664 
not to rely upon its efforts to dis- 
perse a faction, equally the enemy 
of France and England, 
The undersigned minister seizes 
this opportunity to present to his 
excellency Jord Hawkesbury, the 
homage of his respectful considera- 
tion. 
Otto. 
London, August 17, 1802: 
No. 13. 
Dispatch from Lord Hawkesbury 
to Mr. Merry, dated August 28, 
1802. 
Sir, 
I send you the copy of a letter 
Which I received some days ago 
from M. Otto, together with a copy 
of an-oflicial note enclosed in it. 
I have informed M. Otto, that you 
would receive instructions to enter 
into explanations with the French 
government on the several points to 
which it refers. It is impossible 
not to feel considerable surprise at 
the circumstances under which it has 
heen thought proper to present such 
a note; at the style in which it is 
drawn up; and at the complaints 
contained in it. Whatever may be 
the general dispositions of the French 
government towards this country, 
supposing them to be as hostile as 
they have been at any former pe- 
riod, or even more so, it would ap- 
pear so contrary to their interest to 
provoke a war with us at the pre- 
sent moment, that I am inclined to 
ascribe their conduct, in the whole 
of this business, more «to temper, 
than to any other motive ; but whe- 
ther their conduct is to be’ referred 
to temper or to policy, the effects 
of.it may still be the same; it is 
therefore become of the utmost im- 
portance that a frank explanation 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
should be made of the line of con- 
duct which his majesty has deter- 
mined to adopt on reasons of the 
nature of those to which this note 
refers, and of the motives on which 
it is founded ; and it is to be hoped 
that such an explanation will have 
the effect of putting an end to a 
course of proceeding, which can 
lead only to perpetual irritation be- 
tween the two governments, and 
which might ultimately tend to the 
most serious consequences. 
The first consideration that natu- 
rally arises on this transaction, is 
that of the peculiar circumstances 
under which the note of M. Otto 
has been presented. It cannot be 
denied that some very improper pa- 
ragraphs have lately appeared in 
some of the English newspapers 
against the government of France ; 
it cannot be denied, likewise, that 
publications of a still more impro- 
per and indecent nature have made 
their appearance in this country, 
with the names of foreigners aflixed 
to them. Under these circum. 
stances, the French government 
would have been warranted in ex- 
pecting every redress that the laws 
of this country could afford them ; 
but as, instead of seeking it in the 
ordinary course, they have thought 
fit to resort to recrimination them- 
selves, or, at least, to authorise it in 
others, they could have no right to 
complain, if their subsequent appeal 
to his majesty had failed to produce 
the effect that otherwise would have 
attended it. 
Whatever may have been the na- 
ture of the prior injury, they have, 
in fact, taken the law into theirown 
hands; and what is this recrimina- 
tion and retort? The paragraphs in 
the English .newspapers, the publi- 
. cations 
