The Sun.
London, England, 1827-01-03 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

LISBON PAPERS.

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THY. WAR DFPART•

MENT, DEC. 22.

" Extracts from the official communications received to-day by
this Ministry :
" Brigadier Azeredo writes from Mortagoa, under date of the
19th instant, a' follows I have the honour to request that your
Excellency will acquaint her Serene Highness the Infanta Regent
that I this day arrived at Villa de Mortagoa, with the battalion of
militia of Soure, and 40 or 50 cacadores of No. 7, &c. The re-
bels are in Tondella. Ido not know their numbers; but, what-
ever it may he, I hope in a few days to dislodge them, and as soon
as Colonel Antonio Pinto orders the detachment of infantry, No.
V., now in Coimbra, to join me, I shall march for Tondella.
" General Stubbs, in a communication dated the 19th, describes
the movements of some troops, which the Marquis de Angeja had
detached for Beira Alta, in order to co-operate with General
A zeredo.

" From Lower Beira, on the 19th, the General writes—' I have
the honour to acquaint your Excellency, that in accordance with
General Count de Villa for, I this day directed the forces under
my command to advance to Belmonte, part by the way of
Capinha, and part by Fondao and Covilhan. The latter portions
are now preparing to cut off the communication from Fondao and
Covilban, whence the rebels intended to convey the objects which
they wished to carry off.

" RODRIGO PINTO PI7,ARRO,
Chief of the Ist Division."
" Her Serene Highness the Infanta Regent, having destined for
the service of the army, 30 horses from the Royal stud, the same
has been communicated to his Excellency the Minister ad interim
of War, by his Excellency the Master of the Horse, in order that
directions may be given in the Royal stables for forwarding them
to their destination.

" The Government having, in the supplement to the Gazette
of the 17th instant, pointed out the mode in which those persons
who are anxious to serve the cause of patriotism, by giving or
selling horses for remounting the cavalry, or mules for remount-
ing the brigades of artillery, may concur in that object—those in-
dividuals who intend to give horses and mules may address them-
selves to the Minister of War, and those who wish to sell them
may apply to Lieutenant-General Jose Antonio de Rosa, President
of the Committee for remounting."

In consequence of indisposition, the Princess Regent was not
able to attend the prorogation of the Cortes; and the closing speech
of the session was delivered by the Bishop of Viseu. We extract
from the Lisbon Gazette the official account of the proceedings
which took place on this occasion :

" LISBON, DEC. 424.
"MINISTRY OF THE HOME DEPARTMENT.

" The Most Serene Senhora Infanta Regent having, in the
name of the, King, appointed the 23d of the present month for the
Royal sitting of the closing of the General Cortes, she ordered the
same, "by her decree of the 20th instant, to be communicated to
the Chamber of I'eers and the Chamber of Deputies of the Forth-

guese nation.
Both chambers assembled in the hall of the Ajuda Palace on
the said day, at 11 o'clock in the morning. The formalities and
etiquette practised in the former Royal sitting were observed with
respect to their introduction and reception. Her Royal Highness
could not attend in consequence of indisposition, but the Ministers
were present. The Bishop of Viseu, Peer of the kingdom, Mi-
nister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, delivered the fol-

lowing speech:—
" Worthy Peers of the kingdom, and Senhores Deputies of
the Portuguese nation,—ller Serene Highness the Senhura In-
fanta Regent, on the opening of the session of the Cortes of the
nresent year, congratulated von on seeing you assembled around
the throne of her august brother and King, Den Pedro IV.,
ready to consolidate, by a faithful execution of the fundamen-
tal law given to us by a generous Monarch, the establishment
of wise institutions, like those to which other nations are
indebted for their prosperity and glory, and which were al- '
ready, in a great part, well known to, and guarded by, our
ancestors, though they have since fallen into disuse, and been for-
gotten in consequence of the operation of time and events.
" < On the closing of the same session. she again congratulates
you, because in your constant gratitude for the generosity of our
august Monarch, in your respect for the constitutional charter, in
your noble desire of repairing the ills of the country, and renewing
the days of its fortune and illustrious fame, you have confirmed, in
the most unequivocal manner, the hopes which the Portugue,4e,
conceived of the prudence of the legislator, of the wisdom of the

law, and of your known patriotism.
" In this shot t period, you have, doubtless recognised wit,
regret the defects of our agriculture, the slow progress made by
our commerce, the very exhausted state of our finances, and the
decay of military discipline and gallantry ; and you will, with
vigilant efforts, endeavour to remedy those great evils by ade-
quate and prompt measures ; but as to know the evil, and to
apply with speed the proper remedy, is all that is wanted to eh
tain a good result, well-fOunded hopes may be encouraged, that,
with more time, in other legislative sessions you will raise our
Portugal to that due degree of prosperity and political considera-
tion which corresponds with her situation, with the number and
solidity of her alliances, and with the vigour of mind anti com-
prehensive, as well as circumspect, genius of her citizens.
" Such agreeable and well-founded hopes cannot be disap-
pointed by the defection of some cowards, and the delusion of
souse part of the population by artful persons. Certain ill-dis-
posed men from the frontier of a neighbouring nation, where they
were received, have'practised deception, and misled some incau-
tious people. Religion menaced, fundamental laws violated, are
the vain phantoms with which they have excited fear, and by
which they have succeeded in disturbing that union which they,
as Portuguese, ought to prefer above every thing.
" The Government, however, has not neglected to appeal to
the patriotism, led astray, indeed, but not extinguished, in their
hearts ; nor has it forgotten to meet with precautions and impe-
diments the progress of the contagion. Faithful soldiers march
with valour and constancy to defeat the plans anti counteract the
progress of the cowardly and disloyal ; and strengthened by the as-
sistance of our ancient and faithful ally, Great Britain—assistance
given with the most generous promptitude—we may confidently
hope to overcome still greater obktacles.
" "fhe contract of espousals is celebrated between her Faithful
Majesty the Senhora Donna Maria IL, and the most Serene Sen-
hor Infant Don !gigue', taking away all pretext from seditious
intriguers, and all ground of distrust from the deluded, must prove
an efficacious remedy against discord, rather originating in error
than in perverse intention, among a people who have been misled
by designing men.
Worthy Peers of the kingdom, and Deputies of the Portu-
guese nation,---You may rely that her Highness the Senhora In-
fanta Regent will, in the mean time, prepare to continue in the
following session to display her ardent zeal for the good of the
eountry, and to promote it efficacy and wisdom.
In this manner, her highness trusts that the tree of the
State, which has from so many peculiar and extraordinary causes
fallen into decay, will recover vigour, and flourish amidst the sin-
cere praises of our contemporaries, and the benedictions of our
posterity.'
" Haviog concluded, the aforesaid Minister and Secretary of
State said, addressing himself to the Members of both Chambers :
" ' In conformity with the decree of her Highness, the session
of the Chambers for the year 1826 is closed.'
" The Members then withdrew, the same formalities and eti-
quette being observed as on their introduction.
" To the above is added, the law giving the Government a
summary power of imprisonment for two months, which we in-
serted vestardAy."