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semble that a difference between Portugal and Spain might disturb that peace, and occasion a war in Europe, which might be not only disastrous to the two countries, but incompatible with the interests and the tranquillity of other powers. That in consequence they have resolved to make known to the government of his Most Faithful Majesty their sentiments on this subject, to invite him to furnish sufficient explanations upon his views, to take the most prompt and proper measures to dissipate the just alarms which his invasion of the American possessions of Spain has already caused in Europe, and to satisfy the rights claimed by the latter power, as well as those principles of justice and impartiality which guide the mediators. A refusal to yield to such just demands would leave no doubt with respect to the real intentions of the cabinet of Rio Janeiro. The disastrous effects that might result to the two hemispheres would be imputed entirely to Portugal; and Spain, after having seen all Europe applaud her wise and moderate conduct, would find in the justice of her cause, and in the support of her allies, sufficient means of redressing her complaints.

The undersigned, in acquitting themselves of the orders of their courts, have the honour to offer to his Excellency the Marquis d'Aguiar the assurance of their high consideration. (Signed) VINCENT,

RICHELIEU,

STUART,

GOLTZ,

Pozzo DI BORGHO. The manner in which the court

of Madrid received this intelligence may be conjectured from the following announcement in the Gazette of Madrid, on the date of May 13.

Letters from Gibraltar announce that the Portuguese army of Rio Janeiro has possessed itself of the fortress of Monte Video, which has for a long time groaned under the tyrannical yoke of the insurgents. Whatever truth there may be in this intelligence, the federative system, whose object it is to secure the peace of Europe, the intimate union of the king our master with all the other sovereigns, the wisdom of the measures taken by his majesty to support the honour of his throne and the inviolability of his states, the noble sentiments of the king of Portugal, and the new ties that have more intimately connected together the two august housesall these considerations taken together, excite a hope that the public, in learning this intelligence, instead of feeling any disquietude, will wait with entire confidence the issue of an event which has become the object of paternal solicitude to a Prince who equally loves all his subjects

Before this period, however, an event took place on the Brazilian territories which proved that the signal of revolt had extended to a portion of that country.

In the government of Pernambuco, the governor, on the 5th of March, after having expressed much affection to the people of the place, privately drew up a list of persons proscribed in his secret cabinet, which included the most spirited youths of the country, as well as some of the bravest officers of the

army.

army. On the following day this order was to be put in execution; and the prisons were thrown open for the reception of the most determined leaders of the intended conspiracy. Of these, the Brazilian officers of the regiments of Olinda and Recife were the most distinguished. Several of these were apprehended; but a colonel, going first to the barracks for the purpose of executing the order, was killed by one of his own captains. An aide-de-camp of the governor met with the same fate; and the whole of the regiments sided with their officers. The governor with his personal staff and a few other officers quitted the town, and retired to Fort Bran, at a short distance. On the following day the fort was delivered up without resistance, and the governor with his officers were made prisoners, and shipped for Rio Janeiro.

This insurrection was limited to the district of Pernambuco; and its triumph only lasted till a body of troops could be drawn together capable of resisting it. On May 12th, intelligence reached Serinhaem that the insurgents intended to attack the advanced guard of the royal army, posted near the works of Civiro Cavalcante. The army in consequence marched, and took up its positions in the works of Pendoba Grande and Peguena. On the 15th Major Salvador marched with a force destined to occupy the Pojuca, which he accomplished, but was exposed to all the fire of the enemy. At half past five in the afternoon the main body of the army arrived, and came to action in a place called Guerra. The firing

began with the artillery, and th action lasted till night in the course of which the insurgents dispersed, and were pursued by several royal detachments In the morning were found on the field of battle five pieces of cannon, a carronade, quantities of ammunition and provision, and the military chest with nearly a million of reis. Many prisoners were taken, and great numbers were killed and wounded, of whom a considerable part were officers.

After this action, intelligence having been received that the insurgent Martins was advancing at the head of a column on Serinhaem, a body of troops under the command of a captain of militia was sent against him, which completely routed his force, taking many prisoners, among whom was Martins himself, the celebrated leader of the revolution.

Not long after the intelligence had been received of the entire defeat of the insurrection in Brazil, a plot was discovered for effecting a revolution in Portugal, the purpose of which was to make an entire change in the government. On the first of June, Lisbon was made acquainted with the nature and extent of this conspiracy, which we shall communicate in the words of the public paper in which it appeared.

"The governor of Portugal having been informed that there existed a conspiracy in the country, whose object was to overthrow the government, and to substitute for it a revolutionary government; and that, in order to attain their object, the conspirators employed such means as they thought most calculated to mislead the

national

national mind, by transforming into proofs of his Majesty's intention to abandon Portugal all those political events which had occurred for some time, and the popular rumours consequent upon them and his excellency having learnt from some of the accomplices, that at the head of this infernal plot was the Lieut.-Gen. Gomez Freire de Andrade, aided by the Baron d'Eben, and that they altogether had directed, and continued to direct, all their efforts to seduce all they could of the troops and other classes of the inhabitants and as it was no longer possible to doubt the existence of a plot after the fortunate seizure of some proclamations, all ready printed, in the name of a selfstyled regenerating council (such was their assumed title); in consideration of these discoveries, the

governors of the kingdom conceived that they owed it to the monarch who had intrusted them with the government of the kingdom, to the inhabitants themselves, to their own characters, and to the preservation of public order, to prevent without delay those consequences with which all were threatened; and it was with this object that their excellencies determined to arrest, without loss of time, on the night between the 25th and 26th of May, not only the two general officers before named, but other persons also who were known to be acquainted and implicated in the horrible project. All possible efforts were made to learn every circumstance, and to procure every proof, in order to proceed forthwith according to law, to execute justice on the guilty.

CHAP

CHAPTER XII.

Russia.-Regulation for the Discharge of the Public Debt.-Facilities granted to Mercantile Men.-The Emperor quits his Capital, having first published a Decree for the Regulation of Proprietors and Colonists.Sweden.-Conspiracy against the Crown Prince, and his Audress to the Citizens of Stockholm.—Proclamation by the King respecting Economy. ` -His Address to Prince Oscar.-Speech read by the Prince.-Vienna. -Berlin.

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We, Alexander I. by the grace of God, Emperor and Autocrat of all the Russias, &c. &c.

"The measures announced by the ukases of 1810 and 1812, for the successive payment of the debts of the state were suspended by the events of a war, as fatal in its origin, as glorious in its result: the taxes which were decreed solely for this purpose were diverted from it by the indispensable necessity of employing them towards the expences which the defence of the country required. It was impossible, amidst the rapid course of military events, to think of raising the credit of the state; the system of which had not yet been able to consolidate itself: all that could be done was to maintain it By the aid of the Almighty, this war has been concluded without an augmentation of the taxes,

and without having injured the public credit. Now that peace is restored, finding that the gradual extinction of the debts of the empire is as necessary to the general welfare, as indispensable to strengthen the confidence in the engagements of the government, we have ordered our Minister of Finance to present to the Council of State, for its examination, a plan for additional measures, which shall complete the regulations made on this subject; and after having examined it, with the advice of the Council of State, we have thought fit to ordain what follows:

1. For the payment of the debts of the state, the imperial treasury shall, in the course of the present year, place at the disposal of the committee for the payment of the debt, the sum of forty millions of roubles.

2 Dating from the year 1818 there shall be annually assigned for the same object sixty millions out of the revenues of the domains of the crown, till the total extinction of the debts, and till the mass of paper currency shall be reduced to the proportion of what is requisite for circulation.

3. The principles lately adopted, and lately completed, to make a foundation for the extinction of the debts of the state, are laid down in the general regulation of the committee of the sinking fund, which we have confirmed. This regulation is to be carried into full effect from the first of September in this year.

4. As all the debts of the government are concentrated in the committee of the sinking fund, all the branches of the administration are expressly prohibited, from this day forward, from making by themselves new debts under any pretext whatever, and this under the personal responsibility of those who are at the head of them; but if there should arise in future some unforeseen circumstances which would make it necessary to open a loan to cover extraordinary demands, exceeding the usual resources of the public treasury, in this case the loan cannot be made except in conformity with the principles laid down in the regulation of the said committee.

Given at Petersburg,
April 16, 1817.

A subsequent operation of the imperial court was for the purpose of extending the facilities of mercantile men in their several dealings. The Emperor Alexander, in a paper dated from Petersburgh May 7th, gives the following notice:

Desiring to afford to the merchants greater means for the facilitating and extending their commercial operations, we have thought fit, instead of the new existing discount bank, whose influence, on account of the smallness of its capital, and the several defects observed in its constitution, is of no visible use; to establish an VOL. LIX.

Imperial Commercial Bank. In consequence of this resolution, we have commissioned the minister of finance to lay before the council of state, for its consideration, all the plans necessary to be prepared on this subject. Now, having taken the advice of our council of state, we decree as follows:

I. Thirty millions of rubles of the capital of the crown are placed at the disposal of the Commercial Bank. [Here follows the statement of the items of which this capital is to be formed.]

II. The Commercial Bank is to be allowed to take money, 1. On interest for circulation, according to the same principles as in the loan bank. 2. To deposit and transfer from one person to another the sums inscribed by pri vate persons, according to the book of the bank.

III. The Commercial Bank gives loans on Russian goods, according to the principles of the discount office, and accepts bills, but in this case taking the percentage according to the course of commercial operations.

IV. Half of the directors to consist of public officers, and half of merchants.

V. The Commercial Bank shall be opened on the first of January next year.

VI. At the same time we hereby issue the regulations of the Commercial Bank, confirmed by us: we take it under our protection, and guarantee with our imperial word the integrity of the capitals which shall be intrusted to it by private persons; as also that the rights of every person to the same shall remain inviolate. With the opening of the Commercial Bank, we shall not fail to increase

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