132 ANNUAL R EG I ST i: 11, 1805. 



some powers upon tlic continent Gauls. I'crhap" too he was net 

 against France. But that the only averse from the desire ol" api)earin» 

 effect of sncli a measure wouid be to in the eyes of l-.uropc as anxious 

 incre^.sc the preponderance and for peace ; and proposed to liimself 

 continental f;reatne.sa of thatcountry. the taking great credit with thecon- 

 — Did England hope to renew the tinent for the maEnanimity of this 

 internal troubles of France, or de- otier, while Englaud, on the con- 

 strov iier finances, or deprive her of trary, by listeniug to the overtures 

 her colonies ? A war would pro- tims made, would render thosK 

 ducc no such efl'ects : the French powers, yet friendly towards her, 

 were happy ; a flourishing state of shy, and suspicious of a closer 

 agriculture was the support of their connection; or if she rejected them, 

 finances, and the colonies were but would appear that ruthless and un- 

 a secondary object to France ; be- appeasable disturber of tlic general 

 sides, had not the king of England, tranquillity, which was in truth tks 

 at that moment, more than he knew diaracler of her wily opi)onent. 

 how to preserve? After some more Be that however ar; it may, it is ob- 

 rcasoning, of th-j same kind, this servable, that, in this important state 

 curious document concludes, in a paper, there is no longer to be 

 high-wrought strain of pathetic ex- foiind that tone of arrogant supe- ' 

 postulution, in the following words, riority, which characterised the lan- 

 — " If your majesty would but re- guage of the French government in 

 fleet, you must perceive, that the the preceding year: no reference to 

 war is without an object ; without the impossibility of England con- 

 any presumable result to yourself, tending " single-handed" with 

 Alas! what a melancholy prospect ! France, nor any apparent wish to 

 To cause two nations to fight for consider the former but as a power- 

 the sake ol tighthig! The world is ful and wpial rival, 

 sudiciently large for our two nations Early in the month of February, 

 to exist in it; and reason is suffici- this letter was connnunicated to tbo 

 ently powerful to discover means of legislative body, by order of Bona- 

 recnnri!ing every thing, when the parte, together wUh the answer to 

 wi.Nh for reconciliation exists on both it, written by one of the principal 

 sides. I have, however, fullilled a secretaries of state of the British go- 

 sacrtMl duty, and one which is pre- vernment, and addressed to M. 

 cious to my Iieart.'' Talleyrand, the Fiench minister for 



It must be evident, tl»at the ruler foreign aH'airs. 

 of France had little else in view, In this reply, to which it is im- 

 whon making this extraordinary possible to refuse the character of 

 overture, than that of indulging dignity, temper, and moderation, 

 himself in the exercise of an act of Lord Alulgravc acknowledges, on 

 indecorous presumption, and the the part of his Britannic majesty, 

 satisfaction of indulging Iwmself in the receipt of a letter from the head 

 the assumption of that tone of equa- of the French government. That 

 lity, with his brother the king of there was nothing nearer to the 

 Great Britain, to the use of which heart of his majesty, than the ob- 

 he considered himself entitled, by taining the blessings of peace for his 

 bi.s Bovei dignity of emperor «f the people, protided that it were such as 



would 



