170} 
remptory and unprecedented a way, 
I could, without much hesitation, 
say at once that it could not be 
complied with. M. Guiraudet la- 
mented this much, and said, that 
this being the case, he feared our 
principles of negotiation would 
never coincide. I agreed with him 
in my expressions of concern. We 
conversed together afterwards for 
some time, but nothing passed at 
all worthy remark, I told him I 
should send my answer the next 
day. On reflecting more atten- 
tively on the request that I would 
sign the two memorials which I 
had given in, it struck me that the 
eomplying with it pledged me to 
nothing, and that it was merely 
gratifying them ona point insisted 
on peevishly, and that the doing it 
would put them still more in the 
wrong. 
As to the strange demand of an 
ultimatum, it was perfectly clear 
what it became me to say, and I 
hope that in the enclosed answer B. 
(which I sent yesterday morning 
at twelve o’clock) to M. Delacroix, 
I shall be found to have adhered as 
closely as possible to the spirit of 
my instructions, 
Yesterday evening, at half past 
nine, M. Guiraudet brought me 
the note C. to which I immediately 
replied by the note D. They re- 
quire no comment ; and as I in- 
tend leaving Paris to-morrow, and 
travelling with all convenient speed, 
I shall so soon have it in my power 
to say the little which remains to 
say relative to this sudden, though 
perhaps not unlooked for, close to 
my mission, that I need not tres. 
pass further on your lordship’s 
patience. 
T have the honour to be, &c. 
(Signed) MaAtmeEsBury, 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
P. S. I thought it would be pro- 
per for his majesty’s minister at 
Vienna to receive the earliest intel- 
ligence of the negotiation being 
broke off, I therefore have dis- 
patched a messenger to Vienna 
with a copy of the several papers 
which have passed between me and 
M. Delacroix since our conference, 
and also asuccinct account of what 
passed on it. ‘The messenger left 
this place to-day at three, P. M. 
Right Hon. Lord Grenville; M. 
&c. &c- Fe. 
No. 31. 
Paris, 28th Frimaire, 
Sir, (Dec. 18,) 5th year. 
THE Executive Directory has 
heard the reading of the official 
note signed by you, and of two 
confidential memorials without sig- 
natures, which were annexed to 
it, and which you gave in to me- 
yesterday. I amcharged expressly 
by the Directory to declare to you, 
that it cannot listen to any confi- 
dential report without a signa- 
ture, and to require of you to give 
into me, officially, within four and 
twenty hours, your ultimatum, 
signed by you. 
Accept, Sir, the assurance of my 
high consideration. | 
(Signed) Cu. Detacnorx. 
No. 32. 4 
Paris, 19th December, 1796. 
COPY. (B.) 
LORD Malmesbury, in answer 
to the letter which the minister for 
foreign affairs had the goodness 
to transmit to him, through the 
hands ef the secretary general of 
his department, must remark, that 
in signing the official note which 
he gave in to that minister, by 
order of his court, he Shaugh He 
a 
