22 SEPTEMBER 1832, Page 12

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

DON MIGUEL AND HIS TORY PARTISANS.

THE conductors of the Tory press continue to advocate the cause • of the Portuguese Usurper with unabated zeal, and, what is more rare with them, determined consistency. Every fresh act of treachery (and such frequently occur) supplies a pretext for laud- ing his high sense of honour; renewed cruelties give rise to additional panegyrics on his clemency; and perjury itself, when committed by their idol, becomes a virtue in . their estimation. The Tories, in fact, seek to indemnify themselves for the subdued tone which the state of public feeling in this country compels them to adopt 'when speaking of popular rights, by indulging in unbounded admiration of despotism in foreign parts. Now Don MIGUEL is the personification of Ultra Toryism, and the single merit of oppressing his subjects with vigour sanctifies his whole character and course of proceeding. The halcyon days of CASTLE- REAGH and SIDMOUTH, when the Executive assumed an "im- posing attitude"—when the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, and the Radicals were dragooned—are recalled to their recollec- tion by the daily proceedings of the energetic Don MIGUEL.

It is certainly a fortunate circumstance for the liberties of Europe, that the cause of despotism should be identified with the • interests of such a monster—that no private virtues should tend to neutralize the abhorrence inspired by his political wickedness.

We are not surprised at the interest which the pending struggle between the two brothers creates in the breasts of despots and their retainers. If absolute power be finally and totally over- thrown in Portugal, where can it be expected to stand ? The mass of the people there are supposed to be the most ignorant and priestridden, and consequently the most vicious, of any in Europe —in fact, precisely such as Tyranny would select for her vassals. If, therefore, this enslaved population should, like " o'erburdened asses, kick off their rulers," the spirit of Despotism would speedily be forced to take her flight from the rest of the Continent. For what people would endure to exist with a smaller share of light and liberty than satisfied the despised Portuguese ? It is the consciousness that the real state of the question is such as we have described above—it is because of the positive necessity, which seems to exist, of defending ally individual sovereign, how- , ever base he may be, with whose prosperity that of Absolutism is, for the time, identified,—it is for these reasons, that our un- happy brethren of the Tory press are compelled to become the advocates of MIGUEL. We do not believe that, generally speaking, they entertain less abhorrence than ourselves of the vices which degrade him almost below the level of humanIty. But the inten- , sity of their hostility to free institutions may be estimated, by their readiness to forget and forgive even his iniquities, as long as . he stands forth the champion of their political faith. But let the people of England take warning from the unblush- ing exposure of genuine Tory principles, which the circumstances of the Portuguese struggle have produced. It would have been , impossible to prove, although the more uncharitable and knowing ones might have suspected, to how fearful an extent the leading Ultras and their satellites were disposed and prepared to carry their support and imitation of absolute rulers, but for their ex- .• tremely candid avowals made during the last session of Parlia- ment. Certain it is, that the Duke of WELLINGTON and Lord ABERDEEN gave utterance to sentiments on the Portuguese ques- t tion, which leave no excuse to Englishmen if they ever again permit these statesmen to sway the councils and dispense the treasure of the nation. We are particularly desirous that these opinions of the leading Tories should be bad in remembrance at the present time, as we perceive, by our electioneering intelligence, that their partisans, with their usual subtlety, do not hesitate to . declare their attachment to Liberal principles, whenever they can thereby secure a few votes from the unsuspicious believers in their sudden conversion. But let their votes and speeches in Parliament, and not their fawning, disingenuous professions during the canvass or on the hustings, be taken as the true exponents of their political ereed,unless, indeed, it be the wish of Englishmen, that t he Por- tuguese Constitutionalists should again be decimated and racked, the murmuring Germans still more closely gagged, and despotism and Bourbonism once more be forced upon our brother freemen in France.