The unreality of the Portuguese amnesty is exposed in a
despatch from the Lisbon correspondent of the Daily News in Monday's issue. He points out that the liberty, granted to the two hundred and sixty-eight prisoners who took but a minor part in the revolt against the Republic, " will only be given after certain investigations concerning the ability of those pardoned to pay the fines imposed on them, which will only be cancelled in cases of extreme poverty." Much more serious, however, is the statement that the places hitherto occupied by these men " will soon be occupied by others, since numerous arrests are daily being made on the denunciation of Carbonari spies." The correspondent adds that it is alleged that orders have been given to prepare room for politicals at a fortress prison hitherto used for common-law prisoners. This is only a report; what is certain is ..hat "the present pardon does not in any way include the hundreds of prisoners as yet untried, amongst whom are Syndicalists as well as Monarchists." The admissions and criticisms contained in the despatch are especially important, because the Daily News has hitherto refrained from associating itself with the protest of Adeline Duchess of Bedford against the treatment of political prisoners by the Portuguese Government.
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