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de Lebzeltern, M. le Chevalier de Neumann, M. le Comte Henri de Bombelles.

On the part of England-the British Ambassador.

On the part of his royal highness the Infant Don Miguel-M. le Baron de Villa-Secca, M. le Comte de Villa-Real.

Prince Metternich having invited the British ambassador and the Portuguese plenipotentiaries to meet at his house on the 18th of October, and those gentlemen having repaired there upon his invitation, he proposed that they should record, in an official protocol, the result of the confidential negotiations which had taken place between MM. de Villa-Secca and Villa-Real, since the time of his return to Vienna, relative to the departure of the infant, that prince's voyage, and the line of conduct he intended to pursue upon his arrival at Lis. bon; and the British ambassador, as well as the Portuguese plenipotentiaries, having agreed to this proposition, it was decided that they should annex to the protocol of the present conference the follow. ing documents, namely-1. A copy of the note of the Marquis de Rezende to prince Metternich, dated 19th of September, 1827, which should serve as a commencement to the present negotiation. In this note the Brazilian envoy announces officially to the cabinet of Vienna, that the emperor Don Pedro, his master, by a decree dated the 3d of July, "has conferred on his royal highness, the infant Don Miguel, with the title of his lieu. tenant in Portugal, the regency of the said kingdom, agreeably to the laws existing in that state, and in conformity with the institutions given by the emperor, his august

brother, to the Portuguese monarchy."

2. A translation of the above. mentioned decree of the 3d of July, of the emperor Don Pedro to his royal highness Don Miguel.

3. A translation of the letter from that sovereign to the Infant, his brother, which accompanied the same.

4. A translation of the letter from the emperor Don Pedro to the king of England..

5. A translation of the letter from the emperor Don Pedro to his majesty the emperor of Austria.

6. A copy of the despatch which prince Metternich has this day addressed to prince Esterhazy, at London, directing his excellency to acquaint the British government of the determination to which the Infant has come, to send Portu guese ships forthwith to England, whither he himself will repair di rectly, for the purpose of embark, ing as quickly as possible for Portugal. This despatch, which contains an historical and faithful account of the whole negotiation relative to the present and future situation of the Infant, as well as the last determinations to which that prince had come, had been read at a confidential meeting which took place on the evening of the 16th of October, at prince Met. ternich's, and at which were present the British ambassador and the Portuguese plenipotentiaries. was not until after having obtained their entire concurrence, that this despatch was this day sent to London. The Portuguese plenipotentiaries announced to the conference, that the Infant had likewise made them acquainted with his final de. termination relative to his voyage; that his royal highness had ordered

It

them to prepare letters which he wished to communicate in consequence, without delay, to the emperor his brother, to his majesty the king of England, and to the Infanta, his sister; that he had likewise ordered them to draw up the letter to the Infanta, in such manner that it might be made pub, lic, and that it should at the same time leave no doubt of the firm desire of that prince, in accepting the lieutenancy of the kingdom, which the emperor his brother had just confided to him, to maintain religiously its institutions, to bury what had passed in entire oblivion, but to restrain, at the same time, with energy and firmness, the spirit of party and of faction, which has too long agitated Portugal.

All the members of the confer ence could not but render unani. mously the most entire justice to such laudable intentions on the part of the Infant; prince Metternich on his part added, that immediately after the Infant's letters should be written and signed, he had offered to send them speedily to England by M. de Neumann, who only awaited their completion, to depart, and to transmit duplicates to Por. tugal by a courier, whom he in. tended to send forthwith by Madrid to Lisbon. The Portuguese plenipotentiaries having accepted these offers, prince Metternich thought it proper still further to observe on this occasion, that, above all, the Infant ought undoubtedly to affirm, in the letters which he intends to write to the king of England, and to the Infanta his sister, the title of lieutenant of the kingdom, since it is under that title that the emperor intrusts to him the regency; and that it appeared to him proper, and even necessary, that the Infant

should take, together with the title of lieutenant, that of regent of the kingdom, since, being called by the decree of the emperor Don Pedro, of the 3d of July, to succeed to the Infanta, his sister, in the office of the regency, it would be equally contrary to his personal dignity, to that of the Portuguese nation, and to the pleasure of the emperor Don Pedro, that he should take any title inferior to that which the Infanta had borne; that there could not, moreover, exist any doubt of the intentions of that sovereign in that respect; that they were clearly demonstrated by the tenor of the note of the marquis de Rezende of the 19th of September, by that of the instructions with which that envoy was furnished, and lastly, by that of the letter from the emperor Don Pedro to the king of England; since, in these different documents, it is explicitly or implicitly said, that that sovereign confers the regency upon the Infant. Moreover, there is no doubt, that the decree of the emperor Don Pedro, to the Infant, his brother, dated the 3d of July, was addressed "To the Infant, Don Miguel, regent of the kingdom of Portugal.

The British ambassador observed, that having been already informed, for several weeks past, of the opinion of the cabinet of Vienna in this respect, he had already made his government acquainted with it; that, in fact, he had not yet received any answer upon this subject, but that he flattered himself that it would be in conformity with the opinion of the Austrian cabinet. With respect to the Portuguese plenipotentiaries, they declared themselves in favour of that which prince Metternich had just expressed, and they undertook to

inform the Infant of it, observing that, for the interest of Portugal, it was undoubtedly desirable that the Infant should not scruple to take, in conformity with the intentions of the emperor Don Pedro, his brother, the title of regent of the kingdom. MM. de Villa-Secca and Villa-Real added, that they had received the order of the Infant to declare, that filled with gratitude for the paternal kindness, which his majesty the emperor of Austria has constantly shown to him since his first arrival at Vienna, and still more particularly on this last occasion, his highness would consider it his duty to express personally to his imperial majesty the deep and respectful gratitude which he feels, and that he relied upon his sentiments being made known to him by means of the conference.

Prince Metternich undertook with eagerness, in the mean time, to be. come the channel of his royal highness's sentiments to the emperor, his august master, adding, that his imperial majesty would receive the expression of them with the most sincere satisfaction.

(Signed)

METTERNICH.
LEBZELTERN.

NEUMANN.

H. DE BOMBELLES.
H. WELLESLEY.

CONDE DE VILLA-REAL.
BARAO DE VILLA-SECCA.

PROTOCOL.

Vienna, Oct. 20, 1827.

PRESENT.

On the part of Austria.-M. le Prince de Metternich, M. le Comte de Lebzeltern, M. le Chevalier de Neumann, M. le Comte Henri de Bombelles.

On the part of England.-The British Ambassador.

On the part of his royal highness the Infant Don Miguel.-M. le Baron de Villa-Secca, M. le Comte de Villa-Real.

The Portuguese plenipotentia. ries having requested prince Metternich to have the goodness to assemble a second conference to receive the communication of the letters which his royal highness the Infant had written and signed on the preceding evening, for his ma. jesty the emperor Don Pedro, his august brother, for his majesty the king of England, and for her royal highness the Infanta Donna Maria Isabella, regent of Portugal; in which letters the Infant, in conformity with the opinion of the Cabinet of Vienna, assumes the double character of lieutenant and regent of the kingdom; and prince Metternich being desirous to re-assemble the conference at his house on the 20th of October, according to the desire of the Portuguese plenipotentiaries, those gentlemen read the three letters above-mentioned, and annexed to the Protocol copies and translations of them. A just eulogium was generally paid to the wisdom, uprightness, and rectitude of the principles manifested in their composition. It was also observed, that the letter of the Infant to the emperor Don Pedro did not contain any reservation of his personal rights, but that at London, however, such a reservation was considered as desirable. But prince Metternich replied, that the Infant having already explicitly reserved all his rights in the letter which he has written to the emperor Don Pedro his brother, in sending to him his oath to the Portuguese

charter, a second reservation would at present be superfluous; that it was, notwithstanding, very natural that in Portugal a high value should be attached to that question, which is necessarily connected with those of the confirmation of the act of abdication of the emperor Don Pedro, of the sending the young queen Maria de Gloria to Portugal, and of the total and definitive separation of the two crowns; that they might remain perfectly tranquil on that head, seeing that Austria and England were convinced of the importance of not suffering a longer time to elapse, without deciding upon questions of so high an interest for the interior tran. quillity of Portugal, and that those two powers were determined to unite their efforts to urge and obtain their decision at Rio de Janeiro.

The explanations furnished on this subject by prince Metternich having been found fully satisfac. tory, it was acknowledged that the reservation in question would be useless.

The Portuguese plenipontentiaries afterwards announced to the English ambassador, that the Infant had anticipated the wishes of his government, in deciding spontaneously to address a second confidential and affectionate letter to the Infanta, his sister, to tranquillize her on the subject of her future condition. Those gentlemen added, that the Infant had also decided to write in duplicate to the Infanta, his sister; that all the letters were ready, signed and sealed; that it only remained for them, consequently, to request prince Metternich to have the goodness to hasten their despatch by way of London and Madrid. Prince Metternich

gave a positive assurance that these two expeditions should set out with the least possible delay, and he, in consequence, engaged MM. de Villa-Secca and de Villa-Real to send to him, in the course of to-morrow, the letters of his royal highness, as well as the despatches which those gentlemen may desire should accompany them.

The Portuguese plenipotentiaries observed, lastly, that the frank and loyal support which they have constantly met with from M. the marquis de Rezende, in regard to all the questions, relative as well to the departure of the Infant as to the direction and acceleration of the journey of that prince, has induced them to keep him generally acquainted with the course of their transactions, and to inquire of him respecting the desire which he might perhaps have to assist at the conferences destined to sanction the result; but that the envoy of Brazil had answered, that he had fulfilled the instructions of the emperor, his master, in causing the Infant to know distinctly the intentions of his august brother relative to his departure and voyage; but that not being specially authorized to take part in the affairs of Portugal, as he had announced in one of their former confidential meetings, he had preferred not assisting at the conferences relative to them.

In conformity with this declaration, it has been agreed not to invite the marquis de Rezende to assist at the present meeting, but to conclude the protocol of it, and to submit it, as well as that of the preceding meeting, for the signa. ture of the representatives of Aus. tria, England, and Portugal, to preserve the two original protocols in the archives of the Chancery of

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HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE INFANT DON MIGUEL to HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR of Brazil.

Vienna, Oct. 19, 1827. Sir-I have received the decree which your imperial, royal and most faithful majesty has deigned to address to me, dated the 3d of July, by which your majesty has been pleased to nominate me your lieutenant and regent of the kingdoms of Portugal, the Algarves, and their dependencies; and, conformably with the sovereign deter. minations of your majesty, I imme. diately occupied myself in making the necessary arrangements to proceed to Lisbon, in order to fulfil the wise and paternal views of your majesty, in governing and ruling the said kingdoms conformably to the Constitutional Charter which your majesty has granted to the Portuguese nation.

All my efforts shall tend to the maintenance of the institutions which govern Portugal, and to contribute, as much as lies in my power, to the preservation of the public tranquillity in that country, to prevent its being troubled by factions, whatever may be their origin,factions which shall never have my support.

May Heaven preserve the precious days of your majesty. (Signed)

THE INFANT DON MIGUEL. His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE INFANT DON MIGUEL to HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE INFANTA REGENT OF PORTUGAL.

Vienna, Oct. 19, 1827.

My dear Sister,-Although I have every reason to suppose that you are already acquainted with the resolution taken by our august brother and king to nominate me his lieutenant and regent of the kingdoms of Portugal and the Algarves, and their dependencies, to govern them conformably to what is prescribed in the Constitutional Charter given by our august brother to the Portuguese nation, I cannot, nevertheless, forbear announcing to you that I have receiv. ed the decree of the 3d of July of the present year, in virtue of which I find myself fully authorized to take possession of the regency of the above-mentioned kingdoms.

Determined to maintain inviolate the laws of the kingdom, and the institutions legally granted by our august brother, and which we have all sworn to maintain and to cause to be observed, and to rule by them the above-mentioned kingdoms, it is proper that I should so declare it, that you may have the goodness, my dear sister, to give to that solemn declaration the required publicity, and that you may make known, at the same time, the firm intention which I have to repress the factions which, under whatever pretext, tend to trouble the public tranquillity in Portugal; desiring that past errors and faults which may have been committed may be buried in an entire oblivion, and that concord, and a perfect spirit of conciliation may succeed to the de.

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