STATE PAPERS. 



4-21 



provinces were united to the Em- 

 pire. 



" In the present time are to be 

 found united all the circumstances 

 of the various perioHs at which his 

 Majesty manifested the pacific sen- 

 timents which he now orders me 

 again to declare that he is actuated 



" The calamities under which 

 Spain, and the vast regions of 

 Spanish America suft'er, sliould 

 naturally excite the interest of all 

 nations, and inspire them with an 

 equal anxiety for their termina- 

 tion. 



" I will expres myself. Sir, in 

 a manner which your Excellency 

 will find conformable to the sin- 

 cerity of the step which I am au- 

 thorised to take ; and nothing will 

 better evince the sincerity and 

 sublimity of it than the precise 

 terms of the language which I 

 have been directed to use. What 

 views and motives should induce 

 me to envelope myself in formali- 

 ties suitable to weakness, which 

 alone can find its interest in de- 

 ceit ? 



" The affairs of the Peninsula, 

 and the Two Sicilies, are the points 

 of difference which appear least to 

 admit of being adjusted. I am 

 authorised to propose to you an 

 arrangement of them, on the fol- 

 lowing basis :— 



" The integrity of Spain shall 

 be guaranteed. France shall re- 

 nounce all idea of extending her 

 dominions beyond the Pyrennees. 

 The present dynasty shall be de- 

 clared independent, and Spain shall 

 be governed by a National Consti- 

 tution of her Cortes. 



" The independence and inte- 

 grity of Portugal shall be also 

 guaranteed, and the House of 



Braganza shall have the Sovereign 

 authority. 



*' The kingdom of Naples shall 

 remain in possession of the present 

 monarch, and the kingdom of Si- 

 cily shall be guaianteed to the 

 present family of Sicily. 



" As a consequence of these sti- 

 pulations, Spain, Portugal, and 

 Sicily, shall be evacuated by the 

 French and English land and naval 

 forces. 



" With respect to the other ob- 

 jects of discussion, they may be 

 negociated upon this basis, that 

 each power shall retain that of 

 which the other could not deprive 

 it by war. 



" Such are, Sir, the grounds of 

 conciliation offered by his Majesty 

 to his Royal Highness the Prince 

 Regent. 



" His Majesty the Emperor and 

 King, in taking this step, does 

 not look either to the advantages 

 or losses which the Empire may 

 derive from the war, if it should 

 be prolonged ; he is influenced 

 simply by the considerations of the 

 interests of humanity, and the 

 peace of his people ; and if this 

 fourth attempt should not be at- 

 tended with success, like those 

 which have preceded it, France 

 will at least have the consolation 

 of thinking, that whatever blood 

 may yet flow, will be justly im- 

 putable to England alone. 



" I have the honour, &c. 



(Signed) 

 " The Duke of Bassano." 



No. IX. 



Copy of the Answer of Lord CastU- 

 reag/i. Secretary of State/or Fo- 

 reign Affairs of His Britannic 



Majesty, 



