the marquess de Queluz of foreign affairs, and charged ad interim with the department of finances, the viscount de S. Leopoldo being principal minister of state. During his absence in Rio Grande, the empress died, on the 11th of December, a reputed victim of his attachment for the marchioness of Santos, to whom, also, it is said, the ship Buenos Ayres was formerly the Maria Isabel, an old fir-built vessel, presented by the emperor of Russia to the king of Spain. She sailed from Valparaiso with a ship's company of 500 men, whose attempt to sail around Cape Horn in her was deemed perfectly desperate; and being rotten from mast to keel, she is supposed to have foundered at sea. The Mon-old ministry were sacrificed. The tevideo, formerly the corvette In- Pedro returned to Rio, as we have already mentioned, on the 15th of January, and immediately made a change in his ministry, the marquess de Nazareth being appointed minister of justice, the marquess de Maceio of the marine, constitutional assembly of the empire met in May, and closed its session in November. Of the emperor's address to the two chambers, only the following paragraph relates to the war : "Most worthy representatives I of the Brazilian nation : open the constitutional assembly with the enthusiasm which has always attended this act, but not with the same satisfaction, as my heart is penetrated with grief, consequent upon the death of my most beloved consort, the empress, who died on the 11th of December last, leaving this world for the habitation of the just-the place appointed by the Most High for those who, like her, have led a life of virtue and religion. This bereavement, so unfortunate for us all, took place while I was in the province of Rio Grande, endeavouring, by all the means which the love of country could suggest, to terminate the war between Brazil and Buenos Ayres, by rousing up the energies of the brave inhabitants of that province. This war continues, and will continue, until the Banda Oriental which is ours, shall be freed from its invaders, and Buenos Ayres shall recognize the independence of Brazil, and of that province which has freely and with one accord, declared themselves part of our empire. I am confident that this assembly will co-operate to promote the ob. jects proposed at their last session, in conformity to the answer to the speech from the throne, presented to me by a deputation from this body." Having no connected and accurate information of the proceedings of the legislative body, we shall not attempt to give any account of them. At the close of their session, the emperor recommended the appointment of a committee to remain at Rio, invested with authority to confer with the imperial council, relative to any propositions that might be received from the government of La Plata, on the subject of peace, or respecting the boundary line between the two countries. But the prospect of peace held out in this suggestion, was generally conceived to be wholly delusive, the whole object of it being to keep alive the hopes of the people. Whether the Brazilians have any disposition to revolutionize the government, and in imitation of the rest of South America, to introduce republican · forms in the place of monarchy, we have no certain means of judging. Although reports of occasional disturbances in Brazil have reached this country, yet none of them seemed to be of much conse quence, or to be levelled against the authority of the house of Braganza. Notwithstanding all the burdens of war to which the people are subjected, they exhibit no symptoms of general insurrection. The condition of Brazil, tranquil under the sway of one, who, acting in all the forms of a constitutional prince, is nevertheless virtually possessed of absolute power, stands apparently in strong contrast with the disorderly state of the surrounding republics, espe cially when we consider that the public requisitions press much more lightly upon the people in the latter than in the former. It is not true, that the Brazilians are happier, or better governed, than the Colombians, or Buenos Ayreans. Doubtless the fact is far otherwise. But a republican government, especially one newly instituted, or imperfectly organized, is, from the nature of things, more liable to be agitated by the change of popular feeling, than a despotism, whose march is usually uninterrupted and tranquil in proportion as the servitude of the people is com plete. Next to the war itself, no event incidentally connected with it, has The excited more sensation at Rio de Janeiro, than the departure of Mr. Condy Raguet, the chargé des affaires of the United States in Brazil. This gentleman had frequently made ineffectual remonstrances against the violences of the Brazilian cruisers, and civil authorities. During the progress of a maritime war, the commerce of neutral nations is always liable to occasional vexation and interruption. emperor of Brazil having undertaken to establish and enforce a paper blockade of the harbours of Buenos Ayres, Mr. Raguet was necessarily involved in frequent correspondence with the Brazilian ministry, on the subject of captures and detentions, made either in express violation of undoubted prin. ciples of the law of nations, or at least in violation of those principles of neutral right, which the United States have in all past wars ardently maintained. But Mr. Raguet soon found that his representations were frequently disregarded or evaded, and he himself not treated with the deference due to his official situation; and of course, his connexion with the Brazilian government led to a constant suc. cession of little collisions, each adding to the unpleasant feelings which the preceding ones had engendered. Numerous instances occurred of well founded complaint on the part of citizens of the United States, urged by Mr. Raguet, where the court of Brazil manifested no disposition to render satisfaction to the injured party. Indignant, at length, at the uncourteous conduct of the Brazilian go. vernment in the negotiations occasioned by the forcible seizure and illegal detention of the brig Spark, of New-York, Mr. Raguet demanded his passports, in March, and was suffered by the emperor to depart for the United States. Probably Pedro did not believe that Mr. Raguet would persevere in his purpose of quitting Rio; thinking he merely assumed a threatening attitude, for the purpose of intimidation, and of thus producing an instant settlement of the business. Mr. Raguet, however, left Rio in April; and a few days in anticipation of his departure, Pedro despatched a special messenger to Mr. Rebello, the Brazilian minister in the United States, in order to give a suitable account of the matter to the government of the latter, so as to prevent the breach from becoming irreparable. Mr. Oliveira, the bearer of the despatches, reached Washington before Mr. Raguet; and in consequence of the representations made by Mr. Rebello, the president, relying upon the emperor's assurance, that on the arri val of another minister at Rio de Janeiro, a full and adequate indem. nity would be promptly made for any injuries which had been com. mitted on the persons or property of citizens of the United States, consented to appoint a successor to Mr. Raguet. Pedro thus narrowly escaped drawing upon himself the resentment of the United States, at a time, when a war with this country must very speedily have resulted in his total ruin. Of events in PARAGUAY, and of the proceedings of its singular rulers, during the last years, no authentic information has met our notice. Rengger's lately published historical essay, on the revolution in that country, and on the dictatorial government of Francia, contains, it is true, many curious developements concerning the recent political condition of Paraguay. But his account terminates in the year 1825, so far as it is founded upon his own personal knowledge. Nothing is correctly known of the actual state of affairs, except that the same system, which has hither to distinguished Francia's govern ment, of interdicting communication between Paraguay and the neighbouring provinces, still remains in full vigour. It now ap. pears, that the power which he attained through artifice and treachery, is maintained by the unrelent ing policy of sheer military despot. ism. It further appears, that the statement which has been generally circulated, and generally belie ved, and which we mentioned in the preceding volume, that Francia had resigned in favour of a certain marquis de Guarany, was the fabrication of a Spanish adventurer, assuming that name, who appeared in Madrid, pretending to be the envoy of the dictator, and invented the story for some private ends of a questionable character. It is probable, therefore, that Francis continues to rule over the citizens of Assumption with a rod of iron, and still plays the petty tyrant in the wilds of Paraguay. CHAPTER XIV. Great Britain.-New Parliament-King's Speech-Indemnity to Minis. ters-Joint Stock Companies-Aid to Portugal-Death of the Duke of York-Parliament re-assembles-Mr. Peel's Bills for amending Criminal Laws-Catholic Question—Amendment of the Corn LawsSickness of Lord Liverpool-Mr. Canning appointed Premier-Resignation of six Cabinet Ministers-New Appointments-Popularity of Mr. Canning-The Cabinet Organized-Parliament in May-Debates in the House of Commons on the Ministry—And in the House of LordsMr. Canning's Situation-Coalition with the Whigs-Mr. Canning's Budget-Bill for amending the Corn Laws-Disfranchisement of Penryn-Parliament Prorogued-Treaty for the settlement of Greece— Death of Mr. Canning-His Character-Lord Goderich's Ministry— Conclusion. We resume the history of GREAT BRITAIN, at the period when the newly elected parliament assembled the first time for the despatch of business, on the 14th day of November, 1826. It was summoned to meet at this early period, in order to obtain an act of indemnity for the ministers, who, alarmed by the prospect of a deficiency in the crops, had authorized the importation of certain kinds of grain, with out waiting until it rose to the quarterly average price, when the importation could be legally permitted. On the appointed day, about one hundred members of the new house of commons, appeared at the bar of the house of lords, and received the direction of the Lord Chancellor, as one of the royal commissioners, that they should proceed forthwith to the election of a speaker. The commons accordingly repaired to their own house, and unanimously re-elected to the chair Mr. Manners Sutton, the speaker of the house in the preceding parliament. The next day, the speaker being presented to the royal commissioners, was approved in the name of the king; and craving it in the customary form, received assurance of the ancient rights and privileges of the English commons. A week was occupied |