24 ANNUAL REGISTER, “1797. 
fevering hoftility of the govern- 
ment of France, in whofe unpro- 
vokedaggreffion the war originated, 
and by whofe boundlefs and de- 
ftruétive ambition it is ftill pro- 
longed. And while by the courfe 
of thefe tranfactions, continued 
proofs have been afforded to all his 
Majetty’s faithful fubjedts, of his 
anxious and unremitting folicitude 
for their welfare, they cannot, ‘at * 
the fame time, have failed to recog- 
nize, in the uniform conduét of the 
enemy, the fpirit by which the coun- 
cils of France are ftillaétuated, and 
the objects to which they are di- 
rected. 
His Majefty could not but feel 
how much the means of peace had 
been obftruéted by the many addi- 
tional difficulties which his enemies 
had fo repeatedly thrown in the 
way of every negotiation. Never- 
thelefs, on the very firft appearance 
of circumftances in fome degree 
more favourable to the interefts of 
humanity, the fame ardent defire 
for the eafe and happinefs of his 
fubjeéts induced his Majefty to re- 
new his overtures for terminating 
the calamities of war: thus availing 
himfelf of every opening which 
could in any manner lead to fecure 
an honourable peace, and confult- 
ing equally the wifhes of his own 
heart and the principles by whith 
his conduét has invariably been 
guided. 
New obftacles were immedi- 
ately interpofed by thofe who ftill 
directed the councils of France, 
and who, amidft the general defire 
for peace which they could not at 
that time openly difclaim, fiill re- 
tained the power of fruftrating the 
wifhes of their own country, of 
counteracting his Majefty’s berie- 
volent intentions, and of obftruct- 
ing that refult which was fo necefs 
fary for the happinefs of both na- 
tions. Difficulties of form_ were 
ftudioufly created; modes of nego- 
tiation were infifted upon, the moft 
inconfiftent with their own conduct 
in every other inftance; the fame 
{pirit appeared in every ftep which 
was taken by them; and while the 
moft unwarranted infinuations were 
thrown out, and the moft unfound- 
ed reproaches brought forward, the 
eftablifhed cuftoms and’ ufages, 
which have long prevailed in Eu- 
rope, were purpofely departed from, 
even in the fimple aéts which were 
to bé done, on: their part for the 
renewal of the negotiations. All 
thefe things his Majefty determined 
to difregard; not-as being infenfi- 
ble of their purport and tendency, 
nor unmindful of the importance 
of thefe points in the public inter- 
courfe of great and independent 
nations, but refolving to defeat the 
object of thefe artifices, and to fuf- 
fer no fubordinate or inferior con- 
fideration to impede, on his part, 
the difcuffion of the weighty and 
extenfive interefts on which the 
termination of the war muft necef- 
farily depend. 
He directed his minifter to repair 
to France, furnifhed with the moft 
ample powers, and inftructed to 
communicate at once an explicit 
and detailed propofal and plan of 
peace reduced into the fhape of a 
regular treaty, juft and moderate in 
its principles, embracing all the in- 
terefts concerned, and extending to 
every fubject connected with the 
reftoration of public tranquillity. 
The communication of this paper, 
delivered in the very firft confer- 
ence, was accompanied by fuch ex- 
planations as fully flated and de- 
tailed the utmoft extent of his Ma- 
jefty’s 
