The Sun.
London, England, 1826-09-19 00:00:00

PORTUG AL.

" kASTORAL LETTER OF THE CARDINAL PATRIARCH OF LISBON.
" LISBON, SEPT. 4.—Since Divine Providence consti-
tuted us Pastor of the important flock whose safety it has
committed to us, my well-beloved children, you cannot
fail to be the objects dearest to my heart, which is afflicted
and torn with a fear of seeing some of the sheep wandering
from the field of eternal felicity.
" In the existing crisis of the new form, and the new
political order, my fear increases, because illusion and
error can make a blessing be considered as kin evil, a benefit
as a loss, and the improvement of our ancient institutions
as their overthrow, and entire abolition, by rendering you
besides distrustfal of the safety of the holy religion which
we profess, and sowing among you the seeds of discord,
capable of bursting the bonds of Christian society, and of
producing monstrous and atrocious crimes. Yes, it is
thus that turbulent spirits will endeavour by dextrous im-
postures, to indispose you against the Constitutional
Charter,:, wise, and well-framed, which our August So-
vereign Pedro IV., casting a benevolent regard upon the
Portuguese nation, has deigned to send us from the dis-
taut regions beyond the Atlantic- to constitute our happiness
and to consolidate our greatest interests. It cannot but
acknowleOge the powerful influence of. uniformity, or, at
least, at the great resemblance between the two Govern-
ments, to 'draw closer and closer the bonds of friendship
between two allied, and independent nations-the Portu-
guese and the - Brazilian—and the better to establish
between them ancient relations, with'reciprocal advantages,
greaterand more favourable. It is thus dist the King, in
his profound wisdom, has thought and acted.
" But the genius of evil and, of seduction, , opposed to
truth: and public tranquillity, is desirous' 24 'making you
believe
,that the illegal and proscribed 'Constitution of
1822 is going to be established in the constitutional char-
ter of this year, and that after having fallen, it is about to
be raised.

" Can such an imposture, dearly beloved children, se,
dupe you, and lead you to rebellion and disobedience to
your Sovereign ? Will you consent that they sport with
your reason ? It is very easy to discover by yourselves
the artful snare which has been laid for you. Compare
the new Constitution with the new charter which his Ma-
jesty gives you, and you will acknowledge at once that they
are in perfect opposition in their principles, in their essence,
and in their results,
" The Constitution of 182.2 was, as you knoW, the work
of a rebellious faction, which usurped the sovereign power,
and arrogated to itself the right of disposing of the nation
and its destinies. The Cortes, convoked by it without
legitimate authority, could not receive that authority from
those who had it not to bestow. On the contrary, the
charter of April 19, descends from the height of the throne.
It is dictated by the spontaneous will of our august Sove-
reign, who, in virtue of our ancient laws, possesses in him-
self the legislative power.
" The Constitution, by the shock of the elements which
composed it, disorganized the monarchy to its foundations,
overthrew all its ancient institutions, and annihilated the
rights and privileges of the ranks and hierarchies of so-
ciety. It invaded the right of property, which it had pro-
mised to defend, and debased the ancient throne of our
Kings, whom it had stript of their sovereignty, as far as
the most revolutionary reform could go. The new char-
ter, so fur from invading the rights of the nation, maintains
and revives its ancient institutions, preserves the rights,
the privileges, and the social hierarchies consecrated by
them; preserves likewise the dignity and splendour of the
throne, and separates from supreme power whatever can
render it odious, while it gives guarantees to the citizens
for their individual safety, and for their properties. It is
iu all its parts the work of a father who desires the happi-
ness and the well-being of his children.
" The Constitution of 1622 has only created one MI,
tional representation to whielt almost only would have
been called the Members of one of the three orders of the
State. From this it would naturally have resulted that
the interests of the two.others would have been left with-
out defenders; but all the three orders were culled by the
Charter of the National Representation, and concurred to
form two distinct Assemblies, which will protect and en-
courage, by all the means in their power, the interests of
all classes, and the genend welfare. In tine, this Charter
is nothing but the improvement of the ancient political
Constitution, and of the fundamental laws which served as
a basis to our Representative Government.
" What, then, is wanting to it'? At different epochs
long since passed the Portuguese people besought their
Kings to assemble the Cortes at certain fixed periods, and
even King John I. was supplicated to convoke theM every
year ; but the humble prayers of the nation did not re-
ceive a favourable hearing, and it is Don Pedro IV. who is
the first of our Kings to satisfy the ancient prayers of the
people, and granting them, with a generous heart, what
their ancient Monarchs had denied. The generosity of his
Majesty even goes* further—for he even. grants to the new
Cortes legislative powers, whilst the ancient ones possessed
only consultative rights, without, however, prostituting in
any way by this glorious concession a supreme power of
the rights, of the sovereignty.
" Finally,a Monarch so Christian and so religious, could
not lose sight of the religion of our ancestors, of which, by
oue Ministry, we are the first sentinel, and in the very
irst article's of the constitutional charter we find it de-
Jared the religion of the state, and place it under the pro-
tection of the Sovereign authority and of the laws.
" Is any . thing further necessary, my faithful flock, to
demoostsate to your satisfaction, and to convince your
hearts that the charter granted by his Majesty is altogether
different from the Constitution of the Cortes, And that this
welt of the august wisdom of our paternal Monarch per-
fects our aneieut Coostitution, and procures new advan-
tages to the Portuguese nation ? Let calumny and impes-
tore then be confounded—let timid minds be resussured,
let u reply to the greatness of the benefit by our obits
dience, by on« loyalty, and. by a fidelity without limit.
"The charter has opeued to you the path of happiness,
follow it, be obedient 'and £sitll£uf, and experience will de-
monstrste the advantages of the new political order.—
Union and ohedience, two precepts of' the divine laws,
are the basis of time social edifice, without which it falls
into ruiris On them depends the eternal and temporary
happieess of men. They form the doctrine* of the Gospel,
and they are the greatest of all blessings,as discord
iii
time greatest of all evils. Nevertheless, this union, which
of a nation makes one family, and which we, recommend
authority ; and our Saviour,
so earnestly, is impossible Without a prompt 04 faithful
and his disciples
Jesus Christ, preached and practised it,
obedience to the ssivereign mid
taught it to the whole world, as the
first and the most
sacred of human duties.
always ready to de-
ition and of the ether
A soeiPty without silhordisiation
would be do assemblage of monsters,
your each other. The fury of mob
passions would attend everywhere hatred and vengeance,
and the pride of dominion in oppressing
h wit to to
weakness without
resistance, would constrain tae plesieetible mai n
conceal himself in the bosom of his faintly.. Jp floe, we
should see on all bands only calamities.
" My welt-beloved children, regard with horror, rebel-
lion, disobedience, and discord, so fate) to all nations and
ali Governments, Do not call down
sufferings sit' those wig', revolting against their Klng,san
upon your heads. the
agaitist supreme aothority, beepme criminal before oh(
and Y can only
re II . ,
will result from the.new constitutional charter by obeying
its at 4 showing yoursetves grateful towards him who bus
the
collect the fruits which
given it, Do not allow yourselves to be ndsled by
shameful examples of some madmen. Pity them, and pray
on them. r-1 '
for them, that they fluty return ito the road of honour,-and
utnhoaltltibi.fielymsnelsay cater ei,", the most steered duty which reli-
. .
hortanotis may
you may spare me the sorrow of sireing
'you grant that my. pastoral ex-
find yosir hearts ready to reCove thew, that
frustroted my ar-
dent .re to
dead youli; leinto the way of all good, and to
m.
tops you fro the petit of all wickedness.
(..,,s ;
" The peace of God be
ypersonal responsibility, the Paris"
A; We enjoin on their