2 
126] 
with the.hope that they. would -pro= 
duce no effect? a 
However that may be, the exe- 
cutive directory, whose policy has 
no other guides than openness and 
good faith, will follow, in its ex- 
planations, a conduct. which shall 
be wholly conformable: to ‘them. 
Yielding to the ardent desire by 
which it is animated, to procure 
peace for the French republic, and 
for all nations, it will not fear to 
declare itself openly. Charged by 
the constitution with the execution 
of the laws, it cannot make,.or 
listen to, any proposal that would 
becontrary to them. The consti- 
tutional aét does not permit it to 
consent to any alienation of that, 
which, according to the existing 
laws, constitutes the territory of 
the republic. 
With respect to the countries occu- 
pied by the French armies, and which 
have not been united to France, 
they, as_ well as other interests, 
political and commercial, may be- 
come the subject of a negociation, 
which will present to the directory 
the means of proving -how much 
it desires to attain speedily to a 
happy pacification. 
Basle, the 6th of Germinal, the 
4th year of the French repub- 
lic, 26th of March, 1796, 
(Signed) BarTHEeLemt, 
Note of observation.—The court of 
London has received from its minis- 
terin Switzerland, the answer made 
to the questions which he had been 
charged to address to monsieur Bar- 
thelemi, in respect to the opening 
of a negociation for the re-esablisb- 
ment of general tranquillity. 
This court has. seen, with regret, 
how far the tone and spirit of that 
answer, the nature and extent of 
ANNUAL: REGISTER, 1796. 
the demdads\which it :contain®, My 
andthe, \mather , of announcin}| *- 
them, are remote from any dispo| *— 
sition for peace, vy te 
The inadmissible: pretension, ij] 
there avowed, of appropriating t/ hoe 
France all that the laws attually 
existing there may have comprized| 
under the denomination of Frenell| 
territory. To a demand such all "’ 
this is added an express declaral| 
tion, that no proposal contrary. td) 
it will be made, or even listene 
to: And this, under the pretenc: 
of an mternal regulation, the pro. 
visions of which are wholly foreigt| ws 
toall other nations. vu 
While-these dispositions shall be 
persisted in; nothing is left for the) 
king but to prosecute a war equally, ™ 
just and necessary. yr 
Whenever his enemies shall} 
manifest. more pacific sentiments, 
his majesty will at all times be}it! 
eager to concur in them, by lend. 
ing himself, in concert with his} # 
allies, to all such measures as shall] 1 
be best calculated to re-establish} # 
general tranquillity, on conditions|] ™ 
just, honourable and permanenty} 
either by the establishment of aj) © 
congress, which has been so often, 
and so-bappily, the means of rey 
storing peace to Europe; or by a 
preliminary discussion of the prin-| 
ciples which may be proposed, on} 
either side, asa foundation of a} 
general pacification ; or, lastly, by! 
an impartial examination of ‘any 
other way which may. be pointed 
out to him for arriving at the samé 
salutary. end. : 
Downing-strect, April 10, 1796. | 
Explanatory Article, framed by the 
Commissioners for carrying into 
effect the Treaty between Great 
Britain and America. 
WHEREAS 
