The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-01-12 00:00:00

gTA.TESMAN

Even strangers, who profit by the dreaffel indifference
or coldness of the Portuguese Government, often said
with honourable frankness—" This_ he country was
worthy of a better fate." Blessed as Portugal is with a
most (miffed soil, overflowing with agricultural riches,
augmented in quantity by the improvident permission of
exeessive importation, yet the general distress was so
extreme that the poor were perishing with famine in the
midst of plenty, and the bounty of Heaven was blasted
by the folly of man.
The Manifesto then shows how this distress was still
further aggravated by continuing an immense expend-
iture, as if the Court were still at Lisbon, while the
revenue was sensibly diminishiug by the above causes,
as well as by the negligence and peculation of the offi-
cers. The sums sent to Brazil for the war in America,
&c. increased the distress and caused the salaries of
the public servants in every department, as well as the
interest of the public debt, to he dreadfully in arrear;
anti, finally (with shame he it spoken), it was not
possible to complete a loan of only four millions of
erns:Woes.
The Portuguese knowing the heart of their Sovereign,
hoped he would prepare the necessary reforms, a hope 1
which his Majesty sometimes encouraged ; but the hope
vanished, and the Ministers at Rio Janeiro turned aside
the King's mind from it, and were displeased when any
patriot dared to publish his opinions on this important
subject, and slimed the necessity of restoring the seat of
Government to Portngal.
Bence time Portuguese began to lose their confidence
in the sole remedy which remained ; the idea of being
reined to a colony affected them ; and all saw it was
impossible for the affairs of a Monarchy to go on
regularly at sneh a distance from the centre of its
action, frequently impeded by the malignity of men,
the violence of passions, and even the erects of the
elements.
What could time Portuguese nation do in such a situa-
tion? Suffer and hope. It did suffer and hope in vain
for many Years. Sigh, remonstrate, complain ? It did
sigh, but its sighs were not listened to. Nut listened
to? They were repressed, cruelly stitled. It remon-
strated and complained, but its remonstrances and coin-
plaitits. never readied the throne. 'Vise King was told.
that his people were contented and faithful, and the Ma.
nifesto prote-sts, in the face of Europe, the unalterable
lovalty of the nation, but observes that content is incona-
, ps;tible with a situation like theirs—it shows that the
late events have nut their origin, as has been intimated,
in the false principles of an absurd and disorganising
philosophy, or the love of unbridled chimerical liberty, ,
but in the conviction of the public distress, and the de-
sin. oaf remedying it. It chews that Government is e,.--eit-
tial to society; Cut that whatever may he time species of
government establishes! in *nation, and by whomsoever ,
exercised, neither force, nor habit, nor lapse of time, can ,
deprive a nation of its inalienable right of ravishing its
fundamental laws, and introducing such improvements
as may he necessary. The Portuguese acted upon these
principles ; they wished to glare the throne oil the solid
basis of justice and law ; they did nut ilesireto introduce
aim innovation, but a restoration of time state of things
which formerly existed in Portugal, awl when in 1139
they gave the Crown to their first Monarch, and made
the first fundamental laws of the Monarchy in the Cortes
of ',amigo ; when in 13-5 they gave the throne to John
I. on conditions which he arcepted ; when in 1630 they
gave it to John IV. who alto respected their liberties;
1 when the Portuguese had their Cortes through a long
period of five centuries, when they reached the summit
of glory and greatness. It is thererore, absurd and unjust
to stigmatise what they have done as rehellious or tits.
I—rful. Philip IV. in time state manner denounced eh.
L;tos loos mining tit th.• inos tuguese in Ili 19, as rebellion.
ITaking every timing into ronsiderstion, but just praise,
both in the public opinion of enlightened nations, and in
the Cabinets of the European Sovereigns.
In conelnsinn the. Manifesto remarks, that it would
be most afflicting to the Portuguese nation, if time power-
ful Sovereigns with whom it has alwvs been on the
terms of friendship; should abuse their power to impose
laws on it, or to repress the noble efforts of a nation, in-
capable by its geographical position of troubling the
peace of other people, which has never interfered in time
internal concerns of others, and which mar depend on
time acknowledged justice of the Princes of Europe; but
which, if its hopes in this respect should be disappoint-
ed, it will risk every thing in the defence of its jest
rights ; that the maxim, " No nation ever failed to he
free which desired to he so," is their encouragement ;
and that if unhappily they should fail in attaining this
happiness, the nation will be destroyed sooner than con-
quered, and no good citizen will survive the ruin of
public felicity. They, however, anticipate a more for-
tunate result.

L.lty ravreLLIGENCE.

COURT OF KINWS RI:SCH.-JAL 11.

THE QUitilif'S4AnT TO 7118 RING'S

LBTTER.

From a curious publicat~l
ion under the above title,
we extract the following observations :
" With the ' line of policy' the Ring has pursued,
and means to pursue, I have no opinion to offer. The
policy that directed my persecution has been the
most unfortunate that any set of men or Ministers
ever adopted. My acquittal has been their condem-
nation in the opinion of all the unprejudiced part of
the nation.

" I have never been the Tool of a Party.' I repel
the charge with indignation. The party that now
supports tae is the ,eliole of the people of Riefflaad,
my devoted sttljerts. If Radical Refo►mers choose to
address me, I cannot refuse to receive such a testimony
of their affection, and I have no reason to suppose
than worse or better than other men. It is not be-
coming in me to despise the homage of any part of
my subjects t and I* may as well be called the head of
the !{'hi;•s or Tories, because they have sympathised
with my miseries, and rejoiced in the triumph of my
innocence, as the head of the Radicals, who hive don•
the saute.

" When the letter of the King alludes to the con-
spiracies for the destruction of his Ministers, I know
not what it can have to do with myself,but see plainly
it is meant to throw a slur of some kind upon-my
conduct, as if I had taken advantage of a troubled
hour, to advance my just claims. I had no need of
adventitious aid to regain my rights. I had no more
to do with creating the internal troubles of Great
Britain than the babe unborn. The Cato-street con-
spiracy had no more connection with my case, than I
had a hand in setting fire to ltome during the reign of
Nero.

" The men employed as spies have been at the bot-
tom of all these plots, that have answertil the pur-
pose for which they were got tip, and retained Minis-
ters in their places in defiance of popular opinion,
which views every• :lio,' of their's with disgust and
reprobation, I fear too justly merited.
"At the time of my return there were no signs of
disaffection in the country. The general stagnation
of trade felt all over the world gave rise to 'immur-
ing, particidarly in the northern districts ; but in
this there was not any thing treasimalde, and my ap-
pearance at this season operated wore as a halm to
heal the discontented, than as a stimulus to rouse
them to more desperate measures.

" After a separation and a persecution of twenty-
four years' continuance, I had no wish of r..turtiitt;
to the palace of the king. 11'e had parted no niore
to engage." I only cattle to demand my just rights.
and, in sle doing, I trust I have done no wrong.
Had I lingered abroad after toy husband was raised
to the throne of these realms—had I accepted of the
offer at Saint (liners, of 50,t 00/. per annum, the
future historians r •.1d have t e brand Inv name with
merited obloquy, as one of the most weak and sleprav-
ed characters that existed since the days of a Julia or
a Slessalina.

" But l have a monitor within which will not per-
mit me to be guilty of a crime—' Honour, sole judge
and umpire of which will carry me to the
tomb with an unsullied conscience. All the Insults
I have endured since I first set foot in this once
happy country—all the calumnies that have been
heaped upon nev brad, I am firmly convinced in my
mind originated with his Majesty's advisers alone.
They only are the disatiected—they only are the
feverish spirits that keep the country in a ferment,
from one extremity to the other—they only are hated
fur their bad deeds, and I moat solemnly believe that
the KING, individwally, is dearly beloved by all his
Atflierts.
" From the infatuation of such a set of impotent
advisers, I have to regret much humiliation and
wanton cruel persecution, nomad!, as directed against
a woman, diehomeNt as tending to deprive me of my
honour, titles, and rank in the state, and treasonable
as adopted against their legal Sovereign. Aided by
the Pets.% and the People I have triumphed over the
most deep laid scheme that ever was laid to ruin any
person of my rank. It seems that they still intend
to renew the cowardly attack, but my bosom will con-
tinue invulnerable to the assaults of vire, as long as
I hare a grateful recollection of the gratitude I owe
to my loyal and generous people, and a detestation of
what is corrupt and balk."