APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 



99 



■felt the necessity' of foreign assist- 

 ance : and, in conformity to your 

 general wishes, and to the public 

 opinion and universal expectation, 

 I had recourse to the king, and to 

 the generous and powerful nation 

 which had, on other occasions, pro- 

 tected the remains of our nberty : 

 a measure dictated by the public 

 safety, and which I took, only when 

 every conciliatory offer had been 

 obstinately rejected, and every hope 

 of obtaining moderation or justice 

 from the French Convention was 

 extinct. 



His Britannic maiesty's arms have 

 made their appearance in your sup- 

 port ; his ships and troops are em- 

 ployed with yon to drive from our 

 country the common enemy, and 

 the blood of Britens and Corsicans 

 is conjointly shed for the liberty of 

 this island. Our enterprise has al- 

 ready been crowned with happy 

 events, and draws near to a fortu- 

 nate completion. 



This pleasing aspect of affairs has 

 determined me to turn my thoughts 

 to the most efficacious means of 

 establishing a permanent freedom, 

 and of securing; our island from the 



o _ 



various events which, till this mo- 

 ment, have kept us in agitation. 



The protection of the king of 

 Great Britain, and a poUtical union 

 with the British nation, of which 

 the prosperity and power, uninter- 

 rupted for ages, are to the universe 

 proofs of the excellency of its go- 

 vernment, have appeared to me to 

 accord with the happiness and safe- 

 ty of Corsica. The universal opi- 

 nion on this head, evinced by the 

 unreserved inclination you have 

 shewn, and strengthened by your 

 gratitude for benefits received, ap- 

 pears fortunately to concur with 

 mine. 1 have therefore made the 



proper overtures to his majesty the 

 king of Great Britain, with a view 

 to estabhsh this desirable union. 



With a satisfaction never to be 

 er;!sed from my mind, I now behold 

 our wishes anticipated, and our 

 hopes realized ; the memorial which 

 has been transmitted to me by their 

 excellencies, the admiral command- 

 ing the fleet, and tlie minister ple- 

 nipotentiary of his majesty, affords 

 us the opportunity of establishing 

 this union in the manner best adap- 

 ted to the benefit of both nations, 

 and to the honour of his majesty. 

 I cannot better make known to you 

 their excellencies sentiments than 

 by a faithful translation of their 

 memorial. 



The nature of the present address 

 does not permit me to enlarge upon 

 the benefits of this union, which 

 tends to conciliate the most exten- 

 sive political and civil liberty with 

 personal security. You are con- 

 vinced of these truths, and will re- 

 gulate your conduct accordingly. I 

 nevertheless avail myself of this op- 

 portunity to declare to you, that, 

 in taking the Enghsh constitution 

 for your model, you will proceed 

 upon the most solid principles that 

 philosophy, policy, and experience, 

 have ever been known to combine 

 for the happiness of a great people, 

 reserving to yourselves the power of 

 adapting tuem to your own peculiar 

 situation, customs, and religion, 

 without being exposed, hereafter, 

 to the venality of a traitor, or to 

 the ambition of a powerful usurper. 

 A matter of such importance 

 ought nevertheless to ha discussed, 

 and a^^reed to by you in a general 

 assembly, at wliich I intreat you to 

 assist by your deputies, on Sunday 

 the 8th of the ensuing month of 

 June, in the city of Corte. The 

 li 2 provisional 



