Lisbon Papers.
The Times, 1824-06-22T00:00:00

iVo John, by the grace of God, King of the United Kingdoms of Portugal, Brazil, and Algarve, &c., to all to whom these pre. seRts shaU come, greeting. " The Junta, appointed by my Royal decree, of the 18th of June. last year, for the purpose of drawing up a plan of a Fun. damental Law, having represented to nee, that, considering it as a sacred duty, nor to adopt other principles or other bases, for the foundation of the new Fundamnental. Law, thin those which I deigned to indicate and declare in the decree for its convocation, and considering, in the first place that one of the most just rea- sons for which I rejected and declared null, de facto and dr'e,jr the monstrous Constitution of 1822 was its being incompatible with the ancient habits, opinioni, anA wantsof theePortuguese, and moreover, at varianc wish the lJlonsrchical principle, conceived that thenew Charter (Car.a) should be couformable to the ancient usages, opinions,andhabitsof thenation,and regulatedbythesound- est of public and private laws, oni which. is established pure and in dependent montrchy, moderated by wise and just laws, according to which justice may be administered, the rights of- every persou secured, crimes punished, and the lawsuits between individuals-of all classes be decided by means of Judges and Tribunals, in which truth and justice may prevail, and the laws be administered; andi as only deluded or corrupted heads can posdbly think of caling such a monarchial Kovermiuent arbitrary and despotic, or that the. expression of absolute King, who govers his people in tbis manner, can haye anyothermeaning t 'antbat wbich it always had of an independent King who acknowledges no superior on earth; and observing, in the second place, that I declared, in the same decree, that the new institutions, or new charter or fundamental law, should restore to the throne on *hich the Almighty placed me, the grandeur and resrect which belong to it, and that no change should be introduced whigh might eclipse its splendour or lower its dignity and greatness; that in the third place, obsery_ ing that in the said decree, I manitested the intendon that the charter of the fundamental law should be accommodated to the form of the representative governments established in Europe, and to the mutual relations of various parts of the Portuguese Mlonarchy, it appearedthat there must be a natioal represertation, but that this ought to be such that it rmight be in harmony with the preceding principles, and that its being accommo- dated to the form of other Governments does not mean that it is to be identical with them; that meditating with the mostinature relfcc- tion on an object of sach importance, observing,also, that'these were the principles which formed the ancient Portuguese Constitution, in which they were found in the most wonderful concert, and the wisest combination, the experience of many ages having shown the incalculable advantages which resulted from it to the Portuguese nation, and it being certain that neither greaternoreven equal bene- fits are to be expected from new and ditibrent institutions; reflect- ing, finally, that according to the maxims of the most esteemed poli- ticians, no fotr, of Government can be usefulto a nation which is not conformable to its character, education, and ancient usaes, and that it is extrenely hazardous, and almost always impractica- ble, to attempt to introduce sach a one, and to reduce to one ge- neral form the custoums peculiar to each nation; judging that it was not proper to demolish the noble and respectable edifice of the an- cient pobtical constitution, consisting of wiselaws, written and un- written, confirmed by the oath which tke Kings of these kitigdoras took, and which I took nmyself, to maintain the rights and priv'- leges of the nation, that the plan of a coxstitution which it (the Juhta) was to submit to my Royal approbation, could be no other than to propose to me thatl should be pleased to eledare in vigour the ancient Portuguese Cortes, composed of the three estates of thec kingdom-the Clergv, the Nobility, and the People, which had not been' convoked for mnore than a century; that they might be con- voked andimight assemble when I thought fit, conformably to the ancient practice, privileges, and usages of the station iA order thst, answering to the various objects for which I shouM oMder them to be opened, they nuiht place before my Royal presence, in the' mantierpractised in al thepreceding Cortes, the deliberations ( Capi- ubos et Ciwdfas) onthepubliewanti, thepublicgoodofmysubjects, the cAre oftheirrightsand privileges theadministration ofjustice, the. remedy of public or private grievances, theprosperity and welfaqdof the monarchy by which I should prove to the whole zation how desirous I am of confirming and preserving itsqg}tssand-i would enhance in alijeespeess my. -beneficenirtensdons, since bT convoking'theancient Cornes, and maintaining the andient const;- tution, it wa,s evident that I should presere the-old habits, opi. nionus, and usages, of the Portuguesecnation;' tba'ha.* maiesty and greatness of the throne, aod all its rights, wroul*be inriolateithsk the said Cortes contain-a true entional'iepreseata?ion, in which ther people are represented by their procuratoes, the clergy, and obility, and by their members who have votes in them. lially, that the public felicity would be promnotad, not by uneestains, ew1 and danherous ways not by' menas 'Q" precipitate t destructive reforms, which eas'ily lead Wp the ,-niost fatal disordeta, as esi- perienee bas unfortu-natelyr proved;- but by wrays alrerady knowr., ' and by progressive ameliorations in the, administration of- tJ* State;> that it was b the deceitful promaise of convoking tht aZMA cdent Cortes, that the rebellious and dis ganizing 'factioc& con.. trived1 to ddlude the Portuguese people, hikving onlyin vieYw the-de-,.,, struction of the very institutiona v;hich it proclaimned and' to sub-t ject. the natson to theahamefv,L yoke from wvhich I have1iappilyfied&?S it; that it being evident that the Portuguese nition attained such s. pre-eminence among other atlioRs, Wasgreat, reApected, and$happy, with its ancientpdlitical constitution ? ahonld, b tsent& erest'r' ation indisputably complete the glory with vht-c}have covered' myseaf,by desttoying the revolutioiary monster, -and should most amnuly fulfil the Royal prowiise,wbieh`, from-the iinpulse of my gene-. rous love to myfaitliful3ubjects, I was pleased tomakethem, to blesn them with, a good Constitution; it beting known, besides by tlw general opinion maninfetted i' various ways on occasion of my' re, storation-to all the zightstof sovereignty, that no other could b 's- satisfa'ctory, or more suitable tv my people thin that by" Yich those kingdomns were rtide so respected 'aud pUpy ;' that xt woul4 alio he ltoXer, that after convokin'g these first (ortez, I- should 1V& pleased tQ eteinlnethe pericids of tbeir cbnvocation, thst they night be,regplar, aecordng to my Sovereign righits, and'witha view to the publio wants, without its being to,be inferted thit deprived myself- of-the inalienable right to prorogue or convoke theu 'before tC eNp pointed period, when the general good' of t lnyr'ple should require it; 1, therefore, taking into coinideratiblithcse,and nmany -other judictous argumenot enfor':d:'by the Jlthi'-iith-so much visdorti and prudence,-beanng vlsoin mind the -opinioli'et mary persons- fearing-God aTnl faithful tw-my service,'i2id zealous for the good of miy kingdoms,-considerinF the evilsththliieqalways resulted frinits the introduction of innovatiols, founded on vain theories, and con. stitutions hastily drawn iup and _generIlly rejected by expe. rience,-convinced -that the dutiie Vhibh I contraicted when, byv the Divinennercy, lascended the-throne, demand that I should respect and preserve, untoucheid' th'- ancient foundations do the Mlonarchy; and seeing that' the nrciettt Portuguese Constitutionr contains a1l the elements necessary fui the pregervation:of oar-' holy religion, of 'the majesty of the throte; and thi securift*rof thec individual ri&hts of all my subject9, and,of goad order in thi admi_ - nistration of' jUStice; that it is3 confirmed by the spontanwous'oatlk-' which;I and,all niy augttst predecessurs took-on our clevati6h to the'. rhrone;and that, -finally, itis desired by the great MtaJority."of the, Portuguese, and is consequentl; the only one that can fulfil m-' Royal promise k with the advieb of my COUnC;I o0 St -h;C #rei solved to declare ia' full vigeur the andent politcal Cosiwiulon', colic!d;g theile Aes of the three estatcs of tbe kingdoml, in order that. hring them In the prescriptive linits of their privileges, ac. co*ding Ls I am pleased, they may represeat to me in thei* consults- ti.in the form anciently pmicsiseil, according to their rights and lnivlege, what is suitable to each 'beatich of the said estates, the M 3ooR of ny people, the aggrandizement ot the monarchy. hich h astd allotthem is bound laithfully to maintain, reservingto - jsfto tskeilnt considerstion, in the'lirt Cortes which I shall con- noe2 cbservations of the Junta respecting the fixing of stated pe- dor theireeting,as well as the other neasures which may t_,c raeentiily necessary for the good administration of my asnd hecontoelidationofits internal institutions; and my tcil of Dlutistrs, assisted by thosepersonswhomn I havethought t to nae,IS charged Immediately to proceed with alU the prepara- Tt Rtes to make the convocation, which is to be regulated accord- '1z to tne usages of these kingdoms, proposing to me also such 'T-n as may be necessary, that the said convocation maybe Whzrefbreg' &c. (Here follows the order for nublishing this 4terce in tbe usual form, arid in the most solemn manner, that , h generaly known to all persons concerned.) The ieee &It contains various other decrees as-' .E 1Dissolving the Junta appointed to draw up a plan of a Con- "2. Creating a Junta for preparing instiuctions forthe Convoca. 3- Declaring that though every thing proceeding from the Cortes 15 rland void in point of Night,yet itis Wged properto retain some fthe3:rr institutions and reRulations,wLich arethereforeconfirmed. ArnongtlieseistheBank of Lisbon. " 4. 'he Jnta for the revision of the 1aws and innovations pro- CedIngfronm the late Cortes is dissolved. , & Another Junta is created for the revision of certain laws; this aTenn is espcialUv charged to proceed immediately to draw up a rotect of lawr for thc trade in coin. Procaimls oblivion of all past p6litical oWfences, and prO- 2 genei pardon for all those who have been accusea, a1- v prosecuted a or yma be so, as followers of the perverse political Opinioa, up to the 5th of June, 183: all tribunals and magistrates nrc cotn2mnded not to proceed against them for such offences, of s;hick they areto be held acquitted. ' xcepted are-. I 1. Those who since that day have plainly shown that they fol- lOw the same opinions, inaintaininz and propagating them, who are to b prosCuted as disturber6 of the public tranquillity. " 2 Those who contrived and aided the infamous conspiracy vrhich broke out at Oporto on the 24th of August, 1820. Yet, even ths are to be free fromn the heavy penelties attached by the laws to a2ch horrible crimes, and are only to be banished from the Portu_ g?2esdorminions. 3. TheComanders ofcorps, and others,who are proved to have beeN the instigators of the revolution in Brazil, obliging me to accept and sa-ear to the Con0titUtion as made by the so-called Cortes of " 4. Those members of the Cortes who, exeeeding the limits of wl-at may be called opinion, were guilty of insults to my Royal persoM, and to the Queen my beloved Consort ; and others who in their speeches gave evidentproofs of die most scandalous immora- litT. It is understood that none are included in this article but such =&, for those Just reasons, his Majesty orders, lile those in the pre- cewilg astiole. to retire to the different distric s, and who, impelled by remorse, hiv voluntarily left the kingdom. Those ] are to enjov this amnesty, and who are suspended ftom, or deprived of, any ollice, civil or military, cannot be re- .lxsra"ed without a new grant from his ofajesty ; the ecclesiastics n:-oJt enter on the exercise of their parochial offlces till the Dio- cesan have judged them admissible to that important duty. Palaceof Bemposta, June 5,1824." The following letter appeared in a small part only of yesterday's tlmes. It is extrenelycurious and important:- * 3!. do 3oraes Sarmento late hIs bloat Faithful Mfajesty's Char`R d'Affuires in London, and now going to Copenhagen as his said lajesty's Envoy Extraordinary to his Danish Majesty, to in vest hrin with the GraRd Cross of the three ancient order of Por- tagel, and to reside afterwards as Charg6 d'Affaires at that Court) Ias the honour to present his best compliments to the editor of FTe time,, and hainn arrived just now, 6 a. m. of this day, ?rn ^nlmouth, where he landed on Saturday, the 19th instant, fro on board the Stoanner packet, Captain Sutton baving left ibon oz 03he 9th inst., at one o'clock p. iv., witih despatches r the Count of Villa Real from his Government, avails himself of he first envrunitytosend himn a copy of the Extraordinary Lisbon k>icofectnhe5th,containing many very important news, such as the Cnv~DCti of the Portuguese Ancient Cortes, and acknowledgment cits ojd and regular constitution, the amnesty, the law in favour of #proscued forFreemnwsonry, &c. And as Al. de Moraes Say- naDo iS the bearer of these important and no doubt very agreeable 'eus, he will feel very haEpy to see them given as early as possible D th Brtisl pubhc., mom he ,,jl always entertain the greatest ,;teem 27d most grateful regard. " Besides that 1. de Al. Sarmento can give to Afr. Editor the oDo:aIg news. on which he may rely as to the veracity of them. the first tession of the Preparatory Junta for caling the Cor:es to take place on the lOth of June, and every arrangemntrt to eta tend bythe end ofthe same montb, or the latest on the 15th fJuly. The Cortes were to meet about the mniddle of October or eginngof Novemnber, as the elections and the harvest could not rhout grest incenvenience allow them to assemble earlier. Though is55aJatr has abolished al that was done by thelate Cortes with - exreptions, yet in the course of the ensuing weeks several de- kecs areta be publenlid, putting into execution once more al .oy dReen;rel;mstha expenernce bas fiound lo be uscful andl eu ,bat as einanafR entirely from his 2VIajestfs ewn au. deM.Sarmento cannOt sufficiently describe the jov and i6f:?tlta s now7 generdlly spread all over the country, ;v7nere hef nacs, calling themselves Mtra-Royalists, are the only per- msshntbcseconali. tory measures do not plea.e. The import- at Den- f lethwttrnrdte Oporto-by the Ateam-boat 1xrcda'xi- L-i.ano, which left Lisbon at S p. n., after the ,2s bnlliant levee, and reached Oporto on the 6tb, atl p. m. sicirzg was expressed over the town by tbe salute of cannon, rng o rockets, &c,invwhich every onejoined in the bestmannerhe Nl No cn more revered and beloved than King John by the e, and the proofs he daily meets -ith are the ott cuavnng. (n the 8th the King and the Princesses ere pre r (a splendid dress ball and supper given to them eh t ,abEenbeTs ofh e Portuguese amsembly-rearnrs. It was on-ded tO e.SCsan6 the Royal guests remained till three in the o;rrung of the Sth; and in the afternoon of that day, hl ilaajesty ~d lia daugZhters ve to go on board the Genoa, Sir T. Living- -e, and in the evening to a select party on board the Iindsor ie, to celebr2te the month's return of the day he went an board same Tessel to ut his Royal person in safetr and ful liberty. e folowing vessels were at Iisbon :-Gcnoa, 74, Sir T. LIivi5ng. vc; WFindsor Castle, 74, Captain Dashwood: and Primrose, ipisin Ssodsrt; the French 14, Satii Petri, Rlear-Admiral Baton aRturs, rsnd a brig of war. The Frenchi vessels were reported intend tosail ia very few days for Cadiz. o pace, Portman-square, Jane 21, 1824, 6 p. m. LISBON PAPERS. OFFPICIA F flnPFTnf<.P