavily-armed French frigate in the

Tagus.
LISBON, Nov. 20.
Since my last, some occurrences of eventual political
importance have taken place ; but, as regards the actual
try, or changes in the ministry, matters are just as
they were, and really with the variety of contradictory re-
ports upon this head, and but little known positively, the on
dela form so tangled a mass of contradictions, that it is pun-
sling to draw anything like clear COISCitIiiOO4 from the 14411,8
that meet. you at every turn.
What may positively be related es fact respecting the
try, may be told briefly. M. Rodrigo da Focseca Maghalees,
charged by her Modesty with the formation of a ministry, has,
after much negotiation with the pelage, declined the onerous
and unenviable responsibility ; the Queen was at first die-
posed to comply with the minister's terms—a carte blanche
—but subsequently acted upon by other and pernicious
influences, hesitated to bestow so serious • mark of confi-
dence, and finally refilled the terms proposed by the minister,
and upon which alone he could be induced to accept office.
The principal items of the minister's demaads, end upon
which the negotiations were wrecked, were three in number,
namely :
1. The instant dissolution of all the irregular battalions
obnoxious to the people and identified with the Cabrale, and
the removal from their commands and employments of cer-
tain military commandants and civil governor,. 2. The
annulling of the last elections for the municipalities. And
3. The postponement of the elections for deputies, and a
thorough inquiry into, and revisal of, the registry.
The concession of these just demands of the people the
court would not hear of ; and, although it is stated and be-
lieved that the Queen's husband, seriously alarmed at the
attitude of parties, and at the state of feeling exhibited
throughout the country, is now desirous of conciliating,
yet the influence of the Cemarilla, who see their political
existence threatened and their plundering career endangered
by such concessions, is all paramount, and the star of the
Cabral@ at court remains in the ascendant.
The great meeting of the Portuguese national party, con-
Toned for Sunday last, the 14th inst., was held at the old
Treasury-street, but the very large house became at I
ea early hour so densely thronged, that an adjourn-
ment took place to an extensive garden in the rear
of the premises, which was soon crowded.
The Revoluoao, the organ of the party, talks of six thou-
niaipsescas having been present, while the Estandarte, the
ad the Cabrals, a sort of Penny Satirist affair, gives
Creiraithsra as under a thousand. I should say, however,
that within the house and gardens there must have
been considerably more than four thousand persons,
meetly of the mere respectable clam of eitisens
Interested in the stability of government. The Mar-
quis of Louie, uncle to the Queen, occupied the
&air. The Secretary read to the meeting the position of
electoral affairs throughout the kingdom, as presented and
drawn up by the liberal central committee. One forcible
and prominent paragraph of this document was received with
tumultuous shouting, as without even an illusion to the
men, it was appreciated immediately, and comprehended as
a censure upon the corrupt career of the Cabrals and Oli-
vierits. The paragraph states, among other guarantees re-
quired by the people is " a law of responsibility that shall
embrace all classes of public servants, from the minister of
the crown to the most Petry employe, subjecting them
equally
.to the severe punishment and disgrace fur malver-
sation in their office when entrusted with the public
monies."
The various speakers presented messes of facts relative to
the disorganiaed state of the country, and tracing the causes
of national calamities and disgraces to the Queen's insane
predilection for the two Caloric Two of them, however,
combated the proposal of going to the urn ; they were of
opinion that the liberal party should abstain altogether from
either offering themselves as candidates or presenting thaw
selves as electors, abandoning the field altogether to the
sextet nominees, thus presenting a fact and a protest to all
Europe. The advocates of these views were opposed
in the concluding discourse by M. Jose Estevao,
who gave them the sensible recommendation of abandoning
speculative for practical politics, and was received with
vehement applause. The Marquis of Louie then, as presi-
dent, submitted to the meeting the original resolatione of
going to the poll and of petitioning the Queen, praying re- I
drees, both of which propositions were unanimously adopted,
and after the usual ceremonies the meeting was declared dia.
solved. The greatest order prevailed throughout the day.
The government feeling, or pretending to feel, alarm at no
one knows what, attempted a demonstration to overawe the
meeting. A useless parade was made by placing troop
under arms, and quartering, in observation, dote trOZ
lace of meeting a large force, under the orders of Dom Car-
los
de fdascarenhas, and • slight collision originating in this
uncalled-for precaution promised at one moment to compro-
mise public tranquillity. The affair ended in a non-com-
missioned officer having his head deservedly broken by a
person he had insulted. It is always pleasure to witness the
good comportment of an armed force in times of excitement,
and I can attest that as a body the troops behaved well.
On the 16th, in accordance with the second resolution,
adopted at the meeting of the 14th, a deputation of the
liberal committee waited upon the Dome Minister, M. Car-
yahoo Mello, and were received very courteously ; the peti-
tion to the Queen was intrusted to the minister to deliver
and the deputation then withdrew. On the same day all
Lisbon was taken by surprise by the appearance of a pro-
clamation (which I translate), addressed to the army by
Prince Ferdinand, in his quality of commander-in-chief.
The document is of paramount importance at this juncture,
as it is • full and ample confession by the Queen's husband
of the barbarities that have been inflicted ea the people, and
the bed faith with which the popular leedylvavelems treited.
The proclannitices is ea fellows:
Hun Qvaserme, num or see lfacmassanes, Nov. 14, 1847.
OaDal or ma Day.—la beta reeshea stie loeverhedes bb NaNsM
the I. OmmeeMelestm a the @se, let sertela Waters, kn.
pee el Oar rawer dna, sea ereeoleg the ale Naas de-
lea beemksdßd/ir,beatlecarpuredtha
=esealland icemen ass as meld= d the M
d e
the m meda sod meeting Wenir smumpet the evess,
the ease a beteg time tam Ike palewheeth, his labia Is
mined Weed lima mem • essmaycf erwaeturnimeptekadeg dem
le Weds as See wordes ebe meg
aigeV:easeali paha Wean. nee resewe mews k is C=
ren es throsersis etas ormq, esmseellme da
vbeest
mid esientA te the memo salds.llh rld
eat the kinelent, met ha the •
ak se be Is sort far d
ha *Mr
be the mean d ids csoroso They dB Wiwi to
1:1; Moak say meet them km the
least limafat tie animal on. kedabd=bten
ef yet be eight se, es lemlease=hemats
aresos he 111 111117 vitokoor el& Ids
tag Is Impede Idea la the seeress dike some eget ft *eels* mil
Mee menew. MelliahstrOeseehreereeina, met geiltne7, that
the malmy fees Jeff allies keel eel 44biorbemeewttk
the eimessid seweedlaa_sel Met say m deemeeM sum.'
petals asolar- bythothupowdoboall they mils air sepesnem
reashella tranquillity ica mew, if le shame it amid hap-
pen as he lelerepted, at the ems Wes es utmost pru
dence red meimatien, as emesema la limier seemken.
irt7.= w
att lo aleme
sera r eteerwit; Inn
`rte maim, whatever hisit,
er salsa ma le, _ lesepstai Ms enilea tmeepess
it, las LOW delindoei Se mho a aseenta=tie te WNW
s easesemset„ while, wale etellestleg may
serve as a imbibe the Mare; al Ms ilmg
military c= end other mile, pay ~haft
ha mad raisiment, end for yid* they VI he windy re-
' amble
Mae we have an admimion and a testimony that at the
[Lis deetkas military violence was permitted' but what gua-
r min hem the people against it. TICUITBIIOO And in what
war gm as sm. electioes rendered valid ? By a promise
Ass Milo ear shall be conducted legally.
, mat pertaria issued by the finance minister authorises
genanry department to commence paying the salaries of
e eseetkortken of the public servants for the month of
notes, in which a portion of the arras
reds made, being now at within a fraction of 48 per
amt. discount. Connected with the subject of this dem.
Mated value of the paper of the Lisbon Bank is a Kendal
that is in very general circulation, and unhappily andel al
universally credited, that the government, urged by the
I demerits state of the exchequer, contemplates a wand,
tread, by the issue of a supplementary decree ended*
paper (its own) money in the payment of taxes and govene
meat impost& whatever, while the decree giving it a foroed
circulation in all other transactions is to remain in force.
Lisbon Bank notes have, in consequence, within these few
days suffered a new depreciation.
Amongst the unimportant government changes, we have
the Marquis of Fronteira superseded as civil governor of
Lisbon, and a Col. Laps (recently promoted to the rank of
baron for his services in &Mamba's brilliant campaign
against Oporto) named in his plane. The loyal city of
Braga his also a new civil governor named in the person of
a K. Nicolau d'Arrochella.
As regards naval matters, theee
is little to be said. On
Thursday, the squadron moved lower down the river, and
took up position in front of Trefaria, for the purpose of ezer-
liehlg with the heavy guns and ball practice. They have
duce returned to their former station. The Sidon came in