The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-01-12 00:00:00

PO li7TICA L.

MANIFESTO OF THE PORTUGUESE NATION TO
TH E SOVEREIGNS AND PEOPLE OF EUROPE,

The Portuguese nation, animated with the most
sincere and ardent desire to maintain the political
and connnercial relations which hive hitherto bound
it to all the Gov.-minins and people of Europe,
end having more particularly at heart to continue
to omit in the opinion of illustrious men of all
nations the return awl consideration which have
never been refus,-al to the loyal aid honourable
character of the Portuguese, judges it is indispriitia-
bly necessary to offer to the public a succinct but
frank exposition of die causes which produced the
memorable events that have lately taken place in
Portugal, of the true spirit which directed them, •f
the sole object to which the change' tended that
have been made, or which it is intended to make,
in the internal form of its Government ; it is con-
lidetit that this exposition, rectifying the false ideas
which may perhaps have been roliceived of those
events, will merit the kind eitentioes of the Sove-
reigns and of the people.
All Europe knows the extraordinary circum-
stances which in 1807 forced his Nlajesty John VI.
at that time Prince Regent of Portuguf, to remove
with his Royal family to his transatlantic domi-
;noes; it is granted that this resolution of his Ma-
jesty was judged then of' the most decided inivini-
tage to the general cause of liberty in Europe.
Nobody, however, failed to perceive the critical si-
tuation in which Portugal was placed by this .h-
-briber of its Prince, and succeeding events proved
that this froieboding was not suite or rash.
Portugal. separated front her Sovereign Ity the
vast expanse of the ocean, deprived of all resources
from her transmaitue possessions. and of all the be-
uefits of coininerce by the blockades of her ports,
and governed at home by a hostile force, which wfs
alien thourlit invincible, scented to have reached the
final term of Its political existence, never to be re-
placed in the slink of independent nations.
In such a desperate crisis this heroic people did
' not lose its honour, its courage, or it. fidelity to its
Ring, which could not he turn front its heart My the
force of circumstances, nor by the preponderant
power of the enemy. They in fact displayed tlicni-
selves in the must energetic manner as soon as a
favourable opportunity (Alerted. 'the Portuguese,
with the assistance of their Allies, recovered at the
expense Of the must painful sacrifices their political
existelice ; restored with generous loyalty to their
Monarch the 'throne and the Crown ; and im-
partial Europe must confess (I bough this justice is
not alwuys done) that to them are also in a great
measure owing the triumphs which have stare
been joined to the advantages of the liberty and
independence of Thrones and Nations. It is more
easy to conceive than to express what was the inter-
nal situatioa of Portugal after circumstancem so
new, effects so extrisordivary, and a convulsion so
general.
The ruia of its population commenced by the
emigration of the inhabitant* who followed the
Prince, or endeavoured to withdraw front the dis-
tiustful suspicion, or the rystetuatic persecution of
the enemy ; was increased by the two fatal invasions
of 1809 and 1810; and by the inevitable losses of I
a long übistitiete war of seven years.
Commerce sod industry, which can never pros-
per but under the beneficent protection of peace,
security, sod public tranquillity, were nut only de-
venal anti abaudoued, but stewed to hare [sects