1300. ] 
ufe of thofe means which the poffeffed, in her 
own ftrength and the courage of her citizens, 
As lon@ as the faw that her enemies obftinate- 
ly refufed to recognize her rights, fhe coun- 
ted only upon the energy of her refiftance ; 
but as foon as they were obliged to abandon 
the hope of invafion, fhe fought for means of 
conciliation, and manifefted pacific inten- 
tions: and if thefe have not always been efi- 
cacious ; if, insthe midft of the critical cir- 
cumftances of her internal fituation, which 
the‘revolution and the war have fuccefiively 
brought on, the former depofitaries of the 
Executive Authority of France lave not al- 
ways fhewn as much moderation, as the na- 
tion itfelf has fhewn courage, it muft, above 
all, be imputed to the fatal and perfevering 
animofity with which the revources of Eng- 
Tand have been lavifhed to accomplith theruin 
of France. 
But if the wifhes of-his Britannic Majefty 
‘(in conformity with his affurances) are, in 
unifon with thofe of the French Republic, 
for the re-eftablifhment of Peace, why, in- 
ftead of attempting the apology of the war, 
fhould not attention be rather paid to the 
means of terminating it >? And what obftacle 
€an prevent a mutual underftanding, of which 
the utility is reciprocal, andis felt, efpeci- 
ally when the Firft Conful of the French 
Republic has perfonally given fo inany proofs 
of his eagernefs to put an end to the calami- 
ties of war, and of his difpofition to maintain 
the rigid obfervance of all treaties concluded ? 
The Firft Conful of the French Republic 
could not doubt that his Britannic Majefty re- 
cognized the right of nations to choofe the 
form of their Government, fince it is from 
-the exercife of this right that he holds his 
Crown: but he has been unable to compre- 
hend how to this fundamental principle, upon 
which refts the exiftence of Political Socie- 
ties, the Minifter of his Majefty could annex 
infinuations which tend to an interference in 
the internal affairs of the Republic, and 
which are no lefs injurious to the French na- 
tion and to its Government, than it would be 
to England and his Majefty, ifa fort of invi- 
tation were held out in favour of that Repub- 
lican Government of which England adopted 
the forms in the middle of the laft centuty, 
or an exhortation to recall tothe throne that 
family whom their birth had placed there, 
and whom a Revolution compelled to defcend 
from it. 
If at periods’ not far diftant, when the con- 
fitutional fyitem of the Republic prefented 
neither the ftrength nor the folidity which it, 
contains at prefent, his Britannic Majeity 
thought himfelf enabled to invite a negotia- 
tion and pacific conferences ; how is it pofii- 
ble that he fhould not be eager to renew ne- 
gotiations to which the prefent and reciprocal 
fituation of affairs promifes a rapid progrefs ? 
On every fide the voice of nations and of hu- 
manity implores the conclufion of a war, 
marked already by fuch great calamities, and 
Bonaparte’s Negociation, 
¢ 
79 
the prolongation of which thréatens Europe 
with an univerfal convulfion and irremediable 
evils. It is, therefore, to put a ftop to the 
courfe of thefe calamities, or in order that 
their terrible confequences may be reproached 
to thofe only who fhall have'provoked them, 
that the Firft Conful ofthe French Republic 
propofes to put an immediate end to: hoftili- 
ties, by agreeing toa fufpenfion of arms, and 
naming Plenipotentiaries on each fide, who 
fhould repair to Dunkirk, or any other town 
as advantageoufly fituated for the quicknefs 
of the refpective communications, and who 
fhould apply themfelves without any delay 
to efiect the re-eftablifhment of peace and a 
good underfanding between the French Re- ' 
public and England. : ey 
The Firft Conful offers to give the paffports 
which may he neceflary for this purpofe. 
(Signed) C. M. TaLLEYRAND. 
Paris, the 20th Nivofe (14th Fan. 1806} 
eighth year of the French Republic. 

Letter” from Lord Grenville to the Minifter for 
Foreign Affairs at Paris. 
SIR» Downing-fireet, Fan.29, 1800. 
HAVE the honour to inclofe to you thé 
anfwer which his Majefty has direéted me 
to return to thé Official Note, which you 
tranfmitted to me. I have the honour to be, 
with high confideration, Sir, your moft obe- 
dient humble fervant, 
‘ 

(Signed) Grenvitts. 
To the Miniffer for Foreign Affairs, Gc. Ge. 
at Paris. 
NOTE. 
HE Official Note tranfmitted by theMini- 
. dter for Foreign Affairs in France, and re- 
ceived by the underfigned on the 18th ing. 
has been laid before the King. 
His Majefty cannot forbear expreffing the 
concern with which he obferves in that Note, 
that the unprovoked aggreffions of France, 
the fole caufe and origin of the war, are 
fy ftematically defended by. her prefent rulers, 
~under ¢he fame injurious pretences by which 
they were originally attempted to be dif- 
guifed. His Majefty will not enter into the 
refutation of allegations now univerfally ex- 
ploded, and (in fo faras they refpe& his Ma- 
jefty’s conduét) not only in themfelves ut- 
terly groundlefs, but contradidted. both by 
the internal evidence of the tranfattiong, to 
which they-relate, and:alfo by the exprefs 
teftimony (given at the time) of the Govern. 
ment of France itfelf. es 
With refpeét to the object of the Note, 
his Majefty can°only refer to the Anfwer 
which he has already given. 
He hase-explained, without referve, the 
-obftacles which, in’ his judgment, preciude,. 
at the prefent moment, all hope of advan- 
tage from negotiation, © All the inducements 
to 

