The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-20 00:00:00

In commenting on Portuguese affairs, the Sieck

says-

" The news of the counter-revolution which took
place on the 6th, in Portugal, is hailed by the Ministe-
rial journals of Spain with a very imprudent joy. In
this reaction these journals behold a complete return to
the monarchical order, and a very significant check to
English influence. The revolution menaced the charter
of Dom Pedro; but it is well known that this charter is
the work of England—that it was taken to Portugal by
Lord Stuart de Eothesay, and, finally, that when
it was in danger from Dora Miguel, ten thou-
sand saliets, under the orders of General Clinton, left
London precipitately for Lisbon. Not only this con-
stitution is dear to the English by its origin, but by the
clause which establishes religious toleration, and opens
the door to Protestant missionaries. The Duke de
Palmella is the head of the English party in Portugal,
but he had for colleagues men little disposed in favour
of British influence. Besides, the circumstances under
which this counter-revolution has taker, place ought to
be borne in mind. England affirms that the marriage
of the Duke of Montpensier will excite a rising
in Spain, and it throws on the French Government
the responsibility of the events which, she asserts,
it provokes by her ambitious policy. An salience
between the Carlists and the Progressists is not pos-
sible ; but the same cannot be said of an alliance between
the Spanish Progressists and the Portuguese Liberals.
Does not the counter-revolution of October 6 present a
pretext for this alliance ? And if civil war bursts out,
will not England find means to force the French Go-
vernment to an intervention full of perils, or to an act
of baseness which would have the effect of disconsider-
ing it in Europe ? Is it very certain that the Duke de
Palmella has fallen fairly in seeking to extend libel ty in
Portugal ? Has not this diplomatist, who sees no safety
for his country except in the patronage of Great Britain,
acted upon the counsels of Lord Howard de Walden ?
These are suppositions which should be paid attention to
more than the organs of the Spanish Government seem
inclined to do."
The France is not one whit more favourable to M.
GUIZUT. It thus comments on the consequences
likely to arise from the very clever line of policy
which M. GUIZOT is pursuing : •
" The Ministerial revolution in Portugal is confirmed
by the letters which we have just received. The Pro-
clamation signed by Donna Maria, and addressed to
the Portuguese people, leaves no doubt of the real
character of this coup d'edat. It is certainly a re-
action in favour of the Cabral party, or rather of the
doctrinaire policy of France. The arrival of M.
Carreira, the Portuguese Ambassador, at Paris, would
of itself be sufficient to confirm us in this opinion.
tugal is manifestly
M. Guieot and the Iteactioaists of Lisbon have not,
undoubtedly, seen how brutally clumsy is this mode
of acting. On one hand, public opinion in Per-
party which it not long since overturned, at the time of
the revolution against the Cabrals. In the second place,
the British influence, against which the late movement
opposed to that pretended Moderado
has been directed, has become deeply rooted in Portugal.
If, then the elements of the last revolution but one have
not ceased to subsist
influencein Lisbon, if the anti-English
Gui has lost nothing of its reality, what can 31.
zot, what can the Portuguese Reactionists hope
fur from the new coup (Nine? Not only is this reaction
unskilfulness.
inopportune but, in our opinion, the abruptness with
which it has been effected reveals the most com-
pletects to derive
31.- Guizot, we are all aware,
a great political profit from
this event in the presen sta of ga- Ile alreay
dreams of a grand alliancet bctwten thi
France and the Ped-
ninsula, united under the came nrtvcrk of action, and
fused together by a common
political responsibility.
This hope, it must be allowed
is somewhat vain. The
community of interests between us and the Peninsula
cannot be of a nature to lend us a serious support, a
real force, in the great differences which now hang over
Europe. With so slight a help, we should run a great.
,
risk of playing the parts of persons disdained, and of
seeing ourselves unceasingly humiliated by the different
cabinets. In a word it would be to add
new mystifica-
tions to those of the
past. It is not at a moment s
solemn for us, when the gravest conflicts and difficul-
ties present themselves in the political horizon, that the
French Cabinet ought to devote its efforts to the petty
success of intrigues like that which it appears to have
obtained in Lisbon. Our necessary support is not to be
fuund on that side. It remains to be seen if a Gevern-
ment which has issued from the revolution of 1830 can
find it elsewhere."
The Moniteur publish5 a royal
ordinance, grants