67S Official Papers relative to the Negotiation with France, 



neceflary, which could not fail to pro>1uce 

 great, even did no other objetHons exift. 



The true bjfis oF fuch a negotiation between 

 two great powers, equally dcfpifing every idra 

 of chicane^ would he the reciprocal recogni- 

 tion of the following principle j vir. thjt the 

 objeft of both parties (ho'jld be a peace, lio- 

 nourable for both, and for their rcfpcftive 

 allies, and at the fanic time, of a nature to 

 lecure, as far as in their power, the future 

 tranquillity of Europe. 



England cannot neglect the intercfts of any 

 >^r her allies; and (he is united to RufTia by 

 fucli clofe connexions, that iTie would not 

 treat, ftill li-.fs conclude upon any thine:, but 

 in concert with the emperor Alexander ; but 

 whilll awaiting the aftual intervention of a 

 Ruffian picp.ipotentijry, fonie of the principal 

 points might however be difcuffed, and even 

 provifion-dly arranged. 



It might k'cm, that RulTia, on nccount of 

 her rerrote fituation, rtiould have fewer 

 immediate intercfts to difcufs with France 

 than other pov^ers ; but that court, fo 

 refpeift:ii)le in every point of view, interefls 

 hcrfelf, like England, warmly in every thing 

 that concerns tiie jreatcror kfs degn e ot ia- 

 depcnclcncc enjoyed by the different princes 

 and ftatcs of Europe. 



You fee, Sir, how inclined v.-e arc here to 

 fcmovc every difficulty that might retard tlic 

 difcuffion in oueftion. With the rcfources 

 that we polVefs, it is moft aiTurcdly not on our 

 own account chat v\c need fear a continuance 

 o," the war. Of all the nations of Europe, 

 England, perhaps, is that which fuft'ers the 

 Jeaft bv its prolongation ; but we do not the 

 Jcfs commiferate the misfortunes of others. 



Let us then do all in our power to terminate 

 them, and let us endeavour, if it be polliblc, 

 to reconcile the rcfpcdive interclh and the 

 plory of tlie two countries with the tranquil- 

 lity of Europe, and the happlnefs of the hu- 

 man race. C. J. Fox. 



Letter from M. TaUeyranii te Mr. Secretary Fcx, 



dated Pjr.s, ji^rU lit, iW6.—Rceci-ved 



./ifril Ttb. 

 Sir, 



The very inftant I received your let- 

 ter of the 26th March, I waited upon his ma- 

 jcfty ; and I am happy to inform you, that he 

 has authorized me to fend you, without delay, 

 the following anfwer : 



The emperor covets nothing that England 

 pofl'enbs. Peace with France is poflible, and 

 may be perpetual, provided there is no inter- 

 ference in her internal aHairs, and that no at- 

 tempt is made to reftrain her in the regula- 

 tion of her cuftom-duties ; to cramp her coni- 

 inercial riehts; or to offer any infult to her 

 flag. 



it is not you, Sir, wlio have difpl.iyed In 

 niany public dif\:u!T!ons an exact knowledge of 

 t^e general affairs of Europe and of Fiance, 

 wiio i-equire to be convinced it;at Fra.ice has 



nothing to defire except rEpofe, and a fituatloj? 

 fuch as may enable her, without obftruftion, 

 to give herfelf up entirely to the labours of 

 her induilry. 



The emperor does not imagine that any 

 particular article of tlie treaty of Amiens pro- 

 duced the war. He is convinced, that the 

 true caufe was, the rcfufal to make a treaty 

 of commerce, which would neceffarily have 

 been prejudicial to the manufaftures and the 

 induftry of his fubjc£ts. Your prcdeceiTon 

 accufed us of v.ilhing univerfal conqueit. In 

 France, England has likewife her accufers. 

 Very well .> We only aflc equality. We (hall 

 never require an account of what you do at 

 home, provided that, on your fide, you never 

 require an account of what we do at home. 

 This principle is reciprocally juft, reafonable^ 

 and mutually advantageous. 



You exprefs a defire that the negotiation 

 may not terminate in a iliort-livcd peace. 

 France is move intereftcd than any other power 

 that it ihould be permanent. It is not her 

 intereft to mnke a truce ; fincc a truce would 

 only pave the way for frefh loffcs. You know 

 Tcry well that nations, fimilar in this refpedl 

 to individuals, accuftom thcmfelves to a ftats 

 of war, as well as to a ftate of peace. All the 

 lolTcs that France could fulfain, fhe has fuf- 

 tained. This will ever be the cafe in the firft 

 fix months of war. At prefent our commerca 

 and our induftry (f: font replies fur cux mcmcsj, 

 have taken the channel, didlated by the cir- 

 cumftances of our country, and are adapted to 

 our ftate of war. Confequcntly a truce of two 

 or three years would be the thing of all other* 

 the mo'.l oppofite to our commercial intcrefts, 

 and to the emperor's policy. 



As to the intervention of a foreign power, 

 the emperor might accept the mediation of a 

 power poflefling a great naval force, becaufe, in 

 that cafe, the p;irticipation of fuch power in th« 

 peace would be regulated by the fame intcrelH 

 that we have to difcufs with you ; but the 

 mediation you (peak of is not of this nature. 

 You do nut wiih to deceive us; and you are 

 well aware there is no equality betwixt us i/k 

 the guaranty of a power which has three hun- 

 dred thoufand men on foot, and which has no 

 naval force. For the re!t. Sir, your commu- 

 nication has a charaOiler of opennefs and pre. 

 clfion, which we have hitherto never fecn in 

 the communications between your court and 

 us. I will make it my duty to employ the 

 fame opennefs, and the lame precifion, in my 

 reply. We are ready to inake peace with the 

 whole world. We wi(h to dictate to no one. 

 But we will not; be dictated to; and no one pof- 

 leftes either the power or the means ot doing it. 

 It is in the power of none to make r.s relin- 

 qui(h treaties which are already carried into 

 etieft. The integrity, and t!ie complete and 

 abfolute independence of the Ottoman empire, 

 form not only the fmcereft defire of the ciVipe- 

 ror, but conAitute alij the uudeviatine objed\ 

 uf hib pulioi^ 



Tv.i 



