STATE PAPERS. 



^27 



"war of the British ministry. Austria, 

 Prussia, the whole of Germany, 

 wish for peace, and wish it with 

 France. Even within these few days, 

 the emperor has received the most 

 positive assurances of their amicable 

 dispositions. — The emperor Alexan- 

 der would have prevented the war, 

 had England consented to accept 

 his mediation : he would, perhaps, 

 since have put an end to it, if his 

 ministers at Paris and London had 

 followed the intentions he then en- 

 tertained. The intervention of Rus- 

 sia, extremely useful to prevent hos- 

 tilities, cannot be equally so when it 

 is proposed to terminate them. En- 

 gland has nothing to dread from the 

 power of Russia, and does not con- 

 ceive herself interested in observing 

 certain measures with her. Tliis is 

 known to all Europe ; the events of 

 the year nine have demonstrated it ; 

 the British govertynent has proved 

 it. If England at present Avishes to 

 derive advantage from some confi- 

 dential communications, it certainly 

 is not to manifest more pacific inten- 

 tions ; beraim is to gain credit for an 

 apparent coalition. Butshehasno 

 chance of success, and her hopes are 

 illusory : for at Petersburg, as well 

 as at Vienna, as well as at Berlin, 

 the attack of the Spanish frigates in 

 the midst of peace ; the assassination, 

 in the midst of peace, of three hun- 

 dred victims, immolated by the can- 

 non of England, or buried in the 

 "Waves. The capture, in the midst of 

 peace, of the Spanish regiments, the 

 detention in the Mediterranean of 

 eighty vessels of all nations, and 

 their perpetual violation of the liber- 

 ty of the seas, are considered as an 

 attack on the rights of nations and 

 injurious to all sovereigns. — This 

 •orrespondence, these confidential 

 relations, are therefore only so many 



chimeras, idle pretexts to avoid ne- 

 gotiations for peace; such has always 

 been the perfidious system v.hich 

 seeks to sow the seeds of war in the 

 continent, to eternize the monopoly 

 of a single nation, and oppress the 

 commerce of all others. It was this- 

 same spirit which, to authorize the 

 violation of the treaty of Amiens, 

 created in our ports imaginary ar- 

 maments, and terrified the English 

 nation with destructive projects. — 

 If the voice of humanity be not 

 listened to, those will be culpable 

 who expose their country to dangers, 

 which he whom they accuse of being 

 the author of them, has constantly 

 endeavoured to prevent. The en- 

 lightened politicians of all countries, 

 the English nation itself, slowly un- 

 deceived, have blamed the blind 6b- 

 stinacy of the English government, 

 when, in the year eight, it neglected 

 a favourable opportunity which was 

 offered it, to make an honourable 

 peace; and, perhaps, the present 

 greatness of France is a consequence 

 of that false policy. The future 

 willshew the efforts of a blindness so 

 obstinate; and perhaps, in ten years, 

 our situation to treat may be still 

 more advantageous. In war and in 

 politics there are opportunities which 

 never again recur, and which leave 

 regret for ages, that they have been 

 suffered to escape. If such be the 

 destiny of England, it remains only 

 for French bravery to display all its 

 energy, and finally to triumph over 

 that eternal enemy of the liberty of 

 the seas and the tranquillity of na- 

 tions. 



M. Regnaulfs Speech in the Tribunate 



of France, relative to the Overtures 



of l^eacc with England. Dated 



4,th Feb. 1805. 



S s 2 Centlemea 



