206 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



only to the security of his own do- 

 minions and those of his allies, and 

 to the general safety of Europe. — 

 Whenever he shall judge that such 

 (security can in any manner be at- 

 tained, as resulting either from the 

 internal situation of that country, 

 from whose internal situation the 

 danger has arisen, or from such 

 other circumstances, of whatever 

 nature, as may produce the same 

 end, his majesty will eagerly em- 

 brace the opportunity to concert 

 with his allies the means of imme- 

 diate and general pacification. Un- 

 happily no such security hitherto 

 exists ; no sufficient evidence of the 

 principles by which the new go- 

 vernment will be directed; no rea- 

 sonable ground by which to judge 

 of its stability. In this situation, it 

 can, for the present, only remain 

 for his majesty to pursue, in con- 

 junction with other powers, those 

 exertions of just and defensive war, 

 which his regard to the happiness 

 of his subjects will never permit 

 him either to continue beyond the 

 necessity in which they originate, 

 or to terminate on any other grounds, 

 than such as may best contribute to 

 the secure enjoyment of their tran- 

 quillity, their constitution, and their 

 independence. 



Grenville, 

 Downing-street, Jan. 4, 1 800. 



Letter from the Minister of Foreign 

 Affairs inFrancetoLordGre7iville. 

 Paris, the 24:tk Nivose, 

 8th year, Jan. 1 4. 

 My lord, 

 I lost no time in laying before the 

 first consul of the French republic 

 the official note, under date of the 

 14th Nivose, which you transmit- 

 ted to me ; and 1 am charged to 

 forward the answer, equally official. 



which you will find annexed. Re- 

 ceive, my lord, the assurance of my 

 high consideration. 



(Signed) Ch. Mau. Talleyrand. 



NOTE. 



The official note, under date of 

 the 14th Nivose, the 8th year, ad- 

 dressed by the minister of his Britan- 

 nic majesty, having been laid be- 

 fore the first consul of the French 

 republic, he observed with surprize 

 that it rested upon an opinion, which 

 is not exact, respecting the origin 

 and consequences of the present 

 war. Very far from its being 

 France which provoked it, she had, 

 it must be remembered, from the 

 commencement of her revolution, 

 solemnly proclaimed her love of 

 peace, and her disinclination to 

 conquests, her respect for the inde- 

 pendence of all governments ; and 

 it is not to be doubted that, occu- 

 pied at that time entirely with her 

 own internal affairs, she would have 

 avoided taking part in those of Eu- 

 rope, and would have remained 

 faithful to her declarations. 



But from an opposite disposition, 

 as soon as the French revolution 

 had broken out, almost all Europe 

 entered into a league for its de- 

 struction. The aggression was real, 

 long time before it was public ; in- 

 ternal resistance was excited ; its 

 opponents were favourably receiv- 

 ed ; their extravagant declamations 

 were supported ; the French na- 

 tion was insulted in the person of 

 its agents ; and England set parti- 

 cularly this example by the dismissal 

 of the minister accredited to her. — 

 Finally, France was, in fact, at- 

 tacked in her independence, in her 

 honour, and in her safety, long time 

 before the war was declared. Thus 

 it is to tlie projects of subjection. 



