208] 
remains an isolated measure, be- 
Ing neither more nor less than the, 
natural consequence of circumstan- 
ces, and an additional proof. of the 
complete and truly impartial neu- 
trality of the king. ? 
_ February, 1796. 
Citizen Grouvelle, Minister Plenipo- 
tentiary from the French Republic 
yn Denmark, to his Excellency 
Count de Bernstorff, Minister of 
the Council of State to his Danish 
Majesty, and of the Department 
for Foreign Affairs. 
Copenhagen, 27th Ventose, 
Ath Year of the Republic. 
THE German papers, sir, have 
inserted the extract of an instruc- 
tion, which appears to have been 
addressed in a circular manner by 
you to the ministers of Denmark, at 
the different courts, and which 
concerns the resolutions adopted 
by his majesty, to give to the cha- 
racter of minister plenipotentiary 
from tbe French republic, in which 
characier I have resided for two 
years and a half at this court, 
2 suitable publicity by admitting 
me toa private audience. I have 
every reason to consider this ex. 
tract as authentic, and in this cha- 
racterI feel myself bound to address 
you. Of whatever reflections the 
principle, and spirit of that extract 
may be susceptible, my design is not 
to comment upon it all. The go- 
vernment, whose representative I 
am, possesses, as well as myself, a 
scrupulous respect for the indepen- 
dence of governments, and evena 
regard for their private convenience, 
The tyrannical and_ intriguing 
system of asking on every subject 
official explanations, would be as 
contrary to their principles as. to 
my own character. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
incident ofa phrase, to attach a di+ 
plomatic importance to each word, 
to render the slightest’ discussion 
personal, to season with arrogance 
the ennui of a laborious epistolary 
Controversy, is a part which we 
have lately seen played by certain 
agents, who quarrel for want of 
business, who know fot how to 
serve their courts, but by insulting 
others, and who represent nothing 
more than the vices of their nations; 
ridicule and contempt are attached 
to them; their example is fit to be 
_recollected, only because it is pro- 
To make an. buting the publication 
/ 
perio be avoided. As the Frenck 
republic makes it her glory to fols 
low a contrary system to that of 
the powers who acknowledge such 
ministers, I honour myself for 
being a contrast to them in all my 
proceedings. 
But, sir, ] cannot dispense with 
fixing my attention upon the con- 
clusion ofthe extract of your in« 
struction above mentioned, and 
seeing that the result is announced 
in terms which by their too general 
accepiation, may lead to abusive - 
interpretation, I have thought that 
it is necessary to have an amicable - 
understanding with you. 
In speaking of my admission, 
and of the public acknowledgment 
of my character, you say, that this 
step isisolated, and means nothing 
but what is in itself. Do you not 
apprebend that the disaffected will 
see, in this mode of expression, @ 
sort of restriction, of implicit re- 
serve ; that they may go so far as 
to suppose that itallydes to I know 
not what ether declaration orante. 
rior measure which may have been 
adopted to the same courts to which 
your ministers may have held this 
official language ? That even attri- 
to you 
they 
