The National Register. — London, England, 1812-07-19 00:00:00

;, I SB as.:siassalsmaaa he into gists of his kingdom. She used the name oldie Prince of the Asturias, and the tither was driven from his throne by the name of the son. The enemies of France and the part sans of England tcok aassessian of the Soy reign authority. His Majesty, called upon by Charles IV. sent troops unto Spain, and war was counnenoed in the By otiv of the stipulations of Tilsit, Russia was to evacuate Walla t and Moldavia. This evacuation was de:erred—new revolutions, winch had taken place at Constantinople, had several t mes lied in aloud the walls of the Seraalia. Thus scarcely a year had elapsed ! t om the p eace of Tilsit—the affairs of Copenhagen, ot Constantinople, and the Ordars in Council, publishad !VOL in Eagland, had placed Europe in so unlooked for a situation, that the two Sovereigns thought proper to come to an understanding, and the interview at Erfurth took place. With the same designs, and inspired by the same spirit which had directed their proceedings at Tilsit, they agreed as to what exacted from them such considerable changes. The Emperor consented to withdraw his Ur:rips train Russia, and at the same time consented that Russia should not only r.ot evaewee Wallachia and Moldavia, but that she should unite these provinces to her empire. The two Sovereigns, inspired with one and the same desire of re• establishing a maritime peace, and then as much disposed as at '1 ilsit to def. nd those principles far the defence of which they had entered into an alliance, resolved to make a solenui apphcation to Er gland. 'You, Count, came, in consequence, to Pans, and a correspondence ensued between yon and the British Government. But the cabinet of la actor, which had perceived that war was about to be re. kindled on the Continent, rejected all overtures towards negotiation. Sweden had refused to shut her ports against England ; and Russia, in confor mity with the stipulations of Tilsit, had declared war against her. The result to her was the loss of Finland, which was united to the - Russian empire; and at the same time the Russian armies °cen t led the fortresses on the Danube, and made war with ellect upon the Turks. Nevertheless, the system of England was triumphant. Her Orders in Council threatened to produce the most important results, and the tribute which wal• to furnish the means of supporting the perpetual war which she had declared, was perceptible upon the seas. Holland and the Hanseatic Towns. continued to trade with her, theit commerce frustrated the salutary anddecisive regulations of the Decrees ot Berlin and Milan, which alone Wm calculated dr:eta:llly to resist the princi ples of the British Orders in Council. The execution ot these Decrees could not be assure.', but by the daily exorcist ot a firm and vigilant ad ministration. Unexposed to the influence of the enemy, Holland and the Hanseatic Towns, it was necessary should be united. But while the sentiments dearest to the heart of his Majesty yielded to the jute ' rests of his people and. that of the C on t inent, g reat changes were taking -place. Russia abandoned the principle to whlch s h e had pledged herself at Tilsit, viz. to mak e coinnton cause with France, which she had proclaimed in her Declaration of War against England, arul which had dictated the Decrees of Berlin and Milan. They were ended by the Ukase which opened the ports of Russia to all i:rgiish ships laden with colonial produce, English propel ty, providad that they were under a foreign flag. This unexpected blow annuhed the 'Treaty of Tilsit, and those important transactions which had put at; end to the struggle between the two greatest Empties of the world, and which had afforded to Europe a probability of obtaining a mari time peace. Approaching commotions and biota - 1y wars vcre of course to be immediately expected. (To be concluded in our next.) OVERTURES FOR PEACE. COPY OP A LETTETt AD-BRESiI•D BY Tilt , . MINI3TER UP YOBBIGN At FA.ItS, TO 1.01t1) CASILEREAGOI SECRL'i ILY OF tiT,Va k. rep, - - , VOREIGN Akr Aras TO HIS BUITANNIC mAstsrv. Path, April 17, IBlt2. Str.—llis Majesty, constantly actuated by sentiments friendly to moderation and peace, is pleased again to make a solemn and sincere attempt to put un end to the miseries of war. The awful circumstances in which the world is at present placed, have induced a resolution in the mind of his Majesty, the result a which has been, to aiolunise me to explain to you, Sir, his views and intentions. Many changes have taken place in Europe for the last ten years, which have beet, the ne cessary con , equence (Arlie war between France and England, and many more chantey will be effected by tlie same cause. The particular cha racter which the war has assumed, may add to the extent and duration of these results. Exclusive and arbitrary principles cannot be com bated but by an oppositi on with.dit measure or end; and the s'etem of preservation and resistance should have the same character of univer sality, perseverance, and vigour. The peace of Amiens, if it had been Observed, would have prevented much confusion. I heartily wish that the exi lerience of the past may not be lost for the future• His Majesty has often stopped when the most certain triumphs lay before him, and turned found to invoke peace. In 1805, secure as he was by the advantages of his silualiott, alit! spite of the confidence which he might reasonably feel in anticipations whicla Furtune wag RIAQut to JULY lg. realize, he made proposals to his Britannic Alajest., which were reject. ed, on the ground that Russia should be consulted. In 1801 new pro posals were made in concert with Itweris. England alleged the ne cessity of an lute , vet - Mon, which could be no more than the result of the ne,:ociation itself. In 1810. his I\litesty having c early &seemed that the British Orders in Council of 1807, rendered the conduit of the weir i ne ompatib!c with the independence of Holland, caused indirett overture,. to be made towards procuring the return of peace. They were fruitless, mid the consequence was , that view Provinces were unit e d to the empire. In the present time are to be fount' united all the c i f . cumstances of the various periods at which his Majesty manilested the pacific st ntimcnts which he no w orders me again to declare that he i ; actuated by. The calamities under which Spam, atai the vast regioni of Spanish America suffer, should natural:y excite the intere,t ut all nations, and inspire them with an equal anxiety fur their ter. minatien. I will express myself, Sir, in a manner which your Excellency will And conform:lWe to the sincerity of the step which I am authorised to take.; and nothing will better evince the sincer:ty and sublimity of it than the precise terms of the language which I have been directed to use. What views and motives should induce me to envelope myself in formalities suitable to weakness, which alone can flail its interest in de. cell ? The affairs of the Peninsula, and the Two Sic;lies, are the points of difference which uppers least to admit of being adjusted. lam au thorised to propose to you an arrangement of them on the following basis :—The integrity of Spain shall be guaranteed. France shall re nounee all idea of exteeding her dominions beyond the Pyreonees. Time present Dynasty shall be declared independent, and Spain shall be governed by a National Constitution of her Comes. The independence and integrity of Portugal shall be also guaranteed, and the Hou Brogan:of shall have the Sovereign authority. be The kingdom of Naples shall remain in possession of the present Monarch, and the kingdom of Sicily shall be guaranteed to the present Family of Sicily. As a consequence of these stipulations, Spain, Poo tugal, and Sicily shall be evacuated by the French and Eugli,b land aced naval forces. With respect to the other objects of discussion, they may he negociated upon this basis, that each Power shall retain that of which the other could not deprive it by war. Such are, Sir, the grounds of conciliation offered by his Majesty to I his Royal Highness the Prince Regent. His Majesty the &sperm and i King, in taking this step, does not loo k either to the advantages r losow i which this empire may derive from the n ar, if it should be prolonged; he is inttnenced simply by the considerations of the interests of human. I ity, and the peace of his people ; and if - this fourth attempt s hould not be ntten'led with success, like those which have preceded it, France 1 1 will at least have the coesolation of thinlsieg, that whatever blood may I! yet flow, will be lastly-imputable to England al o ne . ilI have the Inthotir to be, . &c. (Signed) The Duke of BASSANO. COPY Mr TUE ANSWEtt OW !Alan CASTI.III.}:AOiIf SlCT.tritY b: ATE FOR 1.0111'1(1N vvAins or. ITIS ISnrriiwsic MAJMiVt TO Tnk t.r.TrlX:or 111 E MINISTLP. I un FOLMION RELATIONS, or Int 1. ; Ti OW APUIT., 1312. Foreign 007'e, ApiAM 18 St re- Your .E.;eellerte? 's letter of the lith inst. has Leen received, and NW before the Princv. Regent. His 11oyal Highness feels it due to Iris own honour, before he authorise me to enter into es:it:mations on the overture which your Ex cellency has transmitted, to a:certain the. precise meaning a ttached by the Government of France to the following passage in your-Excelleneye leter---" La. Dynastic aril:elle strait declarce indcpendente, et l'Espagne mg? par tine Conqittaiun National c.e/ Cortes." If, as his Royal Highness apprehends, the meaning of this Pre position is, that the Royal authority of Spain, and the Corerronent thereof, s hall be recoLorzed as reidirrg in the brother of the Ruler 01 France, and of n Cortes forrued under los authority, and not as resiii ing in the legitimate Sovereign FEr.DINAND it and his heir , , and tite General and Extr Loritinary Cones, now representing the Sin . nisi' nation—l am iiireered, frankly and esplicitly to dc.l4lc to vita F:xcelleney, that obligations of good faith preclude his Itoyul 110 - ,ness from eau:it:titling a proposition for peace founded upon such I basis. If, however, the expres si on s referred to apply t o the exiEtiag Go .' ail verut nent of Spain, acting in the nam e of Ferdinand VII upon sof a: t ee from sour Excellency to t hat e ff ect, his Itoya be prepared fully to explain himself open the basis that has been trat-ii witted for Irk /lila) Highness's consideration; it being his l"' ta Highness's euttest desire, in concert %%Hi his Allies, to contribute .e the repose of Europe, by bringing about a solid and permanent pew-it, 4.. which way .be at once honourable, nut only for Great Whim 'I" TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER