096 
Ininisters of justice.—On this sub- 
ject Mr. Merry’s abilities are once 
‘more exerted; mingling the ergt- 
mentum ad hominem with the loftier 
themes of the violation of all exist- 
ing usages among civilized nations; 
he. pathetically demands of the 
apostate minister; whether, for the 
future; English captains in ap- 
proaching the shores of France, 
must not contrive to furnish them- 
selves previously with knives, forks, 
glasses, and plates of that country? 
and if that precaution was impos- 
sible, must they eat off the ships’ 
decks with their fingers? To this 
pleading, animated and affecting as 
it might be, an evasive answer was 
yeturned, and it no where appears, 
that in this case; or in any of the 
former, was there redress or satis- 
faction ever afforded! Will it be 
credited hereafter, that thus was the 
British flag insulted for a twelve- 
month with impunity, without any 
other remonstrance during — that 
period; on the part of the British 
government? Will posterity eredit 
the fact, that no reprisal of any 
nature whatever was ordered by 
the English gorernment—no coun- 
ter-ordc rsissued to those which car- 
ried out the mandate for the resto- 
ration of the conquered colonies to 
France—no armaments Set on foot, 
in contemplation of what should na- 
turally have been expected, as the 
result of such insolent aggression? 
No, all was submission, with the ex- 
ception of the imeffectual plaints 
already related: nor was the subject 
yenewed on the part of Britain, till 
other accumulated tsults of various 
natures, had made it necessary to 
assume somewhat of a decided and 
vigorous tone with France: ‘Then 
indeed, lord Whitworth revives it 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
‘dgainst Francé—but it was too late. 
1805. 
in the month of February of the 
present year, evidently in contem- 
plation of war, and when it was’ 
necessary to make as strong a case 
as possible in the eyes of Europe 
honor had been 
wounded in its most vulnerable 
part. The moment for urging 
those insults, which were (unre- 
dressed) abundantly a eause of 
war, had gone by; and after sub- 
miiting to them without a writhe or 
a groan, for so long a period; it 
was weuk and futile to pretend to 
find in them ground for renewed 
hostilities: —It must here also be 
mentioned, that so far were these 
injuries from being merited by 
any conduct of a similar nature on 
ihe part of Kngland, that the Mo-— 
niteur itself, the French — official 
journal, bore honorable testimony 
to the conduct of the British officer 
commanding at Porto Ferrajo, who 
withdrew all protection from vessels 
calling themselves English priva- 
teers,committing v tolence on French 
ships; and delivered up the perpe- 
trators of such acts to justice. 
By a reference to the articles of 
the treaty of Amiens; it will be 
seen, the 14th provides, that all 
sequestrations imposed in France 
and England, on the property of 
their respective subjects, at the 
commencement of the war, should 
cease and be done away, on the ras 
tification of the peace. —In the spi- 
ritof good faith, and of the anxious 
wish of the English goverument, to 
prove their desire of living on re- 
newed terms of open and xmicable 
intercourse with France, and of re-= 
viving a mutually goed understand 
ing between the two countries, punc- 
tually performed their part of the 
stipwlation, 
Vhe national 
