The Change Took Place On Account Of
The Colonial War, At That Time Carried On By The Courts Of Lisbon
And Madrid.
And, indeed, were the object of security alone to determine the seat
of Government, I know but few
Places better situated in that respect
than the one I am describing; the natural strength of the country,
joined to the difficulties which would attend an attack on the fortifications,
being such as to render it very formidable.
It may be presumed that the Portuguese Government is well apprized
of this circumstance and of the little risque they run in being deprived
of so important a possession, else it will not be easy to penetrate
the reasons which induce them to treat the troops who compose the garrison
with such cruel negligence. Their regiments were ordered out with a promise
of being relieved, and sent back to Europe at the end of three years,
in conformity to which they settled all their domestic arrangements.
But the faith of Government has been broken, and at the expiration
of twenty years, all that is left to the remnant of these unfortunate men,
is to suffer in submissive silence. I was one evening walking with
a Portuguese officer, when this subject was started, and on my telling him,
that such a breach of public honour to English troops would become a subject
of parliamentary enquiry, he seized my hand with great eagerness, "Ah, Sir!"
exclaimed he, "yours is a free country - we"! - - His emotions spoke
what his tongue refused.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 17 of 90
Words from 4469 to 4724
of 24415
