The Portugueze Cortes met in one chamber, the Nobles the higher Clergy secular & regular, the Judges, the certain Ministers, the Governors of the Cities & Towns, & such fidalgos as had full power in their own domains, had seats there. the Commons consisted of two xxx deputies from every corporate town, & were about something fewer than 200. How they were originally chosen I do not know, whether by the municipal authorities, or nominated by the immediate Lord, as they were latterly by the Government: but certainly there was nothing like a popular election. The principle of the Portugueze Constitution is the very reverse of ours: the power of making laws & imposing taxes is vested in the King, but the consent of the Cortes is required. The King is to advise with his Councillors, & the Cortes to give a popular & legal sanction to the measures of Government. They have been disused since the reign of Pedro 2.

I have a MSS of the proceedings of that which was held in 1698, which was perhaps the last,

– but as yet I have neither had occasion to ascertain this, nor to peruse it.

A minister of Pombals

capacity & courage would find no other difficulty in setting Portugal to rights than what the deficiency of revenue must occasion. Nothing is required but to restore the ancient forms, & give effect to good laws. The corruption of justice was the crying evil in that kingdom. If this were remedied & the laws regularly enforced Portugal would have nothing to apprehend from the revolutionary Junta. It was not against the principle of the government that they revolted,

but against <its> stagnation & putridity. Indeed no words can be too strong to characterize its abuses.

The one thing which they should borrow from us is the Habeas Corpus.

I know nothing which would be of so much importance to them. There is neither public feeling nor sense of private honour to prevent interference with the course of law; I rather wish than hope there may be a minister who feels as he ought upon this subject, & who will endeavour to supply their place by the fear of punishment. My opinion of the Portugueze is that in their civil as in their military character, they would be found of all people the most easy to regenerate, – but there is as much to be done in every department of the state as there was in the army.

Doyle

has written to offer me papers which will be very useful. My best information concerning the proceedings in Catalonia & Aragon in the early part of 1809 has been derived from his correspondence with Frere. I shall be glad if an opportunity offers of seeing the Duke of W. partly for this reason that the want of any direct communications from him has xxx been on one occasion a disadvantage to me.

Lord Fred. Bentinck

volunteered to procure papers from xxx for me from Lord Hill,

& Lord Hill refused upon the ground that he had not the example of the Duke to make him feel warranted in imparting them.