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ance, has been brought about through the most urgent neceffity, and the most threatening danger.

cannot but render her Imperial Majesty perfectly eafy with refpect to the conduct which his Catholic Majesty is likely to purfue. Her Imperial Majelty is of opinion, that it will be both candid and fincere, and it would be painful for her to fuppofe, that in any cafe whatever his Catholic Majesty could favour meafures, tending to obftruct and oppofe the avowed purposes of the three allied Courts.

"Her Imperial Majefty being at a lofs to account for the motives which can have determined his Catholic Majelty, thus to infulate his interest from that of the coalition, cannot but perfevere in the opinion, that notwithstanding this fudden change, his Catholic Majefty will continue fincerely to intereft himself in the fuccefs of the operations of the Evangelic powers, and fo far from throwing any obftacle in the way of the new measures which thofe powers may find it neceffary to pursue, rather fupport it the subject of a conference you are to them by every means which the fyftem request of the Prince of Peace. of neutrality he may perhaps think proper to adopt does not preclude.

"You, Sir, will adopt the most proper means, officially to communicate to the Miniftry of his Catholic Majefty the honour of this dispatch, and to make

COUNT OSTERMAN.".

TRANSLATION of the Anfower of his Excellency the Prince of Prince to M. de Bulzow, dated Santa Cruz, March 17. 1796.

"His Catholic Majefty cannot yet have forgotten the high importance of the caufe for which the coalefced powers are contending; to reftore order and tranquillity, to lead the nations back to a fenfe of their duty; and to fhield all Europe from the most dangerous infection. Thefe are the important motives which have induced the coalefced powers to unite their counfels, and exert that the King, my mafter, has with much their joint efforts to render them triumphant.

"It is for this purpose that the three Courts have juft now, by means of a folemn treaty of alliance, ftrengthened the ties by which they were united. Thei: reciprocal intereft is therefore fo inti mately connected and interwoven, and their determination fo firm, that it would be impoffible to obftruct the operatiors of one of them without forcing the thers most warmly to embrace his caue. Of this defcription is especially the fituation of her Imperial Majetty with refpet to the King of Great Britain; fo thatin cafe of need, her Imperial Majefty world be obliged to aflift and fupport him to the utmost extent of her power. But fortunately fuch connections fubfift between his Catholic Majesty and the King of Great Britain, in confequence of feveral treaties renewed in the year 193, as can never ceafe to be dear to his Catholic Majefty, and neither the conveniency nor ufefulness of which have been leffened by a change of affairs produced by the most imperious circumftance.

This important confideration, in addition to that which proceeds from the favourable difpofition of his (atholic Majefly towards the common caufe,

"I have received your letter of the 22d of February, with a copy of the difpatch which you, Sir, have received from your court by the last courier from London, and muft return you in anfwer,

pleasure learned the friendly terms in which, on the part of her Imperial Majefty, he has been acquainted with the clofe alliance concluded with the Courts of Vienna and London, which certainly cannot have been the refult of the cir cumftances which existed in Poland, at a time when the forces of her Imperial Majefty might have been employed at a point where rallied thofe of all monarchs who united for the preservation of their exiftence, and the mutual fupport of their rights. At that period the King, my mafter, gave the ftrongest proofs of his grief at the misfortune of a beloved coufin, and forefaw that his dominions were drawing near that univerfal corruption, which refults from madnefs without bounds. He waged war against tyrants, but was unable to learn who they were, for he did not know, following the capricious dictates of their levity, who were the good Frenchmen that defended the caufe of their King. He was only able to difcern, that but a few victims of their fenfe of honour were his true adherents, who followed him to the grave. The defire of the King, my mafter, was, however, of earnest, that not withftanding the ill-founded hopes held out by the combined powers, he profes

cuted

cuted the most vigorous and most expenfive war.

"There was no Sovereign but the King endeavoured to prevail upon her, by the most advantageous proposals, to join his Majefty; notwithstanding this request addreffed to the Empress at different times, fince the last months of 1791, and during the year 1792, and M. de Galvez, Spanish Minifter in Ruffia, and M. de Zinowief, who refided in the fame quality at Madrid, but especially in October 1792 and December 1793, when M. de Amat, then Spanish Charge d'Affaires at Petersburgh, and foon after M. de Oris, Minister of his Catholic Majefty, had long conferences on this fubject, the former with Count Ofterman, and the later with Count Befborodko. Notwithstanding all this, there did not exift the leaf circumftance which promised an active co-operation on the part of the Emprefs, nor does it appear that the occupation of Poland could have prevented her from co-operating in favour of the common caufe. It was under thefe circumftances that the King, my mafter, no doubt from fear and apprehenfion of finiftrous confequences for his kingdom, refolved to make peace, convinced, that if he were left without affiftance in the war, that fupport, which might be promised him for the attainment of peace, would prove ftill lefs efficacious. This is the true fituation of Spain, and his Catholic Majefty obliges himself to fulfil whatever he has promised for the common caufe, in which, at the fame time he muft, for the future, decline participating in any measure, which has no certain and confiftent object. I have the honour, &c.

THE PRINCE DE LA PAX."

SUBSTANCE of the Offenfive and Defenfive Treaty of Alliance between France and Spain.

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itself to help it with its good offices, and to fuccour it on its requifition, as fall be ftipulated in the following articles.

III. Within the fpace of three months, reckoning from the moment of the requifition, the power called on fhall hold in readiness, and place in the difpofal of the power calling, 15 hips of the line, three of which thall be three deckers or of 80 guns, twelve of from 70 to 72, fix frigates of a proportionate force, and four floops or light veffels, all equipped, armed, and victualled for fix months, and ftored for a year. These naval forces shall be affembled by the power called on in the particular port pointed out by the power calling.co

V. The power called on shall in the fame way place at the disposal of the requiring power, within the space of three months, reckoning from the moment of the requifition, eighteen thousand infantry and fix thousand cavalry, with a proportionate train of artillery, to be readily employed in Europe, and for the defence of the colonies which the contracting powers poffefs in the Gulf of Mexico.

IX. The troops and fhips demanded, fhall continue at the difpofal of the requiring power during the whole duration of the war, without its incurring in any cafe any expence. The power called on fhall maintain them in all places where ts ally fhall cause them to act, as if it employed them directly for itself.

X. The power called on fhall immeciately replace the fhips it furnishes, which may be loft by accidents of war or of the fea. It fhall alfo repair the loffes the troops it fupplies may fuffer.

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XI. If the aforefaid fuccours are found to be, or fhould become infufficient, the two contracting powers fhall put on foot wdl by fea as by land, against the enemy the greatest forces they poffibly can, as of he power attacked, which fhall employ the aforefaid forces, either by combinng them, or by caufing them to act feprately, and this conformably to a plar concerted between them.

Article I. There hall exift for ever an offenfive and defenfive alliance between the French Republic and his Catholic Majefty the King of Spain. vy 29-03 XII. In the cafe in which the motives II. The two contracting powers shall of hoftilities being prejudicial to both

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be mutual guarantees, without any re- partes. they may declare war with one

ferve or exception, in the moft authen- comnon affent against It one or feveral tic and abfolute way, of all the ftates, powers, the limitations eftablished in the territories, ifland, and places, which precding, articles fhall ceafe to take they poffefs, and fhall respectively pof place and the two contracting powers fefs.And if one of the two powers hall le bound to bring into action against fhall be in the fequel, under whatever the common enemy, the whole of their pretext it may be, menaced or attacked, land and fea forces, and to concert their the other promifes, engages, and binds

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plans fo as to direct them towards the moft convenient points, either feparately or by uniting them. They equally bind themselves, in the cafes pointed out in the prefent article, not to treat for peace unless with one common confent, and in fuch a way as that each fhall ob tain the fatisfaction which is its due.

XV. Without any delay there fhall be concluded a treaty of commerce on the most equitable basis, and reciprocally advantageous to the two nations, which fhall fecure to each of them, with its ally, a marked preference for the productions of its foil and manufactures, or at the leaft, advantages equal to thofe which the most favoured nations enjoy in their refpective States."

XVIII. England being the only power a. gainft which Spain has direct grievances, the prefent alliance fhall not be executed unlefs against her during the prefent war; and Spain fhall remain neuter with respect to the other powers armed against the Republic.

Done at St Ildephonfo, (Auguft 19), the 4th year of the French Republic, one and indivifible. (Signed)

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nor:

"ONE of the principal motives that determined me to make peace with the French Republic, as foon as its govern ment had begun to affume a regular and ftable form, was the manner in which England behaved to me during the whole of the war, and the juft miftruft which I ought to feel for the future from the experience of her bad faith, which be gan to be manifefted at the most critical moment of the first campaign; in the manner with which Admiral Hood treated my fquadron at Toulon, where he was employed folely in ruining all that be could not carry away himself; and afterwards, in the expedition he undertook against the Ifland of Corfica-an expedition which he undertook without the knowledge, and which he concealed with the greatest care from Don Juan de Langara, while they were together at Toulon

*** This fame bad faith the English VOL. LVIII.

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Minifter has fuffered clearly to appear, by his filence upon the fubject of all his negociations with other powers, particularly in the treaty concluded on the 19th of November 1794, with the United States of America, without any regard to my rights, which were well known to him. I remarked it again in his repugnance to the adoption of my plans and ideas, which might accelerate the termination of the war, and in the vague reply which Lord Grenville gave my Ambaffador the Marquis del Campo, when he demanded fuccours of him to continue it. He completely confirmed me in the certainty of his bad faith, by the injustice with which he appropriated the rich cargo of the Spanifh fhip le Saint Jagos or l'Achille, at firf taken by the French, and afterwards re-taken by the English fquadron, and which ought to have been restored to me, according to the Convention made between my Secretary of State and Lord St Helens, Ambaffador from his Britannic Majesty; afterwards by the detention of all the ammunition which arrived in the Dutch fhips, for the fupply of my fquadrons, by affecting always different difficulties to put off the reftitution of them. Final of the bad faith of England, when I ly, I could no longer entertain a doubt learnt the frequent landing from her ships upon the coafts of Chili and Peru, in order to carry on a contraband trade, and to reconnoitre the shore, under pretence of fishing for whales, a privilege which the pretended to have granted her by the Convention of Nootka. Such were the proceedings of the British Minifter, to cement the ties of friendship' and reciprocal confidence, which he had engaged to maintain, according to our Convention of the 25th May 1793.

"Since I have made peace with the French Republic, not only have I had ftronger motives for fuppofing an intention on the part of England to attack my poffeffions in America, but I have alfo received direct infults, which perfuade me that the English Minister wishes to oblige me to adopt a part contrary to the interefts of humanity, torn by the bloody war which ravages Europe, for the termination of which I have not ceafed to offer my good offices, and to testify my conftant folicitude.

"In fact, England has developed her intentions, has clearly evinced her project of getting poffeffion of my territo 5 Q

⚫rica

.

ries, by fending to the Antilles a confiderable force, and particularly destined againft St Domingo, as the proclamations of her General in that island clearly demonftrate. She has alfo made known her intentions by the eftablishments which her commercial companies have formed upon the banks of the Miffouri, in South America, with the defign of penetrating through thofe countries to the South Sea; finally, by the conqueft which the has made of the colony of Demarary, belonging to the Dutch, and whofe advantageous pofition puts her in a condition to get poffeffion of posts ftill more important.

"But there can no longer remain any doubt of the hoftile nature of these projects, when I confider the frequent infults to my flag, the acts of violence committed in the Mediterranean by her frigates, which have carried away fol diers coming from Genoa to Barcelona, on board Spanish fhips, to complete my armies; the piracies and vexations which the Corfican and Anglo-Corfican corfairs, protected by the English government of that ifland, exercife against the Spanish trade in the Mediterranean, and even upon the coafts of Catalonia, and the detention of different Spanish ships laden with Spanish property, and carried to England, under the most frivolous pretences, and especially the rich cargo of the Spanish ship the Minerva, on which an embargo was laid in the moft infulting manner to my flag, and the removal of which could not be obtained, though it was demonftrated before the competent tribunals, that this rich cargo was Spanish property.

"The attack committed upon my ambaffador, Don Simon de las Cafas, by a tribunal of London, which decreed his arreft, founded upon the demand of a very small fum, which was claimed by the undertaker of an embarkation, Finally, the Spanish territory has been violated in an intollerable manner upon the coats of Galicia and Alicant by the English fhips the Camelion and the Kanguroo. Moreover, Capt. George Vaughan, commander of the Alarm, behaved in a manner equally infolent and scandalous in the island of Trinity, where he landed with drums beating and flags flying, to attack the French, and to avenge the injuries which he pretended to have received, disturbing, by the violation of the rights of my fovereignty, the tran

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quillity of the inhabitants of the island. By all these infults, equally deep and unparalelled, that nation proved to the univerfe, that the recognizes no other laws than the aggrandizement of her commerce; and by their depotifm, which has exhaufted my patience and moderation, fhe has forced me, as well to support the honour of my crown, as to protect my people against her attacks, to declare war against the King of England, his kingdom, and vaffals, and to give orders and take the neceffary meafures for the defence of my dominions, and my fubjects, and to repulse the enemy."

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Done at the Palace of St Laureno, O&. 5. 1796.

Signed by the King

and the Secretary of the Council of War. On Saturday the 8th of October, war was proclaimed at Madrid in the usual form.

MEMORIAL delivered to the Minister of the French Republic for foreign affairs, by Lord Malmesbury.

His Britannic Majefty defiring, as he has already declared, to contribute, as far as depends on himself, to the reestablishment of public tranquillity, and to enfure, by the means of juft, honourable, and folid conditions of peace, the future repofe of Europe; his Majesty is of opinion, that the best means of attainfng, with all poffible expedition, that falutary end, will be to agree, at the beginning of the negociation, on the general principle which fhall ferve as a bafis for the definitive arrangements.

The firft object of the negociation for peace generally relates to the reftitutions and ceffions which the respective partics have mutually to demand, in confequence of the events of the war.

Great Britain, after the uninterrupted fuccefs of her naval war, finds herself in a fituation to have no reftitution to demand of France, from which, on the contrary, fhe has taken establishments and colonies of the higheft importance, and of a value almoft incalculable.

But, ut, on the other hand, France has made, on the Continent of Europe, conquefts, to which his Majefty can be the lefs indifferent, as the most important intereits of his people, and the moft facred engagements of his Crown, are effentially implicated therein.

The magnanimity of the King, his inviolable

violable good faith, and his defire to reftore repofe to fo many nations, lead him, in this fituation of affairs, to confider the means of procuring terms of peace, just and equitable for all the Belligerent Powers, and calcuiated to enfure, in future, the general tranquillity. It is on this footing then that he proposes to negociate, by offering to compenfate France, by proportionable reftitutions, for thofe arrangements to which fhe will be called upon to confent, in order to fatisfy the juft demands of the King's allies, and to preserve the political balance of Europe.

Having made this first overture, his Majefty will, in the sequel, explain himfelf in a more extenfive manner, on the application of this principle to the different objects which may be difcuffed between the respective parties.

It is this application which will conftitute the fubject of thofe difcuffions into which his Majefty has authorised his Minister to enter, as foon as the principle to be adopted as the general batis of the negociation is known.

But his Majefty cannot dispense with declaring, that if this generous and equitable offer fhall not be accepted, or if, unfortunately, the difcuffions which may enfue may fail in the defired effect, neither this general propofition, nor thofe more detailed, which may refult from it, fhall be regarded, in any cafe, as points agreed upon or accorded to by his Majefty. (Signed) MALMESBURY, Minister Plenipotentiary from his Britannic Majefty.

Paris, Ò. 24. 1796.

REPORT TO THE DIRECTORY

By the Minifter for Foreign Affairs, the 4th Brumaire (Oct. 25.)

The Executive Directory having furnifhed me with full powers to treat for peace with Great Britain, I had yefterday (3d Brumaire) my first conference with Lord Malmesbury, Plenipotentiary Commiflioner of his Britannic Majefty. He prefented to me the original of his powers, fealed with the Seal of Great Britain, and certified the Copy which he had before prefented to me unfigned; and which I had laid before the Directory. I reciprocally exhibited to him my powers, and gave him a certified copy. It was agreed, that the originals hould be exchanged upon the definitive

fettlement of the articles, and before their fignature.

We entered into difcuffion :-Lord Malmesbury prefented to me the memorial which I laid before the Directory. I obferved to him, that speaking in the name of the allies of Great Britain, and ftipulating for their interests, he was, doubtlefs, furnished with their powers and inftructions. He answered me, that he was not, but that when the Directory should have explained itself upon the principle laid down in his memorial, he would expedite couriers to give to the different Courts an account of the negociations, and to receive their orders. I demanded of him if he could, at least, specify the principle of conceffion in what concerned the Republic and the government of Great Britain? He replied, that after the Directory fhould have explained itfelf, he would send a courier and demand inftructions on this point. I then thought it my duty to fay to Lord Malmesbury, that I would lay his memorial before the Directory; that I would take its orders, and impart to him its answer. (Signed).

CHA. DELACROIX.

ANSWER OF THE DIRECTORY.
The Executive Directory orders the
Minifter for Foreign Affairs to make the
following Anfwer to Lord Malmesbury:

The Executive Directory fee with pain, that at the moment when they had reafon to hope for the very speedy return of peace between the French Republic and his Britannic Majefty, the propofition of Lord Malmefbury offers nothing but dilatory, or very diftant, means of bringing the negociation to a conclufion.

The Directory obferve, that if Lord Malmesbury would have treated feparately, as he was formally authorized by the tenor of his credentials, the negociations might have been confiderably abridged; that the neceffity of balancing with the interefts of the two powers thofe of the Allies of Great Britain, multiplies the combinations, increases the difficulties, tends to the formation of a Congrefs, the forms of which it is known are always tardy, and requires the acceffion of powers, which hitherto have difplayed no defire of accommodation, and have not given to Lord Malmesbury himfelf, according to his own declaration, any power to ftipulate for them. 502

Thus,

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