STATE PAPERS. 191 
a French ambassador? Such are tion which they may improve or 
_ the points on which I desired to change, but which they will pre- 
(penetrate into the intentions of the serve without ceasing to be (or to 
English government. I began by believe themselves) free. This de- 
declaring, that it was solely as a cree rendered on the subject of 
French patriot that I would treat Germany must, notwithstanding the 
with an Englishman, the friend of generality of its expressions, have 
liberty, and of the interest of the Germany alone for its object. It 
two nations: after having heard bears very directly upon all those 
this conversation M. T. W. spoke. nations of whom the governments 
My answers were founded on the are at war with us; it will bear up- 
following bases : on England if the Cabinet of St. 
Before the quitting of France [ James’s declares war against us. 
was assured that the minister of fo- The internal agitations of this coun- 
reign affairs, and the Executive try were spoken of; M. T. W. af- 
Council, had no hostile projects fected to say,that the minister con- 
against Holland. Since my arrival ceived no inquietude from them. It 
in England I have had access toall wasagreed thatthe monarchicaland 
the dispatches addressed to Noailles constitutional associations which 
and Chauvelin; and I saw nothing the government supports, and the 
in them to make me suppose that ‘God save the King,” which it pays 
there was any change inthe system at the theatre of the Haymarket, 
of the French government on that were its sole motives of security. 
subject. The determination taken He afterwards complained of the 
‘in council is founded on the first means which the French govern- 
‘principles of our liberty; it has ment employed to agitate the Eng- 
been approved by the National lish people, and provoke them to. 
Convention, sanctioned by public revolt. I affirmed that our govern- 
opinion, and executed by our ge- ment did not employ such base 
nerals—it is irrevocable. Itis,be- means, worthy only of feebleness ; 
sides, free Belgium herself which that I was sure that it maintained 
has burst this last of her chains, and 
‘broken fetters imposed on her by 
her despot and our enemy. We 
have not violated treaties, which 
are become null by the fact of the 
‘existence of a new power, which 
could not have been consulted in a 
convention in which it was the 
most interested : a compromise on 
this point would be, on our part, 
that of injustice, feebleness, and 
sabsurdity. 
The decree of the 19th of No- 
-vember could not be applicable to 
“England, of which the people be- 
‘lieve themselves to enjoy liberty 
sunder a king, and with a constitu- 
here apostles neither of rebellion 
nor of liberty; that it did not waste 
the treasures of the state to create 
events which, if they were to arrive, 
must be the work of reason; and 
that, besides, if we were closely 
pressed on that head, we should 
also have some questions to put to 
Mr. Pitt. 
In the midst of these discussions, 
I obtained confessions which con- 
duct meto the following conclusion: 
Mr. Pitt, whose present system and 
situation are such as Ihave stated in 
my last letter, dreads war much 
more than the aristocracy of oppo- 
sition, That party in the ministry, 
at 
