Equity hath always governed the fentiments and conduct of the King; but on this important occafion, his very prudence is a warrant for his fecurity and moderation. But to establish clearly the pacific fyftem that subfifted between the two nations, nothing more is wanting than to appeal to the very teftimony of the court of Verfailles. At the very time in which it doth not blush to place all thefe pretended infractions of the public peace, which would have engaged a prince less fparing of his fubjects blood, to make without hesitation reprifals, and to repel infult by force of arms, the minifter of the Moft Chriftian King spoke the language of confidence and friendship. Inftead of denouncing any defign of vengeance with that haughty tone which at leaft fpares injuftice from the reproaches of perfidy and diffimulation, the court of Verfailles concealed the moft treacherous conduct under the fmootheft profeffions. But those very profeffions ferve, at prefent, to belie its declaration, and to call to mind those fentiments which ought to have regulated its conduct. If the court of Versailles is unwilling to be accused of a diffimulation unworthy of its grandeur, it will be forced to acknowledge, that, till the moment that it dictated to the Marquis de Noailles that declaration which has been received as the fignal of war, it did not know any grounds of complaints, fufficiently real, or fufficiently important, to authorise a violation of the obligations of peace, and the faith of treaties, to which it had fworn in the face of heaven and earth; and to difengage from that amity, of which, to the last moment, it had repeated the moft folemn and lively affurances. When an adversary is incapable of juftifying his violence in the public opinion, or even in his own eyes, by the injuries which he pretends to have received, he has recourfe to the chimerical danger to which his patience might have been expofed; and in the place of folid facts, of which he is totally unprovided, he endeavours to fubftitute a vain picture, which hath exiftence only in his own imagination, perhaps in his own heart. The minifters of the Most Christian King, who seem to have felt the weakness of the means they were forced to employ, yet make impotent efforts to fupport thofe means by the most odious and unaccountable fufpicions: "The court of London made preparations in its ports, and armaments, which could not have America for their object. Their inten tion was, confequently, too well deter mined for the King to mistake them; and from thence it became his duty to make fuch difpofitions as were capable of preventing the evil defigns of his ene my, &c.-In this ftate of affairs, the King found he had not a moment to lose." This is the language of France; now we will show that of Truth. During the difputes that had arike between Great Britain and her colonies, to b the court of Versailles applied itself, with the most lively and determined ardor, to the augmentation of her marine. The red King did not "pretend to reign as a ty rant of the feas;" but he knows, that ath all times maritime forces have conftituted the glory and safety of his dominions; and that they have often protected the lith berty of Europe, against that ambitioustic ftate which hath so long laboured to fub due it. A fenfe of his dignity, and a juft knowledge of his duty and his interefts, enga ged his Majefty to watch, with an atter tive eye, over the proceedings of France whofe dangerous policy, without a mo tive, and without an enemy, precipita ted the building and arming of fhips all her ports; and which employed confiderable part of her revenues in the expence of thofe military preparations, the neceffity or object of which it was impoffible to declare. In that conjunc ture the King could not avoid following the counfel of his prudence, and the exam ple of his neighbours. The fuccefie augmentation of their marine served an rule for his; and, without wounding the refpect that he owed to friendly powers, his Majesty declared publicly to his par liament [39.6c6.], that England fhould be in a refpectable state of defence. The naval force which he had fo carefulig ftrengthened, was defigned only to maintain the general tranquillity of Europe and whilft the dictates of his own cofcience difpofed the King to give credit to the profeffions of the court of Verfailles, he prepared to have nothing to fear from the perfidious defigns of its ambition. France now dares to fuppo that the King," inftead of confinin himself within the limits of a lawful de fence, gave himself up to a hope of con queft; and that the reconciliation of G. Britain with her colonies, announced, a 1 her part, a fixed project of re-allying them with her crown, to arm them against France." Since, then, that the court of Versailles cannot excufe its procedure, but in favour of a fuppofition deftitute of truth and likelihood, the King hath a right to call upon that court, in the face of Europe, to produce a proof of an affertion as odious as bold; and to develope those public operations, or fecret intrigues, that can authorise the fufpicions of France, that Great Britain, after a long and painful difpute, offered peace to her fubjects, with no other defign than to undertake a fresh war against a refpectable power, with which she had preferved all the appearances of friendship. After having faithfully exposed the frivolous motives and pretended wrongs of France, we can reflect, with a certainty juftified by reason and by fact, on the first propofition, fo fimple, and fo important, That a peace fubfifted between the two nations; and that France was bound by every obligation of friendship and treaty to the King, who had never failed in his legitimate engagements. The first article of the treaty figned at Paris the 10th of February 1763, between their Britannic, Moft Chriftian, Catholic, and Moft Faithful Majefties, confirms, in the most precife and folemn manner, the obligations which natural juftice imposes on all nations which are in mutual friendship; but these obligations are fpecified and flipulated in that treaty by expreffions as lively as they are juft. After having comprised, in a general form, all the ftates and fubjects of the High Contracting Powers, they declared their refolution, "not only never to permit any hoftilities by land or fea, but even to procure reciprocally, on every occafion, all that can contribute to their mutual glory, interefts, or advantages, without giving any fuccour or protection, directly or indirectly, to those who would do any prejudice to one or other of the High Contracting Parties [25. 134.]." Such was the facred engagement which France contracted with Great Britain; and it cannot be difguifed, that fuch a promife ought to bind with greater ftrength and energy against the domeftic rebels, than the foreign enemies of the two crowns. The revolt of the Americans put the fidelity of the court of Verfailles to a proof; and, notwithstanding the frequent examples that Europe hath already feen of its little regard to the faith of treaties, its conduct in these circumftances aftonished and enraged every nation which was not blindly devoted to the interefts, and even to the caprices of France. If France had intended to fulfil her duty, it was impoffible for her to have miftaken it: the fpirit, as well as the letter, of the treaty of Paris, impofed on her an obligation to bar her ports against the American veffels; to forbid her fubjects to have any commerce with that rebellious people; and not to afford either fuccour or protection to the domestic enemies of a crown with which the had fworn a fincere and inviolable friendship. But experience had too well enlightened the King in regard to the political fyftem of his ancient adverfaries, to fuffer him to hope that they would conform exactly to those just and reafonable principles which would have asfured a general tranquillity. As foon as the revolted colonies had completed their criminal enterprife, by an open declaration of their pretended independence, they thought to form fecret connections with the powers who were the least favourable to the interests of their mother-country; and to draw from Europe thofe military aids, with out which it would have been impoffible for them to have fupported the war they had undertaken. Their agents endeavoured to penetrate into, and fettle in the different ftates of Europe; but it was only in France that they found an afylum, hopes, and affiftance. It is beneath the King's dignity to enquire after the æra, or the nature of the correspondence, that they had the addrefs to contract with the minifters of the court of Versailles, and of which the public effects were foon vifible in the general liberty, or rather the unbounded licence, of an illegitimate commerce. It is well known, that the vigilance of the laws cannot always prevent artful illicit traders, who appear under a thousand different forms, and whofe avidity for gain makes them brave every danger, and elude every precaution: but the conduct of the French merchants, who furnished America not only with useful and necessary merchandife, but even with faltpetre, gunpow der, ammunition, arms, and artillery, loudly declared, that they were affured, not only of impunity, but even of the protection and favour of the minifters of the court of Versailles, An accuse the court of Versailles of want of attention to fulfil the conditions of peace, or rather its conftant attention to nourifh war and difcord, it is impoffible to enumerate them all; it is very difficult to felect the most striking objects.- Nine large fhips, fitted out and freighted by the Sieur de Beaumarchais, and his partners, in the month of January 1777, are not confounded with the Amphitrite, who carried, about the fame time, a great quantity of ammunition, and thirty French officers, who paffed with impunity into the fervice of the rebels. Every month, almost every day, furnished new fubjects of complaint; and a fhort memorial that Viscount Stormont, the King's ambaffador, communicated to the Count de Vergennes in the month of November in the fame year, will give a juft, but very imperfect idea of the wrongs which Great Britain had so often fuftained. "There is a fixty-gun fhip at Rochfort, and an Eaft-India fhip, pierced for fixty guns, at L'Orient. These two ships are deftined for the fervice of the rebels. They are laden with different merchandise, and freighted by Meff. Chaumont, Holken, and Sabatier. An enterprise so vain, and so difficult, as that of hiding from the eyes of Great Britain, and of all Europe, the proceedings of a commercial company, affociated for furnishing the Americans with whatever could nourish and maintain the fire of revolt, was not attempted. The informed public named the chief of the enterprise, whofe house was established at Paris; his correfpondents at Dunkirk, Nantes, and Bourdeaux, were equally known. The immense magazines which they formed, and which they replenished every day, were laden in fhips that they built or bought, and they fcarcely diffembled their object, or the place of their deftination. Thefe veffels commonly took falfe clearances for the French iflands in America; but the commodities which compofed their cargoes were fufficient, before the time of their failing, to discover the fraud, and the artifice. Thefe fufpicions were quickly confirmed by the course they held; and at the end of a few weeks, it was not furprifing to hear they had fallen into the hands of the King's officers cruifing in the American feas, who took them even within fight of the coafts of the revolted colonies. This vigilance was but too well juftified by the conduct of those who had the luck or cunning to efcape it; fince they approached America only to deliver to the rebels the arms and ammunition which they had taken on board for their fervice. The marks of thefe facts, which could be confidered only as manifeft breaches of the faith of treaties, multiplied continually; and the diligence of the King's ambaffador to communicate his complaints and proofs to the court of Verfailles, did not leave it the fhameful and humiliating resource of appearing ig. norant of what was carried on, and daily repeated, in the very heart of its country. He pointed out the names, num. ber, and quality, of the fhips that the commercial agents of America had fitted in the ports of France, to carry to the rebels arms, warlike ftores, and even French officers, who had engaged in the fervice of the revolted colonies. The dates, places, and perfons, were always Specified, with a precifion that afforded the minifters of his Moft Chriftian Majefty the greatest facility of being affured of the truth of these reports, and of ftopping in time the progrefs of thefe illicit arrangements. Amongst a crowd of examples which The thip L'Heureux, failed from Marfeilles the 26th of September, under another name : fhe goes ftrait to New Hampshire, though it is pretended the is bound to the French islands. They have been permitted to take on board 3000 mufquets, and 2500 pounds of fuiphur; a merchandise as neceffary to the Americans, as ufelefs to the islands This fhip is commanded by M. Lundi, a French officer of diftinction, formerly Lieutenant to M. de Bougainville. L'Hippopotame, belonging to the Sieur Beaumarchais, will have on board 4000 mufquets, and many warlike ftores, for the ufe of the rebels.-There are about fifty French fhips laden with ammunition for the ufe of the rebels, preparing to fail to North America. They will go from Nantz, L'Orient, St Malo, Havre, Bourdeaux, Bayonne, and other different ports.-Thefe are the names of fome of the perfons principally interested: M. Chaumont, M. Menton, and his partners, &c. &c. &c." In this kingdom, where the will of the prince meets with no obstacle, fuccours fo confiderable, fo public, fo long fupported, in fine, fo neceffary to maintain the war in America, fhow clearly enough the fecret intentions of the Moft Chri tian King's minifters. But they ftill caried farther their forgetfulness, or conempt, of the moft folemn engagements; nd it was not without their permiffion hat an underhand and dangerous war Fued from the ports of France, under he deceitful mask of peace, and the pre. ended flag of the American colonies. The favourable reception that their aents found with the minifters of the urt of Versailles, quickly encouraged lem to form and execute the audacious roject of establishing a place of arms in e country which had ferved them for 1 afylum. They had brought with em, or knew how to fabricate, letters marque, in the name of the American ongrefs, who had had the impudence ufurp all the rights of fovereignty. he partnerships, whofe interested views fily embarked in all their defigns, fitd out fhips that they had either built or rchased. They armed them to cruife the European feas, nay even on the afts of Great Britain. To fave appearices, the captains of these corsairs hoiftthe pretended American flag; but eir crews were always compofed of great number of Frenchmen, who enred, with impunity, under the very es of their governors, and the officers the maritime provinces. A numerous arm of these corfairs, animated by a rit of rapine, failed from the ports of ance; and after cruifing in the British is, re-entered or took fhelter in the ne ports. Thither they brought their zes; and under a rude, weak artifice, ich they fometimes vouchfafed to empy, the prizes were sold publicly, and mmodiously enough, in the fight of royal officers, always difpofed to otect the commerce of those traders, o violated the laws, to conform to the entions of the French miniftry. The fairs enriched themfelves with the ils of the King's fubjects; and after ing profited of a full liberty to repair ir loffes, provide for their wants, and cure all warlike ftores, gunpowder, non, and rigging, which might ferve new enterprises, they departed freely m the fame ports to make new cruifes. = hiftory of the Reprifal privateer may cited from a crowd of examples, to he unjust, but scarcely artificial, con I of the court of Verfailles in a clear This fhip, which had brought Franklin, agent of the revolted coes, to Europe, was received, with two prizes fhe had taken in her paffage. She remained in the port of Nantes as long as the thought convenient; put twice to fea to plunder the King's fubjects, and came quietly into L'Orient with the new prizes fhe had made. Notwithstanding the ftrongeft reprefentation of the King's ambaffador, notwithstanding the most solemn affurances of the French minifters, the captain of that corfair was permitted to stay at L'Orient as long it as was neceffary to refit his ship, to provide fifty barrels of gunpowder, and to receive on board as many French feamen as chofe to engage with him. Furnished with these reinforcements, the Reprifal failed a third time from the ports of their new allies, and presently formed a little fquadron of pirates, by the concerted junction of the Lexington and the Dolphin, two privateers; the firft of which had already carried more than one prize into the river of Bourdeaux; and the other, fitted out at Nantes, and manned entirely by Frenchmen, had nothing American but the name and the commander. These three fhips, which fo publicly enjoyed the protection of the court of Verfailles, in a fhort time afterwards took fifteen Englifh fhips, the greatest part of which were brought into the ports of France, and fecretly fold. Such facts, which it would be eafy to multiply, ftand in ftead of reafonings and reproaches. The faith of treaties cannot avoid being called upon, on this occafion; and it is not neceffary to fhow, that an allied, or even a neutral power, can never permit war without violating peace. The principle of the law of nations, will, doubtless, refufe to the ambaffador of the most refpectable power, that privilege of arming privateers, which the court of Verfailles granted underhand, in the very bofom of France, to the agents of rebels. In the French islands the public tranquility was violated in a manner yet more audacious; and, notwithstanding the change of the Governor, the ports of Martinico ferved always as a shelter to corfairs who cruifed under American colours, but manned by Frenchmen. Mr Bingham, agent for the rebels, who enjoyed the favour and confidence of two fucceffive governors of Martinico, directed the arming of thofe privateers, and the public fale of their prizes. Twa merchant-fhips, the Lancashire Hero, and In the midst of all these acts of hoftility, (which it is impoffible to call by any other name), the court of Versailles continued always to speak the language of peace and amity, and its ministers exhaufted all the fources of artifice and diffimulation, to lull the juft complaints of Great Britain, to deceive her just sufpicions, and to ftop the effects of her just refentment. From the firft æra of the American troubles, to the moment of the declaration of war by the Marquis de Noailles, the minifters of the Moft Chriftian King never ceafed to renew the ftrongest and most expreffive proteftations of their pacific difpofitions; and however the common conduct of the court of Versailles was adapted to infpire a juft doubt, yet his Majefty's juft heart furnished him with powerful motives to believe, that France had at length adopted a fyftem of moderation and peace, which would perpetuate the folid and reciprocal happiness of the two nations. The minifters of the court of Versailles endeavoured to excufe the arrival, and refidence, of the rebels agent, by the ftrongest affurances, that he found only a fimple afylum in France, without either diftinction or encouragement. and the Irish Gimblet, which were taken the public tranquillity, fhould never be by the Revenge, affures, that out of her fuffered. The train of events, of which crew, confifting of 125 men, there were a fmall number hath been fhewn, foon but two Americans; and that the own- manifefted the inconfiftency, or rather er, who at the fame time was proprie- the falfehood, of the court of Versailles; tor of eleven other privateers, acknow- and the King's ambaffador was ordered ledged himself to be an inhabitant of to represent to the French minifters, the Martinico; where he was looked upon ferious, but inevitable confequences of as the favourite, and fecret agent, of the their policy. He fulfilled his commifgovernor himself. fion with all the confideration due to a refpectable power, the preservation of whofe friendship was defired, but with a firmnefs worthy of a fovereign, and a nation, little accuftomed, either to de, or to fuffer injuftice. The court of Verfailles was called upon to explain its con-duct, and its intentions, without delay or evasion: and the King proposed to it the alternative of peace or war. France chofe peace; but it was only in order to wound her enemies more furely and fecretly, without having any thing to dread from her juftice. She feverely condemued thofe fuccours and thofe armaments that the principles of public equity would not permit her to juftify. She declared to the King's ambaffador, that fhe was refolved to banish the American corfain immediately from all the ports of France never to return again; and that she would take, in future, the most rigorous pre cautions, to prevent the fale of prizes taken from the fubjects of Great Bri tain. The orders given to that effed, aftonished the partifans of the rebels, and feemed to check the progrefs of the evil. But fubjects of complaint fprung up again daily; and the manner in which these orders were first eluded, then vio lated, and at length entirely forgotten by the merchants, privateers, nay, even by the royal officers, were not excufable by the proteftations of friendship with which the court of Versailles accompa nied those infractions of peace, until the very moment that the treaty of alliance which it had figned with the agents of the revolted American colonies, was an nounced by the French ambaffador in London. The freedom of commerce, and the thirft of gain, ferve fometimes as pretexts to cover the illegitimate defigns of the fubjects of France; and at the time when they vainly alledged the impotence of the laws to prevent abufes which neighbouring states know fo well how to fupprefs, they condemned, with every appearance of fincerity, the tranfportation of arms and ammunition, which the permitted with impunity, for the service of the rebels. To the firft reprefentation of the King's ambaffador, upon the fubject of the privateers which were fitted out in the ports of France under American colours, the minifters of his Moft Chriftian Majefty replied with expreffions of furprife and indignation, and by a pofitive declaration, that attempts fo contrary to the faith of treaties, and |
