The National Register.
London, England, 1808-02-07 00:00:00

FEB. 7.

No crime whatever is alleged against the Portuguese go-
vernment, except their firm determination not to seize the
persons and ships, and confiscate the property of the British
subjects, who nad trusted themselves to the good faith of
that gosernment, and who were united to the Portuguese
by an ancient and solemn alliaace. Much is said of the
a6ring periid) of the Portuguese towards the magnanimous
lim 1, En oft of the Fa EN ; the temporizing of that peo-
ple, while attempting to avoid the storm, is branded as a
most infamous piece of imposture. Never was there a
more unblushing manifrsto circulated ; never were there
mere futile reasons urged for driving a government into
exile. But the Minister, at the conclusim: of the report,
tells his Sovereign that the British still meditate attempts
against Portugal and the western coast of Spain, against
Cadiz, and Ceuta ; and that it would be necessary to have a
large force stationed in that quarter.
Another report from the Minister at War states the pre-
paratien makiug for the augmentation of the force, and en-
treats his Auk:yrs' to listen to the voice of all France,
which, he says, demands that there shall be no Peace till the
liberties of the seas are conquered. These braggart declama-
tions, like many others which we have received from the
!rune channel, wean little, and indeed arc in a great mea-
sure intended to conceal the truth. That the people of
France are long since tired of cFoiscript ions, and would with-
eat any hesitation give up the question of the dominion of
the seas, provided they could procure the restoration of
peace and commerce, is what no man can doubt: now is it
less certain that the present disjointed and extended state
et' the French dominions, will furnish ample employment
for the conscription of 1809, without one of them ever en-
tyring a British island.
•

Two vert protracted debates haw! this week taltra place
in the House of Commons the one respecting the business
of Copenhagen, and the latter relative to tee Orders in
Council, Nothing very remarkable o.:curred in these De-
bate', as the arguments on both sides have already been agi-
toed and exhausted. 'Che two parties, however, tried their
strength in a division, on the question of Copenhagen ; and
the majoritv of Ministers was timid to eveeed the calcu-
ktions even of their most sanguine friends. Mr. Po NSO vinv,
brother-in-lasv to Lord Grip:v. has stood forward as the
lender of the opposition, while Mr. Canning. is placed at the
head of the Ministerial orators in the I louse of Commons.
It is but a few years, wince we rtw the4estatiOn4 occupied by
rt rr and l'irc I To what revolutions ar:.. the talents of
:parties as well as the presperitv of subject.

. _.w.p ..

Se% etil reports have beetie;rcii:atcd i't the course of the•
'wvek that fir Richard Str:►rlian frill r.turiwil to his station
oil' iire•st : but it is now asce•rtaine•d !Iva he is still in pursuit
it ttn! French; and it is suppe•ted that their d eNti nation is
!i.r. Welt Indies.

V the mail.whicii arrived on hursday from Malta and
';ibraltar, we are informed that a grea:. ch:inge is about to
le operated in Spain, under the niftily:xi. of Tonaparte.
L't is said 4 that the Prince of is to be deck: reel 'ri-
irrea;il both of l'ortural and Spain, and that his father is
u a!ulicate the throne of the latter kin:Morn. In return
"f the nquisitiou of Portugal. -.l)aiti k to cede Porto Bic()
Cuba to Bonaparte, and to grant to France a free trade
ith her south American
A letter dated Villa Beal, December. extracted from
Gibraltar Chroniclei ;rives a deplorable account or the
ate of Portugal since the entrance of the French. who, it
nine as lambs, but ha ve shewn themselves raveaons
nd bloody as wolves. Though Junta has a army of
reach and Spaniards there, he has required more troops to
i.ruplete the subjugation of the conntrs.—ln addition to
Is statement, it appearofrom private lettersthat Portugal,
d a great part of Spain, are smil'i.ring the greatest distress
um famine. On the Bth nit. it was understood at Lisbon
at there were provisions for only six weeks in the city ;
eef the email loaf, w'aich was formeth sold at the rate of