616 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 



180;?. 



Answer given by Lord Mulgrave, 

 Sec. of State for Foreign JjJ'airs, 

 dated the \Ath Janiiari/, 1805. — 

 Addressed to M. Talleyrand. 



His Britannic majesty has re- 

 ceived the letter which has been ad- 

 dressed to him by the head of the 

 French government, dated the 2d 

 bf the present month. There is no 

 object which his majesty has more 

 at heart, than to avail himself of 

 the first opportunity to procure 

 again for his subjects the advantages 

 of a peace, founded on bases which 

 may not be incompatible with the 

 pcrmaneat security and essential in- 

 terests of his dominions. His ma- 

 jesty is persuaded that this end can 

 only be attained by arrangements 

 ■which may at the same time provide 

 for the future safety and tranquil- 

 lity of Europe, and prevent the re- 

 currence of the dangers and calami- 

 ties in which it is involved. Con- 

 formably to this sentiment, his ma- 

 jesty feels it is impossible for him to 

 answer more particularly to the 

 overture that has been made him, 

 till he has had time to communicate 

 with the powers on the continent, 

 ^ith whom he is engaged in eonti- 

 ' dential connexions and relations, 

 and particularly the emperor of 

 Hussia, who has given the strongest 

 proofs of the wisdom and elevation 

 of the sentiments with which he is 

 animated, and the lively interest 

 'i^'hich he takes in the safety and in- 

 'dcpendouoe of the contiucnt. 



filulgrave." 



Address presented to the King, itpo7i 

 liic ThJ-one, bii the Lord Mai/or, 

 Aldermen, a?id Common Council of 

 London^ an (lie JiOth of April, 

 1805. 



We your majesty's most dutiful 

 and loyal subjects, the lord-mayor, 

 aldermen, and commons of the city 

 of London, in common council as- 

 sembled, beg leave, with every sen- 

 timent of duty and devotion to your 

 majesty's person and government, 

 to approach your majesty with our 

 sincere congratulations on the dis- 

 coveries which have been made by 

 the reports of the commissioners of 

 naval inquiry, laid before your ma- 

 jesty and the other branches of the 

 legislature; from which your ma- 

 jesty must have seen with astonish- 

 ment and indignation that an emi- 

 nent member of your majesty's go- 

 vernment, the lord viscount Mel- 

 ville, had been guilty of practices 

 which the representatives of the 

 people, in parliament assembled, 

 have declared to be a gross violation 

 of the law and a high breach of duty. 

 We are persuaded that your ma- 

 jesty's royal mind feels it to be a 

 great aggravation of lord Melville's 

 palpable, conscious, and deliberate 

 breach of a statute, which he, be- 

 yond all others, was bound to ob- 

 serve with strict fidelity, that he had 

 filled so many ami such high offices ' 

 in executive government, and was 

 honoured with so large a portion of 



your majesty's confidence. The 



virtues which adorn your majesty^ 

 and which excite in the highest de- 

 gree the love of your people, are a 

 pledge to the nation, that in remov- 

 ing lord Melville from your ma- 

 jesty's councils and presence for 

 ever, the punishment of a delin- 

 quent, however just, is far less a 

 motive with your majesty than the 

 example held out, that no ministerj^ 

 however favoured, shall presume 

 upon your majesty's countenance, 

 who shall be found to have trampled 

 npou tli« law, and to have disgraced 



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