1800.] 
French Republic—Sovereignty of the Peoples 
Liberty—E quality. 
Bonaparte, Firft Conful of the Republic, to 
his Majefty the King of Great Britain and 
Jreland. 
Paris, 5th Nivofe, 8th Year of the Republic. 
CALLED by the wifhes of the French 
nation to occupy the firft magiftracy of the 
Republic, I think it proper, on entering into 
office, to make a direét communication of it 
to your Majefty. 
The war, which for eight years has ra- 
vaged the four quarters of the world, muft 
it be eternal? Are there no means of coming 
to an underftanding ? 
How can the two moft enlightened nations 
of Europe, powerful and ftrong beyond what 
their fafety and independence require, {a- 
crifice to ideas of vain greatnefs the benefits 
of commerce, internal profperity, and the 
happinefs of families? How js it that they 
do not feel that Peace is of the firft neceflity, 
as well as of the firft glory ? 
Thefe fentiments cannot be foreign to the 
heart of your Majefty, who reigns over a free 
nation, and with the fole view of rendering 
it happy. ‘ 
Your Majefty will only fee, in this over- 
ture, my fincere delire to contribute efficaci- 
oufly, for a fecond tirne, to a general paci- 
fication by a ftep, fpeedy, entirely of confi- 
dence, and difengaged from thofe forms 
which neceflary perhaps to difguife the de- 
pendence of weak ftates, prove only in thofe 
which are ftrong the mutual defire of de- 
ceiving each other. ; 
Francé and England, by the abufe of their 
ftrength, may ftill, for a long time, for the 
misfortune of all nations, retard the period of 
their being exhaufted.—But I will venture to 
fay, the fate of all civilized nations is attach- 
ed to the termination of a war which involves 
the whole world. 
(Signed) BoNAPARTE. 

SIR * Downing-/ireet, Fan. 4, 1800. 
1 HAVE received and laid before the King 
the two letters which you have tranfmit- 
ted to me; and his Majefty, feeing no reafon 
to depart from thofe forms which have long 
been eftablifhed in Europe, for tranfa€ting bu- 
finefs with Foreign States, has commanded 
me, to return in his name the Official An- 
{wer which I fend you herewith inclofed. 
T have the honour to be, with high confider- 
ation, Sir, your moft obedient, humble fer- 
vant, (Signed) GRENVILLE. 
To the Minifter for Foreign Affairs, Fc. at Paris. 
NOTE. 
HE King has given frequent proofs of his 
fincere defire for the re-eftablifhment of 
fecure and permanent tranquillity in Europe. 
He neither is, nor has been, engaged in-any 
State of Public Affairs in France. "7 
conteft for a vain and falfe glory. He has 
had no other view than that of maintaining, 
‘againft all aggreflion, the rights and happi-~ 
nefs of his fubjeéts. For thefe he has con- 
tended againft an unprovoked attack 5 and for 
thefame objects he is {till obliged to contend; 
mor can he hope that this neceflity could 
be removed by entering, at the prefent moe 
ment, into negotiation with thofe whom a 
frefh revolution has fo recently placed in the 
exercife of power in France.—Since no real 
advantage can arife from fuch negotiation to 
the great and defirable obje& of general 
peace, until it, fhall diftinétly appear that 
thofe caufes have ceafed to operate, which 
originally produced the war, and by which it 
has fince been protraéted, and, in more than. 
one inftance, renewed. The fame fyftem, 
to the prevalence of which France juftly 
afcribes all her prefent miferies, is that which 
has alfo involved the reft of Europe in a 

long and deftrutive warfare, of a nature long 
fince unknown to the prattice of civilized 
Nations, 
For the extenfion of this fyftem, and for the 
extermination of all eftablifhed Governments, 
the refources of France have from year to 
year, andin the midft of the moft unparalleled 
diftrefs, been lavifhed and exhaufted. To this 
indifcriminate fpirit of deftruétion, the Ne~- 
therlands, the United Provinces, the Swifs 
Cantons, (his Majefty’s ancient friends and 
allies) have fucceflively been facrificed. Ger» 
many has been ravaged; Italy, though now 
refcued from its invaders, has been made the 
{cene of unbounded rapine and anarchy. His 
Majefty has himfelf been compelled to main- 
tain an’arduous and burthenfome contett for the 
independence and exiftence of his kingdoms. 
Nor have thefe calamities been confined to 
Europe alone: they have been extended to 
the moft diftant quarters of the world, and 
even to countries fo remote both in fituation 
-and intereft from the prefent conteft, that the 
very exiftence of fuch’ war was perhaps un~ 
known to thofe who found themfelves fud- 
denly involved in all its horrors. While 
fuch a fyftem continues to prevail, and while 
the blood and treafure of a numerous and 
powerful nation can be lavifhed in its fup- 
port, experience has fhewn that no defence, 
but'that of open and fteady hoftility, can be 
availing. ‘The moft folemn treaties have 
only prepared the way for frefh aggreffion ; 
and it is toa determined refiftance alone that 
is now due whatevet remains in Europe of 
ftability for property, for perfonal liberty, for 
focial order, or for the free exercife of re- 
ligion. 
For the fecurity, therefore, of thofe effen- 
tial objects, his Majefty cannot place his ree 
liance on the mere renewal of general pro- 
feffions of pacific difpdfitions, Such pro~ 
feflions liave been repeatedly held out by all 
thofe who have fucceffively direéted the re~- 
fources of France to the deftruétion of Europes; 
and whom the prefent rulers have gars to 
Mave 


