The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-10-03 00:00:00

PORTUGUESE AFFAIRS.

SITTINGS OF THE CORTES.—Sarr. 16.
It appearing that there is a deficiency of corn in the
kingdom, the Agricultural Committee propose to admit
foreign cora t.v be deposited I t the port of Lis4on:-
1..-nv merchant shall he at liberty to import foreign
torn (Trigo, whale) into the port of Lisbon for the next
three months, subject to certain regolati,ms,
11. When the average nrice of Portuguese corn is SOO
rear, foreign corn shall be admitted as follows :-
1. When the average price is between S(N) and 900
res., foreign corn may be sold in equal proportions with
Portornese, that is, half of each.
2. When the average is between 900 and 960 real',
too-thirds of foreign corn may be sold.
When the average exceeds 960 real, the whole
quirdity sold may be foreign.
SEPT. 17.—The Committee of the Constitution pre-
sented its opinion on the steps yet to be taken in mew-
ing to, and publishing it. They propose that bin Ma-
jesty shall repair to the Palace of the Cortes on the lot
of October, to take the oath in form, and that the Pre-
sident having presented to his Majesty the Holy Evan-
gelists, be shall lay his right band on the book, and say,
1 ;wept, and swear to observe, and cause to be ob-
served, the Political Constitution of the Portuguese Mo-
narchy, which the Constitutional Cortes of the same na-
tion have just decreed."
Se rreatnca 19 —The opinion of the Committee pro-
posing a decree in seven articles relative to Brazil
(which has already been printed) declaring the sets of
tie (government of Rio null, recalling the Prince Royal.
was discussed, and gave rise to a very long and ani-
• :,ted debate, the continuance of which was adjourned
to the next sitting.
be Cortes having approved of the opinion of the
Committee of the Constitution on the application of
sonic deputies of Brazil, who desired that their functions
shun!.) he considered as terminated, because the province
that sent them did not agree. which opinion was found-
ed on the circumstance that this disagreement (diaaidcn-
;€l) IV4II not certain, and therefore they should retain
their functions till these provinces should name other
iliTutics to the Cortes. convoked at Rio, the deputies
proposed to defer signing the Constitution for the pre-
sent.—(Lisbon Paper*. Sept. 20.)

PUDLIC 310N11T.-MYSTERY.

(/11031 TUZ LCINSTI JOMINAL.)

We understood, from unquestionable antlittrity,
that e memorial, sanctioned by the respectable names
of the Grand Jurors of the county of Kilkenny, was, at
th. last Assizes, forwa:ded to his Excellency the Lord
I.i. utenant for a loan of 10,011/., to be advanced
from the sum approptiated for the relief of the poor of
Ireland, or some other fond. The avowed object of
ti e loan, if we have been rightly informed, was for
the purpose of re-establishing the Merino Factory,
anti thereby sff.rding employment to the industrious
nor rof i's neighbourhood. This application, on be-
of the county, both at the time it was forwarded
to the rastie, std up •to the present hour, has, by all
the parties concerned in promoting it, been kept a
profound secret. The information of which we are
in possession reached our Orfiee in a circuitous way
Rod accidently. If the Merino Factory is in Wore to
b.• considered a National Establishment, anti not in
ti r light of a mere private concern; if it is henceforth
to ire carried on at the public rxpence, and not with
IN. money or on the credit of private proprietors, we
are at a loss to cnneeire why all proeeedings relating
to the institution should he made so profound a mys-
tery. If the measure of a public loan was likely to
he attended with advantage to the county of Kilken•
isy, why not call a county Meeting for the purpose of
a tall, deliberate, end impartial investigation, prepare-
troy to a memorial to the Lord Lieutenant? Would
11.:s have been at once the least exceptionable,
most lot; restive, and most respectable mode of layico
a tepresentatien Lefore the Government? At
sncl. v meeting a committee could be appointed to re
crier evidence, and to report spots certain essentiall
points—the existing state of the establishment and
its national utility—the sum necessary to enable it to
reserve business with a resonable prospect of success
—tie number of industrious poor to nhom it was
fikely to give employment—the terms proper to
be proposed to Government for the loan, with
the ',Ante ef the security to be offered for repay-
ment —and though last, not least in point of im-
portaree, the Cutnruittee could report to his Ex-
celsncy the person or persona into whose hands
tl e money was proposed to be entrusted, and in
whose same the business of the manufactory was
in future to be carried or, and could respectfully
!suggest a mode of accounting-, at short and stated
letters's, for all sums retrived and disbursed and
of pnblisoing these accounts, properly authenti-
reed, in the Dublin and Provincial Newspapers.
It is Dot merely a few individuals who are con-
crepes/ in this matter; the public must now feel al
deep intertst in every thing connected with the
Alt rine Slane factory, for already have sums amounting'
in the whole to not less than one hundred thousand
poised' sterling been •htained from the people of
this country for its support. Tie items, as far as
we have been able to a fain them, arc as follows:
—Sixty thousand pounds bas been extracted from
the gutty of Ibis and the neighbouring counties
by the tontine scheme. The unfortunate peasantry
have, without their consent or knowledge, been com-
pelled to contains 10,0001. in the shape of
(Lowy assessments; and the Government of the
country has a4ranced, by way of Loan, the sum
of 30,0001. ; fur should it be forgotten, that the
unfortunate ptoprietors and their numerous friends
urt have sunk nearly as much inure in building,
stocking, and working the establishment. Surely,
thee, it teapot be considered a sapertluons pre-
caution to require a public and solemn investigation
on the spot, of all circumstances connected with, and
bearing epee, the Merino Factory, before another
venter• of 10,0001. shall be risked in the same bottom.
But would a single advance be sufficient to set going,
and to support in fall and profitable operetion, this in-
teresting and highly important establishment? We
apprehend not. We are credibly informed that to
effect that desirable object would require from Govern.
ramt, for some years, an annual supply of 29,0001.
We are fully aware of the importance, in every point
cat view, of affording troplortnent to the industrious
c:- f the community ; but we, for our part, feel
touvinced that employment of a useful and perma-
nent nature in a manufactory is only to be given by
the ordinary and legitimate course of private enter-
prise and private speculation. By a public establish.
went, kept afloat by occasional grants from the Tree
sory, some temporary employment will be afforded to
a few favoured individuals ; and the still more favour.