rights
of her people. This was effected, and Louis Philippe was balked of his
desire to interfere in Portugal to promote a reactionary policy. The
queen, however, did not keep faith with her allies; she did not dismiss
her government until the English minister made such demands as compelled
compliance. Peace was by these measures restored to Portugal; but no
party within or beyond the bounds of her kingdom had any confidence in
the good faith, good sense, or good feeling of the queen.

Lord Palmerston was much censured as the originator of the British
policy in Portugal, but an impartial examination of the course he took
will show that it was politic, and that by it he enforced upon Portugal
the only plan possible to secure her independence of foreign despotic
interference, and her release from internecine war. Portugal was
saved for the time, and the designs of Louis Philippe were permanently
baffled.

STATE OF IRELAND.--PROGRESS OF FAMINE AND DISEASE.

The year 1847 opened upon Ireland in many respects as gloomily as that
which preceded. During the early months of the year the weather was very
severe, and this added materially to the miseries of an already famine
and disease-stricken people. The most heart-rending events connected
with these disasters occurred everywhere throughout the country. The
government continued its efforts for the mitigation of the prevailing
evils; but the plans put forth for this object were not always wise, and
the conduct of the people, high and low, baffled the projects of relief.
All the mischievous proceedings of a social nature narrated in the
previous chapter continued, and many of them were aggravated. The result
was that great numbers perished in all parts of the country, especially
in the south and west; and philanthropic men in Europe, in America,
and throughout the whole world where civilised man dwelt, perused the
records of Ireland's sufferings and infatuation with horror and awe.
This state of matters continued even to the harvest, and although there
was then the prospect of abundant crops, that circumstance neither
revived the hopes, nor assuaged the political rancour, of the people.
Late in the month of June a clergyman addressed a letter to a Dublin
newspaper, describing the condition of the peasantry in his locality,
and it but too faithfully depicts the sufferings prevalent in most other
places. It was as follows:--"The population of the district for which I
wou