176] 
that compensation should be made 
to France, by proportionable resti- 
tutions from his majesty’s con- 
quests on that power, for those 
arrangements to which she should 
be called upon to consent in order 
to satisfy the just pretentions of his 
allies, and to preserve the political 
balance of Europe. At the desire 
of the French government itself 
memorials were presented by his 
majesty’s minister, which contain- 
ed the outlines of the terms of 
peace grounded on the basis so es- 
tablished, and in which his majesty 
proposed to carry to the utmost 
possible extent the application of a 
principle so equitable with respect 
to France, and so liberal on his 
majesty’s part. The delivery of 
these papers was accompanied by 
2 declaration expressly and re- 
peatediy made, both verbally and 
in writing, that his majesty’s mi- 
nister was willing and prepared to 
enter, with a spirit of conciliation 
and fairness, into the discussion of 
the different points there contain. 
ed, or into that of any other pro- 
posal or scheme of peace which the 
#rench government might wish to 
Substitute in its place. 
In reply to this communication, 
he received a demand, in form the 
most offensive, and in substance 
the most extravagant, that ever 
was made in the course of any ne- 
gotiation. It wag peremptorily re- 
quired of him that in the very out- 
set of the business, when no answer 
had been given by the French go- 
vernment to his first proposal, 
when he had not even learnt, in 
any regular shape, the nature or 
extent of the objections to it, and 
much less received from that go- 
vernment any other offer or plan 
of peace, he should in twenty-four 
ANNUAL ‘REGISTER, 1796. 
hours deliver in a statement of the 
final terms to which his court, would 
in any case accede—a demand 
tending evidently to shut the door 
to all negotiation, to preclude all 
discussion, all explanation, all pos- 
sibility of the amicable adjustment 
of points of difference—a demand 
in its nature preposterous, in its 
execution impracticable, since it is 
plain that no such ultimate resolu- 
tion respecting a general plan -of- 
peace evcr can be rationally formed, 
much‘less declared, without know- 
ing what peints are principally ob- 
jected to by the enemy, and what 
facilities he may be willing to 
offer in return for concession in 
those respects. ° Having declined 
compliance with this demand, and 
explained the reasons which ren- 
dered it inadmissible, but having, 
at the same time, expressly renew- 
ed the declaration of his readiness 
to enter into the discussion of the 
proposal he had conveyed, or of 
any other which might be com- 
municated to him, the king’s mi- 
nister received no other answer 
than an abrupt command to quit 
Paris in forty-cight hours. If, in 
additions tosuch an insult, any fur- 
ther proof were necessary of the 
dispositions of those by whom it 
was offered, such proof would be 
abundantly supplied from the con- 
tents of the note in which this. 
order was conveyed. The mode 
of negotiation on which the French 
government had itself insisted, is 
there rejected, and no practicable 
means left open for treating with 
effect. ‘The basis of negotiation, 
so recently established by mutual 
consent, is there disclaimed, and, 
in its room, a principle clearly in- 
admissible is reasserted as the only 
ground on which France can con- 
sent 
