champion its internal institutions.  If we examined their new institutions for the sake of deriving from them new motives for fulfilling our old engagements, with what propriety could we prohibit other Powers from examining them for the purpose of drawing any other conclusion?  It was enough to say that such internal changes no way affected our engagements with Portugal; that we felt ourselves as much bound to defend her, under her altered constitution, as under the ancient monarchy, with which our alliance had been contracted.  More than this we could not say; and more than this it was not her interest to require.

And what is the obligation of this alliance?  To defend Portugal—­to assist her, if necessary, with all our forces, in case of an unprovoked attack upon her territory.  This, however, does not give to Portugal any right to call on us, if she were attacked in consequence of her voluntarily declaring war against another Power.  By engaging in the cause of Spain, without any direct provocation from France, she would unquestionably lose all claim upon our assistance.  The rendering that assistance would then become a question of policy, not of duty.  Surely my honourable and learned friend (Sir James Mackintosh), who has declaimed so loudly on this subject, knows as well as any man, that the course which we are bound to follow, in any case affecting Portugal, is marked out in our treaties with that Crown, with singular accuracy and circumspection.  In case of the suspicion of any design being entertained against Portugal by another Power, our first duty is to call on such Power for explanation:  in case of such interposition failing, we are to support Portugal by arms; first with a limited force, and afterwards with all our might.  This treaty we have fulfilled to the letter, in the present instance.  We long ago reminded France, of our engagements with Portugal; and we have received repeated assurances that it is the determination of France rigidly to respect the independence of that kingdom.  Portugal certainly did show some jealousy (as has been asserted) with respect to the Congress of Verona; and she applied to this Government to know whether her affairs had been brought before the Congress.  I was half afraid of giving offence when I said ‘the name of Portugal was never mentioned’.  ’What, not mentioned? not a word about the new institutions?’ ’No, not one.  If mentioned at all, it was only with reference to the slave trade.’  In truth, from the beginning to the close of the proceedings of the Congress, not the most distant intimation was given of any unfriendly design against Portugal.