In the circumstances it is not strange that a strong democratic feeling should be developed amongst a minority of the better educated people, apart from the recognised political factions; and Republicanism, especially in Oporto, became a popular creed; since the sovereign was by uninformed public opinion um justly held responsible for a state of affairs which had not arisen from any act of his. Nor was this the case only with those who were independent of the principal parliamentary groups. The King was made the scapegoat, even by the regular party that happened to be in opposition at the time; and on some occasions this ungenerous attitude towards.