S ACD h oPRAIP.BeR:'s: 
ly no room for any new difcuffion 
upon a fubjeé& which has already 
been clofed by common agree- 
ment, and which, moreover, is not 
liable to any doubt or difficulty 
whatever; every thing which has 
been done hitherto upon this fub- 
je&t being entirely conformable to 
cuftoms long eftablifhed and recog- 
nifed by all the nations of Europe. 
3d. That the demand of the Di- 
rectory therefore, in reality refers 
not to the full powers.of the under- 
figned, but to the extent of his in- 
ftructions, of which the Directory 
could not, under any circumitances, 
require any communication, further 
than as the underfigned himfelf 
might judge fuch a communication 
conducive to the fuccefs of the ne- 
gotiation; and that, very far from 
being in a fituation to be called up- 
on for any new explanations what- 
ever, the underfigned had every 
reafon to expect, from the repeated 
communications which had been 
made to him by the French Pleni- 
potentiaries, that he flouldimmedi- 
ately receive a counter-projett, of a 
nature to facilitate the further pro- 
grefs of the negotiation, which had 
been fufpended for more than two 
months. 
4, That the court of London had 
good reafon to be ftill more aifto- 
nifhed at the fubftance of the new 
demand made to the underfigned; 
a demand relating to preliminary 
conditions which had already been 
rejected at the very commence- 
ment of the negotiation, and from 
which the French Plenipotentiaries 
had in effect departed, by a formal 
notification of the meafures which 
the Directory were in confequence 
taking for the purpofe of comin 
_ to fome arrangement with their al- 
- 
boy 
221 
5th. That it is therefore only by 
confenting to treat upon the bafis | 
of the project detailed with fo much 
opennefs, which was prefented_by 
the underfigned a few days after 
his arrival at Lifle, or by returning 
a conire-jwojet of a conciliatory na- 
ture, agreeably to the affurances 
which he received fo long ago, 
that it appears poffible to continue 
the negotiation, which the Pleni-+ 
otentiaries have fo ftrongly affur- 
ed him that the Directory did not 
wifh to break off, notwithftanding 
the meafures lately adopted with 
refpeét to him: a meafure which 
the underfigned forbears to cha- 
racterize, but which could not fail 
to produce in this country the im- 
preflion of a difpofition by no 
means pacific on the part of the 
Directory. 
The underfigned is directed to 
add, that his Majefty would fee 
with real regret the certainty of 
the exiftence of fuch a difpofition, 
fo little compatible with the-ardent 
defire with which he is animated 
toe reftore peace to the two nations ; 
but that if, without having himfelf 
contributed to it on‘ his part, he 
fhould again find himfelf under the 
neceffity of continuing the war, he 
will conduct himfelf upon every 
occafion agreeably to the fame prin- 
ciples, doing every thing which 
can depend upon him for the ré- 
eftablifhment of peace, but perfift- 
ing to defend, with an unfhaken 
firmnefs, the dignity of his crown 
and the intereits of his people. 
The Miniiter Plenipotentiary of 
his Britannic Majefty reqtefts the 
Minifters Plenipotentiaries of the 
French Republic to accept the af- 
furances of his high confideration. 
(Signed) MatmeEsBury. 
Lindon, Sept. 225 1797. ) 
(No. 
