The Sun.
London, England, 1828-09-27 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE LONDON JOURNALS,

It gives us much satisfaction to announce the
arrival of Donna Maria da Gloria, Queen of
Portugal, 'at Falmouth, on Wednesday morning,
about nine o'clock. Her Majesty was 19 days
on the passage, having left Gibraltar on. the sth
inst., in the iniperatriz Brazilian frigate of 40
guns. For the particulars of the young Queen's
approach to the shores of England, and of the
honourable and manly reception prepared for her
by command of his Majesty, we refer to our
Tac-
counts
from the spot. The Royal salute from
the men-of-war and batteries at Falmouth, when
the Royal standard. of Portugal was hoisted at
the main of the imperatriz, must have been
most grateful to the loyal attendants of the infant
Queen ; it being, as alleged, the first positive as-
surance received by them that the British Go-
vernment had resolved to act upon a full sense
of what was due to the dignity of the allied
crowns of Great Britain and Portugal, and at
once to acknoWledge the Royal title conferred
by Don Pedro, and by the law of settlement
contained in the charter, on his offspring. The
personal security thus afforded -to the lawful
Sovereign of Portugal, by England, and the re-
cognition of her sovereignty, thus proclaimed,
we dwell upon with heartfelt pleasure as events
of great importance to British interests and cha-
racter, in she present state of Europe. There
are circumstances in action which we need not
allude to, but which may very shortly illustrate
the advantage of having, on this occasion, dealt
justly towards our friends, and formidably
towards those who do not deserve our
friendship. So far as principle : and right
feeling are concerned, his Majesty's Go-
vernment has repaired much imputed wrong;
and ensured a great deal Of future be-
nefit, by thus, though tardily, acting up to their
professions at the close .of the last se3sion of
Parliament. His Majesty, on proroguing Par-
liament, was pleased to declare, that his course
of policy in relation to Portugal should be go-
verned by the decisions of Don .Pedro. That
was 'a distinct acknowledgment of Don Pedro's
right to retrieve, in his own way, the misfor-
tunes and disgrace which his august house and
faithful people had suffered from the unnatural
treachery of his brother. The Emperor of
Brazil now sends his daughter to Europe 'to
claim her crown, and issues proclamations to her
subjects, _requiring and exhorting them to quell
she wicked usurpation. The Government of
England their redeems its pledge. It obeys the
voice of friendship, justice, policy, honour, and
humanity. It receives royally the heiress of its
ancient ally, distinctly recognizes her succession
to the Crown of Portugal, vindicates the mea-
sure of. withdrawing its Minister from the
usurper's den,' and brands Miguel as a traitor
and an outlaw. We have said that this manly
policy of our country relieves both Government
and people from a thousand embarrassments, as
to questions of public right. For any practical
consequences which may arise froin it, if England
should be hereafter called upon to follow up her
judgment on.the case now submitted to her, by
deeds instead of declarations, every man in pub-
lic life and private must prepare himself for
such appeals to the energy of his character ; and
our allies need little fear, that where good faith
and honour are implicated, the brave people on
whose protection they repose will abandon them.
Tunes.

The Evidence appended to the Report of the
Committee on the Civil Government of Canada
is exceedingly instructive, with respect to the
consequences which flow frem the establishment
of a Government founded on corruption. The
contiguity of the United States. of North ATUe-
rica, with the Institutions of which the witnesses
are all familiar, and to which they constantly
refer, has- here been of infinite advantge. We
have on the one hand Institutions of the most
simple nature, leaving the inhabitants at full
liberty to make the most of their situation, and
limiting their activity only When it would trench
on the just rights of others; and under these
Institutions we see the
.people happy and pros-
perous, and advancing with an unheard-of rapi-
dity in the career of improvement. On the other
hand, we see a country equally .favoured in soil
and climate unable to avail itself of its natural ad-
vantages, by the obstacles opposed by a Govern-,
ment with interests hostile to those of the inha-

blunts, and distracted besides by the jealousies
produced by the intolerance. of a hierarchy to
which the great majority do not belong and never
can be attached, and the grants to which, by im-
peding cultivation, render it still more an object
of dislike. Mr. Edw. Ellice,
.who inherited the
last seigneury bordering upon. Upper Canada,
called Beaukarnois, was anxious, under a clause
passed at' his suggestion in the Canada Trade
Act in 1822, and under the Canada Tenures
Act passed in 1825, to avail himself of their
provisions with respect to his lands. But he
found
all manner of difficulties thrown in his
way by the local authorities, between which and
the Colonial Department at home ho was
bandied about so that he saw at last all further
attempts were hopeless„....,, The difficulty," he
says, " arose from a very general cause of diffi-
culty in that country-tea dread
on the part
or the local authorities to
act upon their
own responsibility, complaining of defec-
tive instructions from home ; and this -aggravat-
ed by a perpetual reference backwards
and•
forwards, from the Government to. the-Colonial
Secretary, in the hope
that they might at last
agree upon the means of executing the provi.
•
mons of the law. In my•apprehension, epr9.
vision in the -Act of 1822 was sufficiently clear
for a Government that would have acted with
any promptitude
and energy,and would have
.
felt interest in the object view." Mr. John
Neilson, a native of .Seotland,. who has been
thirty-seven years in Lower Canada, re presented
in the House of Assembly the County of Que-
bec for ten years, and one'el the Canadian e-
putiO, a very sensible and candid witness, gives
• 'Very -valuable evidence as to the working of the
system. Several -of the questions put to this
witness indigate, on. the part- of those who put
them, an'earoest wish to find out some substi-
tute for honesty and •
justice, which might satisfy
the Canadians • • •
, conceiving, no doubt, that the.
perfection of Government is to devise means for
pillaging, and at the same time blinding,
the
Feople But the unfortunate neighbourhood of
the United States! " I do not think (he says)
that the township people, or
:any other portion
of the people of-Lower • Canada, would like to
see a departure from the general principle, that
the number of Representatives ought to be pro-
portioned
,to ~the number
of qualified electors."
On what ,ground would it be unsafe
" I think it is unsafe to deviate., in a matter of
that kind, so greatly froin the privileges
the people enjoy ist the adjoining
:States; the
people in Canada think they are entitled to pri.:
vileges nearly corresponding • with those which I
exist on the other, side of the Line ; .and I do
not think it is safe for this Government to de.

. ,
viate too much with respect to popular privi-
leges from what exists in the United States of
North America."—" If you were to be convinced
that the practice which has been described exists
in the neighbouring country, should you think
that there is any ground of danger in adopting
it in Lower Canada ?" "It is not very likely-
that 1 should be convinced on that subject ; there
may be something that I am not aware of, but
I am almost certain that there is nothing that
authorises a departure from the principle laid
down in all the American Constitutions I have
seen ; but even if it were so, 1 do not think it
is fair ; I think it is essential that justice should
exist every where. I think it is the foundation
of all Government and all security,."--" There
is one thing that is desired to give them which
they have in the United' States, and that is the
power of regulating their own little concerns,
which I conceive contributes very much to the
prosperity of the United States ; every district
of country regulates matters of common com-
mon - convenience, such as roads and bridges.
What can be done by an individual is clone, but
what cannot be done by an individual is done by
a common effort of the whole community, as de-
termined by the majority; whereas, in the town-
ships • they can get nothing done without delays
and expenses. . . With us, a man
must make a journey to Quebec ; he must 'go
to a•great expense ; he must bow to this man,
and bow to that Man; and rap at this door and
at that door, and spend days and 'weeks to effect
a little improvement of a road, of counnon con-
venience to a district ; whereas, all that is done
in the United States without going out of his
own small district." Mr. Neilson's evidence is
peculiarly instructive- as to the necessary con-
nexion between a dominant Church and 'mole-
rance.—" Do you- consider the present state of
the Clergy reserves, as having had a very unfortn-
nate effect upon the religious peace, and the
general harmony and good will of the population
of Canada towards one another ?"—" Yes, if'
that were the only, cause, things would not have
been so bad as they are ; they, no doubt, are the
present bone of contention, but a contention con-
nected with religion has been going on a con-
siderable time, and it originated altogether, in
my opinion, in the pretension which has been
set up by the Church, of having•an exclusive
establishment in Lower Canada."
" Are there any religious animosities between the
Protestants and Catholics in Lower Canada ?—No,
not among the people generally ; but there has been
a good deal of apprehension on the part of many
Catholics since 1817; the whole Government and
Legislative Council being in the hands of Protes-
tants, and particularly of our Church ; the Corpora-
lion that was to manage the schools happened to be
of the same description, and they attempted to
establish these schools all over the province. Some
of the Catholics imagined that it was a kind of pro-
selyting plan, and it raised some jealousy. Are the
Committee to understand, from what you have
said, that if both the Protestant and Catholic reli-
gions are protected in their establishment in that
country, and there is no appearance of any design on
the part of Government to ;nfringe on the rights of
one or the other, that you do not apprehend that
there will be any religious animosities between Pro-
testants and Catholics in the Province of Lower
Canada ?—I should think so. It was not till 1821,
upon the rejection of the School Bill sent up by the
House of Assembly, giving the direction of the
Schools severally to the Clergy of all religious deno-
minations, that there did seem to break out any
great jealousy on the part of the Roman Catholics.
That confirmed them in the jealousies which they
probably had internally before, on account of cer-
tain instructions already mentioned; but then they
burst forth to a great extent ; since that time they
have gone on increasing, but they did not believe,
nor do they yet believe,
_ that the Government of
this country was at the bottom pf it ; they generally
thought that it was something started in the Co-
lony, and it has.not, in consequence of that, got to
so great a height as it would otherwise have got,
for amongst the body uf the people at this present
moment, no man asks whether his neighbour is a
Catholic or a Protestant ; there are Catholics and
Protestants in the same family and neighbourhood,
and all living in perfect
.harmony. -In truth, no
country was ever more exempt from religious animo-
sities than Lower Canada has generally been during
the 37 years I have resided there. Are there an'

attempts to proselyte on the part of the Catholi'c
Church ?—No; / think they arc the least proselyting
people that ever I leave seen. I have been frequently
at the houses of the Clergy, and they never talk to
you about religion; generally the Canadian Roman
Catholics shun every_ conversation about religion.
Are the Catholic Clergy much respected by their
flocks generally ?—They are respected, I believe, by
every body in the country : I have never heard any
body speak ill of them generally."
Mr. Edward Ellice, speaking of the Catholic
Clergy, says, " I think it necessary to state, that
when I talk of the claims of the Roman Catho-
lic Clergy in Canada, I do not believe a more
liberal, benevolent, or charitable body of Chris.
tian Ministers exists in any country, or one
whose conduct and habits are more exemplary
or praiseworthy; and I am persuaded they will
be found at all times disposed to lend themselves
consistently with the interests of their religion
and church, to every measure for the improve-
ment and advantage of their country." ' What
a pity so promising an attempt to found a system
of Orangeism should have been -fruStrated by
the contaminating notions of .the United States.
The -poor Catholics of Canada would have been •
admirable subjects for perSecution.—Morning
Chronicle.

The aggregate of the estates and other pro-
perty belonging to the various City Companies
is, we believe, enormous. Besides large pro-
perty in the City itself and in and about the
metropolis, several of them •• • .
possess whole towns,
and nearly whole counties, in
.Ireland, as grants
made to them out of the forfeited estates. An
idea begins to be entertained (and we only won-
der that it has been
that the incomes derisvod long
in springing
.up)
are not made of quitee so much
from these properties
general use as
they might be, and that,o•
i on the contrary,• what
are called the Courts Assistants of some of
the Companies not only monopolise all the good
Select things, but that, like Vestries, they con-
trive to nominate each
usher,
, and so keep both the
and pro
power, patronage,in one select chan-
nel, to the manifest
injury of the great
body of
freemen, to whom they belong, and - for whose
benefit these good things were equally intended.
The Civic body are, as we all know, mighty re-
formers of the state; and :so some ,
are eof these
Companies. But need we tell them that the
best earnest of their sincerity wouldlbe to beniti
their reform at home ? and we confcss that °we
should think much more highly of civic
pa-
triotism, were we to see it first employed in ;;et-
tin its own house in order,before it sets .about
tinkering the State. SOme of the freemen
.of
the Fishmongers' Company, have, we perceive,
set on foot all investigation into, their concerns,
for which we highly applaud them.; and we trust
tlat their desire for information will be met by

-
itioSe who have the management of the
p_any's. concerns with readiness and openness.
Where there is nothing to conceal, or nothing
which requires alteration, every pait of a system

may be exposed to open day; and it is to be
' hoped, that other Companies, whose affairs may
hitherto have been, with no bad intention, con-
cealed from the mass of those whom they con-
cern, will voluntarily anticipate a disclosure,
which will • otherwise be forced upon them.-
- Morning Herald.
The recognition of the Queen of Portugal by
the Government of this country, as the sole legi-
timate Sovereign of Portugal, naturally gives rise
• to the question whether any steps will now be
taken by it for the purpose of aiding her in-the
recovery of her lost rights. There are treaties
we understand, in existence between this country
and Portugal, which would go far to authorise
such a step ; but unless the temper of the Go-
vernment has been greatly altered by the mani-
fest feelings of all parties, both here and on the
Continent, respecting its past conduct towards
Portugal, we fear that there is but little chance
of advantage being taken of them for the attain-
ment of such a righteous purpose. On the
contrary, we believe it to be the intention of the
Government simply to recognise Donna Maria
as the lawful Sovereign of Portugal—to abstain
from any correspondence with Don Miguel, in
his assumed dignity of King, and to wait
the result of -the negotiations which the
persuasive Strangford has been commis-
sioned to enter upon with his Imperial
Majesty of the_ Brazils. The mere circum-
stance of' the recognition of her Majesty by the
crowned heads of ,Europe (for the Ambassadors
of France and Austria have instructions to pay
their Masters' respects to her in that capacity),
will not, however, be .without its use. It will
revive the drooping spirits Of the Portuguese
ConstittitiOnalists—strike terror into the heart of
the Usurper and his adherents, and stamp any
expedition which may be fitted out in the ..name-
of her Majesty, with-a legitimate character,whicb
no other circumstance could have conferred on
it. There are at present, in this country, not
fewer than three thousand. Portuguese Constitu-
tionalists—not only willing to embark their lives
and fortunes in behalf of her Majesty, but train-
ed to the use of' arms. There are many thou-
sands in Portugal of' whom the same account
may be given ; and we are not, therefore, with-

out sanguine hopes that the reign of the Usurper
way still be limited to one short year,—the
throne, which he has. diSgraced,• -filled by the
lawful Sbvereign,and the .Charter, which he
has abolished, restored to the country over which
he. has so senselessly and cruelly tyrannized.—
Moriring Advertiser.