Star.
London, England, 1823-10-21 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

DETRACT Or A LETTER DATED LISBON, OCTOBER 2.

•e After the ceremony of the investiture of his Faithful
Majesty with the Order of the Garter, on the 23d ult.
there was a grand dinner at the Palace, and on the
King of Portugal's health being drank, all standing, the
ships of war fired a salute, and the same compliment
attended that of the King of England. At eight o'clock,
a signal being given from the Palace, the British ships
shewed their lights, and in an instant they were all in
one blaze of illumination. Rockets, blue lights, and
port-fires, were let off by the ships. The forts were firing
salutes a full hour. A grand ball aid supper concluded
the evening. On the 24th the King and Royal Family
(having previously bespoken the Opera and Ballet) an-
nounced their intention of going to the Theatre; and
out of compliment, all those who were present at the in-
vestiture attended.

" The King's box is full twenty feet in width, in the
centre of the house, facing the stage ; it had a rich
curtain before it, which was withdrawn on the entrance
of the Royal Family, who were partially cheered on
their arrival and departure. On the left side sat Don
Juan the King, next to him her Mijesty the Queen,
mext Don Miguel their son, and the three Princesses.—
The Opera was frivolous and stupid.
" On the 28th, arrived the Naiad frigate, and yes-
terday came the Seringapatans frigate, which has aug-
mented the squadron of British ships of war from one
line-of-battle ship and two frigates to that and four fri-
gates ; and while they remain here no disturbance is
apprehended, but on their departure a dreadful com-
motion is expected.
" Yesterday, a grand dinner was given by Sir E.
Thornton and Sir G. Nayler to the Portuguese Govern-
ment, on board the Hussar: one hundred sat down to
dinner ; the Ladies, iu full dress, were on board. About
eight, dancing began, and was kept up till four this
morning. On Friday next his Majesty will goon board
the Revenge to view the ship. Every day the English
are shewing him some civility."

THE KING or SPAIN'S JOURNEY TO MADRID.

"XI RES DE LA FRONTERA, OCTOBER 4.—As I had
nothing particular to arrange which demanded my im-
mediate return to Cadiz, I decided upon accompanying
his Majesty on his journey towards Madrid.
" Our journey here was one of triumph ; all the Ser-
♦iles, Faithful, and French seemed to vie with each
other in expressions of loyalty and attachment to the.
Royal Faulty. Our retinue was composed of the beads •
of Departments, the prisoner s who bad been under ar-
rest at the Carracas, or arsenal, for " factious" conduct
and opinions, as well as those concerned in the assassi-
nations of Cadiz on the 10th March, 1820. Pantisco,
the old factious guerilla leader; Guerra, the noted rob-
ber, now a Colonel of the Faithful ; the Prior of the
Convents of LA Victoria, La Merced, St. Juan Dios,
a•rd many of the Holy Brethren; about 500 of the
Royal Spanish Guard, under Cordova (who much dis-
tinguished himself in the affair of Cadiz above•men-
tione,i), a detachment of the Royal Carabineer', under
Espi:icmt, (who commanded them on the 7th July,
and is now promoted to the rank of 31ajor-General), a
con i,!erable French force, infantry, cavalry, and arta-.
ler:, commanded by Count Bourbon Bousset, and all
the rabble of the place.
"On our approach to Xeres, a deputation from the
Cur piratical, with the Corregidor a: their head, followed
by a hest of It-rests, nobi:ity, and Ore lowest of the low,
met his Majesty, and in a short address congratuLded
him on his great achievements; as vi e ascended the hill,
the bells raug, flags were displayed ; and on entering
the ci y, the same frantic maddened joy was evinced by
the mob, as on our landing at Port St. Mary's. The
procession passed the ancient and magnificent dwelling
of the Dake of San Lorenzo; this Nob!eman had
been Ambassador at Paris under the Constitutional Go-
vernment, had been firm in the cause of liberty, and
I believe is still resident in London; thousands of im-
precations burst from the mob as we passed; the Cara-
bineers remembered that before this Palace they had
been compelled by Freyre, in 1820, to acknowledge
the Constitution; a murmur which threatened destrui.-
tion to the building circulated among the crowd, but
General Bevas was billeted there, and his guard restored
tranquillity; at length, after much delay, we arrived at
the Plaza or square called Arend, and latterly de la
Coodiitucion ; a band of music welcomed our approach,
tapestry adorned the balconies, and continued vivas to
Ll Rey absoluto, la IngithiCloll, &c. rent the air. The
inferior orders paraded the streets, dressed in their best,
and adorned with white favours and pink ribands, on
which were printed numerous mottoes, such as Viva
el Rey ! Viva la Religion ! Viva to Ley ! Viva la Inqui.
sicion I' on others, a < iva In l 1• ! Viva el Rey ! Nuera In
Nadon Ahem la Constitution ! Viva el Despotism !
Mueran los Liberates &c. &c.

" Turning w ith disgust from this scene of absolutism
aad supersutious frenzy, I was surprised to observe the
almost total absence of genteel and respectable people,
particularly females; I, however, feared to iirquire,least
I might excite suspicion, and restrained my curiosity
until I reached the I laza de Aaarazanes, where our
friends, and indeed I may say the friends of Englishmen
in general, received me most kindly; and a young Spa-
niard present gave me all the information I wished upon
the state of the public opinion, which 1 will give you in
his own words; Xeres (he said) is a place of about
30,000 inhabitants, many of them rich merchants and
agriculturists; under the Constitution it was improving
rapidly, from the reduction of tithes and taxes; many
of our principal, and really the whole of the middling
class of people are compromised ; the clergy and mob
are most inveterate persecutors; we are under their rule
and worse than we should he in Barbary ; persecution
and vengeance have reached their utmost. One of my
companions rejoined his family a few days since, think-
ing himself sate under the proclamation by which emi-
grants were invited to return, but was obliged to Ay
instantly to avoid being arrested, and all his property has
been confiscated. Other patriots, without any other cause
than that of being so, have been imprisoned, and are in
the public jail, not as we confined the factious, but as the
Moors keep their slaves in bondage! When this scene
oF woe will terminate I will not pretend to predict. The
Royalists may confiscate, hang, burn, and banish ; but
let the French troops leave the country, and a most
bloody counter-revolution will ensue, horn which no
Priest will escape. "

Letters from Benicarlo, of the 24 instant, were re-
ceived yesterday. They state, that almost all the re-
spectable inhabitants of that part of Spain bad fled to
the Balearic Islands, to escape the destruction 4which
menaced them from the Faith-men.

THE EVENING STAR.

LONDON.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1525.