The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-24 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

The Oriental Company's steam-packet Madrid,
Capt. J. Weeks, arrived at Southampton this morn-
ing, and landed her mails, under the charge of Lieut.
Jame. Inglis, It.N., Admiralty agent.
Her dates are : Gibraltar, Sept .15 ; Cadiz, 16;
Lisbon, 19; Oporto, 20; Vigo, 20. Her cargo com-
prises 10 packages of specie.
Groat complaints are mado throughout the country
from the long-continued drought.
In consequence of the existence of yellow fever at
Oporto, the Board of Health, on the 13th, subjected
all vessels from that port to eight days quarantine.
About twenty have fallen victims to the disease since
it first appeared. It ras now believed to be on the
decline.

all vessels from Oporto hare to perform
15 days quarantine, whether with clean bills of health
or not.
. . . .

The following is our correspondent's letter :

LISBON, Sexy. 19.
Tho Duke of Terceira was placed at the head of
the Cabralista party, doubtless to give effect to reports
industriously spread among the troops in the pro-
vinces, that he " would take the command of the
army" in case of no outbreak. This referred to the
Vizeu affair, which has been rendered abortive, but it
applies naturally to any future affair which shall have the
seine object, in order that the troops may have an authe-
ritative name to look to. The same observation applies to
the influence that name would be likely to exercise over
the civil portion of the Cabralist community, in stimulating
them to exertions to carry the elections—a fact which is
placed beyond a doubt by circular letters, with which the
country is inundated, from Silva Cabral, the Marquis of
Fronteira, Terceira, and others, addressed not merely to
persons of doubtful political principles, but even to those of
adverse sentiments, with a view to entice them by the bait
of honeyed words.
There is no doubt that the Cabralistas are not only mak-
ing every possible elution, by threats and promises, but
their agents are using every endeavour to create illegality,
with a view to defeat the object of the electoral decree, by
such memo, tor instance, as non•compliance with the re-
quisite forms and proceedings. _

The strongest possible reports have existed that the
Queen has taken Terceira severely to task for having placed
himself at the head of the Cabralistas ; nay, more, that she
has given him the option between remaining as their chair-
man or as her cupbearer and master of the horse, and
that he has chosen the latter. The Cabralistu boast
that he does not retire from the presidency of their
junta. The duke is accustomed to luxury, and has
nothing but his salary; and, notwithstanding all report,
the Queen's approbation of his being mixed up so promi-

nently with a faction, must undoubtedly be inferred ; par-
ticularly when the dismissal of Saldanha is held in view,
which was for n mere act of opposition to ministers.

There is a circumstance which I must not omit tomention as
connected with Septembrista prospects; I allude to the resto-
ration of Mantas to the office he was deprived of for his
political sentiments. I informed you in a former letter it
was considered an act of justice ; for which the ministry re-
ceived due credit, and it not only met with the approbation
of mercantile men, but I understand many of the most highly
respectable members of that body were somewhat instru-
mental in it ; yet this sinplo act has, it is positively
said, excited the attention of a foreign government,
and caused the writing of five notes on the subject, thereby
showing an intervention in an internal act on the part of
another state which no present circumstance can justify.

Another cireunutance that I have to note will show the
spirit of intrigue that pervades the Cabrals. &fiber Paiva
Pereira, the late Portuguese minister in Paris, who sent
the Count de Thomar the present of porcelain that has
made so much noise in every part of the world, is now here.
Being devoted to their interest, it is the object of the
greattst solicitude on the part of the Cabral faction to get
him restored to the post he vacated. That he is a great
favourite in Paris may be conceived, when the government
sent a steamer with him from Cherbourg, where all the
French authorities waited upon him and paid him every
mark of attention and respect.

I mentioned in a former letter the removal from the
13tli Infantry of Colonel Padre° ; the decree, since
published, says it was for suffering himself to be pub-
licly insulted in the presence of his soldiers, without
seeking the proper means to vindicate his honour from the
incentives and provocations he received front a gentleman
unwed names.

As the Cabralistus arc using every means to cause it to be
believed that Saldanha u endeavouring to strengthen his
position by a union with the leading Septembristas, and
that fur this purpose many interviews have taken place, I
think it right to mention that the only interviews which
have taken place has been between Saldanha and Viscount Sa
da Itandcira, and upon a subject which, if carried out, will
reflect the highest credit upon both, viz., the abolition of the
slave trade. This is a subject which the viscount has had
seriously at heart ever since the period of his ministry in
1839, and which he could never bring to any perfection ; it,
however, has now happily met with that attention from the
government which the question justly merits, and which, I
em certain, the warmest advocates of abolition will not
fail to appreciate, when the details shall be definitively
arranged.

The question relative to the return of Senhor Fcrrao to
the ministry remains in state quo. In the meantime, Senhor
Fontes Pereira de Mello, charged with the portfolio of
finance, is carrying out measures which entitle him to much
credit. Since my last he has provided pay for 27 departments.
Nor is this all; the original announcement stated that

these extraordinary payments should make no change in
the mode already established for the payments of arrears;
nor has it done so, as pay for fourteen more departments
has been ordered, seven of which will begin their course of
payment on the 22nd, for May, 1850, which nearly con-
cludes that month. These acts speak for themselves. The
treasury cheques have taken a wonderful turn. Issued as
they were bearing an interest of 6 per cent. per annum,
evzryone thought that any capital invested in them would
be dead until a means should be found to make
payments with them. This has been dissipated by
the minister having announced that the interest upon them
shall be paid to their holders every six months, in January
and July, until they are redeemed ; the payments will be
made in Lisbon and Oporto. They were at 8 dis. when the
order was made known, and they immediately rose to 4 per
cent., being still much sought for. The public employ 6
will therefore get his pay for September at about 5 per cent.
dis., as he receives half in these cheques, a fourth in Lisbon
bank notes, and a fourth in cash.

I must now speak of this gentleman as minister of marine.
He is introducing economy intoPtis department, and blotting
out that part of the Portuguese navy which inspires nothing
but disgust, and shows indolence, inactivity, and incapacity
in his predecessori. The beauty of the Tagus is disfigured
iby hulks of vessels of war lying rotting. The Don John is
in course of sale, and the following ships and vessels are
ordered to be sold on the 30th instant, from breaking up,
namely : the frigates Duchess of Braganca, Diana, and Don
Pedro; the corvettes Isabel Maria, Urania, ➢elampago,
and Damao; the India ships, Maim Cardoso and Princess
Royal ; the brig Audax, and the brig-schooner Tamega, in
consequence of the state of rain in which they have been
found upon survey. Thus, with the Don John, 12 vessels
will be swept from off the navy list of Portugal, where they
have existed merely in name, having been entirely useless,
and with them some expense will be got rid of.
The popular party have sent out a circular stimulating its
members to exertion at the ensuing elections; and the use-
ful classes have had a meeting, at which it was recom-
mended to use endeavours to obtain the return of some
practical men to the Chamber.

A disgraceful scene has occurred at Cintra, in relation to
the elections: the administrator, being • Cabralista, omitted
to fix the lists of electors on the church doors, and being
met in the street by a member of the council, words arose
between them on the subject, when duo former said he had
not had them in time to copy ; this being declared false by
the latter, the walking-sticks of the parties settled the
matter for the time ; but the affair, as relates to the break-
ing of the peace, is in the hands of the local authority. The
administrator will doubtless be cashiered by the minister of
the interior. Finding he could not remain in Cintrahe left,
and has taken up his quarters in Lisbon.

The Queen arrived on the 11th at the Palace of Nam-
aidades from Cintra.

On the 12th the Spanish steamer Peninsula came in from
Vigo, on her way to Cadiz ; the Patriots and Rolador are
still here. On the 9th the Encounter went out, communi-
cated with the Vengeance, returned on the 10th, and sailed
again. On the 11th, Le Voyageur, French steamer, sailed ;
and on the 15th the Colon, Spanish coreette, sailed.

MOVEMENTS OF HEE MAJESTY'S SMPS. - At
Gibraltar, Encounter and Janus ; at Lisbon, Hogue,
Hecate, and Shearwater, the latter getting steam
up for Constantinople.—N.B. The Encounter ar-
rived at Gibraltar on the night of the 14th, ender

steam, having left the Vengeance in lat. 36 deg. N.,
long. 8 deg. 30 mill. W., at 7, p.m., 13th, and would
watt her arrival at Gibraltar. The squadron, con-
sisting of the Prince Regent, Leander, lircthusa, and
Arrogant sailed from the Tagus on the 16th, on a
cruise, and it was said they would give Gibraltar a
a bail before returning.