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remains an isolated meafure, be ing neither more nor less than the natural confequence of circumftances, and an additional proof of the complete and truly impartial neutrality of the king. February, 1796.

Citizen Grouvelle, Minifter Plenipotentiary from the French Republic in Denmark, to his Excellency Count de Bernstorff, Minifter of the Council of State to his Danish Majefty, and of the Department for Foreign Affairs.

Copenhagen, 27 Ventofe,

4th Year of the Republic. THE German papers, fir, have inferted the extract of an inftruction, which appears to have been addreffed in a circular manner by you to the minifiers of Denmark, at the different courts, and which concerns the refolutions adopted by his majefty, to give to the character of minifter plenipotentiary from the French republic, in which character I have refided for two years and a half at this court, a fuitable publicity by admitting me to a private audience. I have every reason to confider this extract as authentic, and in this character I feel myself bound to addrefs you. Of whatever reflections the principle and fpirit of that extract may be fufceptible, my defign is not to comment upon it all. The government, whofe reprefentative I am, poffeffes, as well as myfelf, a fcrupulous respect for the independence of governments, and even a regard for their private convenience. The tyrannical and intriguing fyftem of aiking on every fubject official explanations, would be as contrary to their principles as to my own character. To make an

incident of a phrase, to attach a di plomatic importance to each word, to render the flighteft difcuffion perfonal, to feafon with arrogance the ennui of a laborious epiftolary controverfy, is a part which we have lately seen played by certain agents, who quarrel for want of bufinefs, who know not how to ferve their courts, but by infulting others, and who reprefent nothing more than the vices of their nations; ridicule and contempt are attached to them; their example is fit to be recollected, only because it is proper to be avoided. As the French republic makes it her glory to follow a contrary fyftem to that of the powers who acknowledge fuch minifters, I honour myfelf for being a contraft to them in all my proceedings.

But, fir, I cannot difpenfe with fixing my attention upon the conclufion of the extract of your inftruction above mentioned, and feeing that the refult is announced in terms which, by their too general acceptation, may lead to abufivé interpretation. I have thought that it is neceffary to have an amicable understanding with you.

In fpeaking of my admiffion; and of the public acknowledgment of my character, you fay, that this ftep is ifolated, and means nothing but what it is in itself. Do you not apprehend that the difaffected will fee, in this mode of expreffion, a fort of reftriction, of implicit referve; that they may go fo far as to suppose that it alludes to I know not what other declaration or anterior measure which may have been adopted to the fame courts to which your minifters may have held this official language? That even attributing the publication to you,

they may give a fort of credit to the inductions? Undoubtedly you will fee with pain that the public receives them; for however forced they may be, they injure the idea which the court of Denmark wishes always to give of the franknefs of its proceedings. That after having fo long delayed a measure, become neceffary to her own confideration, as well as to the dignity of the republic, the might be again fufpected of withing to deftroy the good effect fecretly, and to weaken whatever advantage the measure might produce to France. Would not this be a real inconvenience? I only wish to point out what in this concerns your own reputation.

On the other hand, fir, the French government, now eftablished on a new conftitution, refumes its rank among the other European powers. It will of courfe be extremely cautious not to incur the charge of inconfiftency, nor to fuffer any ftain to attach on its dignity, nor in any respect to fanction by injuftice the detraction of its calumniators. The government well know the influence of public opinion, and will not fail to fet themselves right in the estimation of the world, when their adverfaries are bufily employed in corrupting it.

Although they feel themselves far fuperior to flattery and oftentation, and direct all their operations with that confidence which arifes from the wisdom of their councils, and the energy of their measures; yet. the value they fet upon their connection with Denmark, renders it impoffible for them to behold with an eye of indifference, a circumflance which conveys a harfh VOL. XAXVIII.

reflection on their conduct. The abufe that might be made of your note, gave them much concern, and it was with extreme satisfaction that they received a teftimony of the rectitude of your intentions. A loyal government ftoops not to a difavowal, because it afferts nothing but the truth. A wife government ought to contemn false reports, but a benevolent government, or only an impartial one, will not reject overtures to an explanation, efpecially if it is demanded with amicable views.

It is with this view, fir, that I now discharge this important duty, a duty which, though painful, is ftill neceffary to prevent an interruption of the exifting harmony between our respective states, which ought to be united more closely than ever. If perfonal confideration were of any weight, I fhould give my opinion that this is not an unimportant object, and perhaps the occurrences, which preceded my admiffion, were not of the moft conciliatory nature, and may produce fome embarraffments in the event, at leaft with refpect to this court. The firft obfervation I fubmit to your wifdom, and the latter remark to your delicacy. (Signed) GROUVELLE

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objects which do not admit of minitterial difcuffions. The inftructions which I gave to fome of the king's minifters at different foreign courts are of this kind: it is become public without our knowledge; it is nothing like a declaration to thefe courts. We have made no declaration; it is a fimple official inftruction, only defigned for the information of thofe to whom it is addreffed, and which relates to the anterior correfpondence, and which breathing only the juftice rendered to the present French conftitution, could not furely involve us in a difpute with her, but rather with those who do not love that conftitution. This is fo clearly evident, that I fhould only weaken it by further expla

nation.

You know, befides, that your admiflion has been without the smallest reserve, abfolutely in the usual and most folemn forms that we know. We never do things by half, and as you are witnefs of our conduct and proceedings, I thould love to chufe you yourfelf as judge, and I depend upon your impartiality. In the fame manner I inTreat you to believe in the high confideration with which I am, &c. BERNSTOREF.

Copenhagen, March 19, 1795.

Proclamation of the Queen of Portugal

for making Lifb a free Fort. Donna Maria, by the Grace of God, Queen of Portugal and the Algarves, &c. &c.

BE it known to all to whom this law thall come, that taking into my royal confideration the many and very important advantages which would neceffarily refult to the commerce of the fubjects of these kingdoms and their dominions, by the

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eftablishment of a free port; and well aware, that the port of Lisbon from its fituation, fecurity, and facility of navigation with the ocean, is preferable to those of other nations which have adopted fimilar eftablishments; conforming myfelf to the opinion of my royal board of commerce, agriculture, manufactures, and navigation, of thofe kingdoms and their dominions, and of others of my council, very learned and zealous for the good of my royal fervice, and of the public utility-It is my will, and I am pleafed to create and establish, at Junquiera, joining to the city of Litbon, a free port, to take entire and due effect from the

first day of January, in the year next enfuing of 1797, having deftined for its exercife and the depofit, the houses and warehouses of Fort St. John, with the ground adjoining, whereon to build the further neceffary accommodations, there to receive and depofit all goods and merchandize, of whatever quality or kind they may be, as well for foreign countries, (except for the prefent fugar and tobacco) as from national ports fituate beyond the Cape of Good Hope, for the purpose, at the option of the proprietors of the faid goods, of difpofing of them for the internal confumption of the kingdom, provided they are entitled to lawful entry, and on paying the customary duties, at the refpective cuftonihoufes; or to be exported to foreign ports, or national ones beyond the faid Cape of Good Hope, on paying only towards the benefit of my royal revenue, for protection and depofit, the duty of 1 per cent. on the amount of their value, calculated on the invoice to be produced by the captains of the

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veffels,

veffels, or their confignees, by them figned and certified on oath; the liberty of franquin ftill, however, to remain as heretofore, for ail veffels that fhall require it, according to the rules as established by the custom-house of this city; fuppreffing all other duties, and revoking all and whatever difpofitions that may oppofe or infringe on the liberty and freedom, which are to conftitute the advantages of the establishment..

Further to animate and promote in this capital, a concurrence and abundance of articles of the first neceffity, I am pleafed to declare, that all qualities of grain, meat, and food, which are free from paying duties inward, fhall not only enjoy the free liberty of exportation, but fhall be alfo free from payment of the aforefaid contribution impofed on other goods, and continue to be received and difpatched through the fame departments as heretofore.

In cafe it fhould happen that the crown of Portugal fhould enter into war (which God forbid) with any power whofe fubjects might be interested in goods in the free port, in which condition it is to be understood the aforefaid grain, meat and food, are included, no arreft, embargo, fequeftration, or reprifal, thall on that account be made thereon; but on the contrary, they fhall remain in the utmoft freedom and fecurity, as if each individual had them placed in his own houfe, to difpofe of them as he may judge moft fuited to his intereft.

The administration of the aforefaid free port fhall be conftituted under the fuperintendance of a general comptroller, with the ne

ceffary officers under him that I
may be pleafed to appoint; and
it is my will to order, that he fhall
be independent of all and every
jurifdiction, and only fubordinate
to the tribunal of the royal board of
commerce, through which will
be forwarded the neceflary orders
to meet occurring circumftances,
and bring up to my royal prefence
all reprefentations tending to main-
tain, and preferve inviolate, the,
good faith of this establishment, in
due conformity to the particular
regulations which I have ordered
to be formed for the government of
the aforefaid adminiftration, and
officers employed in conducting it;
and alfo to ferve as a guidance to
all captains of ships and their con-
fignees, for their conduct on the
entry and shipping of all goods
claiming the benefit of this infti-
tution.

Dated at the palace of Queliez,
May 13, 1796.

Manifefto, or Declaration of the Queen of Portugal, against the Republic of the United States of the NE- . therlands.

WHEREAS the Portuguese envoy extraordinary with the republic of the United States of the Netherlands, has, in his report of the 15th of June, tranfnfitted to her majefty the copy of a letter which he received from the committee for foreign affairs of the republic, in which has been notified to him the fixed refolution of abstaining from all political communication with him, as representative of her majefty, the queen of Portugal, till the conclufion of a peace with the French republic.

Befides which, the faid envoy ultimately fignifies in his letter, P2

that

that all commercial tranfactions bad alfo been fufpended: her majefty has therefore refolved, under the prefent circumstances, to fufpefid in a like manner, on her part, all commerce with the ftates general of the Netherlands, to prohibit her fubjects all tranfactions, of mercantile connections, with the fubjects of the republic, and to forbid them all navigation to the harbours of the faid ftates.

Her majefty has been farther pleased to ordain, that all tranfactions in the interior of her dominions with the fubjects of the United Provinces be fufpended; and that their capitals fhall, under no pretence, be carried out of the kingdom.

The departure of all Dutch fhips, which are in the harbours under the dominion of her majesty, is alfo entirely ftopped, because there they muft remain under embargo till further orders.

That this refolution may reach the knowledge of every one, and be put in force, it has been publickly pofted up.

The fecretary of the tribunal of commerce,

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republic; that the hoped there fubfifted no other caufe of difagreement between both ftates, and that the Dutch government would obferve reciprocity with regard to the commercial connections; and that the temporary embargo had been occafioned by the measures manifefted in Holland against Por tugal, and her majefty thought it very ftrange that Portugal thould not have been confidered like other friends of France who were at peace with the Batavian republic."

Copy of the Letter fent by the King of Naples to the Marquis del Vafo, who, after the receipt of it, fet out for Rome as Ambajador Extraordinary, and concluded there the offenfive and defenfive Treaty between Naples and the Fope.

HIS holiness acquaints me by letter of his determination to reject the unjust and execrable conditions of the French, on which account he demands of me, though rather late, fpeedy fuccour. Not withstanding this is against my original plan, I hefitate not a moment to grant it to him, as it concerns our holy religion, to which I have conftantly been devoted. As his holinefs demands of me, at the fame time, to fend fome person with whom he may confult on our common affairs, I have appointed you, the marquis del Vafto, for this purpose. Depart immediately, and have at heart the honour of God and the holy church, the good of the ftate, and the tranquillity of my fubjects, who daily give freth proofs of their attachment and fidelity to

me.

Done in the camp of St. Germano.

FERDINANDO RES. Proclamation

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