As it appears, however, that fome further answer will probably be expected by the French government to their late extraordinary demand, notwithstanding the full and conclufive reply given in your lordfhip's notes, I have received the king's commands to tranfmit to you the inclofed draft of a note, which it is his majefty's pleasure that your lordship fhould tranfmit to the plenipotentiaries at Lifle, by a mellenger whom I fhall direct to be in readiness for that purpose. (Signed)

GRENVILLE.

Right Hon. Lord Malmesbury.

(No. 51.) Note from Lord Malme bury to the French Plenipo.entiaries.

The undersigned minifter plenipotentiary of his Britannic majefty has rendered to his court a faithful account of the circumstances that have interrupted the exercife of thofe important functions which his majesty had been pleased to intrust to him. His majefty has deigned to honour with his entire approbation the answers which the underfigned has already made to the extraordinary and unexpected demands which the new plenipotentiaries of the French republic addreffed to him immediately upon their arrival at Lifle.

But in order to leave no doubt respecting the nature and object of this demand, the underfigned has been exprefsly ordered to declare, in the name of his court,

1. That the full powers with which his majefty had thought proper to furnish him for negotiating and concluding a treaty of peace, are conceived and expreffed in the moft ample form, authorifing the underfigned fully, and without referve, to fign any treaty upon which he might agree with the

French plenipotentiaries, whatever its nature or conditions might be; conforming himfelf, in all cafes, to the inftructions which he might receive from his court.

2. That thefe full powers have been received and recognifed as fufficient, as well by the plenipotentiaries with whom he has hitherto treated, as by the directory themfelves, and that there is, confequently, no room for any new difcuffion upon a fubject which has already been clofed by common agreement, and which, moreover, is not liable to any doubt or difficulty wha ever; every thing which has been done hitherto upon this fubject being entirely conformable to customs long established and recognited by all the nations of Europe.

3. That the demand of the directory, therefore, in reality, refers not to the full powers of the underligned but to the extent of his inftructions, of which the di rectory could net, under any circumftances, require any communication, further than as the underfigned himself might judge fuch a communication conducive to the fuccefs of the negotiation; and that very far from being in a fituation to be called upon for any new explanations whatever, the underfigned had every reafon to expect, from the repeated communications which had been made to him by the French plenipotentiaries, that he fhould immediately receive a contre projet, of a nature to facilitate the further progrefs of the negotiation which had been fufpended for more than two months.

4. That the court of London had good reafon to be ftill more aftonifhed at the fubftance of the new demand made to the underfigned; a. demand relating to preliminary

con

conditions which had already been rejected at the very commencement of the negotiation, and from which the French plenipotentiaries had in effect departed, by a formal noti.fication of the measures which the directory were, in confequence, taking, for the purpofe of coming to fome arrangement with their allies.

a

5. That it is, therefore, only by confenting to treat upon the bafis of the projet, detailed with fo much openness, which was prefented by the undersigned a few days after his arrival at Lifle, or by returning contre projet of a conciliatory nature, agreeably to the affurances which he received fo long ago, that it appears poffible to continue the negotiation, which the plenipotentiaries have fo ftrongly affured him that the directory did not wifh to break off, notwithstanding the measures lately adopted with refpect to him a meafure which the underfigned forbears to characterife, but which could not fail to produce in this country the impreffion of a difpofition by no means pacific on the part of the directory.

The undersigned is directed to add, that his majefty would fee with real regret the certainty of the exiftence of fuch a difpofition, fo little compatible with the ardent defire with which he is animated to reftore peace to the two nations; but that if, without having himself contributed to it on his part, he fhould again find himself under the neceffity of continuing the war, he will conduct himfelf upon every Occafion agreeably to the fame principles, doing every thing which can depend upon him for the re-eftablishment of peace, but perfifting to defend, with an unfhaken firmnefs, the dignity of his crown, and the interefts of his people.

The minifter plenipotentiary of

his Britannic majefty requests the minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic to accept the affurance of his high confideration. (Signed) MALMESBURY. London,

the 22d of September, 1797.

(No. 52) Note from the French Plenipotentiaries to Lord Maimefbury.

The ministers plenipotentiary of the French republic, commiffioned to treat of peace with England, have received the note, dated from London, which has been brought to them by an extraordinary meffenger, from lord Malmesbury. They have the honour to anfwer to him, that their note of the 29th Fructidor, to which they refer, offered the double affurance of the fettled intention of the French government to continue the negotiations for peace, and of its conftant determination not to agree to any other conditions than fuch as are compatible with the dignity of the French republic.

A peace, of which the bas fhould be contrary to the laws, or to the engagements taken with its allies, would never fatisfy the hopes of the nation. It is a point from which the executive directory bas never departed, and upon which its fentiments have never varied.

Lord Malmesbury having form. ally declared in his notes of the 15th and 24th of July, and in the laft inftance in that of the 17th September, that he had not the pow ers necessary for restoring the Dutch and Spanish poffeffions, occupied by the troops of his Britannic ma jefty, the executive directory has given a new proof of its openness, and of its defire to accelerate the conclufion of peace, in requiring

lord

lord Malmebury to return to his court, for the purpofe of obtain ing the authority, without which he cannot conclude; a meafure rendered neceflary by the declara. tion of the minifter plenipotentiary of his Britannic majefty, and upon which it is impoffible to give à wrong impreffion to any thinking and impartial mind.

The minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic requeft lord Malmesbury to accept the affurances of their high confideration. (Signed) TREILHARD. BONNIER.

Lifle, 4th Vendemiaire, 5th Year of the Republic. (Sept. 25, 1797-)

DERCHE.

(No. 53-) Note from the French Plenipotentiaries to Lord Malmefbury.

The minifters plenipotentiaries of the French republic, charged to treat for peace with England, have the honour to inform lord Malmefbury, that having fent a copy of his laft note to their government, the executive directory has directed them to declare in its name, that it has never ceased to with for peace; that it gave an unequivocal proof of the fentiment which animates it, when it ordered the minifters plenipotentiary of the republic to require a categorical explanation as to the powers given by the English government to its minifter plenipotentiary; that this demand had, and could have, no other object but to bring the negotiation to a fpeedy and fuccefsful iffue :

That the order given to the plenipotentiaries of the republic to remain at Lifle after the departure of lord Malmesbury, is another proof that the directory had defired and 1797.

forefeen his return with powers that fhould not be illufory, and the limitation of which should no longer be a pretext for delaying the conclufion of peace:

That fuch are ftill the hopes and intentions of the executive directory, which enjoins the minifters plenipotentiary of the republic not to quit Lifle till the continued ab. fence of the negotiator fhall no longer leave any doubt of the intention of his Britannic majefty to break off all negotiation :

That confequently the 25th Vendemiaire (16th of October, old ftyle) is the period fixed for the re- . call of the minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic, fuppofing that at that time the minifter plenipotentiary of his Britannic majefty thall not have arrived at Lifle."

The executive directory will feel the greatest regret that a reconciliation, already twice attempted, fhould not be perfected; but its confcien.ce, and the whole of Europe, will bear it teftimony, that it is the English government alone that will have inflicted the fcourge of war upon the two nations.

The minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic entreat the minifter plenipotentiary of his Britannic majefty to accept the affurances of their high confideration. (Signed)

TREILHARD. BONNIER.

the plenipotentiaries of the French republic, is directed to obferve to them,

That, it is only in confequence of the formal and pofitive injunction of the directory that he quitted Life; that his powers were neither illufory nor limited; and that nothing was omitted on his part to accelerate the negotiation, which has been only retarded by the delays of the directory, and which at this moment is only fufpended by its

act.

With regard to the renewal of the conferences, the undersigned can only refer to his laft note, where he has explained with franknefs and precision the only means which remain for continuing the negotiation; obferving at the faine time that the king could no longer treat in an enemy's country, without being certain that the cuftoms eltablished among ft all civilized nations, with regard to public minifters, and efpecially to thofe charged to negotiate for the re-establishment of peace, would be refpected for the future in the perfon of his plenipotentiary.

The minifter plenipotentiary of his Britannic majefty requests the minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic to accept the affurance of his high confideration. (Signed) London, 5th O. 1797.

MALMESBURY.

Declaration of the King of Great Britain to the People, refpeling the Rupture of the late Negotiation.

His majefty's benevolent endea. vours to restore to his people the bleffings of fecure and honourable peace, again repeated without fuccefs, have again demonftrated, beyond the poffibility of doubt, the determined and perfevering hoftility

of the government of France, in whofe unprovoked aggreffion the war originated, and by whofe boundlefs and deftructive ambition it is ftill prolonged. And while by the courfe of thefe tranfactions, continued proofs have been afforded to all his majesty's faithful fubjects, of his anxious and unremitting foliçitude for their welfare, they cannot, at the fame time, have failed to recognize, in the uniform conduct of the enemy, the fpirit by which the

councils of France are ftill actuated, and the objects to which they are directed.

His majefty could not but feel how much the means of peace had been obftructed by the many addi tional difficulties which his enemies had fo repeatedly thrown in the way of every negotiation. Neverthe lefs, on the very first appearance of circumftances in forme degree more favourable to the interefts of humanity, the fame ardent defire for the eafe and happinefs of his fubjects induced his majefty to renew bis overtures for terminating the calamities of war: thus availing himfelf of every opening which could in any manner lead to fecure an honourable peace, and confulting equally the wifhes of his own heart and the principles by which his conduct has invariably been guided.

New obftacles were immediately interpofed by thofe who ftill directed the councils of France, and who, amidst the general defire for peace, which they could not at that time openly disclaim, ftill retained the power of fruftrating the withes of their own country, of counteracting his majefty's benevolent intentions, and of obftructing that refult which was fo neceffary for the hap pinels of both nations. Dificulties of form were ftudioufly cre ated; modes of negotiation were

indited