The Assembly, however, assumed all power, uniting in themselves, the judicial, the executive, and legislative authority. They commenced framing a constitution, and a code of laws ; and while they thus were employed in pro moting the best interests of the nation, they seemed to enjoy the affections and confidence of the people. This, however, was not the case; for, when they had almost suc ceeded in establishing the constitution and administration of the kingdom on the most liberal and enlightened prin ciples, all their operations were superseded, and their au thorny destroyed b, a counter revolution. The revolution of 1820, indeed, was too fundamental, too far removed from the previous order of things, to be permanent. A very liberal system of government cannot be expected to exist in a country where the priesthood enjoy such over whelming revenues and power as in Portugal, and where this order, the military, and the officers of state, comprise a fifth of the male population. The counter revolution, therefore, which took place in 1823, and which, like that of 1820, was achieved by the military, was effected with a facility which evinces that the liberal institutions, which the Cortes had established, had little or no hold on the al. fectio s of the great mass of the people. This change, however, was owing, not more to the prejudices and sym pathies of the nation reverting to the dynasty under which they had been educated, than to the personal character of the monarch, a moderate and humane prince, who had re turned from Brazil in 1820, to endeavour, by his presence, to counteract the innovations which were then introduced. The revolution of 1823 was also accomplished without bloodshed; in every part of the kingdom, it was brought about by the intervention of the military, but without the least appearance of violence or hesitation ; and yet so rapidly was the measure effected, that, though the first steps in it were taken on the 29th of May, John made his public entry into Lisbon on the 5th of June, as the abso lute and uncontrollable head of the new constitution. While a very small portion of the spirit of the govern ment, as established by the Cortes, is allowed to remain, the •present dynasty is nearly the same as that which ob tained previously to 14e0. It is, indeed, an absolute des potism,—and is attended by that instability, and those evils by which despotism is every where characterised. The liberty of the press, an engine inconsistent with despotism, is abolished; and foreign newspapers, and all foreign pub lications relative to Portugal, are strictly prohibited from entering the kingdom. Assassinations are frequent ; and distrust on the part of the court, and dissatisfaction on the part of the people. prevail to a degree that indicates that Portugal is far from being in a happy or settled state, and that ere long it may become the theatre of convulsions more important and more sanguinary than those that have recently occurred.
But the king of Portugal, while he has thus got himself replaced at the head of the despotism of the mother coun try, has lost the extensive and opulent colony of Brazil. Don Pedro, his oldest son, was left as regent when the king and his family removed from hence to Europe, in 1820; but no sooner were the Brazilians left to themselves, than, with the regent at their head, they threw off the Portu guese yoke, and declared their independence. It was sup posed they had revolted merely on account of the convul sions that had taken place in the mother country ; and that, on the reestablishment of the legitimate regime in 1823, they would return to their allegiance. The king
accordingly, in September of the year last mentioned, des patched an embassy to Brazil, in order to accomplish this end. But the Brazilians never contemplated such a re sult; and, when the object of the mission was understood, the persons composing it were not allowed to conic on shore, nor were the letters from the king to his son per mitted to be received. In vain John held out promises and threats. To all his overtures of reconciliation it was firmly answered that "the independence of Brazil was the natural result of events which could not be controlled, and of the firm determination of the inhabitants to throw off the yoke of the mother country." And, accordingly, the independence of this vast and fertile region seems now to be completely established. Portugal does not possess a single fortress or foot of land in the whole territory. After considerable deliberation, and some misunderstanding be tween Pedro and the legislative assembly, which was es tablished at the commencement of their independence, and which, at length, he forcibly dissolved, a new constitution has been founded, borrowed from England and the United States. It consists of a monarchy, a senate, and a house of representatives. The 1 lth of December, 1823, was the date of its promulgation, which will form an era in the Brazilian annals. Don Pedro is the reigning monarch, un der the title of Emperor. The crown is declared heredi tary ; and when the family or the present emperor is ex tinct, the legislature is Co choose a new dynasty. The se nators are elected for life; and as there is no hereditary aristocracy, two-thirds of them are to be elected by the nation, the remainder by the king. The house of repre sentatives is quadrennial. The members receive pay. They vacate their seats in being chosen to offices, but they may be reelected. The elective franchise is extended to all free Brazilian subjects, possessed of the moderate pro perty of 200 milrees (501.) a year. The Roman Catholic is the established religion; but all others are tolerated, on the condition that they are not to be permitted temple or external worship. The foreign commerce of Brazil, with few or no restrictions, is open to all powers except the Portuguese, who arc denied every connexion with this new empire. All the natives of Portugal, who would not re cognise the new order of things, were prohibited to remain, under the greatest penalties.
See Resendii Antiquitates Litsitaniae, 12mo. 1600; Lasitau's History of the Portuguese Discoveries and Con quests, 2 vols. 4to. Paris, 1733; Vertot's Hist. des Revo lutions de Portugal; Reichard's Guide des Voyageurs, 3 vols. 8vo. Weimar, 1805 ; Link's Travels in Portugal, translated from the original German, by Hinckley ; Mur phy's State of Society in Portugal; and Travels in Portu gal, by the same author ; Accounts of Portugal, by Dr. Halliday, General Dumouricr, and others; Jones' War in Portugal. But particularly Essai Statistique sur le Roy, au me de Portugal et d'?llgarve, par Adrien Balbi, 2 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1823. This is one of the most minute and best written statistical accounts that have appeared. See also in this work, the articles SPAIN, LISBON, BRAZIL. (•. at.)