THE INSURRECTION IN PORTUGAL.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 94, 20 March 1847, Page 3

THE INSURRECTION IN PORTUGAL.

To the Edito,- of the Tunes. Sir,—The following note of the late occurrences hero may not bs inintercsliug to some of jour readers. On Ftiday, the 9th inst. nropoit was spiead that the Seplcmbrisla Goveinment had resigned, and that the Duke of Teiceira, at the head of tin cc regiments, had declared for a new Ministry. A few hours afterwards the Mindelto war steamer appealed ofi'the bay with the Duke on hoard. He lauded as soon as the vessel en tered, holding (lie Queen's commission as Lieutenar.t of tlie iVvJidu'rn provinces, and went to the house of his friend theConde deTerena(Sebastiao) at Valluz. The President of the municipal body, Jose da Silva Passos, at once ordered the troops to their barracks, and shut them in the Municipal Guard being in uched from their quaitors at theCavmo to the St. Uvulio Barracks lor greater s,_vurU\. Ai'tei Pending notice to his paitisans to arm themselves, he proceeded with tlie Viscoude de Buiru and others to the Duke's lodgings, and advised him to re-embark instantly as otherwise they could not answer for his personal sifaty in the present s>tate of popular feeling. During the altercation, tte house was beset by a band of armed men of the lowest class, headed by one Navarro. Hearing the uproar the veteran Duke lighted his cigar and went to the door. He was saluted by cues of" Morra !" •'Moi-ra!" " Malta!' "Malta I" " Death !" ••Kill him !" &c.); and turning on them, he said "Away with these'JVlurras !' Ifjouwant to kill me, heie am I." Being told by Navarro to consider himself a prisoner, tie asked "By whose ordeis?" and was answered " l>y the people's." They ] dragged him on foot (with his companions, the Vibconde de Sa'ita Maria and others) to the Cas- i J tie of St. John's da Foz, a league oil', the aged Visconde de Baira, walking by his side, assisted by the better disposed of the party in warding oil" the blows and stalls of the savage tnob. They were neatly four honis on the road in darkness, for night had set in ; and 1 am assured by an eye witness that the whole of the journey was a continued struggle between life and death. The prisoners coat was pietved by bayonets, and a musket fired at his breast was diverted from the mark by the hand of one of his companions. A guard of aimed men was placed at his cell, and he stiil remains in piison. His unfoitunato valet being mel and attacked on the Foz road whilst bunging his master's baggage from the steamer, threw himself into the nver and was drowned. The w hole of that and the following night the peaceable inhabitants of the city were disturbed by the ringing of church bells,, to give the rebate or alarm. On Saturday the 10th, a. Junta was formed by the leading Sjjptembristas—President Conde das Antas j Vice-Presidejif, Joze da Silva Passosj Vogats, Sebastiao d 'Almeida c Brito ; JustinoFerreira Pinto Basto; Francisco de Fanla Lobo d Avila, and Antonio Luiz de Seabra; and an express sent oil* to the Conde das Antas, at Braga, to inform him of what had occiined.

On Sunday, the 1 1th, the Conde arrived at the head of his division (some O'OO strong), and accepted oflice as President of the Junta. They have issued various proclamations, declaring the Queen to be coerced by the \\Q\v Ministry, and their determination to march on Lisbon and set her free. The first division (some 1000 men) left hero on the 11th, for Coimbra ; and the second (1000 to 1100 sliong, with three 6-noundcrs and a howitzer), on Monday, the 19th. The city is now guaided by a handful of the Municipal Guard, and a battallion of " AiUslas," got to gether anyhow. The crews of the wai'-steameis Mimtclloiuwi Duque do Porto refused to obey the Junta, and held out till Monday last, with their guns loaded with giape. On Sunday, however, a strong body of Uaoadores being sent to the ground immediately over their anchorage, and a show of heavy artillery made, they agreed to leave the ships next day, and have landed with their baggage, charts, ice. Yesterday news came that Viana had declared for the Queen ; the J uuta immediately ordered part of the Municipals on board the steamer, to go and quell the "revolt j" but the appearance of the coi vette Nave de Julho off the bar to blockade (it is supposed) has changed their plans, if indeed, they seriously intended to go out — the steamer having no engineers. It is currently reported that tlie Barro de Vinhaes, with 300 regulars, is in Villa Heal (two days' march to the north-east), on his way to Oporto, to expel the Junta. The above losvn has certainly declared for the Queen. The Junta are repairing the lines about Uomfirn, and have sent several heavy guns in thai direction, as well as to the castle at St. John's. They have acted with an energy seldom seen in the Portuguese character; but, being destitute of money, credit or influence, except over their immediate partisans, it is not difficult to foresee how the struggle will end j the froops being for the most pait unpaid and discontented at seeing their old co umander a prisoner. We are totally ignorant of Lisbon news; all papois arestoppedon the load, and letters (with lew exceptions) opened, and kept if found to contain news. The Cartistapapers here being suppressed, the organs of the Junta have it all their own way. X. Opoito, October 23, IS4G.

Nothing has such a tendency to weaken, not only the power of invention, but the intellectual powers in general, as a h.ibit of citciui/u and various reading without reflection