939 State Papers relating to the late Negociation with France. 
M. Devacrotx, ia reply, fhifted his ground, 
- and by 4 {tring of arguments founded on premifes 
calculated for thjs purpote, attempted to prove, 
that from the relative Gtuation of the adjacent 
- Counties, the prefent Government of France 
would be repieheniible in the extreme, and 
‘deferve impeachment, if they ever fuffered the 
‘Netheriands to be feparated from their Domi- 
nions ; that by the Partition of Poland, Ruffia, 
Aufiria, and Prutiia, had increafed their power 
to a moft formidable degree: that England, 
by its Conguefts, and by the a€tivity and 
judgment with which it governed its Colonf=s,— 
had doubled its ftrength ay our Indian Empire 
alone, faid M. Devacrorix with vehemence, 
“has enabied you‘ to fubfidize all the Powers of 
Europe again{t us, and your monopoly of trade 
has put you in poflefon of a fund of inexhaufti- 
ble wealth. His words Were, Votre Empire dans 
PIndie ucus a fuurni les Moyens de fularier Louies 
les Puiffinces coxtre OMS, A: VOUS AUER accaparé 
\ Gummerce ee Mianiere gue toutes les Riches du 
Monde fe verfent dans vos Coffres.”” 
From the neceffity that France fhould keep 
the Netherlands and the Left Bank of the Rhine 
for the purpote of preferving its relative fituation 
in Europe, he paffed io the advantages which, 
he contended, would refult tothe other Powers 
. by fach an addition to the French Dominions. 
 Beloium (to ufe his words) by belonging to 
France, would remove what had been the fource 
of all Wars for two centuries paft, and the 
Rhine, being the natural boundary of France, 
would enfure the tranquillity of Europe for two 
centuries to come. {I did not feel it neceffary to 
combat this prepofterous dodirine ; I contented 
myfelf wth reminding him of what he had faid 
to me in cne of our late conference = when he 
sade a comparifon of the weaknefs of France 
uncer its Monarchs, and its firength and vigour 
uncer its Republican Form of Government: 
*¢ Nous ne fommes frius dans la Decrépitude de 





























la France monarchique,. mais dans toute la 
Forze dune Republique adclefcente,” was his ex- 
_ prefion: and J inferred from this, according to 
bis own reafoning, that the force and- power 
France had acguired by its change of Govern- 
ment, was much greater than it could derive 
) fron any acquificion of Territory ; and that it, 
to'lowed, if France, when under a Regal Form 
f Government, was a very jut and conitant ob- 
ts ace of attention, not to fay of jealoufy, to the 
_ others Powers of Europe, France (admitting his 
axiom) was a much move reafonable object of 
4 jealoufy amd attention under its prefent Conftitu- 
) tion than it ever had yer been, and that no addi- 
| tio to its Dominions could be feen by its neigh- 
© bours, but under imprefizons of alarm for their own 
Wtuture fatety, and for the general tranquillity of 
}) Europe. M/Deracro1x’s Anfwer to this was fo 
“rema:kable; that I muft beg leave to infert it in 
jywhat 1 believe to be nearly his’ own words :—= 
Uh6* Dans le Tems Réwvelurionnatre tout ce que vcus 
idites, Milord, étoit vrai—rnien wr égaloic xotre 
)Puiffince 5 mis ce tems wexifie flus. — Nous ne 
jfouvons filus lever la Naticn en maffe four voler 
aw fecours dela Patrie en danger. Neus ne pru- 
sons plus engager nos Concitoyens deuvrir levrs 
 Bourfes pour les yerfer dans le Trcfor Nationale, 
~ p34 
[Dee. 
et de fe priver méme du néceffzire pour le bien de 
la chofe Publique.’ _ An&® “he ended by faying, 
that tke French Republic, when at Peace, ne- 
ceffarily muft become the moft quiet and pacific 
Power in Europe. I only obferved, that in this 
cafe the paflage of the Republic from youth to 
decrepitude had been very fudden; but that full 
I never could admit, that it could be a matter of 
‘indifference to its neighbours, much lefs one ne- 
ceffary fecurity to itlelf, to acquire fuch a very 
extenfive addition to its Frontiers as that he had 
hinted at. 
This led Monf. Det acrorx to talk of of- 
fering an equivalent to the EmPeRor for the 
Auittrian Netherlands; and it was to be found, 
according to his plan, in the fecularization 6f the’ 
three Ecclefiaftical Ele&torates, and fev-rat 
Bifhoprics tn Germany and in Ita! Me 
Ke talked upon this fubje€t as one very fami-~ 
iar to him, and on which his thoughts had been 
frequently ee 
He {poke of making new Electors, and named, 
probably with a view to render his fcheme more 
palatable, the STADTHOLDER and .the Dukes 
of Brunswic and WurTEMBURG, as perions 
proper to rep'ace the three Eeclefiaftical Lleétors. 
wi.o were to be reformed. 
It would be making an ill yfe of your Lord- 
fhip’s time, to endeavour to repeat to you all 
ie faid on this fubject; if went in fubfance 
{as he himfelf confeffed) to the total fubver- 
fion of the prefent conftitution of the Ger- 
manic Body; and as it mulitated direétly 
againit the principle which both Hrs Ma- 
jesty and the Emperor laid down fo di- 
ftinctly as the bafis of the Peace toe be made 
for the Empire, I contented myfelf with re- 
minding him of this circumfance, particu- 
larly as it is impoffible to difeufs this point 
with any propriety, till His ImperraLt Ma- 
JESTY becomes a party to the Negociation, 
I took this opportunity of hinting, that if on 
all the other points France agreed to the pro- 
pofals now made, it would not be impoffible- 
that fome increafe of Territery might be’ 
ceded to her on the Germanic fide of “her” 
Frontiers, and that this, in addition to the~ 
Duchy of Savoy, Nice, and Avignon, would 
be a very* great acquifition of frength and 
power. Mont. DELACROIX here ayain re- 
verted to the Conmtitution, and (aid, that 
thefe Countries were already conftitutionaliy 
annexed to France. JI replied, that rt was 
impoffible, in the Negociation which we were 
beginning, for the other Powers to take it up 
from any posed but ‘that which immediately 
preceded the War, and that any acquifition 
or diminution of Territory which had taken 
place among the Belligerent Powers’ fince it 
firft brcke out, muft neceffarily become fub- 
ject matter oe Negociation, and be balanced 
againft cach other, in the fnal arrangement 
of ‘a General Peace. '“ You then perfift,¥ 
faid Mf. DELAcCRoIx, “ in applying this prin- 
ciple to Belgium?” I anfwered, “ Mof cer- 
tainly ; eed I fhould not deal oe, with you,. 
if I hefitated to declare, in the outfet of our 
Negociation, that on this point you muft en-- 
tertain 
