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will be but one opinion amongst true Portuguese, and that the false Brethren of this Family will not be again enabled to disturb the tranquillity of the Country.

Great Britain, with the good faith and punctuality which distinguishes it, has declared its resolution to aid us, in case of Foreign aggression, and it hastens with generous promptitude to support us in our present difficulty. The other Nations of Europe recognize the Institutions which have emanated from Legitimate Authority, and applaud our efforts; and if one of them has shewn indecision or doubt, wiser counsels have at length removed it, and it has seen that it was fitting for it to embrace and follow the common opinion.

Noble Peers of the Kingdom,-Continue with emulation the honourable work of your Ancestors. In the council, and in the field, they were faithful Ministers, and excellent instruments in the hands of our wise and great Kings. Embrace the favourable opportunity of imitating such noble examples.

Senhores Deputies of the Portuguese Nation,-Your Ancestors, in their love of Country, and in their ambition for glory, answered to the magnanimous wisdom of our Monarchs, and to the generosity of our Nobility. Follow, then, the path traced out to you by your Ancestors.

Continue all in the path of virtue and honour; it may appear to be arduous, but it is glorious and adventurous. Enter once more upon the exercise of the important functions of your Office, with a spirit of moderation, without timidity; with a zeal for liberty without excess. Be circumspect in your propositions-be wise and judicious in your deliberations-free yourselves from the passions, and from private considerations; for it is only by thus acting that you will secure the great work of our august King the Senhor Don Pedro IV. as well as the liberties and happiness of the Kingdom. You owe to our great King, to the Kingdom, to yourselves, and to your posterity, the happy fulfilment of this great undertaking. Her Highness the Senhora Infanta Regent is confident that you will omit nothing to accomplish this honourable work.

You will, besides, shew to this Kingdom, to Europe, and to the World at large, which observes us; by your respect for the religion which we profess, by your veneration for the fundamental Laws, and for the rights which the Charter assigns to the King and to the Chambers; that the Roman Catholick Religion is, and always will be, ours; and that, far from wishing to destroy, you only endeavour to revive, to ameliorate, and to consolidate, the ancient Institutions of our Country. In fine, you will prove that the Portuguese Nation is still, as in the best days of its glory, as brave in undertaking high deeds, as it is judicious and steady in accomplishing what it has undertaken.

SPEECH of the Commissioners, on the Closing of the Chambers of Portugal. 31st March, 1827.

(Translation.)

NOBLE PEERS OF THE KINGDOM, AND SENHORES, DEPUTIES OF THE PORTUGUESE NATION,

THE Law has put an end to the Second Session of the Cortes. Your labours are concluded; return to your Provinces and homes; to continue with more leisure, and with greater freedom of thought, your meditations upon what may complete the publiek happiness; and to observe more closely the wants of the People and their resources.

Her Royal Highness the Senhora Infanta Regent, in the name of the King, will, in the mean time, study to establish, with more firmness and security, the noble fabrick of the present Political Institutions of the Monarchy: precious Institutions, the memorable gift of a magnanimous King, the smallest deviation from which Her Highness will never permit.

The vigilance of Her Highness has defeated intrigues, and has disarmed Parties; the Rebels have retired in confusion, and with precipitation; the disturbances in the Provinces have by degrees been calmed; and Her Highness, employing for the future a just severity, with suitable clemency, will finally incline all minds to that concord, of which we stand in need, and which all, with some few exceptions perhaps, anxiously desire.

We continue to preserve the same relations of Peace and Friendship with Foreign Powers; which will be faithfully maintained, on our part, by just pretensions and conduct, by discreet vigour, and even by prudent condescension, when such can take place without the sacrifice of proper dignity. Our most intimate Allies have co-operated and continue to co-operate with us, as might be expected from their good faith in the fulfilment of Treaties, and from their generosity as Friends.

The serious difficulties of the undertaking, the shortness of the time, and the necessity of attending to business, not more important, but without doubt more urgent, have impeded the so much desired progress in the great work of framing the regulatory Laws; a work of the highest moment, and which the circumstances of our internal, and, it may be also said, of our external policy, particularly requires The zeal will be crowned in future Sessions with the most constancy of your signal success.

Her Highness trusts, from your acknowledged talents, and from your no less acknowledged patriotism, that you will continue to employ yourselves with equal discretion and unabated zeal, in founding upon wise Laws the beautiful edifice of rational liberty.

DECREE of the Emperor of Brazil, appointing the Infant, Don Miguel, Lieutenant of the Kingdom of Portugal.3d July, 1827. (Translation.)

INFLUENCED by circumstances worthy of my Royal consideration; and reflecting that the safety and security of the State ought to be the Supreme Law for every Sovereign who has at heart the prosperity and happiness of his Subjects; and bearing also in mind the qualities, activity, and firmness of character, which distinguish the Infant Don Miguel, my much-beloved and esteemed Brother; I think fit to appoint him my Lieutenant; granting to him all the powers which belong to me, as King of Portugal and the Algarves, and which are laid down in the Constitutional Charter, in order that he may govern and rule those Kingdoms conformably with the dispositions of the said Charter. The Infant Don Miguel, my beloved and esteemed Brother, will see to the execution of this Decree.

Signed by His Majesty THE KING.

Palace of Rio Janeiro, July 3, 1827.

SPEECH of the President, on the Opening of the Legislature of Hayti.-12th February, 1827.

CITOYENS REpresentans,

CONVOQUES ici avant l'époque fixée ordinairement, vous avez dú penser que le bien public nécessitait des Mesures Législatives dont l'adoption est urgente. En effet les circonstances prescrivent des dispositions qui seront immédiatement soumises à vos délibérations, et qu'il importe de mettre en exécution le plus tôt possible.

J'aurai d'abord à appeler l'attention de la Chambre sur la nécessité de diminuer l'imposition dernièrement établie, et de fixer le taux annuel des Contribuables d'une manière proportionnelle aux facultés de Cette disposition qui soulagera le Peuple, est commandée par l'état de gêne générale qui résulte de la crise financière qui existe partout depuis plus d'une année, et de la diminution du commerce qui en est la suite.

chacun.

C'était pour remédier à cette gêne, et soutenir la marche du service public, que le Gouvernement avait ordonné la création d'un Papiermonnaie, qui a été accueilli par la Nation avec un empressement qui est un signe certain de sa confiance.

Il est satisfaisant de pouvoir dire que le système nouvellement adopté pour la Police Rurale, assure déjà une augmentation progressive, dans les produits du sol. Les mesures que j'ai à vous proposer, contribueront encore à donner un plus grand développement à l'agriculture.

Il ne dépendra pas de moi que le commerce ne reprenne aussi une nouvelle vie, sous l'heureuse influence de nos rapports politiques avec les Gouvernemens étrangers. Je ne négligerai rien pour atteindre ce but.

Lorsque l'année dernière, à l'ouverture de la Session, j'exprimai mes sentimens sur la reconnaissance de l'Indépendance d'Haïti, il était naturel de penser que les doutes entretenus à l'étranger sur la légalité de notre existence Nationale devaient cesser, et que la déclaration du Roi de France était, en quelque sorte, dans l'opinion des autres Puissances, une consécration de la légitimité de nos droits. Cette pensée, résultant d'abord de la situation honorable où le courage des Haïtiens les avait placés depuis plus de 22 années, se fortifiait nécessairement encore, par l'obligation consentie volontairement, en faveur de la France, d'une indemnité pécuniaire. C'était donc dans cet esprit que j'énonçai alors l'espèce de compensation que devait trouver la République.

Cependant, il était essentiel d'obtenir des éclaircissemens sur des points importans, et nous avons successivement demandé au Gouvernement Français des explications devenues indispensables. Le résultat de nos réclamations n'est pas tel que nous avions droit de l'espérer; mais l'empire de la raison finira sans doute par écarter des difficultés qui ne peuvent se soutenir devant le principe qui régit tout Etat véritablement indépendant. De notre côté, quelles que soient les circonstances, nous ferons notre devoir, et serons toujours fidèles à ce que prescrivent l'honneur et la loyauté.

Citoyens Représentans, persuadé du patriotisme des mandataires de l'Etat, j'ai la plus grande confiance dans le résultat de leur coopération dans toutes les mesures commandées pour la prospérité publique.

Quant à moi, tous mes efforts auront toujours pour but le maintien de la vraie liberté, et la gloire de l'Indépendance Nationale.

Au nom de la République, en vertu de la Constitution, je déclare que la première Session de la troisième Législature est ouverte.

BOYER.

ROYAL ORDER of the King of Spain, containing temporary Regulations for the Trade between Spain and its American Colonies, in Spanish and Foreign Vessels. 9th February, 1827.

(Translation.)

Royal Order addressed to the General Direction of the Revenue, for permitting, for a time, the Commerce to America, under Foreign Flags.

The King, our Lord, finding it necessary to protect and extend the reciprocal commerce of America with the Mother Country, by means

of measures conformable to the present situation of mercantile relations, and of Navigation, by giving to the latter due uniformity and generality; with the view of consulting the interests of the Royal Treasury, as well as of commerce and industry, has been pleased, after hearing the opinion of his Council of Ministers, to order that, until this subject can be regulated after a more mature deliberation, the following Regulations shall be observed:

1. Spaniards having occasion to trade to the Dominions of America from the Ports of the Peninsula and the adjacent Islands, in Foreign Vessels of friendly and allied Powers, shall be allowed so to do, without the necessity of previously obtaining the Royal permission.

2. Foreign Vessels, of the above description, when sailing from the Spanish Ports of the Peninsula and the adjacent Islands for the Spanish Dominions of America, with a Cargo of commodities, the products and effects wholly of the Kingdom, with the intention of bringing back those of the Colonies, shall pay the export duties to the Indies for articles so laden, and 4 per cent. for the permit given to the Flag. Flour shall continue to be excepted in return Cargoes.

3. On the entrance, directly into Spanish Ports, of Vessels returning with the Cargoes specified in the preceding Article, they shall pay for the goods composing them, the duties of the Tariff of free commerce, (with the modifications which they shall have received, and the alteration directed by the Royal order of February 1, 1825, in respect to coffee and sugar) and 8 per cent. for the permission granted to the Flag. But if they touch at any Foreign Port, they shall pay 12 per cent. for such permission, unless it can be satisfactorily established, that they were forced to put into a Foreign Port, and that the Cargo was neither unloaded nor transhipped.

4. Foreign Vessels of the above description, sailing from Spanish Ports for the Spanish Dominions of America, with half, or a third part of a cargo of commodities, the products and effects of the Kingdom, and the remainder of Foreign goods, shall pay, 1st, the duties levied on National goods exported to the Indies; 2dly, the 2 per cent. transit duty for Foreign goods, without any other duty on account of their being Foreign; 3dly, 8 per cent. for permission in favour of the Flag.

5. On the entrance direct into the Spanish Ports, of Vessels returning with the Cargo specified in the preceding Article, they shall pay for the goods composing those Cargoes, the duties of the Tariff for free commerce, and 10 per cent. for the permission of the Flag. But if they touch at a Foreign Port, they shall pay 16 per cent. additional for the permission of the Flag, unless it be fully proved that the arrival was forced, and that the Cargo was neither unloaded nor transhipped.

6. Should His Majesty think proper to rescind or alter the present provisions, the Merchants will be duly informed thereof.

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