his majesty’s commands to commu- 
nicate, through M. Qito, to the 
French government, the sentiments 
of deep regret which have been ex- 
cited in his majesty’s mind by the 
address of the first consul to the 
Helvetic people, which was pub- 
lished by authority, in the Moniteur 
of the 1st instant, and by the repre- 
sentations which have been made to 
his majesty on this subject, on be- 
half of the nation whose interests 
are so immediately affected by it. 
His majesty most sincerely laments 
the convulsions to which the Swiss 
cantons have for some time past 
been exposed; but he can consider 
their Jate exertions in no other light 
than as the lawful efforts of a brave 
and generous people to recover their 
ancient laws. and government, and 
to procure the re-establishment of 
a system which experience has de- 
monstrated not only to be favour- 
able to the maintenance of their do- 
-mestic happiness, but to be perfectly 
consistent with the tranquillity and 
Security of other powers. 
The cantons of Switzerland un- 
questionably possess, in the same de- 
gree as every other independent 
State, the right of regulating their 
Own internal concerns; and _ this 
right has moreover, in the present 
instance, been formally and expli- 
citly guaranteed to the Swiss nation 
hy the French government, in the 
treaty of Luneville, conjointly with 
the other powers who were parties 
to that engagement. His majesty 
has no other desire than that the 
_ people of Switzerland, who now ap- 
ppear to be so generally united, should 
be left at liberty to settle their own 
‘internal government without the in- 
terposition of any foreign powers ; 
and with whatever regret his ma- 
jesty may have perused the late pro- 
=. Vou, XLV. 
STATA PAPE Rs. 673 
clamation of the French government, 
he is yet unwilling to believe that 
they will farther attempt to con- 
trol that independent nation in, the 
exercise of their undoubted rights. 
His majesty thinks himself called 
upon by his regard for the general 
interests of Europe, and by his pe- 
culiar solicitude for the happiness 
and welfare of the Swiss nation, to 
express these his sentiments with a 
frankness and sincerity which he 
feels to be due to his character, and 
to the good understanding which he 
is desirous of preserving with the go- 
vernment of France. 
Downing Street, OG. 10, 1802. 
M. Otto, &c. Sc. &c. 
No. 18. 
Dispatch from Lord Hawkesbury to 
Mr. Moore, dated October 10, 
1802, 
Sir, 
His majesty having deemed it ex- 
pedient, that a confidential person 
should be sent, at the present mo-~- 
ment, to Switzerland, in consequence 
of the communication which he has 
received from the Swiss confederacy, 
through their representative at Paris, 
1 am commanded to inform you that 
he has made choice of you for that 
purpose. 
It is of the utmost consequence, 
considering the nature of the busi- 
ness with which you are entrusted, 
that you should lose no time in 
taking your departure from hence, 
and that you should make every 
practicable exertion to arrive on the 
frontiers of Switzerland with as little 
delay as possible. . You will inform 
yourself there what is the actual re- 
sidence of the government of the 
Swiss confederation, to which you 
will immediately repair. Having 
taken the proper means to obtain a 
x confidentiat 
