The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-18 00:00:00

TELURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 18, 1851.

form" which he has been so long represented.
To be brief, we have no credence whatever in these
frequent discoveries of Royal Lucifers —in these
Princes of Darkness painted so repeatedly with the
blackening ink of prejudiced historians and partizan
pamphleteers. We don't acknowledge any verisimi-
litude, for instance, in that diabolical silhouette which
Mr. MACAULAY has been recently trying to palm off
upon us as a correct portrait of his late Majesty
King James IL We have a vivid recollection,
again, of the slanders promulgated at the beginning
of the present century against the Emperor
NAPOLEON—slanders issued from the press of Eng-
land by one of the most distinguished publishers in
London—slanders believed by most of the respectable
classes throughout the United Kingdom—slanders
according to which the Imperial family of France was
represented as a group of rogues and debauchees,
capable of indulging their evil passions alternately,
and in obedience to the caprices of the moment, by
adultery or by assassination. These atrocious ca-
lumnies, we repeat, were given to the world by one
of the first houses in the London book trade, and for
a considerable period consequently NAroLEoN himself
was looked upon as a species of bogie, more
hideous in aspect even than the little yellow-
faced man lately painted by the hand of the
eminent caricaturist, M. ALPHONSE DE LAMARTINE,
a monster, in short, quite as horrible to en-
counter as a ghoul or a catamaran. Very nearly as
detestable, though of course on a smaller scale, has
been the popular notion of Dom MIGUEL. Now, in
the mere possibility of such apparitions, we say again,
we have no disposition to be credulous. Like Black-
wood, we believe, most unquestionably, that Dom
MIGUEL, during his five years' reign, namely, from
1828 to 1834, " acted in many respects neither
well nor wisely," but like Blackwood, also, we
find a difficulty in crediting the innumerable
atrocities attributed to him by his ►irulent
and anonymous calumniators. Those charges
against Dom MIGUEL are indeed disproved by the fact
of some of our most illustrious statesmen being
amongst the number of his defenders—such states-
men, we mean, as Sir ROBERT PEEL and the Duke of
WELLINGTON. It must not be forgotten, moreover,
if we would justly appreciate the probabilities of the
future, that seventeen years ago a Quadruple Alli-
ance was found necessary to bring about his de-
thronement, and that, notwithstanding the lapse of
those seventeen years, the exiled Prince can still
number up a host of earnest and even enthusiastic
adherents, amongst whom may be enumerated most of
the houses of the ancient nobility of Portugal—the
Viannas, the Lapas, and the Abrantes, the
Albuquerques, Mellos, Traveiras, Pachecos, Alberga-
ries, Cunhas, Correa- de-Sas, Bednidos, San MartinhoFs
Pereiras, and others, literally too many to be
enumerated. Can loyalty like this be the tribute
offered to a monster ? That, we opine, is scarcely
conceivable. D 02.1 MIGUEL has consequently secured
to himself in the devotion of his followers a brilliant
and visible vindication. He has preserved his forces
moreover in their undivided integrity, while DONNA
MARIA DA GLORIA has found her political
champions separated little by little into factions
rso numerous as to be at length individually
insignificant. Such are the relative situations of the
opposing parties at the present juncture, a juncture
not the less indicative of insecurity from the circum-
stance of Marshal SALDiNHA holding the reins of
office in the midst of a countless variety of Ministe-
rial jealousies, while the Conde DE THoMAR is
making his obeisance to Dom MIGUEL in the Crystal
Palace, an interview not long since recorded in our
columns, and copied subsequently from the English
journals into most of the newspapers of Christendom.
Bearing these facts in recollection, it becomes a matter
of congratulation to the well-wishers of Portugal that
out of her existing difficulties good alone can be ex-
tracted. Whether DONNA MARIA maintains her
ascendancy, or Dom MIGUEL becomes in his turn
triumphant, in either case they are alike pledged to a
Liberal policy, one in connexion with the new, and
the other with the ancient Constitution—DONNA
MARIA, by the terms of the Quadruple Al-
liance, and Dom MIGUEL, thrice in the most
explicit manner, first by his " Declaration"
of the 24th June, 1843 ; secondly, by his autograph
letter of instructions of the 15th of the following
August; and lastly, by his royal letter of the 6th April,
1847—a document that would appear to indicate that
he has really learnt wisdom from adversity. It

matters not to England what may be the deci:ion of
Portugal in this most important crisis, all our soli-
citude in its regard being restricted to the liberty
and prosperity of its population.

The period when the bucolic symposia generally
take place is rapidly approaching. Now that Mem-
bers of Parliament are relieved from their legislative
duties, that the crops are safely cut and garnered, the
"ruined agriculturists" assemble together to condole,
over mighty sirloins or capacious rounds, on their
miserable conditions, and to pour forth gloomy

vaticinations while " quaffing bumpers pottle deep"
to the health of the succesful competitors for the
prizes for fat stock or newly invented machines. If
we could yield credence to the tales that are poured
forth on every side, we should declare that British
farmers were sustaining a series of " alarming sacri-
fices" quite sufficient to have long since destroyed
any person of less tenacious vitality. The records of
the Bankruptcy and Insolvent Courts prove that
manufacturers or traders cannot long maintain their
position if encountering continued losses. The agri-
culturists have, however, solved the difficult problem.
They are enabled to endure incessant losses,
and yet to maintain jolly aspects enjoying
all reasonable comforts and social indulgences. It
would be difficult for a participator in their post-pran-
dial conviviality to suppose that the jovial spirits
around him were reduced to a state of despair, looking
forward with too painful anxiety to the moment
when the impending ruin will be consummated, and
the territorial interest involved in one common de-
struction.

There is, however, one unequivocal benefit derived
from these agricultural meetings. The leaders of
parties in the respective districts meet their respec-
tive followers, moderate their too sanguine anticipa-
tions, and indicate the nature of the questions to be
debated during the forthcoming year. When the re-
suscitation of the corn monopoly was in contempla-
tion, when it was looked upon, if not practicable, as
at least a topic that might be brought forward to
annoy the Ministers for the time being, we heard of
nothing but the revival of the law and the enact-
ment of a full measure of protection for British in-
dustry. Nothing else would do. It was the only
medicine that would be accepted for the supposed
disease.

We find, however, from the meetings that have re-
cently taken place that there has been a considerable
change in the views and opinions of the chief orators
and of the assembled guests. For instance, at the
meeting of the North Lancashire Agricultural So-
ciety, the President, Lord DE TABLET, a staunch
Protectionist, a member of the Carlton Club, and
an influential follower of the Earl of DERBY,
tells the assembled farmers that they must
abandon all thoughts of protection, casting their lot
with the rest of their countrymen, looking to the
advantage of the community in general, and turning
that prosperity to their own advantage by means of
skill and industry. The Noble Lord also spoke in
sanguine terms of the general prospects of agricul-
ture, and exhorted his auditors " not to indulge in
any idle hopes or hypotheses as to what might arise in
future, but to look the present state of things boldly
in the face, and by their own energies and exertions to
meet the necessities of the times so far as they could."
His Lordship, however, went further. He uttered
words of hope and encouragement, showing that
"there was great and reasonable ground for consola-
tion and hope in the present state of the country
generally."
This is as it should be; and if it stood alone, the
speech of Lord DE TABLET, and the cordial and rap-
turous applause with which it we% received by the
audience, would be well worthy of notice, as exhi-
biting in the strongest light the sentiments of a large
body of agriculturists at the present moment. But a
still more important demonstration has taken place, a
voice has spoken in language of more peculiar signi-
ficance than could fall from any one of the territorial
aristocracy, however wide his domains or exalted his
rank. Mr. DISRAELI, the recognised leader and hope
of the party, has spoken out plainly and distinctly at
the annual dinner of the Royal Bucks Agricultural