The Sun.
London, England, 1831-08-06 00:00:00

'in the form irt*liich the French Government had a right
to demand it. The Noble Earl has also supposed that
counsel was not given by this country till a very late pe-
riod. I beg to state that advice was given at the very
earliest period.—(Cheers.) I also beg to state that that
atlvice was supported by the Sp►nish Government ; hot
that it produced no effect in preventing that course which
at last brought upon Portugal those evils which the Noble
Earl has so feelingly lamented. Toe Noble Ertl has
spoken on this occasion in his usual sneering manner of
my feeling in favour of the Liberals in the Azores, and of
my enmity towards the despots in Portugal. Now, my
Lords, I will state fearlessly, and in spite of the censure of
the Noble Earl, that I have a predilection in favour of a
Government founded on right and justice—(Loud cheers)
—and that I have, on the contrary, a strong feeling against
a Government founded on usurpation, and supported by
cruelty.—(Cheers renewed.) But, at the same time, I
trust that this feeling, neither in my own case, or in that
of any other Member of his Majesty's Government, will
induce us to depart from those principles of political wis-
dom, which teach us that to interfere with the internal
affairs of another country is contrary both to policy and
justice. The Noble Earl appears all at once to have be-
came enamoured of the present Sovereign of Portugal.—
(A laugh.) Nor only he, but according to his account,
never was there a person so beloved by the whole Portu-
guese people—never was there a person so generally sup-
ported by thern.—(Cheers from the Ministerial side, an-
swered by loud cheers from the Opposition, and re-an-
swered )?1,,. laughter from the former.) Certainly when I
heard all this account of free and affectionate attachment
from the Noble Earl, I was not a little surprised ; for I think
that I can remember, during the late Administration, a Mem-
ber of that very Administration, who stood pretty exactly as
high in it as the Noble Earl himself did—( A laugh)—stat-
ing that he did not scruple to adroit that Don Miguel was a
perfidious person—(Cheers)—that he believed him to be a
cruel one, because cruelty was.the companion of cowardice
—(Cheers)—that he could not deny that his throne was
founded on usurpation, and by a breach of all those pro-
mises which he had given in this country before he went
back to Portugal.—(Loud cheers.) • I must confess, my
Lords, that if the Sovereign of that country is deserving
of such a description; my prediction. is not in his favour
and though it will be my care to do my duty to this'
country and to that, I cannot do it with that enthusias.ic
attachment which appears to warro the heart of the Noble
Earl—(Laughter and cheers)—whose affection for Don
Miguel is so great, that the only man in the whole world
to wlsoos he could parallel him is Henri Quatre.—(A
laugh.) Oh, happy comparison !—(Laughter and cheers.)
To be sure, says the Noble Earl, Don Miguel May be as.
sassinated—but so was Henri Quatre ! My Lords, no
man can detest assassination more than I do. I never read
the assassination of Caesar (however plausible the motives
for it may have been) without a feeling of destestation for
the act. I should, therefore, lament to see this .fate fall
even on that individual himself—nor should I he consoled
by any feeling that it was intended as a tribute of justice
hear)—nor do I think that it would be at all re-
conciled to a good heart, because it might be said—

" Neene lex requior una
Quam necis artifices *ante perire sua."
—(Loud cheers.) But though thus far my hatred for
assassination would take me in behalf of Don Miguel, I
should not on the other hand be disposed, like the Noble
Earl, in the event of the affairs of Portugal becoming un-
settled, to interfere on every occasion in his favour. My
interferences in such a case would he regulated by the in-
terests of this country. But in meddling with this sub-
ject at the present time, it is not the condition of 'Portti-
gal alone that ought to demand our attention. Belgium,
France, Poland, indeed I may say the whole of Europe is
in a critical situation—(Hear, hear)—and yet this is the
very time when the Noble Earl is not afraid to scatter his
firebrands for the purpose of introducing fresh difficulties
with which this country is at the present moment charged.
I will not refer to the expressions made use of by the Noble
Earl as to the present King of the French sizing the, in-
heritance of his nephew—(" I did not say 'seize,'" from
the Earl of Aherdeen)—nor to the allusion he has thought
proper to make to that King's father, though perhaps it is
not difficult to understand why that allusion has been
made.—(Cheers.) My Lords, I will revert to what is
to me a more pleasing topic—that of giving full credit
and praise to the Nob'e Earl, and the other Members of
the late Administration, fur their prompt, just, and judi-
cious policy, in recognising that Monarch on whose title
the Noble Earl now seems to wish to throw a slur.—
(Hear, hear, hear.) And all further I shall say on this
part of the subject' is, that the French demanded redress
for injuries they said they had sustained, and this, too,
at a moment immediately after we ourselves bad de.
mended the like redress. I will put it 'to the can-
dour of the Noble Earl, and ask him whether he thinks
that, after what we had done at the Tagus, we could
with any face say to the French—No, you shall not use
those means which we have Used—you shall not take the'
vindication of your ow,, honour upon yourselves, but treat-
through us, and submit to our judgment as to the satis-
faction you ought to.reeeive?—(Hear, hear.) Does the
Noble Earl believe that we have the right to do this?
Does he believe that any independent Power would sub-
mit to that species of dictation, or that in the 'present
state of excitetnent in' France such conduct would not
have produced the most disastrous consequences ?
(Cheers.) With respect to ulterior proceedings, the
French fleet, if it has not already, is on the point-of leav-
ing the Tagus ; nor had it even any troops on board for
the purpose of invasion, the best proof of which is, that
no symptoms of rising were evinced in Lisbon, though, I
presume, the Noble Earl will not deny that in spite of all
the affection and love that the Portuguese have for Don
Miguel, there are some in Lisbon who would have been
glad to have seized such an opportunity, had it presented
itself. Here, my Lords, I shall leave the subject of the
French passage of the Tagus, and proceed to the other
parts of the Noble Earl's speech. The Noble Earl tills
us, with respect to Don Pedro, that the Brazilians were
justified in rising against him and driving him out of that
country.—(" No, no," from Lord Aberdeen.) No, no!
Let us have no cavilling, my Lords ! The Noble 'Earl
certainly said that the Brazilians were justified in rising,
and that the Emperor bad brought it on himself. So
that here we have the Noble Earl justifying revolution
in Brazil when it suits his purpose, and at the same
time endeavouring to establish the monstrosity of it in
Portugal.—( Great cheering.) I beg to ask the Noble
Earl, supposing that Don Miguel to be a usurper,
whether Don Pedro, with whom he has broken all
faith, would not be justified in using every means for
the purpose of recovering the possession of Portugal
fe • his daughter ?—(Hear.) I state this abstractedly
and without reference to this country. But if the Noble
Earl means to state that Don Pedro had taken measures
which would compromise the neutrality of this country
with the knowledge of Government, I beg to give that as-
sertion the most unqualified and positive contradiction.—
(Cheers.) Whence the inference of the Noble Earl is
drawn I know not. He has stated that Don Pedro is
negociating loans ; but even if it be so, I have yet to learn
that it is the duty of Government to interfere to prevent
the merchants of this country from advancing their money
on what to them may appear suitable security. For my
own part I know not what has been done upon this sub-
ject : but this I will state—that there has been no such
overt act on the part of the Emperor of the Braile come
to the knowledge of the Government as would justify the
Government in taking measures to prevent any threatened
breach of neutrality. And now, with respect to the ex-
pedition from Terceira, for' the purpose of obtaining pos-
session of other islands of the Azores, but which, the
Noble Earl says, was fitted out for the purpose of plunder.
I beg to ask the Noble Earl whether he would have had
us interfere to prevent that expedition ?_(u Hear," " in
British. ships !" from Lord Aberdeen.) My Lords, I
will not allude to the scandalous interference some years
years ago of the French army with Spain, for the pur-
pose of dictating to it what scat of King it should have
.....-(Cheers)—but I will say, that with respect to the pro-
ceeding at Terceira, I know of no duty that required us to
interfere to prevent the invasion of the ether islands of
the Azores. And if it he attempted to throw any doubt
upon this, I shall beg leave to allude to the authority
of the Noble Earl and his colleagues. I shall beg leave to
remind him that after the invasion of Terceira by portugul,
which invasion was repulsed with considerrlble loss,
the Noble Earl himself taught us that the neutrality of
this country was not violated; and in doing this I will not
advert to what took place after, which I think was a most
shameful violation of neutrality, and of those laws by which
the intercourse between nations is regulated.—(Hear.)
But the Noble Earl said " British ships." It was true
that a complaint was made by Mr. Dart, that his ship was
seized by the Government of Terceira for the purpose of
conveying troo-ps,
and that it wig; afterwards !nat. In con-
sequence of this loss compensation was obtained from the
Government of Terceira, but was declined by Mr. Dart on
the terms proposed. Complaint was then made to this
thorities of Terceira offered compensation in two ways—
Government ; and the last communication from the an-
either to repay Mr. Dart for the ship, or that the ship
should be taken back by him.and repaired at their expence...
I do not mean to say' that this seizure on the part of the
Terceiran Government was a justifiable act ; but as there
were conflicting statements, orders were sent out to our
Consul-General to proceed to Terceira, and take with him
an impartial person, to investigate the circumstances of
the case and report thereon. The information on this sub-