The National Register.
London, England, 1821-10-01 00:00:00

T-

WS

LISBON PAPERS.

LTSBON, SEPT. a—The sittings of the Cortes
continue in the regular course, without presenting
any thing very remarkable. In the sitting of the
Stith August a rather warm debate ensued on the
reading of a note from the Minister of the Interior,
in which he asked " Whether his Majesty could
nominate to the offices of the Secretaries of State for
the several Departments into which the affairs of the
kingdom are divided, one of his Counsellors ?"
M. liorgesCarneiro said there was no need to refer
this question to a committee. The accumulation of
offices was prohibited by the Cortes: a Counsellor
is raised to that dignity by the nation ; the nation
desires him to till that place alone, and consequently
cannot be appointed to the office of Secretary of
State or any other.
M. Alves de Rio thought that there could be no
difficulty, since, if a Counsellor was appointed Mi-
nister of State, he would, ipso Jaclo, cease to be a
Counsellor; consequently there was no accumulation
of offices, and the Cortes woulri present anothir tri-
ple list to the King, who would choose from it as he
drought fit.
M. Fernandez Thomas thought that the Nlinister
ought net to have laid such a pit:stall befbre the
Assembly. "This is the second time he has brought
f;:rward similar qnestions. I know the masons. and,
if necessary, will expese them, that it may not hap-
pen a third tin:e. Did not the nation choose the
Counsellors? %Vas not a triple list preseired to the
King ? I lad not he a choice ; and did he not choose
at his pleasure? Are we to change every day? How
can a Counsellor, it appointed Secretary of State,
speak with frankness to the King, if he has just re-
ceived a &your from him ? 1 protest against this
proceeding, and repeat that, if necessary, I will ex-
pose the reasons of this manceuvre, with which I am
well mquainttil, and know to what it tends."
31. A. de Rio supported his opinion ; to which
M. F. Thomas replied, and was supported by NI.
Baeta and M. Borges Carneiro. The latter spoke
at length, and said, he knew well whom it was in.
tended to put in the post of Secretary of Suite for
the Department of Justice: it was the same person
who paralized all the business of the administration
of justice to protect his colleague.. The orator then
began to allege facts, but was vehemently called to
order: he was, however, permitted to proceed, and
concluded the picture which he had begun, in which
he spoke of the cause of Antonio Fate, of the Judge
of Coimbra, &c. and concluded by saying, that it
was only in Algiers that justice %YRS administered in
such a manner, : •al that " Sheller cent .similihas
facile congreimidur."
M. Peimentel Monteith) said,—" The man of
whom the preceding speaker talks hes been declared
innocent by this illustrious Assembly. To accuse
him a new motion is nece.isary: there is none such,
and I therefore call him to order."

M. Castello Branco.--" Unhappily his Majesty
has been always deceived by those who surrounded
him. His Majesty, knowing this, endeavoured to
drive fur from him those men who so largely contri-
buted to the ruin of the nation ; but certainly he has
not succeeded. I know the object of the note of the
Minister of Finance ; but as I have not certain
data, 1 will not yet explain it; but as soon as I have
them I shall do it. I will be the first to denounce
them to this sovereign Congress. The nation may
have confidence in a man as Counsellor, but not as
a Minister of State. It is not lawfill for the King
to remove officers from the posts which they fill.
The constitutional system would be at an end, and
we should see men qualified for one office filling
others for which they certainly art: nut. Besides,
what would be the influence of .ht: Council of State?
Why was it tinned? Was it nut to counterlvilance
the Executive Powet ? If the King can give the
Ministers honours, revenues, or ()likes, can they
speak to him with freedom and confidence? I abso-
lutely disapprove of the note of the Minister of Fi-
nance, and propose th.t. it should be intimated to
h:m that he be more constitutional."

After some fUrther debate, it was proposed and
carried, that " the King cannot appoint one of hi,
Counsellors to the (Mice of Secretary of State, nor
to any other office or employment."
In the same sitting, M. IS. Carneiro made a com-
plaint of various magi,trates who protected robbers
and assassins; he mentioned two of these, who had
been uoncerned in many robberies and murders, and
are yet to be set free by the magistrates, under the
pretext that they were included in the Amnesty
granted by the Cortes. lie proposwl that the eon-
(Net of the magistrates should be inquired into, awl
the two persons in question arres:ed wherever they
might be found.
at. Citurreiro approved of the inquiry, and of
p 'Mating the magistrates, if guilty ; but to arrest
t vo men, set at liberly by the emipetent authority,
w old be an act or &Nl.' ism.
After some diseti,sion, M. Carmini withdrew the
se .nod put of his motum, and the first was as-
oeuted to.