The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-11-06 00:00:00, page 2

The aftual warin which the United States of America
were necessarily involved with England, forced them to
open a communication for direct commerce between them
and the other European Powers; His Majesty would have
betrayed the most essential interests of his kingdom if he
had refufed to admit them into his ports, and had not al
-1 ^wed them a participation of the advantages enjoyed by
all or er nations.
This just and wife conduct, pra&ifed by moll of the
commercial states in Europe, engaged the Court of Great-
Brit tin to take the liberty of making the bitterest com
plaints and representations, perfwaded no doubt, that
the language of ambition and haughtiness would be fuffi
cient to obtain from France an implicit deference. To
these indecent proceedin, s his Majesty hill replied with
calmness, justice and reason. He informed the King
of Great Britain in the most explicit terms, that he
was not, nor did he pretend to be a judge of the quar
rel between him and his antient colonies ; That It did not
belong to him to revenge his cause; And that consequent
ly not due could oblige him to treat the Americans as Re
l: Is, to flint his ports against them, and still less to prohi
bit his OR n fubje'ds from all k : nd of commerce or connec
tion with them. His Majesty nevertheless condescended
as far as in his power to prevent the exportation of arms
and mmunition,and even gave the most positive assurances
not only that he would not proted this commerce, but
would leave Great Britain at liberty to retrain according
to the rules prescribed by the treaties, and according to the
laws and customs of the seas, all his fubjeds who should
contravene his orders. His Majesty went still fur
ther: He observe I with the most scrupulous attention the
execution of the Stipulations of the treaty of commerce
fined at Utrecht, altho' Great Britain had, at the time,
refufed to ratify every part of it, and daily infringed it.
His Majesty consequently g^e orders that the American
orivßteets should not be fitted out in his ports, that they
should not fell their prizes nor remain in them beyond the
timelimited by the treaty abovementioned. He allo en
joined his fubjeds not to purchase the said prizes, an 1
threatened the transgressors ofhis orders with the confif
cation of their proper ty. But all those ads of such remarka
ble complaisance and b much fidelity in the find observance
of a treaty which he might have regarded as null and void
were fir from fatisfying the Court of London, which pre
tended to make the King responsible for every transgres
sion, while the King of Great Britain himfelf tho' assisted
by a formal Ad of PMi iment, could not prevent his own
merchants from Applying the colonies with merchandize,
and even with ammunition.
Itis easy to conceive how much a refufal to comply with
the Arbitrary pretentions of Great Britain must have
wounded the felf loveof that power and rekindled her an
tient animosity against France. She was the more irrita
ted as sh began toexperience a reverse of fortune in Ame
rica, where every thing pro, nofticated an irreconcileable
separation from her antient colonies and the inevitable loss
esthat must ensue, and as she saw France availing herfejf
ofa part of that commerce which she had imprudently
driven away, and taking measures to render her flag re
fpedable
Ail these reasons together augmented the despair of the
Court of London, and induced her to cover the seas with
privateers, under commissions of a truly offenfive
mature; to violate, in the highest degree the faith of trea
ties ; to interrupt on the most frivolous and absurd preten
ces the commerce and navigation es his Mijefty's fubjefts ;
to arrogate a tyrannical Empire on the open has ; to pre
scribe laws arbitrary, uiknown and inadmissible; to insult
on many occasions his Majesty's flag ; and, in fine, to vi
olate his territorial rights both in Europe and America in
the most intuiting and outrageous manner.
PHILADELPHIA.
We hive been favoured with a translation of the following
MANIFESTO, published by permission at Bour
deaux.
MANIF E S T O,
On the MOTIVES of the Conduct of the King of
France relative to Great Britain.
WH EN by premiffion of divine providence his Majes
ty ascended the Throne, France enjoyed the matt pro
found peace His MajeOy's firfl care was to manifeft to
every power the desire he had to render it permanent.
All the world applauded this happy disposition; The King
of Great Britain in particular teftified his Satisfaction, and
gave his Mtjefty the most pointed assurances of a sincere
friendihip. This reciprocation of sentiments authorised
his Majesty to believe that the Court of London was at
lift disposed to pursue a more just and friendly line of con
duct than what it had done since the conclusion of the
peace in the year 1763 ; and that a flop would be put to the
arbitrary proceedings, to which his Mijefty's Subjects
had been exp> fed since that time in the four quarters of
the wodd. His Majesty was the mor? persuaded that be
could depend on the sincerity of the Kmg of Great Bri
tain's protestations, as the revolution which has since ta
ken place in America had then began to make its appear
anc in a manner very alarming to Great Britain. But
the Court of London considering that as fear (or weakness
which was only the effect of his Majesty's pacific dispositi
on, dill pursued its antient system, and continued its vex
atious ads of violence against the commerce and navigation
of his Mijefty's Subjects. His Majesty, judging of the
King of Great Britain by his own sentiments, laid before
him with the greatest sincerity all his complaints, confi
dently expecting that they would be redressed. Moreover
his Mijefty being informed of the embarrassments io
which tie affairs of North-America had involved theCour't
of London, avoided to augment them by infilling in too
Arduous a manner on the reparations which the British
M nitlry continually promifedand evaded.
Such was the Situation of t-e two Courts, when the pro
ceedings oftheCourt of London forced its ancient Colonies
to fly to arms in order to maintain their rights,their privi
ledges and their liberties. All the world is acquainted
with the epocha of this event; with the many ineffectual
steps which the Americans took to regain the affection of
their Mother Country ; Ihe manner in which Great Bri
tain rejected them; And lastly, the declaration of Inde
pendence, whieh was, and necessarily must have been the
result.
If his Majesty had been less influenced by the rights of
humanity, if he had less valued the blood of his fubjefts,
if instead of following the impulse of his own disposition he
had only consulted his wounded dignity, he would not
have hesitated a moment to have made reprisals and repel
led the insult by force of arms.
But his Majesty ftifled his just resentment. He was wil
ling to go to the utmost extent in the line of moderation,
because he still entertained so favourable an opinion of his
enemies as to flatter himfelf that by such moderation and
friendly remonstrances he could bring about a reconcilia
tion which their own interest required. On these confe
derations the King laid before the Court of London all his
complaints, accompanying them with the most Serious re
monflrances, being determined not to fuffer the King of
Great Britain to entertain the least of doubt of his firm
resolution to Support his own dignity, defend the rights
and interests of his fubjeds, and maintain the reSpeCt due
tohis flag,
But the Court of London affected to pass over with con
templaous silence the greeted part of the remonstrances
made by the King's Ambassador; and when it deigned to
answer made no difficulty to deny the most authentic faffs,
advancing principles contrary to the rights of nations, to
treaties and marine laws, and to encourage judgments and
confifcations contrary to all justice; at the fame time refu
fing the right of appeal.
Whilst the Court ofLondon was thus putting the mode
ration and long Suffering of his Majesty to a Severe trial,
they were going on in their ports, with preparations and
armaments which could not have America for their objeft.
Their purpose w s to manifeft that his Majesty could
not mistake it; and from thence it became his indifpenfi
ble duty to make preparations for preventing the evil de
signs of his enemy, and such depredations and insults as
were committed in the year 1755.
In this situation of affairs his Majefty,who notwithstan
ding his pressing interests, had until this time refufed the
oilers made to him by the United States of America, found
that he had not a moment to lose in arming connections
with them. Their Independence was declared and adu
ally established; Grear Britain herfelf had in a manner
acknowledged it by Suffering the continuance of ads,
which appertained to Sovereignty,
Had it been his Majesty's intention to deceive Great
Britain and lead her into falfe measures by keeping her in
error, he would have concealed with the utmost Secrecy
his engagements with his new allies. But the principles
of juflice which had guided his Majesty, and the sincere
desire he had to preserve peace, induced him to a more no
ble and sincere conduct, he thought it his duty of his
own accord to enlighten the King of Great Britain by no
tifying to him the connection entered into with the United
States.
Nothing could be more simple and less offenfive, than
the declaration his Majesty's Ambassador delivered to
the British Ministry.
But the Council at St. James's did not view it in
the lame light; and the King of Great Britain alter ha
ving broken the peace by recalling bis AmAffadbr, re
presented to his Parliraent, his Majesty's behaviour as an
aft of hostility, as a premeditated and formal aggression.
Yet it would be unreasonable to imagine that the resent
ment, of the King of Great Britain, arose from his Ma
jesty's acknowledgement of the Independence of the U
nited States. Tnat Prince surely was not ignorant of all
the examples of this kind which are found in the British
annals, and even in those of his own reign His ref^nt
ment arose from another principle. The treaty of France
fru ftrated the plan formed at London, of a momenta
ry and precarious coalition with America, and difeoncer
ted the secret projects which had influenced his Bri
tannic Majesty to Such a measure. The true cause of the
animofi,; which the King of England manifefled, and
was communicated to his Parliament, was, that he could
not re-unite the Americans to his Crown, and arm them
against France.
Such an extraordinary conduct evidently demonstrated
to his Majesty what he had to expeC tfrom the Court of
London; and, if any doubt had still remained on this
head, his Mfrfl,, would Soon have found proof in the
immense preparations which were redoubled with the
most astonishing precipitation in all the British ports.
Such demonftraticns, so manifeftly directed against
France, became a law tohis Majesty. He put himfelf in
a condition to repel force by force. With this view he
hastened the armaments in his ports; and Sent a Squad
ron to America under the command of Count D'E firing.
It is notorious that the forces of France, were firft in a
condition to aft. It was in his Power to Strike the most
unexpected and Sensible blow on Great-Britain. It Shall ever
be confeffed that his Majesty had entertained the thought,
and that he was on the point of executing his projects,when
the very name of peace flapped him. He ws informed
by His Catholic Majesty, that the Court of London
fliewed some desire of a reconciliation, through the me
diation of Spain. This Monarch was not willing to ap
pear as a mediator, until he had clear and positive assurance
of being accepted ; and without being informed of the prin
ciple objects which were to form the basis of the negoci
ation.
His Majesty received th s overture, with a Satisfaction pro
portioned to the desire he always had for the maintenance
of peace. Although the King of Spain, at firft declared
that it was indifferent to him, whether his mediation was
accepted or refufed; and though not withflanding he had
these proposals, he left the King his Nephew at full liber
ty to aft according to his own views, Eis Majesty not
only accepted the mediation, but immediately suspended
the failing of his fleet from Brest, and consented to com
municate his conditions of peace, as soon as Great Britain
should in a positive manner fignify her desire of reconcilia
tion, on terms comprehending the United States of Ame
rica, which France from principles of duty as well as in
clination could not abandon.
Nothing Surely could be more conformable to the Seem
ing intentions of the Court of London. His Catholic
Majesty, without doubt loft not one moment for negocia.
ting accordingly, with the King ®f England and his Mi
nistry; when tcefe soon convinced the Court of Madrid
that their proposals for peace were not sincere. The British
Ministry answered without evasion, that there was no
room for reconciliation and peace, un'il France should have
withdrawn her declaration sf the iph es March last
year. This answer was injurious to Spain, as well as to
France, and discovered in tre moss evident manner, th,
hostile views of Great Britain. Thetwo Monarchs con
sidered it in this light : and although his Majesty, con
tinually animated by a love of pece, still left it in his
Catholic Mt jefty's power, if he thought proper to conti
nue the mediation, he ordered his charge d'affaires at the
Court of London to be in future fiient on this head.
The failing of the fleet which his Majesty had placed
under the command of the Count D'Orvilliers became ne
cessary ; to oppose the designs of the enemies to his Crown,
and revenge the insults which had been committed cn his
flag. By Divine Providence, his Majesty's arms tri
umphed; the Count D'Orvilfiers, attacked by the En
glish fleet, fought and obliged it to retreat, after it had
fu ffered coufi arable damage.
From that time hofti'ities have continued between the
two Crowns, without ^py declaration of war The Court
of London made none, because she had no reasons to jolli
fy it. Besides flie did not dare publicly to accuft France
of being the aggressor, a.ter the British Squadron had ta
ken three of his Majesty's Ships; and they saw that they
should have had too much reason to biulh when the exe
cution of their orders, clandestinely Sent to the Eaft-In
ies, Should have convinced Europe what fort of confidence
was to be placed on tueir pacific dispositions, and should
have enabled all the World to judge, to which of the two
Nation , France or England, the appellation of perfidious
rightly belongs ; which the Englifti Ministry on every oc
caaon applies to France. The reason why his Majesty
delayed to a< quaint all nations with the many complaints
he bad against the Court of London, and to demonstrate
the absolute necessity he was under to have recourse to
arms was, that he still flattered himfelf the British Mini
stry would return to their senses, and that justice, or still
more the criti.al situation into which they had plunged
their country would induce them to alter their con
duct.
This hope appeared (0 much the better grounded, as
the English Ministry inceffintly employed emissaries to
difeover his Majesty's dipofitions, whilst the King of
Sp in continued to Speak to him of peace. His Majesty,
far from falfifying the Sentiments he bad always manifeft
ed, on the contrary listened with eagerness to the new ex
ortations of the King his uncle ; ano, to convince that
Prince of his sincerity and perseverance, he entrusted
to him without reserve the moderate conditions, on which
he was willing and ready to lay down his arm,.
The Catholic King communicated those affuranc s
which he had received from his Majesty to the Court of
London, and pressed that Court to effectuate a re concili
ation for which it had itfelf teftified so great a desire;
but the British Ministry still Signifying to wish for peace,
only answered to the friendly efforts of the King of Spain,
by ambiguous proposals which could not be admitted.
It was therefore tully evident that England did not want
a peace, and had no other end in view than to gain the
time effeneal to her warlike preparations. The King of
Spain w s perfedly convinced ot this, and saw allo how
far his dignity was exposed ; notwithflanding which,
this Prince was so much affected by the calamities insepa
rable from war, and was so much pre-occupied with the
hopes of flopping its progress, that he forgot how far the
conduct of the Court of London, had been offenfive to
him, in order that he might employ himfeifonly about the
means of eftabiifhing his pacific views; for this purpose
His Catholic Majesty proposed to the King, a new plan,
by which the belligerent powers Should conclude a truce
for a long number of years. This plan was agreed to, by
his Majesty, on condition that the United States, should
be included therein, and treated during the truce as Inde
pendent in faa, and to give more facility to the King of
England to fubferibe to this essential condition, his Ma
jesty consented, that that Prince might treat with Con
gress, either directly or through the interposition of the
King of Spain.
In consequence of this plan, His Catholic Majesty
formed t>e proposition to be made to the Court of Lon
don : Ind' pendency of an unlimitted reflation of arms,
during which the United States fliould be regared as In
dependent in fa&, that Prince, willing to make use of e
very means which might flop the effufion of human blood,
undertook of himfelt t® prepofe relative to America,
that each of the parties Should remain in possession of
what they might hold, at the time of the Signing of the
treaty.
No one surely could doubt that those conditions would
be accepted; they were, however, refufed. The Court
of London rejected them in the most formal manner, and
Shewed no disposition to peace, unless his Majesty would
abandon the Americans to themselves. After a declara
tion so decisive, the continuation of war is become in
evitable, and from thence his Majesty found himfelf obli
ged to invite the Catholic King to join,with him, in virtue
of their engagements, to revenge their mutual grievances,
and to fix bounds to the tyrannical empire which Great
Britain hath usurped and pretends to maintain over all
the seas.
His Majesty was still however in hopes of an accom
modation, when the Squadrons commanded by Admira's
Keppel and Byron, failed from tie British ports : This
served to rend the flight veil under which the Court of
London fought to conceal its true intentions. No long
er was it possible to credit their insidious pr tensions, nor
to doubt of their inimical purposes. In ths situation of
affairs, his Majesty found himfelf forced to change the
directions of the measures which he had before adopted,
for the Security of his peffeffions, and ©f the commerce of
his fubjefts. The even' Soon demonflrated the juflice of
his Majefly's precaution. Every one knows in what
manner his Ma;efty's frigate La Belle Poule was attack
ed by an Enghfh frigate in fight of the French coast.
It is not less notorious thht too other frigates and a Smal
ler vessel, were taken by furprize, and carried into the Bri
ti® ports.
This concise exposition of the political views, proceed
ings and successive events which have occasioned a rupture
between the Court of Versailles and that of London, will
enable Europe to draw a comparison between his Majesty's
condud and that of the King of Great-Britain ; to render
justice to the purity and rectitude of the intentions which
have dire&ed his Majesty; and to judge which of the
two Sovereigns is the real author of the war that now af
flids their States, and which of the two must be answera
ble for the many calamities that will be in its train.