The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-28 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

By the Royal Tar steamer, which arrived at Falmouth on
Friday evening with Peninsular mails, we received the aceom -
panying despatches. The Royal Tar's dates of leaving are,
from Gibraltar the 17th, Cadiz the 18th, Lisbon the 21st,
Oporto the 22d, and Vigo the 23d inst.
LISBON, JUNE 21.—Fears were entertained on the evening
of the 17th instant that a revolutionary attempt, for the pur-
pose of restoring the Charter, would be made by some of the
troops, through the connivance of Ministers, but the scheme
was abandoned at the eleventh hour ; most probably it was
only postponed to a fitter opportunity, though st me people
think that nothing is now intended to be done until the
auspicious crisis for proclaiming Donna Maria the absolute
Queen of Portugal offers itself. Some of the people about the
palace are said to make no secret of such being the in-
tentions of the Court, in which event we shall be war-
ranted in drawing the conclusion that the late ruinous civil
war was undertaken by the leaders of the victorious party,
not for the purpose of securing free institutions for the cows-
try, but of inflicting on it the despotism of one individual of
the Royal Family, in lieu of that of another. member of it.
And was it for this that 50,000 lives, such vast treasures, and
so many honest men's fortunes have been wasted ? Was it fur
this that the houses and estates of so many honest men in the
neighbourhood of Porto and Lisbon sere destroyed during the
struggle, and they as well as their families brought to beg-
gary ? It is a pity that the influential men of all parties in
Portugal do not see the expediency of " letting well alone," of
using their utmost endeavours in order to consolidate the
existing form of Government, whatever its defects may be, in-
stead of every now and then upsetting the whole system.
The Senate having confirmed the prev,ious sanction of the
Deputies to the pecuniary arrangement entered into with the
tobacco contractors for the payment of the fractional dividends
on the foreign debt, it will be in course of payment on the
Ist of Jtlly next. The bondholders need not look forward to
receiving future fractional dividends, unless the direction of the
financial affairs of this country fall intc able hands—into
those of a man who will persevere in a system of thorough
retrenchment in every department, the Royal Personages and
household included, as well as one who will not permit the
least dilapidation of the public revenue. Such of the bond-
holders as resist the proposed conversion or exchange of their
bonds act very wisely ; let them hold out;' anil Portugal will
pay them the full dividend, because there is no want of means,
if they be properly and carefully administered.
Marshal Saldanha and suite arrived on their return h )me
from Madrid on the 16th inst., and he was most graciously
received by their Majesties.
Her Majesty's sixteen-gun brig Pelican, Commander Na-
pier, has sailed for the East India station, conveying two cases of
charts for the squadron, in consequence of Admiralty orders re-
ceived per the Montrose steam-packet, which arrived in some-
thing less than four days from Falmouth, on the 18th. The
seven passengers per the Charlotte, Captain Forrester, bound
from London to Sydney, which foundered on the 18th of April,
in consequence of touching on a sunken rock, 12 feet under the
level of the sea, not marked in any of the charts, about 23 miles
from the island of Boairsta, arrived here a few days since ; all
hands were saved, having proceeded in their boats to Sao
Fiago, from whence they have come here.
A highly respected Portuguese wine-merchant of this city,
finding, on the 19th, that he could not meet two of his accept-
ances falling due that very day, addressed a letter, calling
a meeting of his creditors, immediately after despatching which
the unhappy man committed suicide, by swallowing a large
quantity of laudanum. As no one was aware of what the un-
happy sensitive man had done, his life could not be saved, be-
cause when the medical men were called in it was too late.
His very creditors lament the sad event more than every one
else, because they were all his personal friends, and had they
known of his embarrassments would have been most happy to
have come forward to his assistance.

A young Englishman, an officer, I believe an ensign, in the
Portuguese service, has been placed under arrest in the Castle
of St. George, of this capital, on a charge of forging a titulo
for about four contos of reis.
The ex-Minister Colonel Loureiro has been named the Duke
of Terceira's Chief of the Staff, which is a most judicious ap-
pointment. Captain Rosa, a conspicuous Septembrist, was last
evening conveyed to the Castle, but the calm is not yet known.
Exchange on London, 54; Ex-Paper Money, 68 per cent.
discount.

SWEDEN.

THE KING'S SPEECH AT THE CLOSING OF THE
DIET ON THE 16th INST.

" GENTLEMEN—Upon the opening of the Diet on the 25th
of January, 1840, I acquainted you that we were then in a con-
dition to diminish the taxes, but principally those which had for
so long a time pressed heavily upon agriculture.
" The attempt has fully answered my expectations ; for the
reduction has exceeded the amount which I had thought proba-
ble to be effected. We have maintained ,a larger production,
and cleated an extended commercial activity ; and we shall fur-
nish to the next Diet the means of pursuing the game system,
and of thus effecting a still further reduction.
" During your present sittings three treaties of commerce
and navigation have been concluded, upon a perfectly reci-
procal basis, with the republic of Venezuela, and with the
free cities of Hamb,irgh and Bremen. The public shall be
informed of the ratifications of these treaties so soon as they
respectively take place. Other negotiations were forthw•i.h
commenced, in order to the regulation of the commercial in-
terests of these two kingdoms; and with the most lively
pleasure I am enabled to inform you that the most im-
portant of these regulations, that of the Sound duties, is
upon the point of being terminated in the most satisfactory
manner.

" The first duty of a Government is to watch over the soli-
dity of the foundations of the national existence. He who
permits them to be undermined is preparing the fall of that
existence. Laws, which have stood the test of experience for
many years, ought nevertheless to be amended when found
necessary; and with the more reason, those laws which have
produced injury to any class of society; but, if the mainte-
nance of reason and of order be not the result, the State must
thereby be endangered.
" I can only foresee a happy future for this Northern Penin-
sula, if but peace be preserved; but to be indifferent to the
chances of war, and negligent in preparation for it, would
be to destroy our nationality, and slowly to dig our country's
grave.
" Nations, if not powerful, are at least esteemed according
to their tranquillity and their good faith.
. .

" There are periods when a nation must submit to sacri-
fices, however great they may be, which honour will dictate
both to the Sovereign and his Government. If the chief of
a State, by the nature of his authority, ought personally to
make sacrifices he must not hesitate to do so, especially when
demanded of him by honour and national interests.

" In the year 1809, the kingdom, after having lost a third
portion of its territories, was in fact at war with all the allies
of a mighty empire. Tormented by internal divisions, and
without exterior assistance, it was soon compelled to yield to
a commercial system which made the State the enemy of
England.
" Under these circumstances, King Charles the Thirteenth
not only gave up his then present, but his future revenues.
" Our army, proceeding towards Germany, was already
looked upon by some persons as about to experience the same
fate as those who had perished four years before ; our troops,
however, came back triumphant, and the country had not to
lament their want of success.

" The States-General, who, in 1829, were aware of the pro-
jects formed abroad against their acts of 1809, acknowledged
the services which the Government had rendered to the nation
in preserving it from the calamities which had befallen so
many other states.
"If men, like kingdoms, ought to avoid being unneces-
sarily hurried forward, through a knowledge of their own ca-
pabilities, both are compelled to adopt measures which shall
evince to their avowed enemies the determination of a Govern-
ment believing itself to be wronged in its rights and national
dignity. /Such has been your position since the year 1811. It
is to that attitude that Sweden is indebted for .the estimation
in which she is held, and for the great advantages which by
her,have been consequently enjoyed.
"The Almighty has specially protected her, and has deigned
to guide this Government to a point where she has been ena-
bled to display results so magnificent. Gentlemen, compare
your possessions at this moment with the picture which was
presented before the eyes of the Members of the Diet after the
revolution of 1809, and you will then be able fully to appreciate
the manifest prot, ction of the Most High.
" During twenty-five years I have cherished the hope of
giving to the Supreme Tribunal of the kingdom the indepen-
dence and the guarantees which are enjoyed by the other Tri-
bunals in Sweden, as well as all other European States. Ily a
message in 1823 I expressed my determination, and explained
my reasons. I have respected the negative reply of the States
General, without, however, participating in the reasons upon,
which that reply was founded.
" Your deliberations, during the present Diet, upon the
nature of our political institutions induce me to believe that the
idea of so desirable a change will not escape your attention.
" In order to avoid the prolongation of your sitting, espe-
cially after one so long and laborous, I intend to communicate
my opinions upon this subject to the law committee, and to in-
form the States General of the result at the next sitting of the
Diet, if it be the will of God to spare me ; but if not, I will pray,
in a better world, that the Almighty may enlighten the nation,
by inspiring it with the love of justice, and blessing it with the
will and the courage to he just.
. .

" You have been witnesses of the religious ceremony by
which my grandson has yielded himself up to the bonds which
bind the Christian to his Creator. You heard the oath which
he took to me and the laws. ➢Zay the recollection of that mo-
ment be engravers on his heart and on yours, while every one
acknowledges that God will bless both people and princes
who are guided by truth and religion.
" According to section 109 of the Constitution, I announce
to you, Gentlemen, that your sittings are closed; and, while
assuring you of my royal good will, I pray God that he may
pour out his heavenly blessings upon this nation."