inds of ravages were committed by the French upon Lisbon and its
neighbourhood: and what did it matter whether these were upon the plea
of old debts and requisitions; or new debts were created more greedily
than ever--from the consciousness that the time for collecting them was
so short? This article, then, the only one which is even in shew
favourable to the Portugueze, is, in substance, nothing: inasmuch as, in
what it is silent upon, (viz. that the People of Lisbon and its
neighbourhood shall not be vexed and oppressed by the French, during
their stay, with new claims and robberies,) it is grossly cruel or
negligent; and, in that for which it actually stipulates, wholly
delusive. It is in fact insulting; for the very admission of a formal
renunciation of these claims does to a certain degree acknowledge their
justice. The only decent manner of introducing matter to this effect
would have been by placing it as a bye clause of a provision that
secured the Portugueze from further molestations, and merely alluding to
it as a thing understood of course. Yet, from the place which this
specious article occupies, (preceding immediately the 16th and 17th
which we have been last considering,) it is clear that it must have been
intended by the French General as honey smeared upon the edge of the
cup--to make the poison, contained in those two, more palateable.

Thus much for the Portugueze, and their particular interests. In one
instance, a concern of the Spanish Nation comes directly under notice;
and that Nation also is treated without delicacy or feeling. For by the
18th article it is agreed, 'that the Spaniards, (4000 in number) who had
been disarmed, and were confined on ship-board in the port of Lisbon by
the French, should be liberated.' And upon what consideration? Not upon
their _right_ to be free, as having been treacherously and cruelly dealt
with by men who were part of a Power that was labouring to subjugate
their country, and in this attempt had committed inhuman crimes against
it;--not even exchanged as soldiers against soldiers:--but the condition
of their emancipation is, that the British General engages 'to obtain of
the Spaniards to restore such French subjects, either military or civil,
as have been detained in Spain, without having been taken in battle or
in consequence of military operations, but on account of the
_occurrences_ of the 29th of last May and the days immediately
following. '_Occurrences_!' I k