240 Movement* in Portugal [MARCH, 



and men in Portugal must be allowed to become men, if their country i* 

 to remain a country, in the existing state of Europe and of the world. 

 Those who hold power must avoid imagining that they can hold it, in 

 point of fact, by sermons and proclamations. They must get rid of that 

 taste for sloth and ignorance which dictated the memorable reply of their 

 predecessors not a century since, to some projector who offered to 

 render great advantage by making a part of the Tagus navigable 

 " That, if it had been designed that the river should be navigable there, 

 Heaven would have it so." They must believe however impossible it 

 appears that events have raised a spirit of general knowledge, as well as 

 of political turbulence, within their country, which the dreaming policy of 

 its old governments would never again probably be able to contend with. 



In -the meantime, the existing crisis affords an opportunity peculiarly 

 favourable to the constitutional government. Its opponents are controlled 

 and kept down by our strength ; and time is afforded to it for preparation 

 to controul and deal with them by energies of its own. It seems probable too, 

 that for the present, this opportunity may continue ; for, whatever may be 

 our view of the civil differences of Portugal herself, we shall no doubt feel 

 bound to protect her from any aggressions by her neighbour. And without 

 distrusting any more than sound policy should compel us, the sincerity 

 of King Ferdinand or the apostolic party, it probably would hardly be 

 deemed worth while to withdraw our forces from Portugal, while any of 

 the French regiments remain in Spain'.* 



* Since this article went to press, intelligence has been received from Portugal, announc- 

 ing the sudden re-appearance of the Marquis de Chaves's party in that country ; which had 

 advanced so far as to threaten Oporto. The latest accounts add, that, by the exertions of 

 the Portuguese Commandant atOporto, General Stubbs, the enemy had been driven back ; 

 and that this movement may be considered as " a last effort on the part of the insurgents.'' 

 This new attempt, on the part of the Marquis de Chaves, no more disturbs than it sur- 

 prises us ; but, for the suggestion of its probably being the " last effort" of the Royalists, 

 we sincerely hope that the Constitutionalists are not really deluding themselves with any 

 such belief. The only chance that the Constitutional Government has for success, will be 

 found not in any wild or fantastic hope that it is to remain unassailed but in the realiz- 

 ing, without a moment's delay, such strength and means as shall be competent to its pro- 

 tection. Without an army perfectly different from that which it possesses now an army 

 skilfully organized, disciplined, and paid the Constitution will not maintain itself one 

 month after it ceases to have the English force to back itself upon. Letters from Lisbon 

 state, that the " impressment" of soldiers tor the Constitutional regiments is going on there 

 rapidly. This is one mode certainly of doing business raising troops by compulsion to 

 serve in a civil contest. It is just sending so many men, armed and equipped (if they are 

 armed or equipped), from Lisbon, to go over immediately to the Marquis de Chaves* in 

 Tras os Montes. This is a sample of a system which will not do; and if the Constitu- 

 tionalists can find no means of mending it, the moment the British force departs, their 

 government will fall to pieces. In the meantime, although our troops have a part of some 

 nicety to act, yet, of the necessity of keeping them where they are, there can hardly be a 

 doubt. The task of quelling any slight disturbances will devolve of course upon the Por- 

 tuguese themselves,' as far as possible, and in the first instance. And, for one circumstance 

 which goes to make our neutrality the easier, we may be pretty secure that no part of the 

 country, in which British soldiers are actually placed, will be very hastily molested. The 

 eventual success of the Constitutional cause, however, if it is to succeed, must depend 

 upon the Constitutionalists themselves. Exertions must be used, and personal sacrifices 

 made, of a different character from any which they, or any of their countrymen, have re- 

 cently been in the habit of contemplating. And, however liberally we may desire to 

 viewi their jealousy of English interference ; and their aversion if they feel such an aver- 

 sion to be protected by a foreign force ; yet we are afraid their best chance for safety, 

 until the improvement both of their political and military state is farther advanced, will 

 be to let English knowledge, as far as possible, ^arrange their warlike operations, and 

 English influence direct their councils. ED. 



