154] 
Thus, without prejudging the 
jntentions of lord Malmesbury; 
without drawing any conclusion 
from the circumstance of his de- 
claration not appearing to accord 
with his credentials; without sup- 
posing that he has received any se- 
¢cret instruétions which would de- 
stroy the effect of his ostensible 
powers; without pretending, in 
short, -to assert, that the British 
government have had q double ob- 
je&t in view—to prevent, by gene- 
ral propositions, the partial propo- 
sitions of other powers, and to ob- 
tain from the people of England 
the means of continuing the war, 
by throwing upon the republic the 
odium of delay occasioned by them- 
selves; the executive direétory can- 
not but perceive, that the proposi- 
tion of lord Malmesbury is nothing 
more than a renewal, under more 
amicable forms, of the propositions 
made last year by Mr. Wickham, 
and thatit presents but a distant 
hope of peace. 
The executive direétory farther 
observe, with regard to the princi- 
ple of retrocessions advanced by 
ford Malmesbury, that such a prin- 
ciple, presented in a vague’ and 
isolated manner, cannot serve as 
the basis of negotiation; that the 
first points of consideration are, the 
common necessity of a just and so- 
lid peace, the political equilibrium 
which absolute retrocessions might 
destroy, and then the means which 
the belligerent powers may possess 
—the one to retain conquests made 
at a time when it was supported 
by a great number of allies, now 
detached from the coalition; and 
the other, to recover. them ata 
time when those who were at first 
its enemies, have almost all, become 
either its allies, or at least neuter. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1796. 
Nevertheless, the executive di- 
reétory, animated with an ardent 
desire of putting astop to the scourge 
of war, and to proye that they will 
not reject any means of reconcilia- 
tion, declare, that as soon as lord 
Malmesbury shall exhibit to the 
minister for foreign affairs sufficient 
powers, from the allies of Great 
Britain, for stipulating for their 
respective interests, accompanied by 
@ promise on their part to subscribe 
to whatever shall be concluded in 
their names, the executive direéto- m 
ry will hasten to give an answer to 
the specific propositions which shalt 
be submitted to them, and that 
the difficulties skall be removed, 
as far as may be consistent with the 
saféty and dignity of the French re- 
public. 
A true copy. 
(Signed) L. M. Reve..iere: 
Lrpeavx, president. 
By the executive direétory. 
(Signed) LaGARDE, sec. gene 
A true copy. 
The minister for foreign affairs, 
Cu. Devacrorx. 
By the minister. 
The secretary general, 
. GUIRADDET. 
No. 16, 
yote.—The undersigned has not 
failed to transmit to his court the 
answer of the executive direétory 
to the proposals which he was 
charged to make, as an opening to 
a pacific negotiation. 
With regard to the offensive and 
injurious insinuations which are 
contained in that paper, and which 
are only calculated to throw new 
obstacles in the way of the accom- 
modation which the French go- 
vernment professes to desire, the 
king has deemed it far beneath his 
3 dignity 
