The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-21 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1853.

Extraordinary anxiety must now be felt in re-
gard to the state of affairs in the Iberian Penin-
sula—in regard to the maintenance of tranquillity,
and in reference to the interests of good Govern-
ment. For a thunderbolt has fallen into the
political councils at Lisbon by the sudden death
of her Majesty, the QUEEN of Portugal.
Naturally enough the intelligence received this
morning to the above effect must be accepted by
the people in this country with scarcely less solici-
tude than amazement. It comes to us through
the medium of an urgent despatch transmitted to
the Portuguese Minister at the Court of St.
James's by the Portuguese Minister at the Court
of the Tuileries. That despatch is sufficiently
concise and sententious. It runs simply to the
effect—" I have the honour to announce to you
with the most profound sorrow, that her MAJESTY
the QUEEN of Portugal died in child-birth, on
the 15th instant at midday"--the telegraphic com-
munication adding, " The KING (Consort) is de-
clared Regent Lisbon was tranquil." Tran-
quil—yes—for the time being ; tranquil until
the " beginning of the end" shall have really
commenced ! Tranquil during the earlier pro-
cess of preparation ! Tranquil until the mag-
nitude of the occurrence here intimated can be to
the full appreciated ! Tranquil until the mournful
incident has passed away from the scene in all the
pomp of the funereal procession !
Whatever have been the deplorable disappoint-
ments consequent upon the reign of Queen MARIA
DA GLORIA, it is impossible at this moment, in
the presence as it were of her bier, at the earliest
intelligence of her premature demise, and remem-
bering that the death of the young monarch has
been that most touching of all deaths, a death in
" child-birth," it is impossible we say at this par-
ticular moment to refer to the policy of the
departed SOVEREIGN in what we cannot
but consider the deserved terms of severe and
uncompromising reprehension. Let there be a
decent truce to the trenchant arms of political
criticism, at any rate until " the dead shall have
been shovelled away," until the melancholy catas-
trophe shall have been solemnly and religiously
consummated. Then, but not until then, will it be
allowable to weigh deliberately and impartially in
the balance of judgment the merits and demerits
of the late Queen, MARIA DA GLORIA of Por-
tugal, in her onerous and responsible posi-
tion as a constitutional Sovereign. Then,
but not until then, will it be advisable to consider
how far the Portuguese have benefited socially
and politically from the forcible removal of Dom
MIGUEL from the throne of the BRAGANZAS, and
the substitution in his place of the young
monarch
who has just made from the regal arena of Europe
so abrupt and mournful a disappearance.

Already, however, it may be permitted
to
us to remark that the horizon frowns darkly
at this critical juncture for the Portuguese. It
predicts for them, nevertheless, out of this
lowering gloom in the political atmosphere,
the glorious, and enviable, and inestimable oppor-
tunity for their social and governmental regene-
ration. Oat of some sudden convulsion, indeed,
it is possible that they may effect their national
redemption—but even avoiding the perils of any
such momentous movement, it is just conceivable
that the evils of the existing system may be
effectually dissipated. GOD knows a change in
that direction has long been desirable; and HEAVEN
grant that that change may at last be effected