68 
by which that communication was accom- 
panied. 
“The fleet of Portugal was destined by 
France to be employed as an instrument of 
vengeance against Great Britain. That fleet 
has been secured from the grasp of France, 
and is now employed in conveying to its 
American dominions the hopes and fortunes 
of the Portuguese monarchy. His Majesty 
implores the protection of Divine Providence 
upon that enterprize, rejoicing in the preser- 
wation of a power so long the friend and ally 
of Great Britain, and in the prospect of its 
establishment in the New World with aug- 
*nented strength and splendour. 
“© We have it in command from his Ma- 
jesty to inform you, that the determination 
-of the enemy to excite hostilities between 
his Majesty and his late allies, the emperors 
-of Russia and Austria, and the King of Prus- 
sia, has been but too successful ; and that the 
Ministers from those powers have demanded 
and received their passports. 
‘« This measure, on the part of Russia, has 
been attempted to be justified by a state- 
ment of wrongs and grievances which have 
no real foundation. The Emperor of Russia 
had indeed proffered his mediation between 
his Majesty and France. His Majesty did 
not refuse that mediation, but he is confident 
you will fee! the propriety of its not having 
been accepted until his Majesty should have 
been enabied to ascertain that Russia was in 
a condition to mediate impartially, and until 
the principles of the basis on which France 
was ready to negociate were made known to 
his Majesty. 
' No pretence of justification can be al- 
ledged for the hostile conduct of the Em- 
peror of Austria, or for that of his Prussian 
Majesty.—His Majesty thas not given the 
slightest ground of complaint to either of 
those sovereigns, nor even at the moment 
when they have respectively withdrawn their 
ministers, have they assigned to his Majesty 
any distinct cause for that proceeding. 
<¢ His Majesty has directed that copies of 
the correspondence between his Majesty’s 
ambassador and. the minister for foreign 
affairs of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor 
of Russia, during the negociations at Tilsit, 
and the official note of the Russian minister 
at this court, containing the offer of his 
Impérial Majesty’s mediation between his 
Majesty and France, together with the an- 
swer returned to that note by his Majesty’s 
command; and also capies of the official 
notes presented by the Austrian ministers at 
this court; and of the answers which ‘his 
Majesty commanded to be returned to them, 
should be laid before you. 
* ¢ Tt is with concern that his Majesty 
commands us to inform you, that notwith- 
standing his earnest wishes to terminate the 
war-in which he is engaged with the Otto- 
inan Porte, his Majesty’s endeavours, unhap- 
4 
State of Public Affairs in January. 
[Feb.4, 
pily for the Turkish empire, have been de~ 
feated by the machinations of France, not 
less the enemy of the Porte than of Great 
Britain. . 
‘¢ But while the influence of" France has 
been thus unfortunately successful in prevent- 
ing the termination of existing hostilities, 
and in exciting new war against this countrys 
His Majesty commands us to inform you that 
the king of Sweden has resisted every attempt 
to induce him to abandon his alliance with 
Great Britain; and that his Majesty enter- 
tains no doubt that you will feel with him 
the sacredness of the duty which the firm- 
ness and fidelity of the king of Sweden im- 
pose upon his Majesty; and that you will 
concur in enabling his Majesty to discharge 
it in a manner worthy of this country. 
<¢ It remains for us, according to his Ma- 
jesty’s command, \to state to you that the 
treaty of commerce and amity between his | 
Majesty and the United States of Americas 
which was concluded and signed by commis-.. 
sioners duly authorized for that parpese, on 
the 31st of December, 1806, has not taken 
effect, in consequence of the refusal of the 
president of the United States to ratify that 
instrument. 
‘¢ For an unauthorised act of force com- 
mitted against an American ship of war, his 
Majesty did not hesitate to offer immediate 
and spontaneous reparation. But an attempt 
has been made by the American government 
to connect with the question which has arisen 
out of this act, pretensions inconsistent with 
the maritime rights of Great Britain; such 
pretensions his Majesty is determined never 
ta admit. His Majesty, nevertheless, hopes 
that the American government will be ac- 
tuated by the same desire to preserve the 
relations of peace and friendship between the 
two countries which has ever influenced his - 
IMajesty’s conduct, and that any difficulties 
in the discussion now pending mai be eftec- 
tually removed. 
‘« His Majesty has commanded us to state 
to you, that in consequence of the decree by 
which France declared the whole of his Ma- 
jesty’s dominions to be in a state of blockade, _ 
and subjected to seizure and confiscation the 
produce and manufactures of his kingdom, 
his Majesty resorted, in the first instance, to 
a measure of mitigated retaliation; and that 
this measure having proved ineffectual for its 
object, his Majesty has since found it neces- 
sary to adopt others of greater rigour, which 
he commands us to state to you, will require 
the aid of parliament to give them aie es 
and effectual operation. 
-&€ His Majesty has directed copies of the 
orders which he has issued, with the advice 
of his privy council, upon this subject, to be 
laid before you; and he commands us to re- 
commend them to your early attention. 
“* Gentlemen of the House of Commons, 
‘¢ His Majesty has directed the estimates — 
as on a of" 
