TO CORRESPONDENTS
We have already given "A Settler again" ample opportunity, for displaying his abilities; we have therefore no room for his second communication on the same subject.
"Scrutators" / "Posers" for the Colonial Secretary must have been intented for another quarter; we should have thought it needless to have informed any person, that the Colonial Secretary is merely the organ of the Government.
THE
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN
JOURNAL.
The Extracts we have made from the English Journals up to the 17th Sept. 1832; have occupied so much of our Space, that we are reluctantly compelled to forego making any remarks upon the reports which have been circulated at home respecting this Colony; we feel no little pleasure however in stating that the opinions prevalent at present are highly favourable The insurances effected by the Cygnet were done at 50s.
August 16th.
PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT-It having been announced that his Majesty would this day prorogue the parliament in person, the usual preparations were made for his reception.
His Majesty's arrival was announced by a salute of 21 guns. At 10 minutes past 2 o clock the King entered the house, in an Admiral's uniform, wearing his robes of state and crown, and preceeded by all the great officers of state, with their respective insignia. The King appeared in excellent health. The Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod (Sir Augustus Clifford) having summoned the attendance of the Commons.
The SPEAKER, accompanied by a numerous body of members, appeared at the bar, and addressed his Majesty as follows:—
"May it please your Majesty,—We, your Majesty's faithful Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, attend your Majesty at the close of a laborious and most important session. Your Majesty was graciously pleased, at the commencement of the session, to recommend to our careful consideration the estimates for the current year, and Sire, it is with sincere gratification that we have found ourselves enabled to accomplish your Majesty's paternal wish by a great reduction in their amount. But, Sire, it would ill become me, at this moment, to attempt to enumerate all the various measures, however important and necessary in themselves yet of usual sessional recurrence, which have come before us. This session, Sire, has been peculiarly marked by matters most difficult in themselves,-most pressing in their immediate emergency,-and yet lasting in their effects upon the highest interests of the country. Among these measures I would advert to your Majesty's injunction upon us, that we should deliberate on the present state of Ireland with reference particularly to the payment of tithes in that country.-Sire, we have deeply deliberated on that painful and difficult subject, and we have passed a bill which we hope may afford the necessary protection of their lega claims to the Established Church, and which we hope, also, may form the basis of fixture measures calculated to remove the present causes of complaint.-But, Sire, of all the questions that which has most engaged our time and attention,-paramount to all, from the earnestness with which it was called for, from the difficulties and intricacies with which it was embarrassed, from the great change it was productive of, and from the lasting effects it was to produce,-of all the measures we have had to shape, to contend with, and to complete the most prominent has been the great measure of the reform in the Commons House of Parliament.-Sire, it is not within the range of mortal intellect, at once to embody and bring to maturity of perfection so vast a scheme.-But, sire, we have laboured with incessant assiduity, with honesty of purpose, and we hope the results may prove, security to the state, and contentment to the country. Sire, I dare not longer address your Majesty than to present our last bill of supply, entitled 'An act to supply a sum out of the consolidated fund and the supplies of ways and means to the service of the year 1832, and to appropriate the supplies granted in this session of parliament,' to which, with all humility, we pray your Majesty's royal assent."
His Majesty then proceeded to read the following speech, in a firm and audible tone of voice:—
"My Lords and Gentlemen,-The state of the public business now enabling me to release you from a further attendance in parliament, I cannot take leave of you without expressing the satisfaction with which I have observed your diligence and zeal in the discharge of your duties during a session of extraordinary labour and duration. The matters which you have had under your consideration have been of the first importance; and the laws in particular which have been passed for reforming the representation of the people have occupied, as was unavoidable, the greatest portion of your time and attention. In recommending this subject to your consideration, it was my object, by removing the causes of just complaint, to restore general confidence in the legislature, and to give additional security to the settled institutions of the state. This object will, I trust, be found to have been accomplished. I have still to lament the continuance of disturbances in Ireland, notwithstanding the vigilance and energy displayed by my government there in the measures which it has taken to repress them. The laws which have been passed in conformity with my recommendation at the beginning of the session, with respect to the collection of tithes, are well calculated to lay the foundation of a new system, to the completion of which the attention of parliament when it again assembles, will of course be directed. To this necessary work my best assistance will be given, by enforcing the execution of the laws, and by promoting the prosperity of a country blessed by Divine Providence with so many natural advantages. As conducive to this subject, I must express the satisfaction which I have felt at the measures adopted for extending generally to my people in that kingdom the benefits of education. I continue to receive the most friendly assurances from all foreign powers; and though I am not yet enabled to announce to you the final arrangement of the questions which have been so long depending between Holland and Belgium, and though, unhappily, the contest in Portugal between the princess of the house of Braganza still continues, I look with confidence, through the intimate union which subsists between me and my allies, to the preservation of the general peace.
"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,-I thank you for the supplies which you have granted me; and it is a great satisfaction to me to find, notwithstanding the large deductions from the revenue, occasioned by the repeal of some of the taxes which pressed most heavily on my people, that you have been enabled, by the exercise of a well-considered economy in all departments of the state, to provide for the service of the year without any addition to the public burdens.
My Lords and Gentlemen,-I recommend to you during the recess the most careful attention to the preservation of the public peace, and to the maintenance of the authority of the law in your respective countries. I trust that the advantages enjoyed by all my subjects under our free constitution will be duly appreciated and cherished; that relief from any real causes of complaint will be sought only through legitimate channels; that all irregular and illegal proceedings will be discountenanced and resisted; and that the establishment of internal tranquility and order will prove that the measures which I have sanctioned, have not been fruitless in promoting the security of the state, and the content and welfare of my people."
The LORD CHANCELLOR then, by command of his Majesty, said-"My lords and gentlemen, it is his Majestys royal will and pleasure that this parliament be prorogued to Tuesday, the 16th day of October next, to be then here holden; and this parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday, the 16th day of October next. -His Majesty then withdrew, accompanied in the manner he had entered the house, and shortly afterwards returned in state to St. James's Palace.
The Paris morning and evening papers of Wednesday are almost wholly occupied with the development of the views of their respective parties preparatory to the opening of the Chambers. The laws of exception against the Press were spoken of in Paris as intended to be proposed by Ministers immediately after the opening of the Sessions. M. Dupin's friends have commenced canvassing in his favour of the Presidency of the Chamber of Deputies. M. Laffitte's friends were about to do the same. It was reported in Paris that the Duchess de Berri has been arrested near Bordeaux, but the report appears to have attracted little notice, and to have been generally disbelieved. The accounts from Switzerland state that the inquiry into the late conspiracy at Berne was going on, and confirmed the existence of a complete re-actionary plot, The Committee of Seven were under arrest and an investigation was about to take place. I was still believed in Paris that the settlement of the Dutch and Belgic question will be delayed. No new facts respecting La Vendee had reached Paris, beyond the accounts of partial murders and outrages committed by the Chouans. Some apprehensions of rioting were caused in Paris on Monday and Tuesday by the expressed determination of some workmen to destroy machinery lately introduced into the manufacture of stained paper. The funds fell on Monday owing to this circumstance, and to the continued provisional state of the Ministry.
The Journals and private Letters from Oporto and Lisbon bring down the current history of Portuguese occurreuces at these several points of interest to the date of the 5th. inst. Their contents, however, apply more to what is in preparation than to any thing that has occurred, for in point of fact, but little change had taken place in the actual relations of the belligerents since preceding notices of them. Oporto is now described to be, in consequence of the great industry of Don Pedro, all but impregnable; its garrison numbers about 12,000 men. The Miguhtes are very near to it, in force about 20,000. Some skirmishing had taken place, the advantages of which are variously claimed on both sides, but hitherto no serious assault has been threatened upon that commercial capital. It is said that Miguel intends to place himself at the head of his troops, and it is admitted upon all hands that otherwise they are too spiritless to attempt any taing decisive. Some pieces of heavy cannon had already arrived before the place, for the purpose, it was supposed, of covering final attack At Lisbon, an unfortunate farrier, charged with "seducing" men to join the party of Don Pedro has been put to death; and three or four other parsons, against whom charges equally vague were brought, would, it was feared, be added to the already large number of immolations upon the altar of tyranny. The people of the wine country were manifesting a friendly disposition to the constitutional cause, and important adhesions from that quarter were confidently expected. Whilst the affairs of Portuguese liberty are presented under this aspect from abroad, nothing is left undone to give them a buoyant and assuring impulse at home.
An East Indian an of 1200 tons was purchased on Wednesday for the service of Don Pedro, and will carry 64 guns. She will leave the River in a few days. A vessel, also having on board a considerable number of horses, left the Port of London on her way to Oporto, having been proceded by others which conveyed about 360 volunteers, most of them soldiers who had fought in Port gal and Spain, and about to be followed by a larger number. Accoutrements, arms, ammunition, &c. have likewise been remitted in the London Merchant, the Britomart, and other vessels; while from Brest, Cherbourg, and other ports of France, men, horses, and arms are embarking for Oporto, so that by the middle of October next, Don Pedro will have a force of 14,000 regular troops, 6,000 volunteers, and from 500 to 600 horse, with a most efficient train of artillery. The rainy season, which will shortly commence in Portugal, will enable his boats to navigate the Douro up to a considerable distance, and with this addition of force he will be able to assume the offensive, and sweep the whole northern part of that river of all the Miguelites who now occupy it. It is understood also that the money actually remitted from this country to Oporto since the 1st. of August amounts to 40,000l and that by the end of the present month it will exceed 80,000l. Congreve rockets have been sent out, as well for the use of the Navy as to be used against the Miguelite cavalry upon land. With all these important aids a satisfactory account of the result of the wellmen intentions of Don Pedro to give liberty to Portugal may be anticipated.
Lisbon Papers to the 30th ult. are received,— They consist of mere exaggerated statements of the embarrassment of the invading force, and the prosperous aspect of Miguel s affairs. By more authentic accounts from the Portuguese capital, we learn that Regoas, who now commands the Miguelite army, is enforced at Valongo, and requires the aid of two or three regiments, and additional artillery before he can venture to attack Oporto. A part of this demand, it is said, has been complied; but the difficulties of the Usurper in respect to finances render an immediate attention to such requisitions extremely embarrassing. Nothing in fact, can adequately describe the gloomy and ferocious nature of the existing tyranny at Lisbon. No sort of pause or consideration takes place where suspi-
