Star.
London, England, 1826-12-13 00:00:00

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roads had been made.by POrtugueseroleserters. A boa*
from Estramadura, equipped by Spanish authority, had'
marched under the command of the Governor of Bade-
jos. This force advanced into Portugal, and toolopos-
session of Villa Nova. In addition to that circum-
stance,. there weep great and important considerations.
An Army of communication was observed from one end
of the frontier...to the other; and whilst one inroad was
gide-at one place, another was made at another part
of the frontier. This proved that the troops were not
organised in Estramadura alone. It was evident there
was a concert and arrangement sanctioned by the
Spanish Government. it might be possible that an act
of hostility might have been committed at the time the
Spanish Government opposed the act, but an irruption
of the magnitude described could not have been without
the consent and connivance of that Government. The
Noble E trl then adverted to the Treaties which existed
between this country and Portugal. The first was en-
tered into in 1661, and there was one in 1703. The first
contained stipulations by which this country was to
send to the assistance of Portugal a force to the-extent
of 3,000 men, and by , the. second 6,000 men: There
was also an express stipulation in the Treaty. of Vienna
in 1815, that nothing was to interfere with the anciaot
Treaties which had so long existed between Great Bri-
tain and Portugal, on the contrary they were renewed.
Their Lordships would see that the support to be sent to
Portugal was not founded upon any wild or romantic
Scheme. It was the effect of an alliance of the greatest
advantage to this country. We were obliged to support
Portugal, upon principles of, policy and good faith.—
Under those circumstances, orders have been given for
British troops to prepare to proceed to Lisbon, for the
purpose of acting with the Portuguese. It was the in-
tention of his Majesty's- Government to bring about a
tettlemeat of these disputes, and every effort had been
'lade for that purpose. A recommendation had been
given to Spain to follow the same system which Portugal
pursued, namely not to encourage deserters, which
must aggravate their contentions. An hundred remon-
strances of that sort had been made by his Majesty's
Government, in the hope of putting an end to aggres-
sions; but there was a powerfill faction, which set at
nought all the orders of the King of Spain, if those orders
did not square with their own feelings and passions—
(l-leer). And when that faction was in existence, re-
*Wittig to obey the orders of their Sovereign, what could
be expected? After the remonstrances of his Majesty's
Government, through the medium of our Minister at
Madrid, had failed, it became necessary to resort to
*forcible and poweriul measures, in order that the faith
of this country might be preserved, and a feeling of
peace and amity on the part of Spain be restored. In
the Address which it was his intends° to move, be should express
the hope of that Mouse, that the Measures taken by his Majesty
towards the King of Spain nal& tie effectual, and that the House
of Lords moveyed to his Majesty an assurance of cordial support,
for the purpose of securing the existence and independence of our
oldest Ally.—The Noble Earl accordingly moved—
" Tkat an humble Address be presented to his Majesty, to return
the thanks'of that House for his mom gracious Message, and to
erpreps that his. Majesty might rely en the concurrence of that
House in maintaining the faith of treaties, ate. Ste
Lord HOLLAND gave his cordial concurrence to
'the Address, because he thought . justice and sound
policy required an early manifestation of spirit, and a
conscientious adherence to the faith of treaties pn the
part of Great Britain. It was, and should be always,
the policy -of Great. Britain to preserve a friendly alliance
:with Portugal ; and the greatest achievement of the
Noble Duke ( Wellington) was the putting that alliance
on the closest and firmest footing.. He had but little
faith in the cu-operative professions of the French Go-
vernment. They professed sincerity of forbearance
befuse they invaded Spain, and yet they held that
country in military ',objection. He wished the independence of
Pot tugal bad been then fought for on the plain, of Spain; and the
cause of the Catholics of Ireland would not be now fought for on
the plaits of Portugal ; until that country would be settled, it would
be unfair to go to war; and it would not be sealed without Catholic
Emancipation. -
The Duke of WELLINGTON said he did not rise
to offer any apology for the measure proposed by his
Majesty's Government. On the contrary his anxious
ish was, that all apology should be rendered unneces-
sary. The duty had devolved on him for many years
of directing the resources both of Spain and Portugal,
when Ibis country interfered to protect them hom the
common enemy. He was therefore enabled to form
some estimate of the general character of the people in
the Peninsul as He hoped the circumstances in question
were more to be attributed to the servants of the Go-
vernment than to the Spanish Government itself—more
to the Captains General of the provinces than to his
Catholic Majesty himself. But he did not care whether
they took place with or without the concurrence of the
. Spanish Government; he could not possibly see an
armed force marching on both sides of the Douro, and
to the south of the rages and Guadiana, at the same dose
armed by Spanish Authorities, and not see that such a pro-
ceeding must have bad the concurrence of the Spanish Go-
vernment. He still thought, however, that war might be
prevented; and he thought that the measure now pro-
posed by his Majesty's Ministers was the most likely to prevent
ft. He hoped that, with the co-operation of his Most Chaisdan
Majesty, his Catholic Majesty would be brought to a sense of his
own interest, and induce his Government to take the necessary
steps towards effecting an ae.conamodadoo.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE, after some prefatory
Tema' ks, said he was sure it was not necessary' for him
to trespass on their Lordships -indulgence at any length,
as there could be but one opinion on the subject now
under consideration. If he had not hitherto adverted

to that subject in the course of the present Session, it
. was not from any thing like indifference to the great
interests which it involved. Last week, when he was
told that the ten itory of our faithful and ancient Ally
was invade 3, it was not without anxious feeling that he
restrained himself from asking some questions of a
Noble Earl who was not now in his place. If he had
not done so, however, it was because he felt assured that
his Majesty's Ministers were not wanting to themselves
or to the country on the occasion. He knew that they
wanted not the spirit to act, and the power to execute.
but while he allowed it to be matter of great com-
mendation to his Majesty's Ministers to make every
effort to avert the calamities of war—he trusted also, that
if war appeared necessary, they would not stop to in-
quire whether the cause had proceeded from the King
M Spain, or from the faction under whose influence be
seemed to act—(Hear, hear). He trusted that they
would, with as little hesitation as possible, act upon the
course which they had laid down, and that their Lord-
ships would have as little hesitation in approving of that
course. Any hesitation at this juncture would be the
very worst policy. It would be the worst policy, not
only towards Portugal, but towards that Government,
whose efforts they were told were united with ours in
nuking remonstrances with Spain, but which needed
not to be the
less sincere or active in having the power-
ful cooperation of this country. He hoped they would
compel Spain, at her own peril, to respect the rights

and independence of her altighbour—(Hpar).. Now,l
while he entiralurgreed with chose who were of opinion
diat the cants ftederis had here arisen. he would mans-,
tritin that, on the principle of honesty alone, we ought to
interfere for the defence of Portugal. We ought to use'
our utmost efforts to prevent that interference with the
independence of other nations, which, if once admitted,
would in the end apply to this country. For his part
k'
he should be prepared to sanction every possible mea-
sure for the.protection of Portugal, even if the country
were not bound by ,the faith of Treaties. In giving his
cordial approbation to the present measure, as well as'
to the Address founded upon it—he trusted at the same
tinie, that every thing that could be judiciously done'
would be resorted to, in order to warn Spain of her''
danger. He joined with the Noble Duke in hoping that
these proceedings might be found to have emanated, not from the
King of Spain, but from his servarito—but the principle was odious,
it was one which ought to be resisted.
The motion was then unanimously agreed to, and their Lordships
adjourned at a Quarter before Siz.