The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-31 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

LtsnoN, MAY 13.--Several important subjects
have been discussed in the Cortes during the last
fortnight.
In the Sitting of the 30th of April, the Order of the Day
was the opinion of the Diplomatic' Committee on the with-
drawing of the troops from Monte Video. The Committee
state, that, from the documents laid before them, it appeared
that the original occupation of Banda Oriental, by the Portu-
guese troops, had no other object than to secure the lives and
properties of the subjects of Portugal on the frontier, at a time
of anarchy and disorder in the South _nericon provinces ;
but this occupation being now useless, and incompatible with
the principles of justice that animate the Portuguese nation,
which desires to give the whole world a decisive proof that it
knows how to respect the independence of other nations, as
well as to defend its own, the Committee recommend. that the
Government withdraw the trips from, Monte Video, assign-
ing them such a deitinatioc as shall seem proper; and that

the Commander of these troops ahead be ordered to take mea-
sures, in concert with the authorities of the province, that the
evacuation might take place in good order. A very long de-
bate arose on tlae. subject. Some Members affirmed, that the
country in question belonged to Portugal, as far as the Rio de
Plata, and would haVe the north bank of that river constantly
occupied by Portuguese troops. Others supported the opinion
of the Committee, and
,alleged, that the occupation of Monte
Video was unjust, and consequently impolitic, and that the
dpossession of it would be of no use to the rich and immense king-
om of Brazil. The debate was continued at great length in the
following sitting, when some Members proposed to adjourn
the decision till they had more information from America. The
Cortes, however, resolved, that the Sitting should be permanent
till the question was decided, and when it was judged to be
sufficiently discussed, the President put the question, whether
the opinion of the Committee should be approved in the form
in which it was now given, and it was decided in the negative
by 84 votes to 28. The Cortes still continue the discussion of the
Constitution, the commercial relations with Brazil, and the re-
form of the instituticri called Ferries. During the Sitting of
the 29th April, 31. Feigueiras, the Secretary, interrupted the
debate to request leave to read a dispatch from Senor Carvalho,
the Minister of Justice, which he stated to be of the highest
importance. This dispatch states, that being responsible for
the public safety, he finds it necessary to acquaint the Cortes
that there are in the capital principally, and also in other parts
of the kingdom, individuals who are extremely dangerous ; that
though no proofs have yet been obtained cf actual crimes in the
rigorous sense of the law, yet circumstances of public notoriety,
together with the character of the individuals in question (though
checked by public opinion), render it advisable to separate them
from others with whom they have daily intercourse.—Many
grounds recommend this measure in the absence of certain and
indubitable proofs which can authorize the action of the judi-
cial power. The Government, however, needs the did of the
legislative power to take this step. This communication was
immediately referred to the Committee of the Constitution,
which, after deliberating on the subject, advised that the Go-
vernment should be authorized for the space of one month, for
the preservation of public tranquillity, to proceed towards cer-
tain individuals without tie legal formalities, by removing fiom
one part of the kingdom to another any individual, Whether
private person or public officer, that it may judge necessary to
remove, for the public tranquillity ; these precautions nor to
affect the reputation of those who shall not, in the sequel, be
brought to legal trial, the sole object being to prevent the evils
which would produce the greatest calamities, and if the Go-
vernment cannot in the time prescribed attain the object, it may
apply to the Cortes. The opinion of the Committee was una-
nimously approved, and an official answer given to the Mini-
ster of Justice exactly conformable to it.