The Sun.
London, England, 1823-07-18 00:00:00

rBRITISIT PRESS.]

By private letters, upon the information of
which we can depend as authentic, we learn that
divisions of a very serious nature have taken
place among the Portuguese military, which have
created a great sensation in
,Lisbon, and strong
apprehension's are entertained of a counter.revo.
lution. indeed, no rational man could expect
that any such rapid and violent change in Go.
,vernment as the last could be permanent. The
resources of intrigue and treachery last !pit for
a.season. There are many enlightened patriots
in. Portugal; and in the present state of public
opinion in Europe, freedom is daily gaining
stlreugth by reinforcements: the leading men in the
kingdoms, both of Portugal and Spain, revolt in
in:art and mind from the oppressions with which
their country is overwhelmed. It was the mass
of.the people in almost every part of continental
Europe, that, by their own efforts, extricated
their respective Sovereigns from the bondage to
which they were reduced by the gigantic power
of France. Their Sovereigns felt this at the
time ; the sufferings and services of their faithful
people were abundantly recognized ; they had no
wish at heart but to secure to their faithful sub-
jectS that free_constitution which they earned by
the liberation of their country : but no sooner
were they well out of the toils—no sooner was'
Napoleon safe on the rock of St. Baena, than
they laid their heads together to contrive how they
could best renew the old system of tyranny over
their devoted people, and how they could best act,
in holy alliance, to chastise the rebellion of such
cif Wein a 3" sliewed any symptoms of dissatisfac-
tion. No sooner did those Monarchs find them-
selves in a w hole skin, than they discovered that
the promises they had made ought to he wholly
disregarded ; they found out that their relation
to each other, and to all foreign powers, ren-
dered, this a sacred duty, and made the ob.
servance of it indispensable to the main-
tenance of, social order. The delusion, how-
ever, is approaching fast to a crisis. It can-
not, as the Edinburgh Review, in itE • last
number, well remarks, be too often topeated,
" that no overt act, no incendiary decree,
no encouragement to revolt, no correspondence
with" the disaffected, is laid to the charge of
Spain. She has no need of • disavowing them.
She-is so innocent as not even to be accused. by
enemies who plott.her destruction., Nothing,
therefore, remaies but the doctrine, Oat whenever
a state thinks or says that her quiet is endangered
by the mere example of the form of. Government
of another nation, she may make war to Aestroy
that Govornm'ent l Such a doctrine "Auld halo
no independence ; for every weaker Didion
to change its Go.
would in that case be bound

vernment at the pleasure of a stronger neighbour.
As it would leave no independence, it could
leave no international law,of which the sole object
is the protection of independence. It would esta-
blish universal and eternal war ; for such a right
of intervention must belong to all nations, or to
none ; and if to all, it is evident that there could be
no peace till one nation had established its favourite
government, and secured it over all countries. The
worst governments would possess this right more
clearly than the best; for it is surely to bad govern-
ments that the example of good is most dangerous.
Morocco might make a war against England for
setting the example of a pure administration of
justice at Gibraltar, which would excite the
Africans to revolt against their masters. As des-
potism prevails over a far greater number of men
than liberty, and barbarism than civilization, the
practical effect of this doctrine, if universally
adopted, would be, to reduce all mankind to be
at once barbarians and slaves."