conduite des Pays-Bas ne soit alléguée comme motivant un refus de la part d'autres Etats Riverains de donner suite aux dispositions de l'Acte du Congrès de Vienne;

Considérant que dans la huitième Séance de la Commission du Congrès de Vienne, nommée pour régler les affaires de la Navigation fluviale en général, il a été convenu, que le Lek seul serait considéré comme une continuation du Rhin, et assujetti aux dispositions à établir pour ce fleuve;

Avons arrêté et arrêtons :

Art. I. Le Lek sera considéré comme la continuation du Rhin sur le Territoire des Pays-Bas, et les péages qui se perçoivent sur cette voie cesseront au premier Avril prochain, et seront remplacés, d'après la première partie du troisième des Articles précités, concernant la Navigation du Rhin, par un droit de Navigation, que Nous réglerons ultérieurement dans l'esprit de cet Article, et selon la longueur de la rivière dans les Pays-Bas.

II. De même, à partir du 1er Avril prochain, il ne sera plus perçu de droit de patente des bateliers du Rhin, faisant usage de la voie indiquée dans l'Article précédent.

Au lieu de cet impôt, il sera levé un droit de reconnaissance sur le pied de celui qui se perçoit sur le Rhin conventionnel, et qui de même sera réglé ultérieurement par Nous dans l'esprit de la seconde partie du troisième Article ci-dessus mentionné.

III. D'après le 22 des mêmes Articles concernant la Navigation. du Rhin, les bateliers et les bâtimens appartenans à la Navigation du Rhin qui remontent ou descendent la rivière, et qui sont destinés au transport direct de marchandises sans rompre charge, seront libérés à compter de la même époque à leur entrée dans le Royaume, des formalités prescrites par la Loi du 26 Août, 1822, sur l'importation, l'exportation, et le transit, lesquelles formalités seront remplacées par telles mesures de précaution contre l'introduction clandestine des marchandises sur le Territoire des Pays-Bas, qu'on jugera nécessaire, telles que l'établissement des gardiens à bord des bâtimens, ou la fermeture des écoutilles, ou bien l'une et l'autre simultanément, le tout cependant sans frais pour le batelier ou la cargaison, et sans que le batelier soit tenu à autre chose qu'à fournir la nourriture, le chauffage et éclairage, aux gardiens, pendant leur séjour sur les bâtimens.

IV. Les prohibitions du transit de marchandises, établies par le Tarif de 1822, seront levées à partir du 1er Avril prochain, pour ce qui concerne les marchandises qui sont transportées, soit en montant, soit en descendant le Rhin, et le Lek comme continuation du premier fleuve.

V. Les mesures que renferme le présent Arrêté sont prises dans la confiance que les autres Etats Riverains y repondront par des mesures analogues; et si les Pays-Bas ne voyaient pas réaliser cette attente, Nous Nous réservons de les mettre hors d'effet, ou de

les modifier de telle manière que, dans ce cas, Nous le jugerons con

venable.

Nos Ministres des Affaires Etrangères et de l'Intérieur, et Notre Conseiller d'Etat, Administrateur des Impositions Directes, Droit d'Entrée et de Sortie et des Accises, Nous soumettront le plustôt possible les propositions nécessaires à l'égard de tout ce qui est requis pour assurer la stricte exécution des dispositions que renferme cet Arrêté au premier Avril prochain.

Copies du présent Arrêté seront expédiées à Nos Ministres des Affaires Etrangères et de l'Intérieur, et à Notre Conseiller d'Etat, Administrateur des Impositions Directes, Droits d'Entrée et de Sortie et des Accises, à l'effet d'en soigner l'exécution; et sera en outre le présent Arrêté inséré au Journal Officiel.

Donné au Château du Loo, le 10 Septembre de l'An 1826, le 13me de Notre Règne.

PAR LE ROI,

J. G. DE MEY DE STREEFKERK.

Publié le 27 Octobre, 1826.

GUILLAUME.

Le Secrétaire d'Etat,

J. G. DE MEY DE STREEFKERK.

ACT of Abdication of the Crown of Portugal, by the Emperor of Brazil. Rio Janeiro, 2nd May, 1826. (Translation.)

DON PEDRO, by the Grace of God, King of Portugal and of the Algarves, on this side, and beyond the Sea, in Africa, Lord of Guinea, of the Conquest, Navigation, and Commerce of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and India, &c.

I make known unto all my Portuguese Subjects, that, it being incompatible with the interests of the Empire of Brazil, and those of the Kingdom of Portugal, that I should continue to be King of Portugal, Algarves, and their Dominions, and desiring to advance the happiness of the said Kingdoms as much as may be in my power; I am pleased, of my own motion, and free will, to abdicate, and cede, all the indisputable and irrefragable Rights which I have to the Crown of the Portuguese Monarchy, and the Sovereignty of the said Kingdoms, to the Person of my above all best beloved, prized, and dear Daughter, the Princess of Grand Para, Dona Maria da Gloria, in order that She, as their Reigning Queen, may govern them, independently of this Empire, and by the Constitution, which I have been pleased to decree, give, and order to be sworn to, by my Letter of Law, of the 29th of April, of the present Year: and I am also pleased to declare that my said Daughter, Reigning Queen of Portugal, shall not leave the Empire of

Brazil, without it being officially known to me, that the Constitution has been sworn to, according as I have ordered, and without the affiance of Marriage, which I propose to make between her and my much beloved and prized Brother, the Infant Don Miguel, shall be made, and the Marriage concluded; and this my Abdication and Cession shall not be carried into effect, if either of these two conditions be not performed.

Wherefore I order all the Authorities to whom the knowledge of this my Letter of Law may belong, to make it publick, in order that this my determination may be known to all my Portuguese Subjects. The Regency of my said Kingdom and Dominions will so understand it, and cause it to be printed, and published in the most authentick manner, in order that every thing contained therein may be entirely fulfilled; and it shall be as valid as a Letter issued through the Chancery, although it will not go through that Office, notwithstanding the Ordinance to the contrary, from which I am pleased in this respect only to derogate; it remaining in full vigour, notwithstanding the want of Countersignature, and several other formalities, with which I am also pleased to dispense.

Given at the Palace of Rio de Janeiro, the 2nd day of the month of May, in the Year of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1826.

THE KING.

PROCLAMATION of the Infanta, Regent of Portugal, on assuming the Regency.—August 1st, 1826. (Translation.)

PORTUGUESE!

By the Constitutional Charter to which you have just sworn, I am appointed to the Regency of these Kingdoms, during the minority of my August Niece, our lawful Queen, Senhora Dona Maria da Gloria. As chief Subject, it is my first duty to put into speedy and vigorous execution the wise Constitutional Charter which has been given from the Throne to His Portuguese Subjects, by my August Brother, our legitimate King, Senhor Don Pedro IV., whose glorious name is pronounced with admiration, respect, and astonishment, in America, in Europe, and in the whole World. I shall execute, therefore, and cause to be executed, this immortal Constitutional Code, the only pledge of our Political salvation. The Law will punish those who oppose it without pity, and I shall be as inexorable as the Law.

To revive, by all possible means, our ancient prosperity and glory; to encourage the arts and sciences; to promote agriculture, commerce, and industry; to employ, in short, all the means calculated to make a Nation happy, which is worthy of being so; this is my second duty. Such is my ambition. Portuguese! I have no other; and if, as you

know, I have hitherto sacrificed my health for the good of the Country, I will sacrifice my life, should such a sacrifice be necessary to the good of the State. Where is the Portuguese, worthy of that glorious name, who does not willingly join his Regent in such noble sentiments?

Portuguese! let us imitate our Ancestors, and we shall be as they were, by their immortal deeds, the wonder of Europe and of the World. Union, and obedience to the Laws, and we shall be happy; and when I shall deliver up the Government of these Kingdoms to our legitimate Sovereign Senhora, Dona Maria da Gloria, I shall be able to say to her with truth, and with the purest delight, "Senhora, you are going to govern a noble Nation, always faithful-always attached to its legitimate Sovereigns. It was unhappy, because the genius of evil found amongst the Portuguese a fatal and protracted asylum: but the wise Political Institutions which your August Father, our King, graciously granted us, casting far from us the monster, laid the most solid foundation of our felicity and glory. I have raised the edifice of our felicity as high as I could, assisted by the whole Nation, but its completion is reserved for your Majesty. You will find exalted models for imitation in the conduct of the Queens and Kings of Lusitania. Read and meditate, as is fitting, the truly heroick History of Portugal. No reading will be more useful to you. Imitate the examples which it presents to you in the difficult art of reigning. Imitate them Senhora, and you will be the delight of the Portuguese, who, to the remotest Posterity, will repeat with respect, love, gratitude, and benediction, the adored name of your August Father and of yourself.”

Portuguese!-Union and obedience to the Laws. Let us imitate the heroick virtues of our Ancestors, and we shall be, as they were, the wonder and admiration of the Universe.

Given at the Palace of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, August 1, 1826. THE INFANTA, REGENT.

SPEECH of the Princess Regent of Portugal, on the Opening of the Cortes.-October 30th, 1826. (Translation.)

NOBLE PEERS OF THE KINGDOM, AND SENHORS DEPUTIES OF THE PORTUGUESE NATION.

ON seeing you assembled, on this memorable day, around the Throne of my August Brother, the King Don Pedro IV., I congratulate myself, you, and the whole Nation, that it has pleased Divine Providence to consolidate in so authentick and solemn a manner those wise Institutions which, at different times, have produced the prosperity of

many Nations, and which will speedily effect that of our beloved Country.

You know that the Land which we now call Portugal has, from the remotest Ages, had no other Political Government than that of a Representative Monarchy. Prelates and Secular Grandees alone formed that Representation; the People had neither suffrage nor influence in a System which was nearly Feudal. But, soon after the beginning of the Monarchy, the Portuguese Kings granted to the third Estate, the rights and dignities which barbarous Ages had refused to it. Portugal was then flourishing under the shelter of a Government entirely Representative; but, as she required Laws to fix invariably the Institutions adopted from practice, and derived from her Ancestors, those Institutions unfortunately fell into disuse; the Cortes of the Nation no longer existed, and it was reserved to our days to revive them by means of wise and permanent establishments. This project was conceived by the Royal mind of my August Father, whose memory will be ever dear to the Portuguese; and my August Brother completed it, to his immortal glory, by blessing this Nation with a Constitutional Charter.

We are, therefore, called to accomplish the highest destinies, in order to secure the happiness of our Country. This should naturally lead us to pursue, with hope and courage, the arduous path which conducts to the noble goal, from whence alone we can expect honour and glory.

The sentiments of the multitude of Individuals which form a Nation, can never be uniform, respecting the principles on which the art of governing States is founded, nor the means by which the publick happiness is to be attained. This is especially the case, when different political Revolutions have successively occurred in a Nation. Still, however, amongst the Portuguese, who are peculiarly gifted with a mild and moderate character, as well as with an ardent love and fidelity to their legitimate Monarchs, such diversity of sentiments cannot be permanent, much less productive of disastrous results.

There have, it is true, risen amongst us, perverse Men and Traitors, who have degenerated from valour and loyalty; but they scarcely succeed, in diverting from the path of honour and duty, even the timid and unsuspecting, by means of gross misrepresentations and criminal falsehoods. Fortunately the number of both is inconsiderable, and the great majority of the Portuguese continue firm in the obedience due to their Monarch.

I cannot but anticipate a happy result from the sentiments entertained by Foreign Nations in respect of Portugal; and time will not disappoint this auspicious expectation. Connected as we are, by the faith of Treaties, and by the most abundant proofs of an uninterrupted friendship, with one of the great Powers of Europe, and at Peace with all, I calculate upon the decided support of the former, as well as upon