Star.
London, England, 1831-08-06 00:00:00

THE AFFAIRS OF PORTUGAL.

The Earl of ABERDEEN mid that It; was desirous to
call their Lordships' attention to a subject a. the preset.'
moment of great importance, and not ouly to the outrage to
the British flag in the Women, , but to the prospect.
held out. These was no place eeriness impostors' ao thee
British merchant than the Azores, and if they fell Into hose
tile hands, it was impossible to calculate the evil that would
be felt by the British nation. The Noble Earl at the head
of his Majesty's Government had on a former occasion de-
clined to answer any questions upon the subject, and
he ousted that his Lordship had silica acquired infor.
mation, and would lay it before their Lordships. He
would describe the events to their Lotdships he so much com-
plained of. They took place at Terceira, an island in the
Azores, which had recently acknowledged the sovereignty
of Portegal. Shortly after, Terceira was rem:Aura, nrd
remained under the government of a patty called the Re-
gercy. All the authorities agree that the inhabitants were
atteehed to the Power in Poetss!, and were suffering under
military authority. About two years ago, the Emperor of
Brazil thought tit to nominate a regency fur Portugal,
which reelaired in this country for some time, and public-
qtontly established itself ht Terceira, hot took no part in
tee political events dint took place, they being eteadtres of
the Emperor, anti laud nothing to depend upon but the
monthly allowances greeted to them. As soon as those
allowances were discontinued, ,hey had no means to subsist,
and determined ueou plunder, and in April last an em-
bargo was laid ma all Brideh vessels in T.retira,
forcibly took possession of the Protector, of London;
four or five other British vessels, seeing tile fate that
awaited them, entered into terms on .he l'eth of April.
Tete. were armed, paned, and took possession of Fesyal, and
other islands of the Azores; hey nut only outputted those
deferoseless islands, but took possession of several merchant.
men. If this was not piracy, he was not aware of what was.
Remonstrances were made he the British mordants to the
officer commandirg the squadron, who said that he would
not be jutitled in reterfering. The govern:nye of Portugal,
feeling the necessity of acquainting merchantmen of the
danger of approaching the Western Idea, engaged two Bri-
tish vessels for that purpose ; but that was not allowed by
the British Consul, on the ground that it would be a viola.
don of the neutrality of tide country. It was notorious that
the Emperor of Brazil tees engaged in projeys to conquer
Portugal, and that a luau was in contemplation, as a
security for which the revenues of Portasal %ere to be
given. He did not think the gullibility of contractors was
so great as to agree to the semis; bOt he knew that a por-
tion of money hail been raised, and that ASIA end British
officers were engaged lea Fetch a project. Such a peoceetling
was contrary to the law of nations, and the law of the law%
(teat, hear,) and a deviation from the obteervaneet due indictee
laves. NJ admitted the right of Dan Pedro to declare war
ag..inst hie brother, and it wets the luty of this country to be
'Wetly neetrel ; hut, alter vations attempts. he found the
case nesperate, en] I as year the Emperor of Brazil a a.ie. a
tleclaratiou of his it:Orden • CO: to go to war Wit'a his :,ia-
OW. but to settle the dielreoootty a egociation, ant: 5.;, zo
Ambassador to this ionetry fur that purpose. But since
his Majesty Vag come.• 1110 to abandon his correry and
children, by the ;maintain voice of la is enbjects, net one of
whom raised their hands in his favour, he boo came
here to wage a privete war. No terson on the flee of the
glebe ever showed such an aversion to British interests as the
ltlmperot of Brazil, who on every occasion inflicted the in.
jury on .Iritieh stejecut, and all attempts to obtain redress
acre slighted. Such was his dbinclination to render jus-
tice, that the late Government were obliged to sere) out
instructions to make reprise& for spoliatione euhjects
had committed on liritish subjects. A cohvetatioe was sub
serently signed, bat the terms were not esecutee: ; end
he believed that the present Government wotildeLe obliged
to treat the Government of Don i'.tJru the 2tl, es tee former
Administration um compelled to trait Don Pedro time
fat. Although he had every reason to believe that the
present Government of the Brazils was very difierent foe.,
their predecessors, the Emperor was expelled for barite;
violated his pledge not to interfere in ties :Heirs of Portu-
gal. Ha ceesidered that the expedition in pe peratiea ;.,
this country was calculeted to veld to the difrculti.s heneiee
over the state of Europe. He could not think of epeekiee
of these Braziliar.s us a I:collie The: ...cello tail thin T.
vetted to the french expedition to Po. tueel, whic'e ha ere-
sidered had reflected teepee: upon this coer try. If stir:,
...it event bad taken piece in the time of Clinks X. the
:orate? retuntistratinti would have bee,. tasullet' with every
term of reprurch. He woes astouithetl tile. the noel, eau
lie cot feel disposed to produce such impels as en ;hi pus
their lordships in full pee:cask': of the whole of this case.—
Mr. C.untiog telt bound to state, eta. 'La had use
all nis Influence to ;nevem thy French invasion
It there was responsibility in feneine infonnetien, tat: wets

great responsibility lo refusing it. The noble lord admow.
ledged the treaties, but he seemed not to be aware of the
obligation they imposed. Those treaties commenced is the
reign of Edward the Third, and they were all confirmed and
declared to be in full force by the treaty of 1816 The in-
west. of British subjects were protected, and scatted by those
treaties. The noble lord thought that a word from the
noble sad would have prevented the French expedition.
He would give no opinion upon the whole of the complaints
by France, but be thought they might have been settled by
ncpciation. Portugal bad refused to sign an unconditimal
consent to all the demands, and appealed to that power
who bad a right to interfere. hut • deaf ear was given
to that appal. When advice was given to release the
two Frenchmen, it was followed. The object of the
French =psalm was e.t so. &Az a repupribtaoseshis
rigrair:vvendeormAfripteipreetite. aprtreut for
that ft was 'apen prise of, notwith-
standing the various attempts to disturb it. The Marquis
of Palmella wos obliged to take flight because the whole
country was against him, and in favour of the King of
Portugal, who could cot be removed except by assassin.
Lon. Henry the Fourth was assassin:Jed. The French
expedition, instead of creating a feeling hostile to the Go-
vernment, had rendered the people more united, and all at-
tempts to disturb the Government proved hopeless. He
would not enter into the private character of the King of
Portugal If the noble earl was determined to overthrow
the Government of Portugal, let him overthrow it and de.
dare war, which would be more honest than the course now
pursued by his Majesty's Government. The noble earl
concluded by moving for copies of the despatches from the
British Consul at the Azores, and the representation of the
British nterehants, and other documents connected with the
Council at Terceira.

Earl GREY said, that the noble lord had throughout Ids
indulged in confident asserdon in his allusions to the
speech
mail, Portugal, and France, and bad concluded by
moving for papers connected with the Azores. A more un-
fair proceeding never had been adopted. The noble earl on
a former occasion said that he would abandon his motion
respecting the affairs of Portugal, but that he would bring
forward another question. Tim whole of the noble earl's
speech was founded upon the state of Portugal, and the
same motives that prevented him from producing papers on
a former night, would influence him in resisting this motion.
At the proper time the necessary papers would be produced,
and their lordships would then be satisfied that the honour
of the country was preserved. He considered that France
had a right to claim reparation for the injury inflicted
upon her honour by Portugal. He begged to inform the
noble earl that advice bad been given by his Majesty's
Government to Portugal, but it was not attended to.
The noble lord bad spoken in his sneering manna
of his (Earl Grey's) predilections for liberal govern-
ments. He would state that be had a predelictiou in favour
of a government founded upon honour' justice, and inde-
pendence; and against a government fouuded upon tyranny,
usurpation, and cruelty.—(Chems.)--'fbe Noble Ran said
that the King of Portugal was beloved by hie subjects, but
on a former occasion he admitted that he was perfidious and
cruel, because cruelty was the companion of cowardice, and
an usurper; and for thaw reasons his (Earl Grey's) predi-
lections were not in his favour; although his subjects were
Attached to him. It was said, like Henry IV. he might be
assassinated. This was a most unhappy comparison. He de.
tested the-crime; even the assassination of Cesar was not
justified by retributive justice. 'There were circumstances
connected with the government of Portugal that rendered
it dangerous to interfere. The noble Earl had assumed a
„great many facto, whit 4 he considered unfair and unjust.
He considered that, in the presets. critical situation of France,
the noble Earl's allusion was calculated to spread a fire-
brand. He was at a loss itt know for what useful purpose
such remarks were made. They certainly could not
be intended for the good of this mutiny. He believed
the noble earl was anxious to re-occull his scat en his
(Earl Grey's side of the house. lie believed that the
lrrench ex ition was on the point of leaving the Tagus,
if they h not already left. it. The noble earl had gone
into the wholi conduct of the Emperor of the Brazils most
unjustly, and said that the Emperee was driven from the
Brazils by the unanimous voice of his people. He denied
that Don Pedro had done any-thing to compromise the neu-
trality of this country. He had a right to rains loans. Tire
• Warm of Terceira was held in the name of Donna Maria foe
the last three years. He denied the right to ietertiere in
' the proceedings of the Regency in that island. He attri-
buted many of the evils or the pram' day M the step that
was takeu to interfere in the affairs of Spain on a former
occasion. But it seemed that the cue was different, as the
attack upon St. Michael's was made in British vessels.
Compensation was offered to be made by the Government of
Terceira to the British merchants, and oniers were sent out
to the Coneul-General at the Western Islands to inquire
into the facts of the case. He approved of the conduct of
the British Consul in Lisbon, in stopping the British ships
employed by the Portuguese Government. He condemned
the conduct of the Noble Earl, who was not justified in
' using the terms of severity and reproach to his Majesty's .
Ministers. He hoped their Lordships would agree with him
that those papers should not be produced. It was the first
time that papers were called for upon such grounds, and he
would therefore oppose the motion.
' The Duke of WELLINGTON did not consider that
; the censures of the noble earl were well founded ; as he
' thought his noble friend has made out a case that justified
the course he had pursued. He thought that the French
expedition to the Taps bad something beyond the repels-
don of national honour in view. 16 was stated that the
French Admiral *calved .instructions to ascertain if there
was any prospect of revolutionising Portugal, and he stated
that there was no chance. The whole question turned upon
, this point. He wanted to know were we, or were we uot,
bound to protect Portugal against revolutionary invasion.
(Hear.) The noble lord found fault with what his noble
, friend had stated respecting the Emperor of Brazil. The
' Emperor was only an individual in tuis country, and could
not attempt to exercise any power that any other individual
had not a right to exercise. He would ask what steps the
mi:risters had taken to prevent the invasion of those Western
Islands by ileitis:l ships, and if they had demarded repeat.
tion for the injury done to British subjects. The Western
Islands were of the greatest advantage to the commerce of
this country, and it would be dangerous to allow them to
be occupied by a piratical power. Lie thought that to a
few years this government would be obliged to take pos.
• session of those islands. What his noble friend required
was information reseecting the taking possession of British
ships and the attacks upon the Azores, and not the dry
secret information.

Lord lIOLLA ND commented upon eh, grounds uhat in-
fluenced the Noble Earl who introduced the motion, as
founded upon a statement in a trench paper, respecting the
intentions of the French Government as to the expeaitton
to Portugal. He thought such a course quite unparliarnaz.
tary. The business could not be deemed an outrage until tile,
termination of the ncriciations. The Noble Duke talked
of carrying on war in 41:1 uiwn and manly way. Ile trosted
that the pre:Ant tiovernmcnt would nut allow the honour of
this country to be tarnished. tonnerly the Azores were not
considered of city importance, but now they were deemed
of great interest to the shipping interest.
.114 cunden.ned
the censure pasm.e. tipun Dnn Pedro. What had Don Pedro
to do with the Coutictl of Terceira? Tne itegeticy of Ter.
crira was Low called a piratical power. He was astonished
at such comments, when Donna Maria had beta acknow-
ledged Queen of Portugsl flute years ego in this ceuntrp—
The noble lord hati alluded to ihe recent revolution in
erance. He (Lord Holinnel) would ask the aoble lord
where were the exiles, the confiscations urising :rout that
revolution ? He admiteed that .his country ham a greet in-
terest in the independence of Portugal, and was k,c LaL to
defend her from au). real invasion or disuienilitrnient. lie
justified the conduct that his ►lajesty's ministers nat. pur•
sued throughout .he whulJ businew. ,He would oppose tut
motion. . .
•

Lurd ELLENBOROUGH supported the motion.
The Earl of ABERDEEN, in reply, raid that the akvar-

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