fe23.] Political Affairs in June. S6l 



Jnstlce, the Ex-DepiUy Joze Aotouio Hie Interior; ami Senof J. F. de Olireira, 

 Gaerreiro, charged ad interim witli the Foreign Affairs (he was iiiteirupted by 



porle/euitte of the War Department, 



Finance, Jose Xavier IHorinho da 

 Silveira. 



Marine, D. Manuel Joao de Locio. 



Forty or fifty soldiers of the police have 

 deserted to the factions. 



General Sepiilveda, in an address to the 

 citizens of Lisbon, announces that the 

 Corles have charged liim to maintain tiie 

 safety and tranrjiiiliity of tiie capital; that 

 he will do his duty as a citizen and gene- 

 ral, and will be guided by prndence and 

 the respect due to the legitimate authori- 

 ties; he invites lliom to confide in a man 

 who never bad any object but tlie happi- 

 ness of his coimtry — "I again swear it," 

 be adds, *■ in my own name, and in that of 

 the officers of tiie 1st and 2nd of tlie line, 

 all animated by the same good spirit, and 

 ready to sacrifice our lives for our public 

 oaths, and the profound sentiments of re- 

 spect and love of religion, the constitution, 

 and the best of kings." He exiioi ts them 

 to be perfectly easy, and to be assured 

 that order will be preserved. 



In the sitting of the Cortes on the 28tli, 

 the deputation wliith had waited on the 

 king gave an account of tlieir mission. 

 His majesty had received them very affa- 

 bly, and replied to the speech addressed to 

 bini, that he &honld pay due attention to 

 the subjects proposed by tlie ('ortes, of 

 whose co-operaiion* and patriotic efforts 

 be liad no doubt, and expressed his great 

 sorrow at the conduct of his son, Don 

 Miguel. 



Lvibon, May oO. — '•' Portuguese !— My 

 «ou and infant Don Miguel fled from my 

 royal mansion, and joined the 23(1 regi- 

 ment. I abandon him as a father, and 

 shall know how to punish him as a king," 



His majesty declares that, faithful to UU 

 oath, and to the religion of his ancestors, 

 lie will maintain the constitution which he 

 voluntarily accepted ; his liberty, he says, 

 has never been restricted, nor bis autho- 

 rity despised. He invites bis people to 

 put confidence in the Coitcs, and to re- 

 main faithful to their oath«. 



This supplement announced the deser- 

 tion of General Sepulveda ! 



In the Cortes several members ex- 

 p'essed their patriotie sentiments, and the 

 resolution to perish rather than submit to 

 despotic power. 'I'he iVJinister of Justice 

 being introduced, said that bis majesty, 

 (who wag perfectly identified v^^tli the 

 cause of the nation, and who desires 

 nothing but the constitution of 182'2) had 

 invited three citizens lo fill the office of 

 Minister of War, who had all refused, his 

 Majesty wan desirous that the Cortes 

 would permit three of their members to 

 fill the following offices : Senor J. M. 

 Pinto I'onseca Katigel |o be Minister of 

 Warj Senor Ant. Mariano de AtcytilOf of 



MuNriii I VIac, No, 383. 



loud acclamations.) The minister thea 

 mentioned the corps that bad deserted, 

 amounting to 2,760 men, and the treason 

 of General Sepulveda, &c. 



The minister having retired, the ques- 

 tion was put, whether the Cortes ap- 

 proved of the appointment of the three 

 members to be ministers, which was car- 

 ried by acclamation, 



Tlie sittings were declared permanent. 



A depntation was sent to inform his 

 Majesty, that the Cortes had judged it 

 necessary, in the present crisis, to decree, 

 that deserters from the army should be 

 punished in the same manner as if the 

 country were at war. 



The deputation, on its return, stated 

 that on its way to the palace the public 

 had accompanied it with the loudest ac- 

 clamations j tliat the president of the 

 deputation having explained the urgent 

 reasons for passing this law, his niajebty 

 faid he would use, with respect to sanction- 

 ing the law, the power which the con- 

 stitution gave him ; but he was profoundly 

 afflicted at the desertion of the troops; 

 that he had given full proofs of his fidelity 

 to the oaili which he touk on the memora- 

 ble 1st of Octolier, and had the greatest 

 confidence in the Curtes. 



On returning from the palace, the en- 

 thusiasm of the 18lh regiment was so ar- 

 dent, that the Deputy S. Corrca de La- 

 ceida, was induced to step forward with 

 the constitution in his hand, and to ha- 

 rangue the troops, after which he delivered 

 the constitution to the Colonel, saying he 

 was confident that regiment would defend 

 it at all hazards. 

 Prndumution of his Majesty the King, to 



the Iiihahitunls of Listmn, to tiumquilUze 



the capUal, made at Vilia Franca de Xero, 



in which he rejects ahsolute power, and offers 



to modify the Constitution. 



Inhabitants of Lisbon!— The salvation 

 of the people has always been a supciior 

 law, and to uie a sacred law ; this convic- 

 tion, vdiich has been my guide in the 

 critical circiiin tances in which Providence 

 lias placed nie, imperiously ple^cribed the 

 resolution which I have taken to-day with 

 regret, to separate myself from you for 

 some days, yielding to'the prayers of the 

 people, and to the desires of the army 

 which accompanies me or has preceded 

 me. 



Iiiliabilants of Lisbqn !— Make your- 

 selves easy, I will never belie the love which 

 1 consecrate to you, and in a short time 

 yojir deaiei't wishes will be fulfilled. 



Experience, the wise instructress of 

 nations and government.'', has demon- 

 strated, in a manner very afHicting to me 

 and fatal to the nation, that the existing 

 institutions are incompatilile with the vtill, 

 the customs, and the per">n?ions of the 

 ■1 C greater 



