We are yet somewhat bare ...
The Times, 1824-05-21T00:00:00

We are yct.somewhat bare of facts relative to the recent explosion at Lisbon. An explosion indeed it seems to have been, in which bat part of the gunpowder took fire, the rest has been-smothered, (perliaps only for a while), and the shock was therefore less decisive than wvas expected. Enough, however, has taken place to shovw us the extreme weakness and decay of the building which it was meant to blowup. Thie Priv'ca and the QUEEN intended to deprive the KiXG of the exercise of the Royal authority ; and this en- terprise, wvhich his Majesty was not sufficiently strong to repress himself, and under wvhich he has to a certain de- gree succumbed, wvas sLuspended by the unarmed interpo- sition of the Foreign Mlinisters. Thus stands the ratter represented to us at present ; and if that represen-l tation be correct, such Foreign Ministers for spirit, energy, and influence, or such a King and Prince for the want of those qualities, are but rarely cotem- poraneous personages in history. Perhaps, indeed, it may have happened that the powers of the KsiXc and PRINcY were so nicely balanced, that it required but a little additional weight on either side to turn the scale: and upon that supposition, none of the actorsin this drarna may have been possessed of a grand character; which, as great men are not the ordinary productions of nature, is, after all, the more n_ L osition. Th rs, has not been actually deposed by ihis i yet he has been obliged to issue pro- clamatiens; Kheir acts, and condemning to punishnent had condemned. Our jour- nal contains a 1nature. It is dated on the 4th instant. In this, is made to say, that the PRa xc was " under th e y of having recourse to " arms," and that the dange the crisis would not allow time for him to consult his father. A dangerous concession this, we should think. Vas not the Kixx at the head of the Executive Government, and wouldI not he have been the fittest person to put both the PRtINce and the Army in motion ? We know inot whether it is worah the wlile to notice the various rumnours in circulation yesterday. One was, that the Pitixce,convinced of theiimpolicy and undlutifuiness of his conduct by the argumients of the Diplomatic Body, had relinquished the command of the Army, which had been conferredl on Lor( BERESsORD. In one of the scanty do- cuments this day published:, the PRINCE returns thanks to the army, as its Chief. And if we doubt the fact, we are still more doubtful of the propriety of Lord BERESFORDi, a foreigner, taking the command of the Portugauese troops in a period of civil commotion. WIhlat shoulIl we say, if a Freneh General wvere to take the conirand, and order the troops under him to fire uponl their countrymeni ? No mercantile letters have been received in wlich this point of the Pai:cr's resign- ing the command is spoken of : and advices from Oporto, dated thc 10th, are equally silent on the subject. But that the depogition of the Ki \G was the direct object of the plot, is asserted throughout the correspondence; and it is even added, that the draught -f a decree was prepared, for the dethronement of his Mlajesty, and the nomination of a Regency. The Stanrner- packet, which brought the present ac- counts, together vwith despatches for Governsnent, has had orders transmittedl to Falmrouth, to sail again for Lisbon with the answer and further instructions from the English Cabinet. The Stanmer would set sail immediately on the arrival of yesterday's letters at Falmouth. The next ac- counts from Lisboni, should any thing decisive occur, will probably come through France, by which route news can he brought by courier i' I 1i days to England. g -~