§3 
the i to refle&t, that no part of the con- 
wulfions which have already been experi- 
enced, or of thofe which are threatened for | 
the futore, can be in any degree imputable~ 
to his majefty. The king is moft willing to 
acknowledge that all fuch dreadful changes 
are indeed contrary to the policy of Great 
Britain. 
If the caufe of fo much mifery is to 
be found in the ftagnation of commercial 
intercourfe, although his majefty cannot be 
expeéied to hear, with unqualified regret 
that the fyfiem devised for the deftrnétion or 
the commerce of his fubjeéts has recoiled upon 
its authors, or its inftruments,. yet is it nei« 
ther in the difpofition of his majefty, nor in 
the charaéter of the people over whom he 
reigns, to rejoice in the privations and unhap- 
pinefs even of the nations which are com- 
bined againft him. His majefty anxioufly 
defires the termination of the fufferings of the 
Continent. 
The war in which his majefty is engaged, 
was entered into by his majefty for the im- 
mediate object of national fafety.- 
been prolonged only becaufe no fecure and 
honourable means of terminating it have hi- 
therto been afforded by his enennies. 
But in the progrefs of a war, begun for 
fclf-defence, new obligations, have been im- 
pofed upon his majefty, in behalf of powers 
whom the aggreffions of a common enemy 
have compelled to make common caufe with 
his majefty, or who have folicited his ma- 
jefty’s afiiftance- and fupport in the vindica- 
tion. of their national independence. 
The interefts of the crown of Portugal and 
of his Sicitian majefty are confided to his 
majefty’s friendfhip and prote€tion. 
With the King of Sweden his majefty is 
connected by ties of the clofeft alliance, and 
by ftipulations which unite their couniels for 
peace as well as for war. 
To Spain his majefty is not yet bound by 
any formal inftrument; but his majefty has, 
in the face of the world, contraf&ted with that 
nation engagements not lefs facred, and not 
lefs binding, upon his majefty’s mind, than 
the moft folemn treaties. 
His majefty, therefore, affumes that, in 
an overture made to his majefty for entering 
into negociations for a general peace, the re- 
lations fubfifting between his majefty and 
the Spanith monarchy have been diftinétly 
taken into confideration ; and that the gox 
vernment aéting in the name of his catholic 
majefty Ferdinand the Seventh, is underftood 
to be a party to any negociation in which his 
mnajefty is payed to engage. 
GeorGe CANNING, 
‘ THE RUSSIAN ANSWER. 
The underfigned, minifter for foreign af- 
fairs of his majefty the Emperor of-all the 
Roffias, has the honour to reply to the Note 
of the 28th OGober, figned by Mr. Can- 
ping, fzcretary of ftate for foreign aay : to: 
British, Russian, and French Correspondence. 
Jt has , 
[Feb, ly 
bis majefty the King of Great Britain, and 
addreffed by his excellency to the Ruffian . 
ambaffador at Paris. : 
That the admiffion of the fovereigns in. 
alliance with England to a Congrefs cannot 
be a point of. difficulty, and that Ruffia and . 
France confent to it. 
But this principle by. no means extents to. 
the neceflity of admitting the plenipotenti- 
aries of the Spanith infurgents : the emperor 
of Ruflia cannot admit them. His empire, 
in fimilar. circumftances—and England can 
recolleét one particular inftance, has been 
true tw the fame principle. Moreover, he. 
has already acknowledged the King Jofeph 
Napoleon. He has announced to his Britan- 
nic. Majefty, that he was united with the 
emperor of the French for peace as well as 
fox.war, and his Imperial Majefty here re- 
peats that declaration. He is refolved not 
to feparate his interefts from thofe of that 
monarch ; but they are both ready to con-— 
clude a peace, provided it be juft, honoura- 
ble, and equal for all parties. 
The underfigned fees with pleafure, that, 
in this difference of opinion refpecting the 
Spaniards, nothing prefents itfelf which can 
either prevent or delay the opening of a Con- 
grefs, He derives his perfuafion in this re- 
fpect, from that which his Britannic Ma- 
jefty has himfelf confided to the two em- 
perors, that he is bound by no pofitive en-. 
gagement with thofe who have taken up 
arms in Spain. 
After fifteen years of wary, Europe has a 
right to demand-peace. The interefts of all 
the powers, including that of England, is to 
render it general: humanity commands it ; 
and fuch a defire, furely, cannot be peng 
to the feelings of his Britannic Majefty. 
How canit be, that he alone can withdraw 
himfelf from fuch an object, and refufe to’ 
terminate the miferies of fuffering humanity. 
The underfigned confequently renews, in 
the name of the emperor, his auguft matter, 
the propofal already made, to fend plenipo- 
tentiaries to any city on the continent which 
his - Britannic Majefty may pleafe to point 
out ; to admit to the Congrefs the plenipo- 
tentiaries of the fovereigns in alliance with 
Great Britain 3 to treat upon the bafis of the 
uti poffiidetis, and upon that of the refpettive 
power of the belligerent parties: in fine, to 
accept any bafis which may have for its ob- 
ject the conclufion of a peace, in whigh all 
parties ‘fhall find honour, juftice, and equa- 
lit 
Nae underfigned has the honour to renew 
to his excellency, Mr. Canning, the affurances 
of his high confideration. 
(Signed) 
Count Nicoxtas DE RoMANZOFF. 
THE FRENCH ANSWER. 
The underfigned has laid before the em- 
peror, his niafter, the note of his excellency 
Mr. Canning, ; 
If 
