No. 17. THE underfigned is charged, by the Executive Directory, to invite you to point out, without the fmallest delay, and exprefsly, the objects of reciprocal compenfation which you propofe. He is, moreover, charged to demand of you, what are the difpofitions to treat, on a juft and equitable bafis, of which his Majefty, the Emperor and King, gave to the French government fo ftriking a proof at the very commencement of the campaign. The Executive Directory is unacquainted with it. It was the Emperor and King who broke the armistice. (Signed) Paris, 22 Brumaire (Nov. 12,) 5th year of the French Republic. CH. DELACROIX. No. 18. THE underfigned does not hesitate a moment to answer the two questions which you have been inftructed by the Executive Directory to put to him. The memorial prefented this morning by the undersigned propofes, in exprefs terms, on the part of his Majefty the King of Great Britain, to compenfate France, by proportionable reftitutions, for the arrangements to which she will be called upon to confent, in order to fatisfy the just pretenfions of the King's allies, and to preferve the political balance of Europe. Before the formal acceptation of this principle, or the proposal, on the part of the Executive Directory, of fome other principles which might equally ferve as the bafis of a negotiation for a general peace, the underfigned cannot be authorized to designate the objects of reciprocal compenfation. As to the proof of the pacific difpofition given to the French government by his Majefty, the Emperor and King, at the opening of the campaign, the underfigned contents himself with a reference to the following words contained in the note of baron D'Egleman, on the 4th of June laft. The operations of the war will in no wife prevent his Imperial Majefty from being ever ready to concur, agreeably to any form of negotiation which fhall be adopted, in concert with the belligerent powers, in the difcuffion of proper means for putting a stop to the farther effufion of human blood. This note was prefented after the armiftice was broken. Pars, November 12, 1796. MALMESBURY. No. No. 19. THE minifter plenipotentiary of his Britannic Majefty requests. the minifter for foreign affairs to inform him, whether he is to confider the official note, which he received from him yesterday evening, as the anfwer to that which Lord Malmesbury delivered yesterday morning to the minifter for foreign affairs by order of his court. He applies for this information, that the departure of his courier may not be unneceffarily delayed. Paris, November 13, 1795. MALMESBURY. No. 20. THE underfigned, minifter for foreign affairs, declares to Lord Malmesbury, minifter plenipotentiary from his Britannic Majefly, that he is to confider the official note fent to him yefterday as the anfwer to that which Lord Malmesbury had addreffed to him on the morning of the fame day. 13 Brumaire, 5th year. November 13, 1796. CHARLES DELACROIX. No. 21. LORD MALMESBURY has juft received the answer of the minifter for foreign affairs, in which he declares that the official note which he fent to him yesterday is to be confidered as the answer to that which Lord Malmesbury addreffed to him on the morning of the fame day. Lord Malinefbury will transmit it, this day, to his court. MALMESBURY. Paris, Nov. 13, 1796. No. 22. THE undersigned, in reply to your fecond note of yesterday, is ordered, by the Executive Directory, to declare to you, that he has nothing to add to the answer which has been addreffed to you. He is also instructed to ask you, whether, on each official communication which fhall take place between you and him, it will be neceffary for you to fend a courier to receive special inftructions? CHARLES DELACROIX. Paris, 23 Brumaire, (Nov. 13,) 5th year. No. 23. THE underfigned will not fail to tranfmit to his court the note which he has juft received from the minifter of foreign affairs. He declares likewife, that he fhall dispatch couriers to his court as often as the official communications made to him may require special instructions. Paris, Nov. 13, 1796. (Signed) MALMESBURY. No. 24. NOTE. THE court of London, having been informed of what has paffed in confequence of the last memorial, delivered, by its order, to the minifter for foreign affairs, does not think it neceffary to add any thing to the answer made by the undersigned to the two questions which the Directory thought proper to address to him. That court waits therefore, and with the greatest anxiety, for an explanation of the fentiments of the Directory, with regard to the principle it has propofed, as the bafis of the negotiation, and the adoption of which appeared to be the best means of accelerating the progress of a difcuffion so important to the happiness of fo many nations. The underfigned has, in confequence, received orders to renew the demand of a frank and precise answer on this point, in order that his court may know, with certainty, whether the Directory accepts that propofal; or defires to make any change or modifica tions whatever in it; or laftly, whether it would wish to propose any other principle that may promote the fame end. Paris, November 26, 1796. MALMESBURY. No. No. 25. IN answer to the note delivered yesterday, November 26, by Lord Malmesbury, the underligned minifter for foreign affairs is inftructed by the Directory to obferve, that the anfwers made on the 5th and 22d of last Brumaire contained an acknowledgement of the principle of compenfation, and that, in order to remove every pretext for farther difcuffion on that point, the underfigned, in the name of the Executive Directory, now makes a formal and pofitive declaration of fuch acknowledgment. In confequence, Lord Malmesbury is again invited to give a fpeedy and categorical anfwer to the propofal made to him on the 22d of last Brumaire, and which was conceived in these terms: the undersigned is inftructed by the Executive Directory to invite you to defignate, without the leaft delay, and exprefsly, the objects of reciprocal compenfation which you have to propose. CH. DELACROIX. Paris, November 27. No. 26. THE underfigned minifter plenipotentiary of his Britannic Majefty, in anfwer to the note dated this morning, which was fent to him by the minister for foreign affairs, haftens to affure him, that he will not delay a moment in communicating it to his court, from which he muft neceffarily wait for further orders, before he can explain himself upon the important points which it THE underfigned is charged to tranfmit to the minifter for foreign affairs the enclofed memorial, containing the proposals of his court, with refpect to the application of the general principle already eftablished as the bafis of the negotiation for peace. He will, with the utmoft readinefs, enter with that minifter into every explanation which the state and progrefs of the negotiation will allow, and he will not fail to enter into the difcuffion of these propofitions, or of any counter-project which may be tranfmitted to him on the part of the Executive Directory, with that that franknefs and that fpirit of conciliation which correfpond with the juft and pacific intentions of his court. (Signed) Paris, December 17, 1796. MALMESBURY. No. 28.. Confidential Memorial, on the principal Objects of Reftitution, Compenfation, and reciprocal Arrangement. THE principle, already established as the bafis of negotiation, by the confent of the two governments, is founded on reftitutions to be made by his Britannic Majefty to France, in compenfation for the arrangements to which that power may consent, in order to fatisfy the juft pretenfions of the allies of the King, and to preferve the political balance of Europe. In order to accomplish thefe objects, in the manner the most complete, and to offer a fresh proof of the fincerity of his wishes for the re-establishment of general tranquility, his Majefty would propofe, that there fhould be given to this principle, on each fide, all the latitude of which it may be fufceptible. I. His Majefty demands therefore, 1. The reftitution to his Majefty, the Emperor and King, of all his dominions, on the footing of the ftatus ante bellum. 2. The re-establishment of peace between the Germanic empire and France, by a fuitable arrangement conformable to the refpective interefts and the general fafety of Europe. This arrangement to be negotiated with his Imperial Majefty, as conftitutional head of the empire, either by the intervention of the King, or immediately, as his Imperial Majefty fhall prefer. 3. The evacuation of Italy by the French troops, with an engagement not to interfere in the internal affairs of that country; which fhould be re-established, as far as poffible, upon the footing of the ftatus ante bellum. In the courfe of the negotiation, a more detailed difcuffion may be entered into of the further meafures which may be proper to adopt respecting the objects of these three articles, in order to the providing more ffectually for the future fecurity of the refpective limits or poffeffions, and for the maintenance of general tranquillity. II. With regard to the other allies of his Britannic Majefty, his Majefty demands, that there be referved to her Majesty the Emprefs of all the Ruffias a full and unlimited power of taking part in this negotiation whenever the may think fit, or of acceding to the definitive treaty, and thereby returning to a state of peace with France. ill. His |