the men and their measures;
and prosecutions for its bold sentiments became the order of the day.
Prosecutions increased, from the fact that associations were formed to
resist the payment of taxes, in case ministers should attempt to rule
without a chamber. Finally, the cabinet itself became divided. One great
cause of its unpopularity was, that it contained Labourdonnaye, who had
signalized himself by recommending a terrific system of proscription,
and had, after the manner of Marius and Sylla at Rome, classified those
descriptions of people on whom he demanded vengeance. Labourdonnaye
retired towards the close of the year; but public opinion continued
against the administration as strong and unanimous as ever. At one time,
the organs of the cabinet threatened a dissolution of the chambers, and
at another, the ultra-journals preached the doctrine of ruling without
the chambers. The more accredited organs of the cabinet, indeed, did not
openly repeat such sentiments, but they were connected in the minds of
the people with that set of opinions which the cabinet represented. If
the one party, indeed, were led astray by assuming evil designs not in
existence, ministers were equally blind as to the character of their
antagonists. The year finally closed in mutual recriminations; ministers
keeping their places until the convocation of the legislature should
determine, whether the chambers were to decide the fate of the cabinet,
or the cabinet that of the chambers. One fact, however, was favourable
to the interests of France: namely, that its foreign relations remained
peaceful and unaltered.

In Portugal, Don Miguel this year unfolded to the world his true
character. Early in this year an unsuccessful attempt was made in Oporto
at insurrection in favour of Donna Maria, and the usurper made use of
this occurrence to multiply arrests in the capital. Every individual
whom any creature of government disliked, or any private enemy thought
proper to denounce by an anonymous accusation, was forthwith consigned
to the dungeons of the Limveiro, or of St. Julian. The actual
conspirators at Oporto were tried by commission, and several of them
were exiled, and the rest acquitted as persons against whom nothing was
proved. Miguel, however, was shocked at the lenity of the sentence, and
refused to ratify it; ordering at the same time a new sentence to
be framed, by which five prisoners condemned to perpetual exile were
directed to be hang