Star.
London, England, 1830-03-11 00:00:00

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tunes. She received all dishonours due to her u a queen. in the
recent speech from the throne, however, it was intimated, in pretty
distinct teems, that the time was, probably, not far distant when it
would be deemed expedient to recognise the usurper of her throne.,
He conceived, therefore, that it would be useful to have an opportu-
ntty of comparing the correspondence which took place at the time
of her majesty's arrival in this countrywith the announcement (when-
ever it should come forth) that the British government had recognised
and sanctioned the claims of Don Miguel. He should also mole
for copies of those negotiations for reconciling the Princes of
the house of Braganca, which were alluded to in his Majesty's
speech. In the speech,from the throne, in July, 1828, his Majesty
said that he would rely upon the wisdom of the august sovereign,
the head of the house of Braganzs, to take the course which should
be best calculated to maintain the interests and honour of that illus.
trions family, and to secure the peace and happiness of the domi-
nions over which it reigned. This was a very wise maxim, because
it implied that the sovereign of a state was the best judge of the
measures necessary for the goverment of the people. It seemed,
however, as if this intimation was intended as a kind of hint to the
august personage to whom it referred. But, in the speech of Feb.
1829, it appeared that the reliance before declared had never been
very firm, snd was not of long duration. It appeared to have been
considered that the wisdom for which his Majesty gave credit to his
ally might be assisted with a little advice, and an ambassador was
sent for that purpose. In 1829, parliament was told that, "deeply
interested in the prosperity of the Portuguese monarchy, his Ma-
jesty had entered into negotiations with the head of the house of
Braganca in the hope of terminating a state of affairs which was
incompatible with the permanent tranquillity and welfare of Portu-
gal.- Now, let gentlemen say what they would, or do what they
would, there was a fatality which drew us, like the moth at-
tracted by the candle, to interfere in the internal affairs of Portu-
gal ; and no man could deny that England was deeply interested
in the tranquillity and happiness of Portugal ; and even that
government, who said it would leave Portugal alone, was obliged
afterwards to step in, although too late, and unsuccessfully, for the
intended object. At the end of the last session the country was
told that the negotiations were still going on ; but at the beginning
of the present session it was intimated that they had been unsuc-
cessful. The speech from the throne, at the opening of the present
session, said, his majesty laments that he is unable to 101110alla
the prospect of a reconciliation between the princes of the bongo of
Braganca." It was a usual, and certainly a becoming
when Parliament was informed that certain negotiations Er been
carried on, and that they had failed, to give some information re-
specting them, in order that it might be seen whether their failure
was attributable to the advisers of the crown. He should have thought
that the government themselves would have produced the necessary
papers ; but, as they had failed to do so, it was his intention to
move for their production ; and he was the more impelled to it be.
cause part of them were before the house, and it appeared that the
government had founded their negotiations upon grounds which
would be unequivocally condemned by the home. They had made
the marriage of the Queen Donna Maria, if not a sine qua non, at
least a point upon which subsequent proceedings were to rest. But
it was said that that marriage was a part of the plan contemplated
by Don Pedro in 1827, and that it was recommended in conformity
with his views. Now, would any man say that under the dif-
ferent aspects which affairs had assumed, and after the unfore.
seen events that had occurred, that marriage, which might have
been expedient at the former time, was equally so at the latter;
or that in fact it could, in any fur or true sense, be called
the same marriage in 1829? Little more than one year bad
elapsed between these periods, but within that small space Don M-
iguel had found
" Ample verge and space enough
The characters of Hell to trace."
If, in 1827, Don Pedro or Mr. Canning could have opened the
book of fate, and foreseen the events which took place In the short
but momentous year, 1828, would they, for an instant, have
thought of such a marrisl,e ? It was a matter of surprise that, with
the events of 1828 before their eyes, an English Government could
have proposed to a father and a Sovereign to confide his daughter to
her rival and enemy—(hear, hear,)—an individual who has shewn
that he dealt with perjury as an amusing exercise of
his mind ; - (hear,)—who, by their own admission, to the
baseness of cowardice added the cruelty of massacre I—who, in
glutting his revenge, or in endeavouring to secure the regal sway,
spared neither infancy nor age, and respected neither sex nor station.
(Cheers.) He asked, could that marriage have been projected with
any other view than to secure to Don Miguel the fruits of his vio.
lence and his injustice ? It confirmed the opinion of those who
looked upon the whole of the transactions of the government, in
connection with this subject, as proofs that they laboured to assist
the usurpation of Don Miguel. The basis on which the negocia.
tions were founded comprised five distinct propositions--Ist, That
there should be an immediate marriage of the Queen with the Infant
Don Miguel, who should immediately take the title of King-..2d,
That on account of the family connection, any differences should be
referred to the Emperor of Austria—bd.. That on the death of the
Queen, if she should die without issue, and before Don Miguel, the
crown should pass to the royal branch of the family--that was Don
bliguel.-4th, That if the King should die without issue the Queen
should reign--sth, That no notice should be taken of the past
changes in the government of Portugal. There was a sixth
article, but of minor importance, relating to the removal of the
young Queen from this country, and her being placed under
the care of the Emperor of Austria. Now with regard to Don
Miguel assuming the title of King, he must say that such a regula-
tion was in direct contravention of those laws relating to the sun.
cession which had been in force for 700 years. The laws of La.
mego laid it down that the Queen should many only a noble Por-
tuguese, and that he should not assume the title of King until he
should have had issue male by the Queen. Therefore, the first re-
gulation in these negotiations was in violation of the laws of La.
mego. As to the second stipulation, he should say nothing in op-
position to it, as he thought it a fair regulation, considering the re-
lationship of parties. The acquiescence of English govern-
ment in the usurpation of Don Miguel had the effect of not only
passing over the right of Donna Maria, but also the right of three
other individuals of the house of Brogans', in violation of the laws
of Lamego, which ordained that the daughter of a King Regent
should each of them have a preference as to their right of succession
to the sons of his brother, except such daughter should marry a fo-
reigner, or make other positive defeasance or forfeiture of her title
to succeed. Donna Maria's right, then, was that of the other three
daughters of the house of Brawn. The fifth article of this cele-
brated negotiation settled that no notice was to be taken:La;
change which might take place in the Government of Porto
It certainly seemed strange that England, whose avowed principle
of political conduct was noninterference, should thus make itself,
by stipulation, a guarantee to a change in those laws which bad ex-
isted 700 years back, and to putting aside the right of three indivi-
duals of a family, who by treaty and by political interests it was
certainly called on to support. But the English Government turned
round and said, this was not one of their propositions. Was it then
a Brazilian proposition ? Could it have been made in compliance
with the suggestions of Don Pedro ? If not a Brazilian proposition,
was it then a Spanish proposition ? The facts enumerated would
speak for themselves. But, if it was found to be neither a Spanish
nor a Brazilian proposition, might it not be fairly imagined to be
that of Don Miguel ? He, however, would not on this occasion cell
on the house to express any opinion. He believed there was not now
any intention on the part of government to recognise Don Miguel.
It was impossible for him to think so, and recollect what bad lately
reached our ears as to the determination of Don Pedro, or before our
government was acquainted with the issue of the now fast.opprottch-
log crisis at Terceira. It was much more likely in his mind they
would proceed to acknowledge the regency of Donna Maria at that
island. He was aware that in that house there were some who
would resort to a strange sort of avgument, resembling rather a cry
—namely, that he was to be looked on with suspicion and doubt, as
disposed to involve this nation in war. He denied both the argu.
went and the fact. He was not such a fool, not so destitute of ordi-
nary understanding, as to wish any such dangerous result; but he
certainly thought the measures now followed, avowedly to maintain
a seeming neutrality, were much more likely to involve us, and that
at no very distant period, in war.—(Hear.) In seeking to maintain
peace, we should not forget, as a nation, that respect which was due
to ourselves, and to other nations in alliance with us. Our princi-
ple should he that of neither doing nor suffering an injustice—
neither seeking enemies, nor offering offence. If this was our
course we should be strong in the consciousness of right, and, if
war was unhappily the result, join battle in the confidence of a.
good cause. (Hear, hear.) In other countries it had been taunt-
ingly said that, because a nation with whom we were in alliance had
declined to accept our rule of conduct for its political duty, all her
of maintaining peace on the Peninsula was at an end. Changes in
Administration had of late years taken place sufficiently on this side
of the British Channel to warrant a suspicion that such changes
might take place on the other side of it. Other governments
might be found yet disposed to assume our proud place as
arbiter of a nation's happiness and welfare, and to afford
that succour and support to a popular and rightful Monarch which
we did not hesitate to give to a usurper. This was a ease, he
thought, not only comprising he question of the tranquilization of
Portugal, but that of the whole Peninsula. In fact it was
char that a case might arise in which we might either be
to abandon the cause of Don Miguel, as we had already Mignon.
fully done with respect to the Portuguese Connitutionallets, or
haveth fight the battle of the usurper Miguel. Our great
it appeared, had been, due we had thrown that country,
which bad
been so long in close alliance with and dependent on thia nation,
into the confidence of another, against whose influence it had
hitherto been our anxious wish to guard them—namely, Spain. The
triumph of Don Miguel was the triumph of Spain, who Ntd cowl.
senanced the rebellion of a prince, of whom, notwithstanding all we
bad done to protect his colonies and countenance his usurpation, this
government could not obtain from him the remission of a cruel and