| Note, transmitted to M.' Barthelemi 
V\by Ar. Wickhman, Marck 8,1796. 
IQ 2 
THE undersigned, ‘his Britannic 
| majesty’s minisier plenipotentiary to 
tithe Swiss Cantons, is authorized 
‘}to cohvey to monsieur Barthelemi, 
‘the desire of his court to be made 
Nacquainted, through him, with the 
dispositions of France, in regard 
to the object of a general pacifica- 
tion, He therefore requests mon- 
sieur Barthelemi to transmit to 
‘thim in writing, ( and after having 
made the necessary enquirfes) his 
answer tothe following questions ‘ 
1. Is there the disposition in 
France to open a negotiation with 
his majesty andhis alliesfor the re- 
| establishment of a general peace, 
J upon just and suitable terms, by 
sending, for that purpoSe, ministers 
toa congress, at such place as may 
hereafter be agreed upon? 
2. Would ‘there be the disposi- 
tion to communiéate to the under- 
sigtied, the general grounds ofa 
pacification, such as France would 
be willing to propose; in order 
that his majesty and his allies 
might thereupon examine, in con- 
cert, whetber they are such as 
might serve as the foundation of a 
hegoliation for peace ? 
3. Or would there be a desire 
to propose any other way whatever, 
for arriving at the same end, that 
of a general pacification ? 
The undersigned is authorized to 
receive from monsieur Barthelemi 
the answer to these questions, and 
to transmit to his court: buthe is 
not authorized to enter with him 
into negociation or discussion upon 
these subjects. 
Berne, March 8; 1796. 
Signed) W. WickHam. 
2 
Pras 
Note, transmitted to Mr. Wickham, by 
M. Barthelemi, March 26, 1796. 
The undersigned, ambassador of 
the French republic to the Helve- 
tic Body, has transmitted to the. 
executive directory the note, which 
Mr, Wickham, his Britannic ma- 
jesty’s minister plenipotentiary to 
the Swiss Canton, was pleased to 
convey to him, dated the Sth of 
March. He has it in command té 
answer it by an exposition of the 
sentiments and dispositions of the 
executive directory. 
The directory ardently desires to 
procure forthe French republic a 
just, honourable and solid peace. 
The step token by Mr. Wickham 
would have afforded to the direc- 
tory a real satisfaction, if the decla- 
ration itself, which that minister 
makes, of his not having any order, 
any power to negotiate, did not 
give room todoubt of the sinceri- 
ty of the pacific intentions of his 
court. In fact, if it was true, that 
England began to know her real 
interests ; that she wished to open 
again for herself the sources of a- 
bundance and prosperity; if she 
sought for peace with good faith, 
would she propose a congress, of 
which the necessary result must be, 
to render all negociation endless? 
ot would she confine herself to the 
asking, ina vague manner, that 
the French government should 
point out any other way whatever, 
for attaining the same object, that 
of a general pacification ? 
Is it that this step bas had no 
other object than to obtain for the 
British government the favourable 
impression which always accompa- 
nies the first overtures for peace? 
may it not have been accompanied 
with 
