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

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reedy arrived In the pert of Lisboa Ow the disks of re.
deka, Me did not intend' to speak, fir It: appeared that they
were to farm the selsject of snooker modem He knew not to
. whin acts, save these which he had 'Madded, Reiland could
here resorted, shaft of Wir, Er the application of such
snemees as, if disregarded, would remier wet a natural con.
'mance. Now, was it for the interest if Ragland. be would
ask, to go is war for the putters, of compodlieg Don Miguel to
perform his empowestia, or of enforcing on a reluctant people a
constitution flat Which they had no ? (Hear.) Under
what eireeromances, he would ask, was that constitution granted ?
The house had been told that it was the duty of England to range
herself on the side of free esestitutions, and despotic govern.
moms; and that she ought, upon that pried et, to throw her sword
lute the balance of parties which were now ividing Portugal. in
plain English, the argument of the hon. bars. and of his noble friend,
red when eel silts dazzling rhetoric, was nothing more than thie.—
"We ought to go to war fur the Portendse constitution.''—(hear,
hew.)Now, whatever the feelings of the people of England might
be at presentegarding the propriety of such a war, he would ven-
ture to predict that two months would not elapse from its com-
mencement' before the supplies for ling it would be withheld.
Was, then, that constitution granted with such deliberation and con.
saltation of circumstances as ought to precede the rant of a
form of government ? It was true that that constitution ema-
nated from a legitimate source. But under what circumstance* ?
Don Pedro received intelligence of the death of Don John on
the 28th of April. On the 30th of April he had an interview
with Sir Charles Stuart, when mention was first made of the Por-
tuguese constitution. Bir Charles Stuart, in his despatch to the
British government on the subject, said, " he produced the project
of a constitution for Portugal, to the compilation of which he had
devoted the greater part "—of what, would the house suppose ? of
his life P No: Sir Charles Stuart addle!, "of a week. (Hear.)
This was the manner in which Don Pedro had framed a constitu.
lion by which a country 2,000 or 3,000 miles from the Brazils, was
to be governed. Before this country resolved to go to war, in
support of this emanation, it would at least be mania, to
ascertain how for the affections of the people of Portugal were
enlisted in its favour. On the let of March. 1328, Sir Frede-
rick lamb wrote, in a despatch to the British government—
". Den Miguel is constantly assailed with entreaties to make
himself Ring." In the course of the same month Sir F. Lamb
stated in another despatch —" No party here of any consequence at.
aches the least value to the charter. These facts being perfectly
undeniable, he implored the house to reflect upon the consequences
of forcing upon a reluctant people • constitution, however good
in itself. It should not be forgotten that an effort had been made
in Portugal to oppose the assumption of Power by Don IlligueL
The army aided that attempt--all the disciplined force of the
country was in its favour, and yet the attempt signally failed. The
failure of this attempt to dispossmis Don 3liguel of his usurped
authority warranted the assumption that we should meet
with no cordial support from the people of Portugal, if we entered
upon a war in support of the constitution. It was said that Brazil
had proposed to us to enter Into • treaty. the object of which was to
dispossess Don Miguel of his power and re.establish the constitu-
tion; but it was quite evident that this would be merely a nominal
treaty on the put of Brazil, and that the whole burden of the war, if
it were undertaken would fall upon us. Besides, there were good
reasons for supposing that even it the Government of Brazil were in-
clined to defray its share of the undertaking, the le ople of that country
would not consent to such &sacrifice in favour of Portuguese inter-
ests exclusively. On the ground that there was nothing which
called upon this country in vindication of its honour to go to war,
or to pursue any other course than that which had been pursued,—
on the ground that the interests of the country, apart from consi-
derations of honour, were opposed to war, he would resist the ma.
Lion, the object of which was to express an opinion in favour of
another line of polit7. He wished on his own account personally,
sad es con with the Administration, that the papers moved
Ix could be produced 1 but in the present state of our relations
with Portnpl, be was bound to state his opinion, that it would
not be fa the interest of Englund,—it would not be for the interest
if Plsetelpl,r.it would not be fur the interest of that party with
Owe sympathies of his noble friend were so justly and so
heeentably engaged. On these grounds he was bound to state, on
his responsibility as a Minister of the Crown, that it would not be
wise to produce the documents at the present moment. The noble
lord had stated, that the papers already produced on the subject
were garbled extracts. He denied that most distinctly....
(bear, bear.) He trusted that the house would not be Imposed
Epos by whatever they might have heard with respect to the
pplasetioras of his 3lajesty's Government for arbitrary power
' IPA illepotie institutions, and of its indifference to free inn I-
MAM'. sad to the fate of those who had been engaed in
malntalnieg theen,—he hoped, be repeated, that the_ house
imald an efiper itself to be led away by vague accusations,
tits ipieftwit was insensible to the painful situation of those
=whole& involved themselves in difficulties, from their ad.
to the free institutions of Portugal. He could state with
imillitbst ministers were at the present moment labouring earnestly
obi Nikitously for the protection of their interests, and he could
MMNII the house, that one of his main grounds for withholding his
*ea from the motion before them, was his deliberate conviction
that the unreserved communication of documents would not pro-
mote the interests of those unfortunate persons. (Hear, hear.) An
attempt had been made to raise a prejudice against government,
by darting that ministers had insisted that Don Pedro should
give his daughter in marriage to Don Miguel. He could only
meet that positive assertion by as positive a dental. (Hear, hear.)
The British Government had never attempted to press the mar-
liege of Don Pedro since he declared his insuperable and very na-
tural repugnance to the union. Indeed, all communications
with Don Pedro on that subject had been made rather wish
the view of ascertaining his sentiments than any other object.
Afier the explanation he bad offered, he was sure the house
would bear him out in the assertion that the British Govern.
meat had done nothing to disgrace the honour of England. (Hear,
hear, hear.) The Government professed no friendship for arbi.
testy power--It expressed no approbation of the course of con-
duct which Don Miguel had pursued. 'He claimed permission
to share the sympathy which was felt for those individuals
who were suffering on account of their attachment to free instate.
lions, and their adherence to the cause of Don Pedro, whom they
considered their legitimate monarch ; but he trusted it was possible
to reconcile that feeling with obedience to the diorites of calm and
sober judgment. He thought it was the true policy of England to
maintain peace as long as it could be maintained consistently with
honour, and not for one hour longer than it could be so maintained.
Intlx2prusent instance he was of opinion that the maintenance of
peace was perfectly consistent with the honour and interests of Eng-
land ; and let the judgment of the house be what it might, he, tow
one, never would be a patty to a vote, which would have the effect
of oontraventing the policy which the government had hitherto pur.
sued, and of which he belived the house would, at no remote period,
have cause to repent. (Cheers.)
Mr. HU:SEISM IN next addressed the house. Some of his ob.
servadons at the commencement were inaudible. When we could
hear him he was expressing an opinion that our foreign policy had
altered for the worse since the death of Pair. Canning. The policy
of Mr. Canning was equally opposed to the two extreme parties—
those who wished every thing to retrograde to the position in which
it stood prior to the French revolution, and those who desired
to revive the spirit of that revolution. (Hear, hear.) The right
honourable gentleman then contended that hell the moment the
British troops were sent to Portugal, the country was divided
into two parties, one called the English and constitutional party,
and the other the Spanish and despotic party. (Hear, hear.)—.
From that moment, too, England teas, in the minds of ;Ite people
of Portugal, identified with the 'upon of the constitution. liis
sight hon. friend argued with perfect security on many points of this
cop; and why, because he had refirsed to grant the papers which
they had deemed it necessary to call for. His right bon. Mend had
• stated that Sir Henry Welleeley had no authoety front this govern.
•alent to interfere. Ile (34. Husklsson), though he stood there as
tote who hadfbeen in the service of the crown, did not mean to refer
to any communication which be might hate had in the course
of his official dun( a, and which his tight honourable friend might
wish to conceal from the houses but be knew from another
EillErr,—from a source which had beenmade public—from informs.
Tina given to the Portuguese people, and which information had.
ft em& its way here—that cis right hon. Met d had not narrated the
enact facts of the case. He could assert, without fear of comedic.
the, that Sir H. Wellesley was apprized that the great object of this
enemy was to effect peat, and reconcilistion between the princes of
thalami/ of Braganca, and to maintain inviolate the constitution of
Porteel g and he was surprised that his right hon. friend, the real-
dent of the board of trade, who was at the time in his Majesty:,
councils, should have said that this government endeavoured to bring
about a compromise ; for be was perfectly convinced from all the
information which be had received on the subject, that so far as EQ.
land, was concerned her object was the maintenance of the Poem-
guest constbution. When it was asserted that Sir H. Wellesley
acted acted as • mute on this occasion, he begged to recall the atten-
tion of those who made this statement to the other parties who were
employed in the business. Sure he was, that it was not probable
that Slr H. Wellesley or Prince 31euernich, both of whom were fa.
vourable to the Portuguese constitution, would, at the instance at
Ron Miguel's friends, consent to compromise it. He found besides
that the .protocol of the 23d of October began in those wools--
4 The last protocol having been agreed to and signed, the Ambas-
sador of England Immediately afterwards stated that he had is most
Important communication to make to the congress." Now, what
Illas that communication ? Why, that individuals then constegatel
in Spain, and most improperly supported by other persons in Part',
were about to interpose fOr the 'tufted of overouniirg the Phi.
legume government, and that therefore it would be necessary to
call on Don Miguel to act firmly in support of the constitu.
ton. In this point of view, therefore, he contended alit
this country did, to a great extent, had the liberal party in