~ 
STATE PAPERS. 
the French revolution, to the armies 
of the north. Thus, therefore, it is 
wished to maintain the principle of 
the uti possidetis, in order to deprive 
France of all her commerce, and of 
all her establishments, and to ruin 
her allies ;"but it is wished to violate 
the principle of the utz possidetis, in 
order to oblige France to renounce 
her engagements, to break he? trea: 
ties ; in a word, to dissolve her 
whole continental system ; is not 
this to propose a peace a thousand 
times more disastrous than the long- 
est war, and conditions calculated to 
excite the indignation of every 
Frenchman? What! shall France 
have conquered all the powers sub. 
sidized by England, during three 
coalitions, to see imposed upon her 
conditions as unjust as they are dis- 
honourable, notwithstanding the 
moderation and generosity which 
she has shewn ? 
His excellency Mr. Fox himself 
proposed, ‘* that the peace should 
be honourable to both courts, and 
to their respective allies.” 
His majesty, the emperor of the 
French, king of Italy, could not 
coasider the peace as honourable, 
if, by one of its conditions, he was 
to lose a single subject, and of how- 
ever little importance the colony of 
Tobago may be, it suffices, that it 
made part of the French empire at 
the time his majesty took the reins 
of the government, to prevent his 
ever signing a treaty in which the 
alienation of that colony, or of any 
other which belongs to him in the 
Same manner shall be comprized. 
No reasonable Englishman can have 
flattered himself with the contrary ; 
and his majesty, in the position in 
which he stands, would, by consent- 
ing to it, lose the esteem of every 
a 
755 
brave and generous person even 
among his enemies. 
The undersigned is directed to de. 
clare, that his majesty the emperor 
and king considers as a disgrace the 
very, idea of a negotiation, founded 
on the uti possidetis.. It is the more 
contrary to his principles, inasmuch 
as his majesty has restored his con, 
quests, and that he should be now 
reigning over a population the 
double of that which he in fact 
governs, if, at the conclusion of the 
treaties of peace which he made at 
the expiration of the several coali- 
tions, he had taken the wté possédetis 
for his only principle. 
The undersigned is also directed 
to declare, that the only conditions 
of negotiation which his majesty the 
emperor and king is willing to 
adopt, are those proposed in part 
by his excellency Mr. Fox, contain. 
ed in the letter which was addressed 
to him on the 2d of June by the mi. 
nister for foreign affairs, and repeat- 
ed in the twelfth paragraph of the 
present note. 
His majesty the emperor of the 
French, king of Italy, requires 
nothing of Great Britain which can 
be contrary to the interests of her 
allies. Heis entitled to expect that 
nothing will be exacted of him, 
which can be contrary to the inter 
ests of his own allies. 
The undersigned is directed to 
add, that he refers to what had been 
prepared by the mutual efforts:of his 
excellency the earl of Sarsiwatts, 
and the undersigned. 
If peace shall not be re-establishs 
ed,it is not Francewho can be accuss 
ed iat having changed, but England; 
although peace between France and 
Russia, and other events? unfayoure 
able to Great Britaig haye taken 
3C2 " plaed 
