The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-10-24
poRTUGAL.-The New-YoLk Mer-

PORTUGAL.-IDe NeW-Louk eier-
camille Advertiser states that a gentleman
Of that city has received a letter from his
friend AZ Lisbon, uithont signature, hui
known by the hand writing, dated August
Il. which says-"1 am sorry 10 tell You,
flat since | wrote you by the Mentor, no
thing hut prosecutions have taken plaer.-
Respectable mea have been put IN dun
ceons for the crime of receiving letters
from their friends abroad, which alinde To
tf,e p~olitics of this country ; in Fact one can
not open his mouth. IL Was far this fea.
son. i said in my last, | did not viii 10
trust To- the CASUALTIES of ~lrtters. | repeat
d., not write any politics nor seri any
~newspapprs. / hope ere lonC, to be able to
aoyite md express ma miad at jdrgs.'
-eZS-
Sir Robert Hilson.-We are happy To
present our readers with an authentic copy
of n letter, written hy our gallant country
man, Sir Robert Wilson, la the Portuguese
Government, renonnelng the title, aud re-
turning the insignia of the knlSht Com
mandcr of the Tower and Sword. The
letter spc~ks for itself, and pourtrays the
honorable feelings Of Il Briton, indignant at
the unjust and liberal treatment he hai re-
eeiyed from a people who owed to hun SO
many days of glory and into whose port he
lad ]steerci to seek shelter in the montat
af danger 1t shews him great under ms
fortune, disdaining 10 wear a distinction he
had in Common with his barbarOus ana ty-
r%anniCaI oppressafs.
:. BritiSh schr. .Niossean, Of Betem Caste,
.11g. Il.
Sir-It is with pain that take a step
WHICH may in some degree appear to be
personally offensive 10 his Majesty the
King Of Portugal, when | have no such IN
%tcntion, being too well aware of his Males-
tvs present situation but after the unse-
nerols, viudictiye, rs well as lawless treat
lnent | have experienced, under clrcnm-
stances that would have secured the pro-
teclion and hospitality Of the Governments
of even the most barbarous nations, 1t is
impossible for me To wear the insignia of IA
country whose Government has SO outra-
gseously violated these duties.
1.-THE very possession of these insignia
implies obligation ON my part which IL Is
not for my honour should any longer exist,
and therefore | would have my name erased
from the Commanders roll of the Portu-
suese Order of the Tower and Sword.
Having formerly refused all pay and
pecuniary remuneration from the Govern
ment OF Portugal during the time | was
employed in its service, | have the salts
faction now TO feel that | am released from
every sort of acknowledgment, and that
the service which | rendered Portugal IN an
extreme momen of her peril, and crisis OF
her fate-seryices which cannot be denied,
have thus been grataitously given.
81 have the honour To be your Excel
lency's most obedient humble Ser
want, IL. w.
"To his Excelltncy the Count Pal
nell, Minister Of Foreign Affairs"
In making public this example OF lnde-
pendent principle, we feel we are po'rtray
he the character of its aIdhor in its true
COLOURS. For the honor of our country,
we trust there are few Engltshmen vino
would not with him spurn to wear the
badge of such contemplate oppressors.-
How different is this from the sarhled ,ales
we have found in Lisbon prints, the oil
springs of surveillance and terror Tie
first is the language OF freedom and honor,
which is never to be found without free
dom, the latter that of the deceit which
superstition engendcfs.