et 
justifiable 
‘France in Germany and elsewhere. 
_ made than departed from. 
- 
SD ACE Ei 
the circumstance of our being still 
in possession of the passport was 
overlooked; but, even if it had oc- 
curred, some doubt would probably 
have arisen, how far it might be 
proper, in so different a state of 
things, to make use of it for lord 
Lauderdale, without some previous 
eommunication of such an intention. 
This whole matter is, however, very 
immaterial.: The principal point to 
which | feel it necessary to advert, 
is that part of M, Talleyrand’s lan- 
_ guage which imputes to this country 
needless delays in the negotiation, 
and attributes to that cause the un- 
measures pursued by 
In the instructions given to lord 
Lauderdale, the repeated tergiversa- 
tions of France, during the negotia- 
tion, aredetailed. Itis from thence 
alone, that delay has arisen. . 
Your lordship truly states, that 
the offers made through yourself 
were so clearly and unequivocally 
expressed, that the intention of the 
French government could not be 
doubted. But they were no sooner 
In the 
first conference after your lordship’s 
return to France, Sicily was de- 
manded. In the former offers it had 
been distinctly disclaimed, ‘‘ * Vous 
Pavez—nous ne vous la demandons 
pas. Si nous la possédions elle 
pourroit augmenter de beaucoup les 
difficultés.”” This demand, there- 
_ fore, could not have been foreseen, 
being in contradiction to their own 
assurances ; and your lordship could 
only take it ad referendwn. This 
produced a delay attributable solely 
to France. Our answer was imme- 
diate and distinct. The new de- 
mand was declared to be a breach 
* You are in possession of it. 
PAPERS 748 
of the principle of the proposed basis 
in its most essentiag part. To ebvi- 
‘ate a cavil on the subject of full 
powers, they were sent to you; but 
with an express injunction not to 
use them, nor even to produce them 
formally, till the French govern. 
ment should return to its former 
ground respecting Sicily. Your 
lordship stated this to M. Talley- 
rand, and you received in return, a 
proposal, of giving to his majesty, 
or to the king of Naples, the Hans 
towns in lieu of Sicily. ‘This being 
again a proposition entirely new, 
could only be referred for his ma- 
jesty’s consideration. On the very 
next day after it arrived, it was dee 
cidedly rejected here ; and, so little 
were we disposed to delay, that the 
same dispatch conveyed to you his 
majesty’s orders, if the demand of 
Sicily should still be persisted in, to 
desire your passports, and return to 
England. 
Of this order your lordship in- 
formed M. Talleyrand, and its exe- 
cution was delayed only by a fresh 
proposal of exchanges brought for- 
ward by France, and supported by 
the Russian minister, as affording 
the means by which his majesty 
might prevent, among other things, 
the changes meditated in Germany. 
M. Talleyrand, it appears, now re- 
presents this communication in the 
following terms: ** We told you, 
that 7f you had powers, and would 
enter into negotiation, we would not 
sign the arrangement in Germany.” 
M. Talleyrand’s real communication 
is to be found in your lordship’s dis- 
patch of the 9th July, in which he 
says, that those changes ‘¢ were de- 
termined upon, but should not be pub- 
lished if peace took place.” 
3B4 That 
We do not demand it of you. If we possessed 
dt, the difficulties might be much increased, 
