The Sun.
London, England, 1821-10-19 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

LISBON, SEPT. 29.—The Charge d'Affaires of
his Britannic Majesty has quitted this capital,
and, as some people say, Without his passports.
The reason of this abrupt departure is said to be
the determination of the Cortes to enforce the
reform of the Tariff of our Customs, pursuant to
the 25th article of the Treaty of 1810. By this
alteration, and the increase of 15 per cent., the
consequence of it, all British merchandise ‘vill in
future pay customs to the amount -of GO per
cent.

If this be really the motive of the Minister's
departure, we must say, that none can be more
unjust. As to the enforcing this article, the,
Cortes have done their duty-- because a nation
in a state of rverty ought not to be:making pre-
sents; and should remember, in matters of
finance, that " charity begins at home." The
Cortes are to blame for not having declared this
infamous and dishonest treaty null and void, as
well as those of Leao and. Ovelha. As to the
Tariff of the Customs, the reforming it seems
to have furnished no reasonable ground for the
Charge. des Afiaires to put himself in so high a
passion. In reforming our tariffs we have done
exactly what England and all other commercial
nations have done; wea re not obliged implicitly
to follow the old tariffs, draWn up under the dic-
tation and orders of the' Consuls and the Mer-
chants of England.
Our manner of proceeding may prove to the
English Minister that we are no longer in his
leading strings, and that our treaties will.not in
future be made by Rovido and Aranjo, to the
prejudice of the kingdom. It is true that this in-
telligence may not be very agreeable to the En-
glish ; but they must content themselves with
the advantages they have already had, and which
are by no means inconsiderable.
The Sitting of the Cortes on the 28th was oc-
cupied witty the discussion of the 70th article of the
Coustitution, which sans :—" The King shall not
prevent the elections, nor the assembling of the
Cortes ; neither shall he prorogue, nor dissolve
them, nor protest in any Manner against their
discussions." Senor Ribello spoke at length on
this article, and approved of its principle ; but he
added, "the King shall not prevent," says the ar-
ticle ; if hOweyer he should do so, what punishment
ought to be inflicted on him ? In the articles which
inflict that of the abdication of the crown, this case
is not provided:for ; we should therefore alter the
70th article, and I propose this amendment, that,.
" if the King opposes the execution of the 70th
article, he should be deemed as. having abdicated."
This amendment produced a very warm and
ani-
mated discussion, but it was rejected, and.the
article passed as it stood originally, byn majority
of 52 against The President requested Senor
Ribello to write down his amendment, that it
may be again discussed with the eighth chapter,
which treats of those cases in which the King
shall be considered as having abdicated the crown.

• • TO CORRESPONDETS. •
We are unavoidably obliged to 'defer' the Remainder of IVIErt•
caron's Fourth Letter till To-morrow. For the First Parl
see our-Front rage this day. • 1.

PRICE OF STOCKS
THIS DAY AT -TWELVE 0-CLOCK.
Rank Stock
3 per Cent. Red. • ' 77i4 India Stock ' - 938)
3 per Cent. Cons. 78A 71; Excheq. Bills, -•5 4 pi
3 .t.Cent
per - 71.;ti
4 per Cent. - '96,ti

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MORROW.
Morning, 44 minutes after 9. I Evening, 12 minutes after IQ-

THE sUr.

SOLE2II bUIS.DICERE PALSU 117-,!UDE.4T

LONDON,
FRIDAY, OC7'O73ER 19, 18/1.

The state of Spain, though highly interesting,
is too unsettled to afford opportunity for useful
speculations on the probable form and character

which its new Institutions will finally assume.—
When we say that we entertain hopes that the
Spanish nation will at length enjoy the fruits of
their arduous struggles for liberty, both against
foreign and domestic enemies, we must be under-
stood to express that hope under the influence of
some apprehension that the revolutionary princi-
ple may be poshedbeyond the limits which are
necessary to its own safety and permanency, on
the one baud, and that it is possible that the re-
action excited by the friends to the old order of
things may acquire, from the folly'orimprudencel
of the Revolutionists -themselves, sufficient
energy to replunge the nation into the des-
potism from Which it. has so lately emerged.
—At presdnt, however, we confess that we
do not see so 'much appearance of danger
in these popular commotions which have alarm-
ed some of our contemporaries. Wherever
Liberty prevails, there we must expect to
find Faction. It has hitherto been the- inse-
parable
companion of Freedom. It manifested

itself unceasingly in all the free states of anti=
quity; and has never for an instant been sup.,
pressed, even in England, thotigh English LibertY.,
has been fenced and secured from her attacks by
all the safeguards -of LAW which the wisdom'
- and experience of mankind have been able to
devise. Under a despotism, Faction dares not
rear her head. There must be no opposition to
the will of the despot, no murmuring, ata•
tempts to introduce.. new .principles or measures
• into his government, whether forpurposes or real
or pretended:improvement. There may be qe..,
cret conspiracies, but there 'can be no open and
avowed Faction, no public cabals, 'no resistance
,
short of armed rebellion. Ina free stale, on the
other hand, Liberty no sooner establishE;s' her
throne than Faction makes her aPpearance, and,
under pretence of advancing the interests of
Freedom, unceasingly endeavours to bres_k down
the barriers which constitute her security. The
most fatal designs against Liberty are constantly
pursued by Faction in England. We cannot,
therefore,
.be surprised- that she has appeared
with her usual characteristics in Spain. Let us
hope that in both countries her pernicious' -pro-
ceedings may be equally unsuccessful,