Something is going on in Portugal, and if Lisbon boasted
a special Correspondent, we suppose we should know what it is ; but at present, affairs are a little obscure. As we understand the situation, Portuguese Liberals want to reform or abolish the Upper House, and are so urgent that King Luis, who neither approves that nor any other reform, is said to threaten an abdication. This would make his eldest son, the Duke of Braganza, a lad of twenty, King, and as he is understood not only to be a Liberal, but to entertain "Iberian" views, his accession would be viewed with great jealousy by Conservatives, both in his own country and in Spain, where only last week, according to the Times, a Cabinet Council was called specially to discuss him. These statements are, of course, officially denied, and everything is said to be going well in Lisbon ; but it appears to be certain that the Liberals are exasperated, both about the Peers and the finances, that the King is exceedingly unpopular, and that the Crown Prince is making a series of long visits to foreign countries. It is probable -that, in presence of considerable external dangers, everything will end in some endurable compromise, the Peers' veto, for .example, being limited to one Session. The King, it should be mentioned, has none.
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