1831.] Don Miguel, and the Stale of Portugal. 247 



to quarrel with their choice. To denounce Don Miguel's government 

 as unpopular, is to reason in the face of the plain evidence of facts ; for 

 no government can stand, whose measures are not in unison with the tide 

 of public opinion. It has now existed for upwards of three years under 

 circumstances that would try the stability of any government — disaffec- 

 tion at home — foreign invasion from without. During the recent visit 

 of the French squadron, when a sense of national disgrace, it was natu- 

 ral to suppose, would have kindled a flame of discontent and produced 

 a powerful reaction — even with this powerful diversion, it is notorious 

 that, far from any demonstration having been made in favour of the 

 constitution, not even a single viva was given for Donna Maria. It 

 may be urged that the people were overawed by the presence of a large 

 military force devoted to the government ; but it is now a hackneyed ob- 

 servation, that the most powerful and scientific military combinations 

 are insufficient to repress the aspiring efforts of freedom — and the 

 recent examples of Paris and Brussels are quoted as triumphant illus- 

 trations of this doctrine. Now the population of Lisbon is upwards of 

 300,000 souls, while the garrison during the late events barely amounted 

 to 5000 men. Had there then existed a general spirit of disaffection to 

 the government, could it have been effectually repressed by so incon- 

 siderable a military force ? 



There is a very general opinion abroad, that were the ex-Emperor, 

 Don Pedro, to land on any part of the shores of Portugal, there would 

 be an immediate rising of the whole country in his favour. How far 

 the Portuguese bond-holders may share iu this opinion, and how far it 

 may operate on them in inducing a further loan to the constitutional 

 party, ignorant as we are of their feelings, we have not the means of 

 judging. But we have strong reasons for deeming this opinion utterly 

 baseless. The Emperor Don Pedro, it must be recollected, left Portu- 

 gal when quite a child, when the family of Braganza abandoned that 

 kingdom to the victorious arms of the French Emperor. Since that 

 period he is known to the people of Portugal, but by an event, which 

 in the mind of every Portuguese (to whatever political party he may 

 belong) produces feelings of grief and indignation — the loss of Brazil, of 

 those vast possessions which alone gave to Portugal her political im- 

 portance ; while the recollection of the indignity he heaped on the Por- 

 tuguese troops in that country, still rankles in the bosom of the army. 

 Should Don Pedro be mad enough to make such an attempt, imless 

 backed by an imposing force — which he has not the means of raising — 

 instead of a triumphant career like that of Napoleon, when he landed 

 at Frejus, the ex-emperor would probably meet with the more melan- 

 choly fate of ]Murat. 



On what definable principle, we would ask, is the recognition of the 

 " de facto" government of Don Miguel withheld by the British Cabi- 

 net.^ By our vacillating policy, we have at last alienated even the 

 moderate party in Portugal, and it is indeed lamentable to reflect, that 

 in a country where the influence of England was once paramount, the 

 English name is now held in universal execration. The government of 

 Don Miguel it is clear owes nothing to this country, while the hoi)es of 

 the constitutional party have been, ])y turns, raised and depressed, 

 flattered and deceived. There is probably no class of men throughout 

 the world who bear a more deadly hatred to this country than the Por- 

 tuguese constitutionalists ; the ruin of their country they lay at the door 



