ﬁg. 15. part ofthe Portuguese to displace his authority; on the contrary, shey stood by him when put to the bar ofall Europe; they remained firmduring me great convulsions of 1830, which over- turned so many thrones in Europe; and they are still perfectly faithful to him, though Don Pedro, witha gallant hand of foreign adven- turers, has been for six weeks in possession of Oporto, under the open and avowed counte- nance both of France and England. The at- tachment ofthe people and the army, therefore to their present ruler, has been effectually put to the test; and we should be glad to know on what principle of international law the right of choosing their own Sovereign, and ex- pelling an obnoxious though elder branch of their dynasty, belongs to France, England, or Belgium, and not to the Portuguese people.

ANGL—Tile intelligence on Friday night, from Oporto, is extremely important. although it is not of a decisive character Some very severe fighting has taken place, in which the troops of Don Miguel have been so successful, that we should be little surprised to learn, by the next arrivals, that Oporto has fallen into their hands. In the battle ofthe 29th Septem- ber,wliich was conducted in an admirable style by the Miguelite soldiers, the British and French troops were cut to pieces, and but three ofﬁcers amongst them escaped, all the others being either killed or wounded. It does not appear that Don Pedro possesses the means of recovery; his army is terribly reduced and disorganised. and he is driven to the extremity ofotfering 101. to every dragoon who will de- sert, with his horse and accoutrements fri in the enemy’s camp: :1 plan of reinforcement which would very soon exhaust his funls. But the conduct of the hostile ﬂeets is the, most ex- traordinary feature in the whole ofthis strange war, The vessels at both si les Continue to cruise and manieuvre in the bay. uithorit Ox- hibiting the least token ofadisposiiiun to com!- to close quarters; while the work of de~truc tion is all the time going forward on shore. It is thought that Sarlorious, having been recent-

. ly strengthened, will soon risk ti battle with his opponent; but ifthe accounts we receive, be trustworthy; his success is more than doubtful.

Vt'e should observe that the earliest informa tion that reaches us of the progreSs ofevents in Portugal comes from Don Pedro’s side. The Miguelitcs are either indifferent to our good opinion, or so conﬁdent in their resources, as to care very little about any impression which may be made abroad to their disadvantage.— Tlie information that isthus obtained should always, we need not remark, be taken with reservation : for we have already found in some instances, not only that the act-mints from Oporto were utterly groundless. but we see that in all cases Don Pedro‘s official an- nouncements are Coloured bv the most suspici- ous ﬂattery ofliis actions and his hopes. The truth seems to be, that the public feeling in England is so entirely opposed to Don Miguel, that we seek for information from that party in whose belialfour sympathies are so largely en- gaged: besides, Oporto, being the seat of war. and the journals there being under the control of Den Pedro. we must, of necessity, content ourselves with that channel of news, because it is.the speediest-

In the course of the loose ﬁring that took place from the heights on the 28th, the emmy, according to one account, deliberately fired into the Orestes, Captain Glasscock, whose vessel lay in the neutral water, quite out of the line ofthe fire of the battery; and into the Children. Capt. Dean. under the lee of which a Ihip of Don Pedro’s. The Amelia had obstinate.

THE BRITISH AMERICAN.

ly anchored. If this aggression were premedi- tated, and not an act ofthe guerillas, then we take it for granted that our government will not hesitate to bring Don Miguel to account ; but if it were an accident, occasioned by the proximity of the vessel to the Portuguese ship, we confess we do not see with whatgrace the English minister can demand redress, for Mig- uel may, with great justice, ask, what brought our vessels there at a time when England pro. fessed an unarmed neutrality? It appears that the Orestes was out of the line, and that the shots which reached her must have been fired designcdly : if that be true. we hope our

gallant sailors will rake the miserable ﬂeet of

the usnrper, and not leave a timber to ﬂoat on the waters before they sail homewards again. We certainly have an excuse for the presence of Admiral Parker oﬂ‘()porto, in the danger that threatened, and still threatens, the proper- ty ofthe British residents there; but it cannot be denied, that while we affect to take no part in the war,and to await the result with interest but without participation, direct or indirect, we have made demonstrations of which Don Miguel has sufﬁcient reason to complain. Af- ter what has occurred, we are called upon to declare ourselves one way or the other; and we are satisfied, that in releasing ourselves from the dubious position in which we have been placed, we shall produce an immediate inﬂuence on the war, that will, in all probabi- lity, lead to its termination. As it is, covert and undeclared aid compromises many inter- ests, and costs the effusion of much blood.

THE FREJV'CH CABINET

ﬂﬂas.—The nomination of Marshal Soult to be prime minister of France is an event ofsome moment. Soult is emphatically a soldier, and not a talker. He will be all for action, and it is not easy to say to what unforseen extremity his habits ofthinking may lead in guiding the affairs of France. The appointment IS certain- ly now pepular, and has already affected the money market. The new cabinet, even in its formation, appears disorganized. To remedy the want ofspucch in Soult, the Due de Broglie who takes the foreign office, brings in as an at- tendant on. an advocate of, the Cabinet. the e- loquent Guizot, thus making up by aids froui without the acknowledged deficiencies from within. At present all is doubt and specula- tion; but we think we can discern clearly e- nough though the clouds ofilarkricss that hang over France, the star un'ler wlmse malign in- ﬂuence herfuture destinies are to be set.

Death of Sir lVallcr Scolt.-—The minstrel of the north has sounded his last lay !——his harp is silent for ever ! Sir U’uller Scull died at A1- botsford,on Friday the 21st September. For nearly two years his health had been in a de- clining state, caused by over-exertion and anxiety, the pressure of pecrniary embarrass- ments, and the strong desire he had to fulfil his engagements, and secure some fragments of his fortune to his family. In order to recruit his spirits and improve his health he was ad- vised to travel. The intention ofthe author of “Waverly ” being communicated to his Ma- jesty, he with his uniform kindness, command- ed a ship to convey Sir Walter to Naples. He was attended on his tour by some members of his family ; every mark of respect and hospi- tality was paid him wherever he went; but the breezes of the Mediterranean had no restora- tive effect on his impaired constitution: his illness increased; the poet saw that his end was near, and therefore he hastened home to breathe his last sigh to the winds of Yarrow,

115

and to sleep his long last sleep on the banks or

the Tweed, in his native land.

The remains of Sir Walter Scott were inter- cd on the 27th at Dryburgh Abbey. Upwards of300 distinguished persons attended, and as the funeral pageant passed through the villa es and hamlets, one universal sorrow prevaifed all classes. The shops in the towns of Darnick and Mclrose were all shut, and the streets were lined with the inhabitants in mourning and uncovered. The body was deposited in the north of the splendid ruin of Dryburgh Abbey now, alas! containing a more splendid ruin than itself.

THE BRITISH AMERICAN,

NOVEMBER IO, 1332.

His Majesty’s Packet Eclipse, arrived at Halifax with the October mail, in the very fine passage of 24 days, putting us in possession of European extracts from our Colonial ﬁles up to the 7th of the above month, for which we refer readers to the preceding columns in this sheet.

TO SUBSCRIBERS.—ln consequence of the Pub- lisher not. having received his English importation of Paper, he is under the necessity of issuing this No. on a paper of an inferior quality, manufactured in Nova- Scotia.

ssitippmn )Eutrlliueittr. ENTERED. Schrs. Ranger, Saluiond, Pictou. Shamrock, Tool, F..x Island. Jane, Burlioe. do Le Reine, Boudrot, Halifax. Harriet, Le June, Arichat.

Sloop Felicity, M-Laren, Halifax. .Aiucn. Schrs. Tarsille. Collins, Halifax. Brothers, Campbell, lVIiramichi. Swift, Cofﬁn, Newfoundland. Jane, McLaughlan, Halifax. Brig Amelia, Davies, London.

Union, Silliker, Halifax.

Harriet Elizabeth, Coffin, St. John‘s NJ".

Fame, DTLeod, Miramichi.

Sloop Felicity, M‘Laren, Halifax.

Schr Margaret, Deagle, St, John’s N. F. John Fulton, ——-— do.

Schrs.

Sir \Valter Scott is no more ! He died at Abbotsford on September ‘Zl, iii the midst of his family, aged 6|, being born August 15, 1771.

The complaints against the Reform Bill have subsided, and all parties are busy at the Elec- (ions.

It is said that 350 petitions are prepared for the abolition of the establishment ofthe Church of Scotland.

The Duke of Brunswick, who meditated a hostile visit to his late dominions, has been ar- rested at Paris, and “bundled”out of the coun- try.

The Peasantry continue to evince their gra- titude to their friends. by gratuitous ﬁeld la. hour.

The Repeal question is vigor0usly forwarded by a strong part in Ireland. The lrish have crushed politicaf’lntolerance, and Tithes, the falsely called Union will go next. ~ On this head the Irish are determined, which is quite enough, but they are also backed by numbers in England, who are sick of the many evils which harrass their sister Island. A local Io- gislature is demanded on every rational con sideration : sophistry alone is against it.

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