SPA TE 
the most unequivocal explanation ; 
upon which he has long and 
earnestly endeavoured to persuade 
the court of Madrid to enter into a 
full and amicable discussion, for 
the purpose of averting from his 
own subjects, from those of his 
Catholic majesty, and from Europe, 
the extremities of war. 
When upon grounds of such a 
nature, and with the offer of 
negotiation repeatedly presented to 
its choice, a power has wilfully 
and wantonly chosen a_ war, 
in which its prosperity, its hap- 
piness, and its safety, are hazarded, 
and in which it will have as much 
to fear from the success of its al- 
lies as from that of its enemies— 
it surely is not too much to pre- 
sume, that, even in its own eyes, 
that power is not justified for the 
proceeding which it adopted, and 
that there must be some unassigned 
motive of irresistible necessity, 
which induces it to pursue measures 
alike inconsistent with its interest 
and with its honour. 
It will be plain to all posterity— 
it is now notorious to Europe, 
that neither to the genuine wishes, 
hor even to the mistaken’ policy of 
Spain, her present conduét is to be 
attributed; that not from enmity 
towards Great Britain, not from 
any resentment of past or appre~ 
hension of future injuries, but from 
a blind subserviency to the views of 
his majesty’s enemies, from the do- 
minion usurped over her councils 
and actions by her new allies, she 
has been compelled to actin a quar- 
rel, and for interests not her own; 
to take up arms against one of those 
powers in whose cause. she had pro, 
fessed to feel the strongest interest ’ 
and even to menace with hostility 
another, against whom no cause of 
PAPERS. [147 
complaint is pretended, except its 
honourable and faithful adherence 
to its engagements. 
Under these circumstances, his 
majesty forbears to enumerate the 
several grounds of just complaint 
which he has had occasion, on his 
part, to prefer to the court of 
Madrid, since the conclusion of the 
peace between France and Spain; 
the many and gross instances of un- 
just partiality towards his enemies, 
of undue protection afforded to their 
ships, and of injuries committed, 
and allowed to be committed, on 
those of his majesty and his sub« 
jects. 
Confident of having acquitted 
himself to the world of any share 
in originating the present war, he 
finds, in the manifest and unpro- 
voked aggression of the enemy, a 
sufficient cause for calling forth the 
resources of his kingdoms, and the 
spirit of his subjects; and he com- 
mits to the Divine Providence the 
issue of a Contest, which it was to 
the last moment his earnest en- 
deavour to avoid, and which he 
now ardently desires to bring to a 
speedy and honourable termina- 
hon. 
Official Correspondence, published by 
the British Government, relating 
to the Negotiation for Peace be- 
tween the French Republic and 
Great Britain. 
No. 1. 
Sir, ; 
IN obedience to the orders of 
the king my master, I have the ho- 
nour to transmit to you the en 
closed note, and to request of you 
that you will forward it to his Da- 
nish majesty’s minister at Paris, to 
. be 
