The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-10 00:00:00

INTERVENTION IN PORTUGAL.
We take the following documents from an immense
blue hook published yesterday:—
VISCOUNT PALMERSTON TO SIR HAMILTON SEYMSIIR.
Foreign-office, April sth. 1847.
Sir,—Her Majesty's Government have taken into their
deliberate consideration the application which the Go-
vernment of Perzugal has made to the Powers who were
parties to the Treaty of Quadruple Alliance in 1834 for
assistance under the stipulation of that treaty; and I
hive to instruct you to state to the Portuguese Minister
for Foreign Affair:, that after the most attentive exami-
nation of the grounds upon which that application has
been founded, her Majesty's Government cannot per-
suade themselves that either the letter or the spirit of
the Quadruple Treaty can justly be deemed applicable
to the state of things now existing in Portugal.
The treaty of 1834 was concluded for two purposes.
The first purpose was to put an end to a war in regard
to the succession to the crown of Portugal, which had
then been waged for some time between the Emperor
Don Pedro, who contended for the rights of her present
Majesty, Maria 11., and the Infanta Don Miguel, who
had usurped the throne. The second purpose of that
treaty was of a similar kind, wanely, to expel from the
Peninsula the Infante Don Carlos, who disputed with
her present Majesty, Isabella 11., the succession to the
clown of Spain.
Both Don Miguel and Don Carlos were at the time
within the territory of Portugal, and at the bead of
troops armed and organized for the purpose of support-
ing by force the pretensions of these two Princes.
Questions of disputed succession have always been
wherever interests
arising,of
foreign states
deemed matters which might justly be considered as
involving the
questions,nd in political
Europe have from time to time, according as their inter-
ests impelled them, held themselves at liberty to take an
such
active part. the Powers of
Spain and Portugal had in 1834 a common interest in
regard to those matters ; and Great Britain and France
thought it also conformable with their political views
to unite with Spain and Pot tugal for the expulsion
of the two Infantes from the Peninsula. But when
both the Infantes were finally so expelled, the letter
of the stipulations of the treaty, and of its addi-
tional articles was, as regards armed interference in
the affairs of the Peninsula, entirely and completely
fulfilled.
If, however, either Don Miguel should re-appear in
Portugal, or Don Carlos in Spain, with a view to put
forward again, and support by force of arms, their
respective pretensions, the spirit of the Quadruple
Treaty would certainly be applicable to such a case ;
and it would be fitting that the four Poem who
were parties to that treaty should, in such an event,
enter into a concert, with a view to frame new articles
applicable to what might be the then existing state of
things.
But Don Miguel is not in Portugal ; nor has there
been any insurrection worthy of account in his name
and in support of his pretensions to the crown.
The civil war which has now unhappily for nearly six
months afflicted Portugal has not sprung from the pre-
tensions of Don Miguel, nor did it originate with his
partisans ; it arose from very different causes, and among
a very different party.
The contest does not turn upon the question who shall
be Sovereign of Portugal, but upon the question who
shall be the responsible Ministers of the Crown in Por-
tugal, and by what principles of administration the
country shall be govt reed.
These questions are widely different from questions
of dynasty and succession.
These questions are purely domestic in their bearing,
and with them foreign Powers, except in very extreme
cases, cannot he entitled to interfere. And, although it
is certainly laid down by writers on the law of nations,
that when civil war is regularly established in a country,
mid when the nation is divided into conflicting armies
and opposing camps, the two parties in such war may be
dealt with by other Powers as if they were two ,eparate
communities, and that such other Powers may take part
with one side or the other, according to their sympathies
and interest:,
.just as they might in a war between se-
parate and independent nations ; yet the cases in which
such interference would be justifiable are rare, and it is
better and safer in general to leave each nation to decide
for itsellupon questions which relate to its own internal
organization and interests.
If, therefore, on the one hand, her Majesty's Govern-
ment do not think themselves justly called upon, in
virtue of the stipulations of the Quadruple Treaty, to
interfere in the civil war now going on in Portugal,
neither, on the other hand, do they deem it consistent
with the general principles which have invariably
guided the policy of Great Britain in regard to such
matters, to afford unconditionally to the Queen of Por-
tugal direct assistance for the purpose of coercing that
part of the Portuguese nation which is now in armed re-
sistance to her Majesty's authority.
But the British Government, adverting to the close
connexion which ancient treaties have established be-
tween the Crowns of Great Britain and Portugal, and
bearing in mind the many and great interests by means
of which the relations of commerce have knitted to-
gether the two countries, cannot see with indifference
the calamitous condition to which the continuance of the
civil war is fast reducing the Portuguese nation, and
cannot but feel the most ardent desire to make every
possible effort to co-operate in bringing that war to
an end.
Her Majesty's Government do not assume to them•
selves the right or the competency to pass judgment
upon the events which occasioned the outbreak of this
civil war; but, seeing how long it has continued, what
divisions it has created amongst all classes of the people,
and considering, moreover, how large a portion of the
nation has taken a part in it, they are clearly of opinion
that these troubles cannot be finally or permanently
quelled by mere force of arms; and that even if the
Queen were to be enabled by foreign aid to put down for
the moment all open resistance to her authority, still no
permanent tranquillity could be hoped for in Portugal
unless the causes of discontent which have led to this
outbreak, and which have for so many months kept the
insurrection alive, should by the exercise of her Majesty's
royal authority be removed.
It seems, therefore, to her Majesty's Government that
the wisest course which the Queen of Portugal can pur-
sue is to make known to the insurgents her gracious
intentions for the future, and formally to call upon them
to lay down their arms, and to return to their allegiance
to the crown.
It appears that the intentions of the Queen of Por-
tugal in this respect are such as befit a generous and
enlightened Sovereign, desirous of healing the divisions
which afflict her people, and of reuniting all classes and
parties of her subjects in loyal attachment to her person
end throne.
But it seems that her Majesty has been prevented
from acting upon the impulse of her own judgment by
the objections which have been made to such a course
by the Marshal Saldanha, who has declared his determi-
nation to resign his command of the army of operations
unless the Queen shall persist in endeavouring to put
down the revolt by force of arms. This determination
of Marshal Saldanha, of which it is not necessary for
her Majesty's Government to say what they think, no
doubt places the Queen of Portugal in great embarrass-
ment; because, while on the one hand it is scarcely pos-
sible for her to furnish Marshal Saldanha with the mili-
tary means alien would be necessary to enable him to
finish the civil war in the way in which he insists upon
adopting, on the other hum it might be difficult for her
Majesty to find any other commander who would equally
enjoy the confidence of the troops, if the continued re-
sistance of the Junta should render further operations
. 1

necessary.
In this state of things the British Government, mindfu,
of the ancient alliance between the British and Portu-
guese Crowns, is induced to step forward and to offer its
assistance to her Most Faithful Majesty.
The Queen of Portugal is desirous of making known
to her revolted subjects at Oporto the gracious and
benevolent intentions which she is prepared to carry
into execution, as soon as they shall have returned to
their duty. Marshal Saldanha refuses to make that
communication. Her Majesty's Government will, if
desired, instruct Colonel Wylde to repair immediately.
to Oporto for the purpose of making it.
Marshal Saldanha declares that he is unable to compel
the Junta to accept any terms, however reasonable, of
submission. Her Majesty's Government are prepared,
if the Junta should refuse the reasonable arrangements
which the Queen intends to make known to them, to
enter into concert with the Governments of France and
Spain, in order to settle the best means of affording to
her Most Faithful Majesty such effectual assistance as
may enable her to re-establish internal tranquillity in
her dominions.
The arrangements which her:Majesty's Government
understand the Queen of Portugal as having determined
to carry into effect immediately upon the submission of
the Junta, are the following:—
First,—A full and general amnesty for all political
offences committed since the beginning
of October last;
and an immediate recal of all persons who, since that
time, have been sent out of Portugal for political reasons.
Secondly,—An immediate revocation of all the decrees
which have been issued since the beginning of October
last, and which infringe upon, or conflict with, the esta-
blished law and constitution of the kingdom.
Thirdly,—A convocation of the Cortes as soon as the
elections, which are to take place without delay, shall
have been completed.
Fourthly,—The immediate appointment of an Ad-
ministration, composed of men not belonging to the party
of the Cabrals, nor being members of the Oporto Junta.
If her Most Faithful Majesty will formally empower
t authorise
to r 0 the
by
you to authorise Colonel Wylde to repair to Oporto, and
to announce to the Junta that it is her firm determina-
tion to carry these measures into execution, provided
they shall immediately lay down their arms and submit
to
also empowee
to
aae instructedte
Colonel
Wy Ide, if he should find the Jlrita hesitate as to the
hehrer authority,i‘iajesty yao u
Government a
een.d
course Junta, whichi
n th e they
first shouldpla place,
that
pursue,
these intentions of the
Queen of Portugal having b o intimate
andim i
officer, the Crown of Portugal;eclared though a British
is bound to that of Great.
Britain to fulfil them with good faith; and, secondly,
that if the Junta should still continue the civil war, after
baying been informed of these the gracious intentions of
their Quten, the British Government will concert with
the Governtnents of France and of Spain the best
means of affording effectual assistance to the Qa(-en of
Porto oti.
It teing always, however, to be clearly understood be-
tween the British and Portuguese Governments, that if
such concert should become necessary, and if the revolt
should be put down by the measures so to be concerted,
the Queen of Portugal would equally carry into effect
all the above-mentioned arrangements, on the termina-
tion of the insurrection, except as regards the application
the anl. ty, to tilos persoi a who tnigta th,ti hey'
d to ~arry on the civil war.
11, r Mal ‘'sty 'it Government, however, can t ntertain it
11:Ctl, tint and generous ii,teutiolis
avf F.. 1111111 Majesty are wade known by Colonel
Wylde to the Junta, that body will gratefully accept the