STATE PAPERS. 



657 



not but rcmiiul and refer his high 

 co-estates to the declarations he has 

 already caused to be made on that 

 subject by his comitial legation on 

 the 22nd of August, of the pre^ 

 ceding year, and on the 25th of last 

 month. 



Circular Note from M. Tallei/rand, 

 French JMitiister of Foreign Af- 

 fairs, to all the Agoits of h/'i Ma- 

 jesty the Emperor of the French. 

 Bated Aix-la-Chapelle^ Sept. 5, 

 1804. 



You must, Sir, have observed and 

 known, according to my instruc- 

 tions at the time of the communi- 

 cation of the note of lord Hawkes- 

 bury to the foreign ministers resid- 

 ing in London, the impression which 

 this publication of the strongest 

 maxims of political and social mo- 

 rality could not fail to produce on 

 the mind of the government with 

 •which you reside. I think I ought 

 to return to the subject. I there- 

 fore send you, otliciallv', a copy of 

 this note, and expressly charge you, 

 by order of his majesty, to make 

 it the objeft of a special confer- 

 ence with the ministry. — The pro- 

 ject which the English government 

 has conceived for the last hall' cen- 

 tury, gradually to abolish the tute- 

 lary system of public law which 

 unites and engages ail civilized na- 

 tions, devclopes itself witii a fearful 

 progression. Will other govern- 

 ments refrain from making opposi- 

 tion to such an enterprise till there 

 no longer exist any moral bond 

 which may preserve their rights, 

 guarantee their engagements, and 

 prote^;t their interests? — The pow- 

 ers of the continent have seen with 

 what audacity tiic faith of oaths 



Vot. XLVZ. 



has been sported with by this go- 

 vernment, and solemn treaties vio- 

 lated, even before they were car- 

 ried into execution. The maritime 

 nations every day experience its ty- 

 ranny. There no longer exists any 

 theoretical principle of navigation, 

 any written convention, which have 

 not been scandalously violated on 

 every shore, aiid in Q\cty sea. 

 Neutral states know that even ia 

 using the rights which still remain 

 to them witli the most timid circum- 

 S|>ection, they exp')se tiiemsLives to 

 insult, to pillage, and to extermina- 

 tion.- — Those states, in fine, which 

 have the unhappiness to be at Avar, 

 no more rely o.i any reciprocal prin- 

 ciple of moderation and justice. 

 All the bonds existing between thcnx 

 and the neutral powers are broken. 

 A pi)roach to ihe coasts and entrance, 

 into the ports and islands, though 

 situate at the distance of 200 leagues 

 from the station of their squadrons, 

 have been prohibited by simple pro- 

 clamation. — Thus the English go- 

 vernment has hitherto opposed to 

 every power, according to its par- 

 ticular position, a maxim injurious 

 to its honour, and subversive to all 

 its rights. It now attacks them al- 

 together, and the more completely 

 to attain its end, directs its blow 

 against morality itself, and, if I 

 may so speak, against the religion of 

 public law. 



In every country, and at all 

 times, the ministry of diplomatic 

 agents was held in veneration amongst 

 men. Ministers of peace, organs 

 of conciliation, their presence is an 

 omen of wisdom, of justice, and 

 happiness. They speak, they a6i; 

 but to terminate, or prevent, those 

 fatal dill'erences which divide princes, 

 and degrade a peojile, by the pas- 

 sions, murders, and niiscricSj m hich 



U u aiK 



