The Sun.
London, England, 1839-06-03 00:00:00

LATEST FROM PORTUGAL.

LISBON, MAY 27, 4 O'CLOCK, F.M.
A pecuniary panic has disturbed the monotony of the week,
occasioned by a breach of confidence in the Treasury on Wed-
nesday last. A measure the Ministers had under considera-
tion, to capitalize the internal debt of the nation up to
the 30th of June next ensuing, had no sooner become
known, than numerous creditors of the state, such as public
employes, army and navy officers in arrears, widows and
and orphan pensioners, flocked to the various combistas or
money-changers, who had hither discounted the claimants'
promissory notes on the Treasury. The latter, however, hav-
ing had previous information of the supposed determination
of ti! Government, declined to receive them at any price,
and consequently from that moment they ceased to be of value.
This circumstance produced a general clamour, which for a
short time threatened serious consequences. The expressions
of discontent soon re-echoed within the walls of the Legislative
Assembly, when the members of the Finance Committee, in
order to allay the popular excitement, immediately retired from
the Chamber and drew up the following proposal fur a loan of
1,400 contos de rcis, about 320,0001. sterling:—
" 1. To raise a fund upon the excess of the coffers of the
Board of Public Credit by means of a mixed operation, in which
paper securities and cash will be admitted.
" 2. That this fund be anplicable to the payment of former
debts, and also to assist in the current expenses of the year

1839-1840.
" 3. That the decima for 1838 and 1839 be applied towards
the actual expenses of 1839 and 1840, and that the whole
revenue of the latter year be applied to meet the ex penses
thereof.

" 4. That the interest of the consolidated fund be paid by
the Board of Public Credit..

" ALBERTO CARLOS CERQIJEIRA,
Reporter of the Committee."
This document, far from having the desired effect i• was in-
tended to produce, has only served to irritate the popular feeling
and considerable dissatisfaction and mistrust still exist. How.
ever, it will be modified by a proposal for a monthly loan of
200 contos de reis, to be raised upon the decima already de' as
sufficient for the current expenses until the Ist of December
next, at which period the forestalled bonds upon the tobacco
contract will expire.
Notwithstanding, pecuniary embarrassments have so increased
as to make it compulsory for some immediate remedy to be ap-
plied, however weightily it may fall upon some classes, to alle-
viate the present distress. I ant informed from an accredited
channel, that it is under contemplation to fund the internal
debt, if not as far as the 30th of June next, at least up to tho
31st of December last, at an annual interest of 5 per tent.
This project will in all probability be brought under the consi-
deration of the Cortes to-morrow.

Intelligence received from Mozambique, up to the 31st of
December last, briefly states that on the morning of the 27th
of that month a rebellion broke out among the privates of the
garrison of that place, the object of the rebels being nothing
less than to assassinate the commandant and officers and
pillage the city, as well as to murder those who might attempt
to oppose them, then to embark in whatever vessels might be
in the port and make the best of their way to North America.
The authorities, however, forturately succeeded in suppressing
the intended outbreak by capturing the ringleaders, who up to
that time were being tried by a court-martial. Since the year
1S•?i there have been no less than eight rebellions there of a
similar description.
The numerical force of the standing army has been fixed at
21,800 men, of which number 6,7'20 are considered to be on
furlough.
Exchange upon London, at 30 days' sight, 54d. per milree
discount on ca-paper money, 50 per cent.

METROPOLITAN POLITICAL

SUMMARY.

The Times of this morning still continues to harp
upon the Goverment Education project, which it calls
a '• Strange Academical Babel," and abuses in the
most grandiloquent style possible:—" This artful educa-
tion plot may be regarded as the deadliest aim at the vitals
of our Establishment which the O'Connell n.aiignants
have yet retorted to. They do not avow an explicit wish
to overturn the Church at once, because they know well
how such an avowal would be received and disposed of by
the country ; but they arc investing her garrisons with
disguised traitors, they are assaulting her buleva•ks under
covered trenches, and their obvious design, Providence per-
mitting, is to finish her by sapping and mining. In a
word, the tendency of the whole scheme, as studiously de-
grading the national clergy, and proclaiming their assumed
unfitness for superintending the education of the country,
is just to engender a belief that the Established Church
is unworthy of public confidence."
The Morning Chronicle, alluding to th• difficulties
which Ministers have to contend against, observes, that
" The people will not withhold their support, if they only
see evidence of a sincere desire to remove recognized
abuses, impediments to the just exercise of the franchise,"
and adds, " the present week will supply abundant oppor-
tunities for testing the inclinations of Ministers to conci-
liate Reformers. The people are not unreasonable, but
will make due allowance for the difficulties in which the
Government is placed."
The 41Iorning Herald speaks in the following reckless
and violent style, of the Ministerial scheme of education :
•' All really religious Dissenters must, we think, be as de-
cidedly opposed to the Government scheme as the members
of the Established Church ; for it is the handle to the
Popish axe which is to strike at the parent tree of the Ito-
formation and its iffshools. Let Popery only succeed in
eradicating the Reformed Church, and she will soon crush
every sect of Protestant Dissenters, which are the yotnger
offspring of the Reformation. The strength of the
Church is their protection. By its overthrow would their
doom be sealed."

The Morning Post observes, in the course of a leading
article on Mr. Macauley's late speech at Edinburgh :
" Mr. Macauley seems to hare introduced into his oration
just as much Radicalism as he thought necessary to deter
the Edinburgh Radicals from starting a candidate of their
own distinctive opinions; and just as much praise of the
present Ministers of the Crown as be thought necessary to
propitiate thu Edinburgh Whigs, and pave the way to an-
other lucrative appointment for himself "
The Morning Advertiser, referring to Mr. Macauley's
speech, speaks of it in these terms of praise :—" His address
whether for soundness of opinion, candour of expression,
cogency of argument, or fluency and classical elegance of
style, may be regarded as one of the happiest effoits ever
made on any similar occasion. In this address will be found
no evasion nor indulgence in delusive generalities, with
which modern statesmen are so wont to suit their song to
any tune that may befit the hour, Mr. Macauley grapples
fairly with his subject."

BRITISH AND FOREIGN ANTI-SLAVERY
SOCIETY.—On Saturday a large and highly respectable
meeting of the friends of the above Society was held at
Devonshire House, Houndsditch, for the purpose princi-
pally of listening to statements from Joseph Sturge, Esq.,
and other gentlemen, upon this important subject. Mr.
Sturge having spoken at some length, Joseph T. Price,
EF,q., of Neath Abbey ; Wm. Forster, Esq. ; Somers
Ilareouit, Esq. ; Wm. Gurney, Esq., and many other
gentlemen of high respectability, then addressed the meet-
ing previous to its breaking up, and a copy cf Mr. T. F.
Buxton's book on slavery was delivered gratuitously to
the persons who attended. Much of the information on
the subject communicated by the Speakers will be found
in Mr. Buxton's book, of which an accent has already ap-
peered in The Sun.
THE WATERLOO BANQUET.---.IMT. Salter,
with whose pencil our readers will be familiar, has now
upon his easel a picture which, when finished, will be the
most interesting if not the most valuable production of the
day in the historical branch of art. It is a representation
of the banquet annually given by the Duke of Wellington
at Apsley House on the anniversary of the Battle of
Waterloo. The subject is an extremely bold and difficult
one, but Mr. Sstltcr has treated it I:ith con t m:.iatc
and his sae;:ess clay be said to be corni.lete