The Sun.
London, England, 1821-10-31 00:00:00

[TILE TIMES.]

Of the foreign- intelligence by the mails of
yesterday, that from Portugal seems the most
striking. The Cortes are now in constant and
laborious action, and the dignity and difficulty
of the questions which they have to decide be-
stow upon that body a title to general attention.
From what has been hitherto observed of their
proceedings, there is among them, apparently, so
much zeal and public spirit, and purity of
feeling, that, however in some instances their
decisions may fail to satisfy the judgment of ex-
perienced statesmen, they will, we doubt not,
earn for themselves at last the gratitude of Por-
tugal, and the respect of Europe. The most
prominent subject of recent debate has been that
branch of 'the legislative constitution which con-
cerns the qualifications of the Deputies.

[BRITISH PRESS.]
There seem-s, happily, to prevail between the
King and the Cortes of Portugal a very good un-
derstanding, and an appearance of mutual confi-
dence, which augers well for the general prospe-
rity of the State. While such a feeling subsists
the country cannot fail of receiving benefits from
any form of Constitution, because every mind
will be exerted—not in fruitless trials of
strength, or in dangerous intrigtres to counteract
the mischiefs of ambition or jealousy—but in de-
vising and executing what may seem to all to. be
most serviceable to the State. Such, unfortu-
nately, is not the case with Spain, m here the
Courtiers and Monks, calling themselves the
King's friends, have excited such a jealousy of
their conduct, and even of the King's intentions,
that the utmost firmness of the Cortes will be
required to save the country from the effects of
party violence. In such a state of political ex-
citation, the
_natural vices of the Constitution re-
quire only an increase of ambition in the King,
or of jealousy in the Cortes, to be brought -out
and made prominent ; but in Portugal they seem
likely to remain dormant, and, from the different
political circumstances of the two countries, it
might happen that a form of Government would
be highly profitable to Portugal, which for Spain
-would be fraught with evils of the worst and
most appalling character. The great evil in. the,
Constitution of both countries is, that there is no
balancing power between the King and the Cor-
tes—a power which, like our House of Lords,
might interpose between the ambition of the one,
and the occasional intemperance of the other,
and which has, in fact, on some great and me-
morable occasions of English history, saved the
Constitution of our country, and rescued us by
its silent, though necessary operation, from the
present effects of civil dissentions, and the even-
tual misery of arbitrary power.

[MORNING CHRONICLE.]
A Lisbon Mail arrived yesterday with letters
and papers to the 21st inst., and from the latter
extracts will be found in another part of our co-
lumns. In the Sitting of the Cortes of the 9th, a
letter from the Prince was read, dated Rio Ja-
neiro, July 17th, and sent to the Congress by the
King's orders, in which he states that the Pro-
-vince of Rio Janeiro is in a perfect state of tran-
quillity, and gives an account of the expences of
his Government there for the last year, which
had amounted to twenty millions of cruzados,
that the estimate for the present year was
only fourteen millions, but that the province
would not yield beyond six,, by which means
-a deficiency of eight would be experienced, to
•cover which, he is in a great dilemma, as the other
Ca ptain-Generalships declined contr'buting. He
further adds, that the volunteer corps were 26
months in arrears of pay, and besides, the re-
pairs of several ships of war had been ordered
that in St. Paul's a Junta had been formed, to
which the people gave the powers of Govern-
ment; that the troops in Santos had mutinied,
&c. He concludes by assuring his august father
that he will do every thing for the welfare and
glory of the nation, and requests him to lay his
letter before the Cortes.