measure the most certain of success, the most conformable to the dignity of Your Highness, and to the Fundamental Laws of this Monarchy, is the immediate convocation of the Three Estates of the Kingdom, according to the ancient usages and customs, for the purpose of therein treating of matters of the highest importance, such as, of recognizing with solemnity the legitimate rights of Your Highness to the Crown of Portugal and its Dominions, and of abolishing the so-called Constitutional Charter of the Portuguese Monarchy, inasmuch as it was granted by a Monarch, before allegiance had been sworn to him, and he had been recognized by the Nation, as King of Portugal, and as it essentially changed the order of succession to the Throne. The Nobles trust to the high wisdom of Your Highness, for a glorious termination to such a just and blessed request, for the general good of the Nation; and in the meanwhile, they can but beseech with fervour, and hope with the greatest confidence, that Your Highness may be pleased to receive their wishes with benignity, and provide a prompt redress for the object of their solicitations. Lafoens. Lourical. Borba. Olhaö. Sabugoza. Lavrodio D. Antonio. Penalva. Pl. Silva. Conde Belmonte. Pai e filho. Asseca. Almada. Souve. Rodondo. S. Vicente. Conde de Viana. Atalaga. Cea. Porto Santo. Carvalhaes. Mesquitela. B. d'Alvito. Bahia. D. Prior de Guimaraens. Nuna Manoel. Ce. Bobadella. Prior Mor d'Aviz. Torres Novas. Bellas. S. Laurenço. Figueira. Castro Masin. S. Miguel. Souzal. Barbacena Franco. Torre Bella. Cintra. Pl Freire. Menezes. Lencastre. Corte Real. Lamara. Visconde de Magé. Paraty. Valladares. Villa Nova da Rainha. Soubral. Furtado. Peniche. Alhandra. D. Francisco d'Almeide. Ega. Rio Maior. Povoa. Estremoz. Juromenha os 2. Souto d'El Rey. Povolide. Vallada. Villa da Praya. Beduido. Azurara. Manique. Anadia. Taucos. Redinha. Pombal. M2 de Viana. M2 d'Alvito. Sande. Queluz. Pombeiro. Vagos. Arcos. Portella. Subserra. Louzao D. Luiz. B. de Tavarese Beire. Rezende. Veiros. Ponte. Galveas. Valença. Quintella. No. 29.-Sir Frederick Lamb to the Earl of Dudley.-(Rec. May 27.) (Extract.) Lisbon, 7th May, 1828. A Copy of your Lordship's Note to the Marquis Palmella was received by this Government on the morning of the 2d. On the same day a Council was held, in which it was resolved to convoke the Cortes. The Decree was signed on the 3d and published on the 6th. I could not but feel that the voice of the Cortes, though illegally convoked, would yet have the effect of giving to the usurpation a character of conformity to the views of the Nation, and of consequent legality, which it would otherwise want. Whether the views of my Government might ultimately tend to the recognition of the usurpation, or to its over throw, it was equally clear that, either to give additional value to its acquiescence, or additional force to its efforts to remove Dom Miguel from the Throne, it was equally desirable, that his present proceedings should be stamped with the utmost character of illegality, and the Cortes be declared null, even from the moment of their convocation. My mode of acting having been determined by these considerations, the next question was how to give it the greatest weight. It was evidently desirable that as many of the Colleagues of M. de Bombelles and myself as possible should take the same line as ourselves, and by speaking to them singly, Count Bombelles and myself succeeded ultimately in engaging them all to act as we did. This was the more remarkable, as unanimity was the only condition upon which some of them would engage in the course proposed to them. It next became a question, at what period and in what manner to notify our intentions to the Portuguese Government, and, upon discussing these questions, it was felt to be unworthy of our Courts to lie in wait in order to strike an unexpected blow, while the measure we meditated was calculated to be more effective as a warning, than as a consequence. As there existed, however, nothing upon which to found an official notification, it was determined that the Spanish Minister, who had the earliest opportunity of seeing the Viscount Santarem, should communicate to him our intentions. This was done accordingly on the morning of the 5th instant, not as a menace, but as a confidential and friendly intimation. The terms of the Decree of Convocation have, however, done much towards reconciling all Parties to the step to which they had engaged themselves. The Royal style adopted in it, and the omission of the usual form of acting in the name of the King, make it in effect an assumption of the Royal Dignity. I enclose a copy of Viscount Santarem's Communication to the Diplomatic Body, and one of their common Answer, annexing a list of the Powers by whose Agents here it has been adopted. The Right Hon. the Earl of Dudley. F. LAMB. (Enclosure 1.)—Decree of the Infant Dom Miguel, for Convoking the Three Estates of Portugal. 3rd May, 1828. [See Vol. 1827. 1828. Page 998.] (Enclosure 2.)-Viscount Santarem to the Ministers of Foreign Powers at Lisbon. (Translation.) 6th May, 1828. THE Undersigned, &c. by the Infant Regent's Orders, has the honour of informing Sir Frederick Lamb, &c. that His Royal Highness, having taken into consideration the very critical circumstances of these Kingdoms, and the representations addressed to Him by the Clergy, Nobility, Tribunals, and all the Cameras, praying and reclaiming, in the forms which have belonged to them since the commencement of the Monarchy, by Laws not yet abrogated, that He should be pleased to convoke the States, for the purpose of therein recognizing important points of fundamental Portuguese Public Law; His Royal Highness has judged that the above-mentioned Convocation is the best measure for restoring harmony and public peace in these so strongly agitated Kingdoms. The Undersigned, &c. VISCONDE SANTAREM. (Enclosure 3.)—The Ministers of Foreign Powers at Lisbon to Viscount Santarem. Lisbonne, ce 8 Mai, 1828. LE Soussigné, &c. a reçu la Note en date du 6 de ce Mois, que son Excellence le Vicomte de Santarem, lui a fait l'honneur de lui adresser. La communication qui en est l'objet, met le Soussigné dans la nécessité de regarder ses Fonctions Diplomatiques comme suspendues, d'en reférer à sa Cour, et d'attendre ses ordres. Son Excellence le Vicomte de Santarem. (Enclosure 4.)—List of the Powers by whose Agents the Note announc— ing the suspension of their Diplomatic Functions has been adopted. No. 30.-Sir F. Lamb to the Earl of Dudley.-(Rec. 24th May.) MY LORD, Lisbon, 17th May, 1828. THE internal measures of this Government continue in the same direction and with the same violence as before. Don Alvaro da Costa, late Governor of Setubal, who first came forward to excite the accla mation, has been promoted to the Government of the Province of Minho, where the late Governor, not having been sufficiently energetic in promoting it, has been dismissed. The changes in the Army continue; six Colonels of Regiments having been announced as removed, and replaced, in the Gazette of the 13th, independently of other Officers of all ranks. By the Gazette of this day, the Corps of Commerce, consisting of one Regiment of Infantry and one of Cavalry, as well as two Militia Battalions of Chasseurs, and two of Artillery of this Town, are dissolved. It is to these measures I look as the most certain indications of the further intentions of this Government. I have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. the Earl of Dudley. F. LAMB. No. 31.-Sir Frederick Lamb to the Earl of Dudley.-(Rec. June 3.) MY LORD, Lisbon, 28th May, 1828. YOUR Lordship's Despatch, conveying to me the orders to discontinue my attendance at Court, has given me great satisfaction, as indicating the probable approbation of the more decided measure taken by the suspension of my functions. Had I failed in obtaining so general a concurrence in it, from my Colleagues as to render its adoption on my part advisable, it was my intention, when the moment came, to have taken the line now directed by your Lordship, unless an assurance had been given to me against the renewal of such scenes. I have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. the Earl of Dudley. F. LAMB. No.32.-Sir Frederick Lamb to the Earl of Aberdeen.-(Rec. July 10.) Lisbon, 24th June, 1828. MY LORD, THE Cortes met yesterday. His Hoyal Highness the Infant was present upon the Throne, but did not speak. The Bishop of Vizeu opened the proceedings by a speech, whereof I enclose a translation. It appears to me to state, implicitly, that His Royal Highness only defers taking the Crown, until the Three Estates shall have recognized the validity of his right to it, which is in itself incontestable. This Speech was answered by a much more violent one from M. das Neves, Deputy for Lisbon, stating that neither Dom Pedro nor his Daughters had any right to the Crown of Portugal, and qualifying the resistance at Oporto as a Military Revolt, proceeding from the same sources as the Revolution of 1820, and to be put down in the same manner. After this, the Cortes separated. each branch in a separate Church. them are three: 1st. The rights of the Infant. They will meet again to-morrow, 2nd. His Royal Highness's marriage at an early period. 3rd. The succession to the Crown, failing heirs of his body. As the decision to be taken on each of these three points is of course already determined upon, the proceedings may be closed within the week; but I cannot say that it may not be thought fit to protract them. I have the honour to be, &c. F. LAMB. The Right Hon. the Earl of Aberdeen. P.S. I enclose the Gazette of to-day, which there is not time to translate; the Article giving an account of the proceedings of the Cortes deviates widely from the measured language of the Bishop of Vizeu; so much so, that none of my Colleagues doubt, whether such a statement published under the Censure in the Government Gazette, although in its unofficial part, does not amount to such an assumption of the Royal title as to warrant our departure. Upon this occasion I shall adopt, in remaining, the decision which I think the safest, not the best. Another Article of the Gazette contains denunciations of punishment against those Portuguese who are expected from London. The terror here augments; the Countess Saldanha has been forced to fly, and the Marchioness of Nysa and the Countess of Rio Mayor are in danger of being arrested, because their Sons, who are minors, did not sign the Representation to the Infant, urging him to call the Cortes. F. L. (Enclosure 1.)-Speech of the President, on the Opening of the Cortes, 23rd June, 1828. [See Vol. 1827, 1828. Page 998.] (Enclosure 2.)-Article in the Gazeta de Lisboa, 24th June, 1828. (Translation.) Lisbon, 23d June, 1828: THIS day the three Estates of the Kingdom assembled in the Royal Palace of our Lady of Ajuda, convoked by virtue of a Decree of the 3rd of last month. A respectable and truly august Assembly of the Portuguese Nation, which, since its first meeting in Lamego in 1143 until now, has been called together on affairs of moment, nearly 100 times; and which the Lord Dom João VI. (whom may God keep) for the most just causes, was intentioned to convoke, as was proved by his immortal Decree of the 4th of June, 1824, but which desire he never could fulfil; God reserving that glory for his august Son, the Lord Dom Miguel I., his legitimate Successor to the Crown of these Kingdoms of Portugal and Algarves and their dominions, who, in order to confuse their and our enemies, does not intend to assume or bear the sceptre which the most evident and solemn titles ensure, until his incontrovertible rights shall have been deliberated upon by the National Congress, assembled in the legal form established at the foundation of this Monarchy. This venerable Assembly of Prelates, Grandees of the Kingdom, and Procurators of the Cities and Towns of note therein, who had a seat in the Cortes, began to collect in the Palace before 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and, when all were seated in the magnificent apartment allotted for that purpose, at 5 o'clock, the August Prince entered, habited in the ancient Portuguese costume (as were all the Personages who had a vote in the Cortes, except the Clergy and Magistrates) and preceded by the Mace-bearers, Kings-of-arms, Heralds, Poursuivants, and a Royal Retinue, proceeded amidst music, towards the Throne, when the door was shut against all those who had no vote in these solemn |