From The Quarterly Review. THE MARSHAL DUKE OF SALDANHA.*

enlightened patriot and statesman is one which has been warmly contested and will not be conceded without dispute.

CONSIDERING the relative importance of the events with which the Muse of He took the lead in so many subversive History was occupied during the first half changes of government, that the designaof the century, and the unceasing calls of tion of revolution-maker might be as apthe greater powers upon her pen, it is no propriately bestowed on him as that of matter of surprise that a small State like King-maker on the last of the barons; Portugal should have dropped out of no- and the question naturally arises whether, tice, except when its destinies became whenever by menaces or direct resort to temporarily interwoven with those of con- force, at the risk or cost of insurrection tending nations who thought fit to make or civil war, he upset a ministry or placed its soil their battle-field. The interest of a sovereign under constraint, he was uniEngland in Portuguese affairs bagan and formly influenced by exalted motives and ended with the Peninsular War; and it kept the public good unceasingly and was in a listless, languid, poco curante exclusively in view. This is a question, manner that we heard of the failure of however, which our readers will be in a absolutism in the person of Dom Miguel, situation to decide for themselves, if they and the establishment of a constitutional are content to follow us in the epitome monarchy in a country to which, with all which, with the aid of the able and spirour indifference, we wished well. Yet it ited work before us, we propose to make was only after a long and dubious strug- of his life and career. The work abounds gle, crowded with stirring incidents, in- in materials which illustrate the country terspersed with curious episodes, and and the period, independently of their bringing every description of civil and bearing on the biography. military merit into play, that liberal prinSaldanha's family, of Spanish origin, ciples triumphed; and whilst that strug- was one of unimpeachable nobility. His gle lasted, qualities were displayed which maternal grandfather was the celebrated might have given world-wide fame to Marquis of Pombal; and a king of Casmany of the actors if a larger or grander | tille, a Count Daun, and a Prince de Soustage had been afforded them. Foremost amongst these stands the Marshal Duke of Saldanha, whose reputation has hitherto been involved in a luminous mist or haze which a near connection and ardent admirer has undertaken to clear away.†

bise figure in the ascending line of his pedigree. He was born on the 17th of November, 1790, and christened on the 25th the prince regent of Portugal and the princess consort being sponsors. His education was carefully superintended by This gentleman, the Conde da Carnota, his mother, a woman of remarkable talent, has certainly succeeded so far as regards who provided him with the best masters; the military character of his hero. The and he is said to have excelled in mathebare recapitulation of the marshal's ex-matics, besides attaining such proficiency ploits cannot well fail to establish his title in English as to read English authors to an eminent place amongst modern generals; but his claim to be regarded as an

Memoirs of the Life and Eventful Career of Field-Marshal the Duke of Saldanha, Soldier and Statesman, with Selections from his Correspondence. By the Conde da Carnota. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1880.

The author, Mr. J. Smith Athelstane, was raised to the dignity of "grandee of Portugal," with the title of "Conde da Carnota," by royal decree, dated Lisbon, August 9th, 1870, having been created a Knight Commander of the Order of Christ in 1843. He is the

author of the "Marquis of Pombal," which has gone through two editions. He became private secretary in 1835 to the Duke de Saldanha, who married his sis

ter in 1856.

with pleasure and profit. One of his favorite books was "Sir Charles Grandison." "The marshal (says the biographer) has often assured me how anxious he felt, as a boy, to form his character on such a model as Grandison; which was to aim at being as perfect as possible, in whatever situation of life he might afterwards be placed."

He was destined for the navy, but the original intention was given up, and on the 28th of September, 1805, he entered the army as cadet in the 1st Infantry.

He was promoted to the rank of captain | these fifteen thousand were Portuguese.*

in the same regiment on the 9th of June, 1806, being then under sixteen, and he had just completed his seventeenth year when he was compelled by his military position to take a decided step in politics. Before the end of November, 1807, it had been announced in the Moniteur that the house of Braganza had ceased to reign: the regent, with the royal family and court, had embarked for Brazil; the French under Junot were in possession of the capital; and the country seemed in a fair way to become an appendage of the French empire. Many of the nobles gave in their adhesion, and the bulk of the army, including the officers, took service under Napoleon. Saldanha, when the alternative of a change of service or the resignation of his commission was presented to him, immediately resigned; and when the Portuguese army was reorganized to act against the French, he and a brother officer who had followed his example were the only two who were reinstated as of right in the rank which they previously held: a tolerably strong proof that patriotism was rather the exception than the rule.

His forced retirement had not been of long duration. In the course of the following year the population rose in Oporto, Braganza, and other districts against the Napoleonic rule: a Junta was formed; and when (Aug. 1, 1808) Sir Arthur Wellesley landed at Mondego Bay, a Portuguese force, about eight thousand, had been got together, prepared to cooperate to the best of their ability. Saldanha acted for a short time on the staff of the commander, General Freire, and then rejoined his regiment. The Convention of Cintra was the unsatisfactory result of the first English expedition; but although baffled and overruled by his military superiors, Sir Arthur managed to bring over the English ministry to his conviction that the expulsion of the French from the entire Spanish peninsula must begin in Portugal; and on the 22nd of April, 1809, he arrived in the Tagus with an army which at the end of a week, including allies and reinforcements, amounted to thirty-five thousand. Of

The command of the Portuguese army had been offered to him before he left England, and at his request it was conferred on General (afterwards Lord) Beresford, who brought it to a state of efficiency which justified him in declaring in an "order of the day" that "Europe will see and honor the virtues of the Portuguese nation reflected in its army." Lord Wellington after the battle of Busaco wrote: "The time has been well employed in disciplining them, for they form now the most solid foundation for the hopes we have of freeing the peninsula." In the same despatch it is stated that the 1st Infantry (Saldanha's regiment) "showed great steadiness and gallantry."

The behavior of a battalion led by him is specially commended by an historian of the war. He was already a major, having been promoted over the heads of several captains by the well-earned favor of Lord Beresford, who had been struck by his intelligence, military bearing, and knowledge of his profession. He was present during the Peninsular War at no less than twenty-three actions, including battles and sieges. The day after the second assault of St. Sebastian, he writes to his brother:

I have the satisfaction of telling you, my dear brother, that the Marshal Marquis of Campo Maior (Marshal Beresford) meeting me yesterday, during the assault, complimented me, and said that he had selected me from amongst the lieutenant-colonels on account of the opinion he had of me, etc., etc., etc.; that he had given me the colonelcy of the 13th Infantry, and would give immediate orders that I should at once take the command. I pass over the heads of sixteen or seventeen lieutenant-colonels.

It was in contemplation after the return of Napoleon from Elba to obtain a contingent of Portuguese troops to act with the army under the Duke of Wellington. The project was given up on the refusal of the authorities to send troops out of the country, but whilst it was still pending Marshal Beresford publicly announced that, if only one regiment were to go to Belgium, it should be Saldanha's,

* Gleig, Life of Arthur Duke of Wellington, p. 91.

the 13th Infantry, as best fitted to uphold | sulted in the annexation of Montevideo the national reputation. to Brazil, the king, desirous of appointing

His next field of action was in the New a captain-general or viceroy of the provWorld; where the revolted Spanish province of the Rio, after full inquiry and inces, especially Montevideo under an ad- deliberation with his most trusted counventurer named Artigas, were constantly sellors, fixed upon Saldanha, who was producing insurrectionary movements or nominated accordingly, and thereby placed carrying on open hostilities against Brazil. in a position where his qualifications for On the conclusion of the European peace civil government could be fully tested. of 1815 a force called the "Royal Volun- His integrity also was put to a rude teers" was despatched from Lisbon to ordeal by the offer of a large bribe from Rio Grande, and with it went Saldanha, the farmers of the tithes and taxes to whose precise rank is not stated, but be- wink at their peculations. He at once fore the war came to an end he had fought took measures for depriving them of their or won his way to the front. In 1818 the illicit gains: the result being a large augrank of brigadier and the military Order mentation of the revenue. of Christ were conferred upon him. We His administration of justice was equally are assured that he was adored by his remarkable for vigor and efficiency. On companions in arms of all grades, al- his arrival at Porto Alegre, the gallows though a strict disciplinarian of the Wel- were familiarly known as the donzella, or lington and Beresford school, of which the "Maiden," from their never having an illustration is given by an occurrence been used since they were put up; yet whilst his regiment was quartered at Lis- there were no less than eighty-four perbon. The soldiers having got into a habit | sons charged with murder in the prisons; of applying for leave of absence through most of whom when brought to trial were ladies, Saldanha issued an order that any found guilty. Selecting the most atrosoldier who should apply except directly cious cases, he hanged four. And in to the colonel should receive twelve lash-order (says the biographer) that all classes One evening a lady came up to Saldanha at a party, and declared that she had a favor to ask. He replied, with his usual courtesy, that it was already granted. Well,” she said, “it is only leave of absence, for three days, for my godson." Certainly," exclaimed Saldanha, "I will not fail to attend to your request." He accordingly took down the name of the soldier, and, on the following morning, in the presence of the regiment, he called up the man, and inquired of him, if, contrary to orders, he had solicited Dona

es.

to obtain leave of absence for him. The man acknowledged he had. Well," said Saldanha, "I have given my word to the lady that your request shall be granted. I also will keep my word with respect to the discipline of the regiment. You will receive the twelve lashes, and the three days' leave of absence."

might be alike impressed by the terror of this example, the four who suffered were selected from different races of men, comprising a white man, a mulatto, an Indian, and a negro. The white man belonged to one of the most influential families of the province. "The result of this judicious firmness was that, during the remainder of Saldanha's government in Rio Grande, not another prosecution on a charge of assassination became necessary."

The province was so prosperous under his government, and so satisfied that its prosperity was owing to him, that, when the question arose what part it was to take in the struggle between the mother country and the colony, it seems to have been a matter of indifference to the people who was to be their nominal sovereign so long as they were practically ruled by Before leaving Portugal with the Vol- Saldanha. In April, 1821, the king, John unteers, he had married a lady of Irish VI., left Rio for Lisbon, with his wife descent named Horan, who accompanied and younger son, Dom Miguel, leaving him in all his transatlantic campaigns. his eldest son, Pedro, to govern as regent At the termination of the war, which re-in Brazil. Soon after his arrival in Lis.

hit upon. They consented to proceed with the election to the presidencies, but elected him to all three, and intimated an opinion that he was equally eligible for the contemporaneous command of the military forces. This arrangement was not contrary to the strict letter of the law, and he discharged the various offices forced upon him till he found that the hearts of the Rio Grandeans were as much set upon the independence of Por

bon (July 3) the Cortes decreed that | risk of throwing everything into confuBrazil should be divided into provincial sion, if they persevered in thus nullifying governments, subordinate to the home the law; and at length a compromise was government, and that Pedro should return to Europe. This decree, followed by others in the same sense and spirit, lighted up a flame of indignation throughout Brazil very similar to that which was kindled by the Stamp Act in what are now the United States of North America. Provisional Juntas were formed, and the authority of the governors was set aside in all the provinces with the exception of Rio Grande, where Saldanha fell in with the popular feeling to the extent of declar-tugal as the other provinces; a Junta ing his readiness to be guided by it so far as was consistent with loyalty. He accordingly invited the people, through the municipalities and notabilities, to notify their wishes in writing, promising that their answers should be all opened and made public on a given day in the Townhall.

Fortunate people!
Happy land!
That such a ruler
Has obtained.

Ditosa gente! Feliz terreno! Que um tal governo Poude alcançar. Without being turned aside by these flattering demonstrations, he proceeded to carry out the provisions of the decrees, which required the election of three presidents one of the executive, one of justice, and one of finance. The electors met at 9 A.M. and continued in consultation until 2 P.M., when fifteen electors waited upon the captain-general to state the conclusion to which they had unanimously arrived; namely, not to proceed with the elections, but to leave the government unaltered in his hands. They were sent back to reconsider their resolution, and returned at 8 P.M., to declare "that the entire body of the electors were satisfied that the people desired no other government than that of Saldanha; and that such were the instructions which they had received from their constituents." Saldanha again pressed upon them that his duty to his sovereign left him no alternative but to retire, at the

having been formed at Porto Alegre, the capital, to co-operate with the rest. Pedro, who in the October following was proclaimed emperor of Brazil, had already declared for a separation, and was virtually in rebellion against his royal father. In July 1822, therefore, Saldanha addressed a letter to the Junta of Rio, setting forth his reasons for resigning all his posts, and at once returning to Europe, rather than prove a traitor to his native country and the king to whom he had sworn allegiance.

When all other expedients for detaining him had been tried, a deputation from the chief people of the provinces of Rio Grande, Santa Fé, Corrientes, and Montevideo, waited upon him to declare that they were willing to form these provinces into an independent kingdom if he would accept the crown.

Thanking them sincerely, I, without hesitation, refused the offer. Un roi parvenu, and in those regions, would have found himself in a precarious situation. I may sincerely declare before God, that neither in my public nor in my private life have I ever committed an intentional act of injustice; and suaded that I should have been un assez bon chef dans un état quelconque.

am per

The new emperor did not suffer him to depart without offer upon offer, which would hardly have been refused by a mere soldier of fortune. He was offered the post of marshal-general of the army, the title of marquis, and crown-lands to any extent in any quarter he might choose. The imperial minister of finance, by way of persuading him to become a Brazilian, suggested that Portugal, after the separation, would become an impoverished and insignificant country. "The greater the reason," was the reply, "that I should not desert it."

The emperor was crowned on the 1st of December, when Saldanha was still at Porto Alegre. There were great festivi

ties on the occasion of the coronation. | the great powers immediately withdrew At night the emperor went in state to the their ministers; and it met with the most theatre. Saldanha appeared there dressed marked disapproval from the rest, includin black and occupied a seat in the box ing England. of his sister, the Countess da Ponte. The minister of marine going in said, "General, the emperor wonders why you are in mourning." "Can I be otherwise," replied Saldanha, on the day when the dissolution of the monarchy has been effected?"

He left Rio two days afterwards, and arrived at Lisbon, with his wife and infant son, on the 25th of January, 1823.

With the principles which actuated his conduct through life, it will readily be imagined that he left behind him many friends and admirers. Nor need it create much astonishment-none to those who knew him well that the captain-general of a province, with almost unlimited power, reached his country after eight years of service, with less than 67. in his possession.

Its framers did no more than justice to Saldanha's patriotism and moderation when, despairing of his concurrence, they treated him with coldness and distrust; but his ungracious reception by the court can hardly be accounted for except by suspicion or jealousy. A pronunciamento, or military demonstration, was as common in Portugal as in Spain, and it was rationally doubted whether Saldanha would adhere in the Old World to the selfdenying ordinance which he had imposed upon himself in the New. At all events, the course taken with him by the gov ernment, in the name and with the presumed assent of the king, showed a determination to shelve or get rid of him, whilst apparently recognizing his services and his claims. Twelve days after his According to the biographer, when, return, he was appointed to a high commany years later, Pedro, then ex-emperor, mand in Brazil- the command of all the met Saldanha in Paris, he said to him: military and naval forces which "are to "What the devil did you do with the Bra- be, or are already, collected at Bahia, with zilians in the province of Rio Grande? the direction and command of the said When I went there, I heard nothing from forces wherever they may operate." This all sides but what was done in the time command was a mockery. He was to be of Sr. Saldanha. Sr. Saldanha did this sent on a perilous expedition without -Sr. Saldanha did that." Dom Pedro men, money, or commissariat, for the exadded, that the very road on which he had press purpose of discrediting him, and he travelled was called “Estrada Saldanha," took his part with his wonted firmness. a name which the authorities had given He drew up a list of the requisites for the it "in memory of their beloved and re-expedition, and concluded a letter engretted governor." closing them to the minister of war in these words:

Under any ordinary state of things, a man who had acted in this manner might have anticipated an honorable reception from the people or popular representatives and the court; but Portugal when he arrived (September, 1823) was in as distracted a condition as Brazil. The first act of the king on his return (July 1821) was to take the oath to a new constitution then in progress, "so far as it was already prepared;" and on the first of October, when it was declared ready for trial, be repeated the oath with the required alteration. This is the constitution of September 23, 1822, passed in acordance with the views of the democratic and ultra-radical party, who thenceforth passed by the name of Septembrists. The whole of the legislative and much of the executive authority was thereby vested in a representative chamber, which the crown could neither assemble, dissolve, nor prorogue. In what light this constitution was regarded throughout Europe may be judged from the fact that three of

for accepting the command-in-chief; made, I Such are my opinions, and my conditions repeat, because I consider them necessary for the public welfare. They are the result of eight years' experience in Brazil in various commands. Should, however, it be preferred that I should command a company, a regiment, or a brigade, am quite ready to do so. For then, my only duty will be to obey, and fight when and where I am ordered. This I in-chief, which implies responsibility, I can only do on the terms I have laid down.

know how to do. But to take the command

The reply was a peremptory order to embark and set sail without delay, and on his refusal he was brought before a courtmartial on a charge of disobedience, and condemned to imprisonment in the Castle of St. George. He remained there (about four months) so long as it suited him and no longer; for on hearing of a rising headed by Dom Miguel with the professed object of delivering the king from undue restraint he made his escape, placed him