It may be presumed that the Portuguese Government is well apprized of
this circumstance and of the little risque they run in being deprived
of so important a possession, else it will not be easy to penetrate the
reasons which induce them to treat the troops who compose the garrison
with such cruel negligence. Their regiments were ordered out with a
promise of being relieved, and sent back to Europe at the end of
three years, in conformity to which they settled all their domestic
arrangements. But the faith of Government has been broken, and at the
expiration of twenty years, all that is left to the remnant of these
unfortunate men, is to suffer in submissive silence. I was one evening
walking with a Portuguese officer, when this subject was started, and
on my telling him, that such a breach of public honour to English troops
would become a subject of parliamentary enquiry, he seized my hand
with great eagerness, "Ah, Sir!" exclaimed he, "yours is a free
country--we"!----His emotions spoke what his tongue refused.
As I am mentioning the army, I cannot help observing, that I saw nothing
here to confirm the remark of Mr.
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