His TORY: OF ‘EUROPE: 
and apprehension of peace, in the 
governing party in ‘the French re- 
public. © His majesty’s declaration, 
on this subject, was laid before the 
house of lords, by lord Grenyille, on 
the 27th of December. The sub- 
stance of this declaration was, ‘* that 
the rupture of the negociation did 
not arise from the failure of any 
sincere attempt on the part of 
France: but from the determination 
of that government (meaning the 
French government) to reject ail 
means of péace, by an obstinate ad- 
hetence to a claim which never 
could be admitted; a claim which 
that government rested on the con- 
stitution of its own country, tobe re- 
ceived by all nations as paramount 
to every principle and law in Eu- 
rope, as superior to the obligations 
of treaties, the ties of common inte- 
rest, and the most urgent considera- 
tions of general security. His majes- 
ty, who hadentered into this treaty 
with good faith, had now only to Ja-" 
Ment its abrupt termination; and 
to declare, in the face of Europe, 
that whenever his enemies should be 
disposed to enter on the work of ge- 
neral pacification, nothing should be 
_ wanting, on his part, to contribute 
to the accomplishment of that great 
object, which, was only retarded 
(meaning retarded only) by the CX 
orbitant pretensions of his enemies.’ 
A similar message, on the same 
subject, was sent from his ma‘esty 
to the house of commons. Authen- 
tic copies of all the papers, relative 
to the negociation, waving been 
in for the use of the members, 
is Majesty’s message on that sub- 
~ ject, was, on the S0th of Decem- 
’ 
ber, taken into consideration, in 
both houses of parliament. 
This message being read in the 
house of lords, Jord Grenville, after 
F149 
lamenting the failure of the negocia- 
tion, proceeded to shew the sincerity 
of bis majesty iti that business, on 
the one part, and the insincerity of 
the French republic on the other. 
In conclusion, he moved an address 
to his majesty, containing assurances 
that ‘* the lords were perfectly satis- 
fied with his majesty’s conduct in 
the whole of the negociation, and 
that he might place the fullest con- 
fidence in the wisdom and firmness 
of his parliament, on the tried va- 
lour of bis forces by sea and land, 
and on the zeal, public spirit and 
resources of his kingdoms, for vi- 
gorons and effectual support in the 
prosecution of a contest, which it 
did not depend on his majesty to 
terminate, and which involved in it 
the security and permanent. inte- 
rests of this country. 
The earl of Guildford declared, 
that, in his opinion, the present was 
the most unfortunate day this coun - 
try had ever exper ienced, that only 
excepted which had plunged us into 
the calamities of the present war. If 
the status guo ante bellum had been 
the principle agreed on, be was rea-~ 
dy to admit that the Freach had de- 
paried from that principle : but this 
was by no means the case, The 
principle that was to form the basis 
of the negociation, was that of pro- 
por tional t restitution : and was there 
any man.being, who could say, that 
what we offered to be restored to 
‘France, was an equivalent to what 
we asked of her to restore to our 
allies? tis lordship concluded his 
speech, by proposing anamendment 
to the address, stating what he cou- 
ceived to be blameable in the on- 
duct of his majesty’s ministers dur- 
ing the whole curse of the war, 
charging them with insincerity in 
every part of the negociation, and 
[lL 3] moving 
