The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-21 00:00:00

'0 Jenial •_,AtUe

LONDON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1846.

CABINET COUNCIL.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL, Lord PALMERSTON, Lord
GREY, Lord AUCKLAND, the CHANCELLOR of the Ex-
CHEQUER, and the other Cabinet Ministers in town,
were present this day at the Cabinet Council, held at
the Foreign-office, Downing-street, at twelve o'clock.

The existence of the Portuguese monarchy is now
staked upon the precarious denouement of a revolu-
tion. Although, as we have already intimated,
the principal leaders of the insurrection have
not committed themselves to the abolition, or
to the temporary suspension, of the
sovereign authority, it is evident that the recent be-
haviour of the QUEEN'S Government has been so
peculiarly rigorous as to transform the cowparative
Lenity, or loyalty, or whatever that shadow of sub-

even

ordination may be designated, into a most intense
and predominating sense of injury. The minute
vestige of affection for her MAJESTY, which had
hitherto survived the alternations of the different
Cabinets and the vicissitudes of the popular cause,

has utterly disappeared. MARIA DA. GLORIA is es-
tranged from the hearts of the Portuguese. When
the protracted misrule which that misguided lady
has persisted in supporting in direct opposition to
the will of the population is remembered ; when
the execrable domination of the CABRALS is borne
in recollection ; when we call to mind the
unconstitutional influence acquired aid exercised by
the royal pedagogue DIETZ, it cannot be matter of
astonishment that the nation has ultimately risen to

wreak its vengeance upon those who have been in-
strumental in the perpetration of so many grievous
outrages upon the community. It cannot be mat-
ter of astonishment that a, civilised race should
look with jealous suspicion upon a Govern-
ment whose course has been so wonderfully

devious, and the sinuosity of whose policy has
interfered so marvelously with the general pros-

perity, and placed the liberties and rights of the
citizens in such imminent jeopardy. It is possible that
much further encroachments might have been made
upon the fundamental principles of the Constitution
of Portugal without inciting the multitude to
any overt exhibition of its indignation, if
the aid of a foreign Ministry had not
been summoned to the assistance of a shame-
less Legislature. By that imprudent and flagitious
proceeding the downfal of the court minions
has been precipitated. The perils by which the
young SOVEREIGN is now encompassed have been
evoked by the sorcery of her own unpopular sway.
The conflagration by which the monarchical power
is threatened with destruction has been enkindled
by the abrupt collision of her own and the na-
tional will, by the continual friction of opinion,
especially amongst the bourgeoisie, and which friction
is attributable solely to the unwelcome character of
the Government.
Everything portends some unprecedented catas-
trophe in the metropolis of Portugal, and the conse-
quent diffusion of some novel influence throughout
the different provinces.
By the latest intelligence from the seat of
these intricate commotions we hay e observed
that matters are momentarily assuming a. more for-
midable appearance, and in this they are only realis-
ing all our anticipations. The Portugu( :se conceive
themselves to have been not merely irreth semably in-
sulted by their present rulers, but to have h ts.d all their
dearest rights as men, emancipated from ti u s thraliom
of feudality, shaken to the very foundations. Among
the many indications of the disposition with
which the present eineutes are conducted, th .e dispatches
of the valorous chieftain SA DA BANDEIR 1t are about
the most significant. The recklessness cvl tone as-
sumed by this insurgent captain, while i t indicates
a most decided enthusiasm for the cause of the revo •
lutionists, evinces at the same time a sups eme indif-
ference to the displeasure of the Sovere: ign whose
forces are leagued together for his dest r action and
the subjugation of his fellow-countrymena Reading
one of those independent documents we a e naturally
reminded of the spirit in which ILtarr,Er ,scorned the
frowns of his father-in-law, with that cc a itemptuous_
couplet :
" And if the King like not the comedy,,
Why, then, belike he likes it not, pan Ii e !"
So confident are the popular commanders, both in the
integrity of their cause and the unanimity o: f the popu-
lation in their favour, that they app( to r to have
actually alarmed the Loyalists into a • trepidation
which will inevitably be productive of 1 Ital conse-
quences, unless the army of SALDA'NIIA a m I his asso-
ciates be swelled by foreign battalions. A o cording to
our latest information the British squadli on in the
Tagus was held in readiness to receive and defend
Queen MARIA and her royal relatives in c :a se of any
sudden and alarming emergency. From th is arrange-
ment it would appear that serious alarm -was expe-
rienced in the Palace at Lisbon as to the r sa lilt of the
civil war which had been aroused in Portl 2;3al by its
ignorant and debasing policy.
That the animosities of the insurgents •ainst the
existing form of government should cof &nue to
be of the deadliest character, is scar o 31y sur-
prising, when we consider the despotic, reprisals
and enormous penalties by which they I ave been
opposed. An adventitious lustre and an :additional
importance has been imparted to the rec( ar t disturb-
ances, by the fact of certain amongst ti he most in-
fluential of the nobility having identified tl iemselves
with the insurgents. Under the champions WI) of DAS
ArITAS, Of SA DA BANDMIRA, of CASTRO DAIRE, of
DA TAIPA, Of FRIAS, and Of JOZE :ESTEVAO,
have assembled not merely vast multitudes o f -guerillas,
in communication with a number of juntas, 'but many
of the largest territorial proprietors and sc ane of the
most illustrious of the national aristocrt tc y. The
stringent measures by which the Govern lent have
endeavoured to thwart the intentions of tl re popu-
lace, rind to punish their more dist 'ix iguished
supporters, have only tended to c(n rsolidate
the power of their antagonists, and to rend( a- the in-
fluence of the sceptre more than ever cont rinptible.
By depriving the noblemen, who have render ed them-
selves thus obnoxious of their titles, and th et eby re-
ducing them to the rank of private individual s, and by
ordaining that the armed peasantry shall be ,shot
immediately on their capture, and after the merest
mockery of a military investigation, they are
driving the insurgents to a state of chsperation
that nothing but victory or annihilation can ter-
minate. Propitious as are the prospects of the
people, they must remember that their conquest
must not only be over the soldiery in the
pay of the SOVEREIGN, but over the prejudices
of the minority of their fellow-citizens, and we
fear, her ides, over the prowess and strategies of
foreign ?armies. Otherwise their triumph will be
neither .complete nor beneficial. Let them reflect
that, supposing DAS ANTAS to be victorious over
SALDA NI3 A, the Spanish forces will be still upon the
frontiers-, or will have actually advanced into the
kingdom- Let them be true to themselves, moderate,
valiant, o 311ected, and Portugal may be speedily extri-
cated frox a its present dilemma.

Among st the many plans which have been adopted
by lan& d proprietors in Ireland for the purpose of
affording- employment and rendering assistance to
their ten attry, few have been of a more extensive or
beneficial .character than that which has lately been
promulg 3,t6,d by the Marquis of HERTronD. The more
extensive -farmer is thereby encouraged to undertake
works wl ach are calculated, not only to provide ample
work for taw inhabitants of the district, but to in-
crease the• value of the lands, to bring them into im-
proved cultti'vation, to multiply their productive qua-
lities, and !Lead to a vast addition to the supply of food
which cast be raised to meet the exigencies of the