The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-15 00:00:00

the troops of the Junta presented in this respect a masked
contrast to such reval•ing psoepedings. This was
verified by a, Fn.r!i.:h res:4-nt in On irto. wl,o wrote to
bins that a singe th etossehfere in London was more
confes dan 1 excited than the whale Op ,rt, --(Fleur.)
Aft: ran attentive vie se therefore (.f all the circum-
stances connected wi h the revolution, he thought the
conduct of the Portuguese Governor: rat jestified, if any-
thing could justify, the rising of the people.—(Hear,
hear.) Their acts had been of the most despotic and
arbitrary nature, and he placed no reliance whatever on
the promises which had been made by them, or the in-
tervention of the English Government.—(Hear, hear.)
He believed that this interference would not produce the
results anticipated, and he considered that the result
would be most disastrous not only to those on whose
behalf they interfered, but also to British interests.
It was impossible to undo the past, but the Com-
mons of England could repudiate the precedent, and
place the stamp of their reprobation on the whole pro-
ceedings which had taken place. He trusted the House
would pronounce that opinion, and would let the world
see, that however the Government might be disposed to
intermeddle in the affairs of foreign countries, the people
of his country did not concur with them, and were of
opinion that the present intervention was unjust, uncon-
stautional, and contrary to the principles of interne-
tienal law. —(lmmense cheering.)
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE said, in rising to move the
amendment, of which he had given notice in the early
part of the evening, he could not help expressing his
regret that the House was not treated earlier in the
session with some of those expressions of attachment to
constitutional freedom which hal just been heard from
lion. Gentlemen on the other side of the House. because
if his memory did not fail him, he thought he recol-
lected, some time ago, these same Hon. Gentlemen pro-
posed that the public thanks should be offered to the
Emperor of Russia, the Emperor of Austria, and the
Emperor of Prussia. for extinguishing the liberties and
independence of Cracow —(Hear, bear.) Now he could
n-t help thinking, recollecting these things, that there
eras some secret, something more than met the eye, in
the support, Hon. Gentlemen opposite, were about to
give to the motion of his Hon. Friend the Member for
Montrose. He could not help thinking, relying, of
course. upon the well-known consistency of the protec-
ti.mists—(A laugh)—that they were now going to stand
up for the cause of absolutism. Whatever might be the
opinion of this House with regard to the motion of his
Hon. Friend the Member for Montrose, he thought no
one there would deny that the question his Hon. Friend
had brought under their consideration was one which
deserved the calm deliberation of the House. and the
House would have neglected its duty had it made light
of it.—(llear, hear.) And, in discussing it, whatever
might be the views of those who opposed or supported
27, he thought there was one principle and one object
which ought to be kept before them. Now that this
intervention had taken place, whether they approved of
it or not, they ought now to have but one object in view.
tamely, to secure to the Portuguese people who had
justl‘. in defence of their constitutional rights, all
the advantages and all the benefits that the intervention
scan possibly afford to them.—(Hear, hear.) It was
with 'hat view that he proposed to move the amendmentfetr
of which he had given notice. He confessed,
peros'ng the papers that had been laid before that Souse
_afros' having heard the speech of the Noble Lord at
the head of the Government in explanation of these
papers--
that he had come to a very different conclusion
from that which he had originally intended when he first
heard of this interference with the rights and domestic
concerns of the Portuguese people. In these papers and
in that explanation he found a determination and a
decided wish on the part of the Government to
respect and protect the rights and liberties of the Portu-
guese people. Ha thought there was sufficient evidence
in the documents that hail been laid before them to
prove that Government had hail a difficult task to per-
form, and even now they stocd abused by both parties—
abused by the Queen's party, and abused by the Junta.
It had been urged, in justification of this interference,
that had her Majesty's Government not interposed Spell!
would. Now he thought that was no justification what-
ever, for be maintained that every claim to intervention
on the part of this country ought to stand upon its own
merits. They ought not t be induced to commit a
wrong because it was anticipated that another country
was about to do the same ; but when they did
interfere, they ought always to stand upon the justice
of 'he case calling for the interference. Such was the
conduct of the British Government in 1326. when Mr.
Canning was at the hsad of affairs. What was the lan-
guage of Mr. Canning in 1826, when Portugal was
threatened with a foreign invasion. Mr. Canning came
dawn to Parliament and asked for its approbation
and concurrence to the course he was about to take.
The speech NIT-. Canning made on that occa-inn was
almost the only one he (Mr. Duneornhe) had ever heard in
Parliament, and he confessed he recollected it even now
^5O great an impression did it make upon his mind at
the time. Mr. Canning, in concluding his address, told
the House of Commons that he was going to plant the
standard of England on the heights of Lisbon, and
where that was planted foreign dominion should never
come.—(Hear.) Depend noon it then that they ought not
to do wrong because others were about to do it; but they
ought rather only to interfere where reason and justice
called f,r it. Now, wish regard to the motion of his
Eon. Friend the Member for Montrose, to which he
proposed to move an amendment after reading the
papers, he did not agree with the conclusion his Hon.
F:iend had come to. He did not think that the result
or this intervention will prove mischievous, or danger-
ous to the liberties of Portneal. He appreciated the
difficulties that Government had had to contend with,
they were abused by the Cabralist party, whose conduct
had 1-,rought about the revolution and disaffection of the
people, for not promoting the came of absolutism, and
they were abuse:l by the Junta and the people for op-
pesine their interests. Now, had her Majesty's Govern-
ment borne in view the principle of protecting the
constitutional rights and freedom of the Portuguese
people? That was just the question for them to con-
sider, and it was the greed aim and object her
Majesty's Government ought to have in view. The
people had been off-red terms it was true, but there was
no guarantee given that these terms should be strictly
carried out. The people did riot object to the terms, arid
therefore, he for one said let the offer be repeated by the
two powers who had interfered in conjunction
with the expression of' opinion in declaration of the
House of Commons, to see them strictly and faithfully
performed. It was with that view that he should move
the amendment he was about to bring forward. It was
done to the people who had risen in defence of their
constitutional rights ; and who was that people, let him
ask ? They were not persons who delighted in getting I
up revolutions, because they served their own interests
—they ware not Sans-culottes, but the nobles and
wealthy landed proprietors of the country.—(Hear.)
These parties being now the prisoners of war to this
country, it was the duty of the House and of the country
cordially to accede to the resolution which he was about
to propose, and thereby obtain for itself the gratitude
and thanks of the Portuguese nation. He would, there.
fore, move the amendment of which he had previously
given notice.
se Mr. MACAULA.Y, in rising to second the motion,
said—Sir, I have beard with great pleasure the amend-
meat proposed by my Hon. Friend—(Loud and pro-
tracted cheering)—and I beg to assure my Hon. Friend
that in that amendment is sot forth the principles which
have guided, and which will continue to guide the con-
duct of her Majesty's Ministers. They feel, Sir, that
whenever a Government is unfortunately compelled
to depart from the general rule which prescribes
the abstinence of all interference with the
internal concerns of foreign nations, that it
takes upon itself a duty, of which it cannot afterwards
divest itself, until the principles of the amendment of
say Hen. Friend have been fully carried out. It is with
the rill conviction of these circumstances that her Ma-
jesty's Ministers determined to interfere in the affairs of
Portugal, and they will continue to act upon those
principles which have hitherto guided their conduct,
sad I see with the greatest pleasure that my
Honourable Friend and other Honourable Mem-
: here who, like him, looked on at first with
jealousy upon the course pursued by the Govern-
_ tent have since upon an examination of the whole of
cz the circumstances round reason to change their opinions
upon the subject. lam not surprised, Sir, that such
jealousy was entertained by Hers. Members.—(Hear,
hear.) There can be no doubt that the rule which con-
demn; interference in the affairs of foreign nations
is a sound general principle, and that upon the
Minister who shall depart from such a rule
e must rest the burden and the proof of his case. There
can be no doubt that the Minister, be he who he may,
who shall so depart from this general principle, is
hound to make out his case to the satisfaction of the
House and the country. In the present case, it must
be acknowledged, (and there are circumstances which
must be taken into consideration,) that there can be

..
no doubt, and it was what, so far from wishing
to conceal, the Government thought it an impor-
t• tent part of their case—(Hear, hear)—there can
be no doubt that the throne of Portugal had long
been surrounded by evil councillors. There can be no
doubt that most violent and unconstitutional measures
had been resorted to by the existing Government. There
can be no doubt that there were many acts committed,
which I feel compelled to designate as a disgrace to the
Government. There eau be no doubt that the people of
8 uratuttal were justified in resting upon the distinct as-
- that of the Government, and I cannot wonder
persons looking on with dislike on the
interference in
.., should look with peculiar internal concerns of foreign nations,
inter-
•f• erence in the affairs of jealousy upon the first
irs of Portugal, more especially when,
_, at the first sight, the ob.
Government which had eject 'seen" to be to rescue the
the peril which was the faults, and from
nuamturaitteedo great
All this I admit ; yet, in adtuittirrnce.—(Cheers.)
this, I am con-
vinced that the Government, in admitting all
.they have
don,,, have chosen the lesser of th4s tfvonueests
sr that
such a _.mse as this, it was absolutely ; and in
a choice should be made between two
sir, the rolations of Portugal with thin
existing evils.
, 5 .. ,
C to itle-ing
"ri -int, that Portugal was disturbed la
cunt/ try- —COD 51—C1 ~,
._by a
civil war—and consli.leriog that other persons felt a
strong inclination to interfere in its internal concerns, I
hold it to be clear that no course whatever could be abso-
lutely and entirely free from 1.1-:k and danger to the
British Government. But cases similar in principle
to this frequently occur, both in public and private life;
tha experience of the trader. the merchant, and, above
all, the medical man, will tell them that they are often
placed in positions and situations in which they must act,
and is which every course has its risks and its inconve-
niences. At is, I contend, no fair way of reasoning to
d' • ii.,,, !, Ar,exaggerate, the risks and inconve-
- f- ifets• .. 4,7,.1ar course which has been taken.
' ~
-44.•.rlati-tie;igerr such a course, under those drama-
-4 ,tx • . - .... . Axi,..acifitid,.,except the person who condemns
'. •• •,i:-,,. ,4' 4141 ira4Ais own line of conduct, and shows
4.1 esihitetelhelisons for believing that his line of
',
LT„4.,.
t; ~.. :, Stoma au, ben less hazardous, and attended
73' i'tic virnience than the one which he re- 1
\pr,,f. ... ',litoccao'ber, too, that in defending what
n rl
A)-4,. 1-"'