The Sun.
London, England, 1835-05-08 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

LISBON, APRIL 21.—Yesterday the Queen closed the
ordinary Session of the Cortes for this year, with a Speech.
but it is supposed an extraordinary Session will be called

during the summer or autumn.
Her Majesty was accompanied by the Empress, who took
her seat in the Royal box over the throne. Their Majesties
were met by a deputation of twelve Members of each of
the Chambers, who afterwards re-conducted them with the
usual ceremony to their carriage. The Queen was dressed
in deep mourning. She did not wear one of those frightful
widow's caps, the indication of grief in some countries.
Her beautiful flaxen hair was gathered into a knot behind,
with a black veil over it, that in front falling in large curls
over her brow and cheeks. An expression of soft melan-
choly was spread over her whole countenance, and amply
compensated for the absence of the unsightly widow's weeds
which English taste might have expected. The speech ex-
cited the deepest sympathy of a crowded house, the gal-
leries being filled to overflowing several hours before her
her Majesty's arrival ; and several ladies of rank even
could not find accommodation, though the Chamber of De-

puties, where the Royal Session was held, is much more
spacious than the Throne-room of the Ajuda Palace, where
it was first intended to take place. The Foreign Ministers
and Rear-Admiral Sir NV m. Gage were in the Diplomatic
box. The Peers' box was crowded with Peeresses. The
gallery reserved for the families of the Deputies was occu-
pied by the Court, and in the Ladies' Gallery the fair occu-
pants stood on the benches, with tears glistening in their
dark eyes, evincing the deepest sympathy for the youthful
Royal widow of their adored Sovereign.
The following is the Royal Speech :
THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.

" NOBLE PEERS OF THE KINGDOM, AND GENTLEMEN DE,
PUTIES OF THR PORTUGUESE NATION :--

" It is deeply afflicting to me to remind you that a sad event
has lately renewed the grief of my heart, and deprived our
country of a magnanimous Prince, who was a model of every
virtue, and who in all things answered to the high opinion
conceived of him by my august father of glorious memory.
But in spite of my sorrow, as deep as it is fresh, to-day, which
closes the Session of the present year, after so many and such
weighty affairs as have been submitted to your consideration,
I owe you a great effort to come and express personally the
satisfaction which I have in congratulating you on the proofs
which you have given of your care in consolidating the Con-
stitutional Throne, by adopting measures of the most salutary
and surpassing utility. The progress which you have made
in the adoption of principles necessary for the extension to the
whole kingdom of the new reform of justice, as well as the
steps which you have taken with respect to decimal money,
from which the most important results may be expected ; the
new form of issue of this decimal money, and the annexed im-
posts, and finally your resolutions upon many other objects
requiring your consideration, are so many proofs of your wis-
dom and patriotism.
" I ought, however, particularly to mention not only the
law of indemnities, in which you have combined justice to each
individual with peace and assurance to all, but also that capital
measure, the sale of the national property, which, fertile in vast
advantages, by opening the primary sources of wealth, and
cementing the institutions which produced such copious fruits,
would, of themselv,:s, be sufficient to eternize the famous epoch
of the restoration of these kingdoms.
" My especial acknowledgments are no less due for the
powers intrusted to my Government for realizing important
improvements ; the delays in judicial and administrative orga-
nization, the collisions between ancient and modern laws, and

the conflicts of the authorities of Ordinances and of the Char-
ter, could net but cause serious injury to the credit of Consti-
tutional principles, and to the well-being of my people. It
was not possible in a few months to remedy the evils of years
and centuries ; but you having in your wisdom appreciated the
difficulties of this position, supplied the Government with
powers and means to proceed to a new valuation of the real
property of the kingdom, to open and facilitate the internal
communications, to improve public instruction, make territo-
rial divisions, and finally establish the Administration under all
its various relations.
" I hope that nothing will arise to destroy your confidence,
and that before long you will see verified the benefits of the
Charter, and that the Portuguese people will practically re-
cognise that our fundamental law is not a mere theory.
" On the sad occasion which we all deplore, some misguided
or unruly persons attempted, under the semblance of zeal, to
disturb the peace of the capital ; but the rectitude of public
spirit rendered almost unnecessary the interference of the
authorities, as good order was immediately restored. The
whole of the kingdom, and our possessions beyond seas, enjoy
perfect tranquillity, and I have reason to believe that the time
is fast approaching when the whole of my subjects, having
lost sight of the illusions of party spirit, will have for their
sole devise the Monarchy of the Charter, and will show them-
selves in all things worthy of the generosity and last efforts of
the immortal Liberator. The perfect intelligence and har-
mony of our country with friendly and allied nations still con-
tinues, and let all be assiduous in rendering practicable those
endeavours which may be consistent with the national dignity,
to re-establish useful relations with all countries, and princi-
pally with those from which we may derive the greatest com-
mercial advantages.

" GENTLEMEN DEPUTIES OF THE PORTUGUESE NATION,
" The multiplicity of affairs has not permitted you to exa-
mine the Budget for the present year ; the present taxes con-
tinue, therefore, in full force, according to the forms of the
Constitutional Charter, article 137 ; and I pledge myself that
my Government, in the constitutional limits assigned to it, will
employ all its care in augmenting the receipts and diminishing
the expenses of the State.
" Our credit at home and abroad is in that high state of
prosperity which might be expected from the good faith with
which we respect all the legitimate agreements and rights as
from ability with which we administer our undoubted resources.
"NOBLE PEERS OF THE KINGDOM AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
PORTUGUESE NATION,
" In returning to your ordinary occupations, say to the peo-
ple, that by my own voice you have heard these truths • instruct
them by your example in the faithful obedience to ihe laws,
and in the proper veneration to the authorities ; inspire them
all with the horror of license and anarchy, fatal enemies to
liberty, and infallible precursors of the ruin of States ; com-
municate to them the fruits of your wisdom and patriotism,
and closely reflect upon all public-and local wants and improve-
ments, in order that at the proper period for resuming your
high functions, you may co-operate, with your actions and ex-
perience, in completing the great work of Portuguese restora-
tion. You will thus acquire the blessings of the present and
of future generations."
When the Queen had done reading, she rose with mo-
dest grace, and extending her beautifully-formed bare arm
to return the paper to an attendant, slowly descended the
steps of the Throne, supported by the Mayor-Domo-Mayor,
Count Sampaio, who had the appearance of her great-
grandfather, and retired, surrounded by the Peers, Depu-
ties, Courtiers, and Officers, every eye being fixed on her
with an expression of veneration mingled with sorrow. To
judge from appearance, the amiable young Queen's late
bereavement has, if possible, knitted more closely the ties
of attachment which bound the nation to her and her cause.