STATE PAPERS, 



153 



for the full exertion of your SJiergy 

 and W'sdom. 



Notwithstanding the disappoints 

 incnts and reverses whicli we have 

 experienced in the course of the last 

 campaign, I retain a firm convicT 

 ^ion of the necessity of per listing in 

 a vigorous prosecution of the just 

 and necessary war in which we are 

 engaged. 



You will, I am confident, agree 

 with mc, that it is only from firmr 

 ncss and perseverance that we can 

 hope tor the restoration of peace on 

 safe and honourable grounds, and 

 for the preservation and permanent 

 security of our dearest interests. 



In consideringthesituation of our 

 enemies, you will not fail to ob- 

 serve, that the efforts which have 

 led to their successes, and the un- 

 exampled means by which alone 

 those efforts could have been supr 

 ported, have produced among them- 

 selves t|ie pernicious effects which 

 \vere to be expected ; and that every 

 thing which has passed in the inte-i 

 rior of the country has shewn the 

 progressive and rapid decay of their 

 resources and the instability of 

 every part of that violent and un? 

 natural system, which \s equally 

 ruinous to France, and incompatible 

 with the tranquillity of other nar 

 tions. 



The states general of the United 

 Prownces have, nevertheless, been 

 led, by a sense of present difficul- 

 ties, to enter into negotiations for 

 peace with the party now prevailing 

 m that unhappy country. No estar 

 blishcd government or ipdepcn-; 

 dent state can, under the })rescnt 

 circumstances, derive real security 

 from negotiations : on onr part, 

 they could not he attempted with- 

 , out sacrificing-both cur liunour and 

 lafety lo an enemy whose cLicf ani- 



mosity is avowedly liirected against 

 these kingdoms. 



I have, therefore, continued to 

 use the most eift-ctual means for the 

 farther augmentation of my forces ; 

 and I shall omit no opportunity trf 

 concerting the operations of the 

 next campaign with such of die 

 powers of liurope lis arc impressed 

 with the same sense of the necessity 

 of vigour and exertion. 1 placf 

 the fullest reliance on the valour of 

 my forces, and on the affection and 

 public spirit of my people, in whose 

 behalf i am contending, and whose 

 safety and happiness are the objects 

 of my constant solicitude. 



Tlte local importance of Corsica, 

 and the spirited efforts of its inhabi-! 

 tants to deliver themselves from the 

 yoke of France, determined me not 

 to with-hold the protection which 

 they sought for ; and I have since 

 accepted the crown and sovereignty 

 of that country^ according to an in- 

 strument, a copy of which I have 

 directed to be laid before you. 



I have great pleasure in informing 

 you that 1 have concluded a treaty 

 of amity, commerce, and naviga- 

 tion, with the United States of 

 America, in which it has been my 

 object to remove, as far as possibb, 

 all grounds of jealousy and misun- 

 dcrstanding, and to improve an in.i 

 tercourse beneficial to both coun- 

 tries.-T-As soon as the ratification? 

 shall have been exchanged, I will 

 direct a copy of this treaty to hs 

 laid before you, in order that you 

 may consider of the propriety of 

 making such provisions as may ap» 

 pear necessary for carrying it intt> 

 effect 



I iiave the greatest satisfaction in 

 announcing to you the happy event 

 of the conclusion of a treaty for the 

 marriage of my son, the prime of 



Wak-J, 



