Republican ledger, and Portsmouth price current — Portsmouth, N.H., 1803-07-12 00:00:00, page 2

Latest Foreign.
Byway cf' w-Yurk.
LONDON, may, 17.
PROCLAMATION.
At the Court of the Queen's Palace the
16th <f May, 1803.
PRESENT,
The King's Mfl Excellent Maj fly, in
Council.
WHEREAS, in coofequence of the repeat
ed insults and provocations which his'
Majesty has experienced ftcm the Governmentl
of France, his Majesty finds himfelf competed
to take such meafurcs as are necessary for vin
dicating the honor of his Crown, and the just
rights of his fubjedb ; his Majesty, therefore,
is pleased, by and with the advice of his Privy;
Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered,that]
general reprisals be granted against the flips,
goods, and fubje&s of the French Republic, fo'
that as well his Majesty's fleets and flops, as al-l
so all other Ships and vtffels that shall be com-1
missioned, by Letters of Marque, or general:
reprisals, or otherwise, by his Majelly's Com-1
missioners for executing the office of Lord;
High Admiral of Great Britain, shall and may;
law fully seize all ships, vessels, and goods be-I,
l° n gi n K to the French Republic, or inhabiting
within any of the Territories of the French
Republic, and bring the fame to judgment in
such Courts of Admiralty within his majesty's ,
dominions, as shall be duly commissioned to f
take cognizance thereof ; and, to that end, his ।
Majesty's Advocate-General, with the Advo-;
cate of the Admiralty, arc forthwith to prepare ,
the draft of a commdrion, and present the fame ।
to his majefly at this Board, authorizing the,
commifliobers for executing the office of Lord ,
High Admiral, or any person or persons by
them empowered and appointed, to issue forth ,
and grant letters of marque and reprisals to {
any of H. M. fubjedls, or others whom the [
Commissioners mail deem fitly qualified in that
behalf, for the apprehending, seizing, and tak
ing the fllips, veffcls, and goods belonging tn
the French republic,or to any persons being sub-,
je&sto the F. republic,or inhabiting within any (
of the territories of the French Republic ; and
that such powers and clauses be inferred in the ;
said commission, as have been usual, and arc .
according to former precedent ; bis Majesty's
said Advocate-General with the Advocate oi ■
the Admiralty, are allo forthwith to prepare a
draft of a com mission, and present the fame to ,
his Majefly at this board, authorifing the said
Commissioners for executing the office of Lord'
High Admiral, to will and require the High
Court of Admiralty of Great Britain, and the,
Lieutenant and Judge of the said Court, his .
surrogate or surrogates, as also the fevers)
Courts of Admiralty within bis Majesty's do
minion which shall be duly commissioned to
take cognizance, of, and judicially proceed up
on all and all manner of captures, fcizurcs,prizes
and reprisals of all ships and goods that are 01
shall be made, and to hear and determine th<
fame, and according to the course of admiral
ty and the laws of n ations to adjudge and com
demn all such ships, veffcls, and goods as shall
belong to the French republic, or to any persons
being fubjedls to the French republic or inhabit
ing within any of the territories of the French
Republic ; and that such powers and clauses be
inserted in the said commiffioß as have beet
lufual and are according to former precedents :
and they are likewise to prepare and lay before
his Majefly at this board a draft of such in
flrudlions as may be proper to be lent to the
said fevcral Courts 01 Admiralty in bis Majes
ty's foreign governments and plantations, for
their guidance herein ; as also another draft of
inftruaions for such ships as shall be commis
sioned for the purposes above-mentioned.
From the Court of the Queen's Palace, the.
eighteenth da, of M>y, one tvoufand, eight (
hundred and three.।
[Signed by all the Privy Council ]
0
action (with some exceptions) is compos
ed ofapohate whigs, old torits, parti
zans of Monarchy, partizans of England,
and of her constitution, and confeqnent
jy enemies to the principles, tor whicl
Washington and the Republicans of the
country co nobly contended. Had Gem
Washington been supported during thr
revolution only by those men, vho witl
so much modefiy called themselves hi
'•exclusive friends," u e Should in all pro
baoihty at this time live under the m It
government of England, and be honoured
with the appellation of Subjects to hi
Britanic M jelly.
' Mr. Jederfon by his uniform attach
merit to Repuolicam.m, has ever beei
particularly obnoxious to the enemies o
liberty. They well know that he enjoy
the confidence of a large majority o
the Sovereign people of America. Tia
molt despicable means are therefore re
Sorted to by this faction to destroy hi
popularity. It they can but effect this
they flatter themselves they will be nbl
to succeed in their dangerous machina
lions against the constitution and libcrtic
of their country. But vie trull the Ke
publicans will by their vigilance be abl
to co interact those intrigues, and thereb
prevent the ' reign of terror" from bein,
again introduced into our country.
BRUTUS.
DECLARATION.
His Majesty's earned endeavours for the pref}
ervation of Peace having failed of success, he
entertains the fulled confidence that he shall
receive the fame support from his Parliament,
and that the fame zeal and fpiiic will be mani
fefted by his people, which he has experienced
on every occasion when the honor of bis crown;
has been attacked, or the cffential intereds of
his dominions have been endangered.
During the whole course of the negotiations
which led ro the preliminary and definitive
treaties of Peace between bis majesty and the
French Republic was his majesty's sincere de
lire, not only to put an end to the hostilities
which fubfiAed between the two countries, but
to adopt such n.ea'urrs and to concur in such
propositions, as might most eff Dually contri
bate to consolidate the general tranquility of
Europe, The fame motives by which his maj
efty was actuated during the negotiations for
peace, have since invariably governed Im con
dud. As soon as the Treaty of Amiens was
concluded, his Majesty's Courts were open to
the people of France, for every purpofc of Ic-
gal redress ; .all fequefi rations were taken off
.heir property ; all prohibitions on their trade
which had been imposed during the war were
removed, and they were placed, in every re
spell, on the fame footing with regard to com
merce and intercourse. as the inhabitants of any
other state in amity with his Majefly, with
which there exitlcd no treaty of commerce.
To a system of conduct thus open, liberal,
and friendly the proceedings of the French
Government afford the mod firiking contraft.|
rhe prohibitions which had been placed on the'
Icommerce of his majesty's fubjedls during the!
war, have been enforced with mereafed stria- 1
tsefs and fevcMty ; violence has been offered in
fevcral inflances to their veff Is and their prop
erty ; and, in no case, hasjuftice been afforded
|to those who may have been aggrieved in con
' ,fcquence of such aas. nor has any fatisfador y
j aulwer been given to the repeated reprefenta
) tions made by his majesty's ministers or Am-
Jbaffador at Paris. Under such circumstances,
'[when his majesty's fubjeds were not fuffered to
lenjoy the common advantages of peace wjthiri
'[the territories of thp French Republic, and the
'countries dependant upon it, the French Gov
°jernment had recourse to the extraordinary mea
"|fure offending over to this country a number
"|of persons for the profeffed purpofc of residing
[in the moll considerable sea-port towns of Great
e Britain and Ireland, in the character of com
y mcrcial agents or coafuls. These persons could
^ have no pretensions to be acknowledged in that
character, as the right of being so acknowledg
ed, as well as the privileges attached to such a
'fituation, could only be derived from a com
mcrcial treaty ; and as no treaty of that descrip
tion was in exigence between his majefly and
the French Republic.
There was corft quently too much reason to
suppose, that the real object of their mission
was by ho means of a commercial nature, and
this suspicion was confirmed, not only by the
circumstance that fomc of them were military
mr-ri, but by the actual difeovery that fevcral of
them were furnished with inftrudlions to obtain
the soundings cf the harbors, and to procure
military surveys of the places where it was in
tended they should reside. His majefly felt it
jt° be his duty to prevent their departure to
'{their refpedive places of destination, and repre
• fenced to the French Government the necefficy
°of withdrawing them ; and it cannot be deni
'ed that the circumstances under which they
' were font, arid the infcrudlions which were
'[given to them, ought to be considered as deci
—five indications of the dispositions and inten
'tions of the Government by whom they were
'^employed.
J The conduct of the French government,with
Jrefpe& to the commercial intercoufe between
Ithc two countries, mull therefore be corfider
Jed as ill suited to a date of peace, and their
'[proceedings in their more general political re
lations, as well as in these which immediately
/concern his majesty's dominions, appear to have
been altogether incontinent with every princi
ple of good faith, moderation and justice. His
majesty had entertained hopes, in consequence
of the repeated assurances and profeffions of
the French Government, thatthey might have
been induced to adopt a system of policy which,
if it had not inspired other powers with' confi
dence, might at Icaft have allayed their jealou
sies. If the French government had really ap
peared to be actuated by due attention to such
a system; if their dispositions had proved to be
cffcntially pacific, allowances would have been
made for the situation in which a new Govern
ment must be placed after so dreadful and ex
tensive a convulsion as that which has been
produced by the French revolution. But his
majesty had unfortunately too much reason to
observe and to lament that the system of vio
lence, aggreflion and aggrandizement which
characterized the proceedings of the different
governments of France during the war, has
been continued with little disguise since its ter
xinarian : They have continued to keep a
French army in Holland, against the will, and
in defiance d the remonfifances of the Batavi
in government, and in repugnance Wo the let
r cr of three solemn treaties. They have, in a
period of peace, invaded the territory and vio
lated the independence of the Swiss nation, in
defiance of the treaty of Luneville, which had
stipulated the independence of their territory,
and the right of the inhabitants to chufe their
own form of government. They have annex
rd to the dominions of France, Piedmont, Par
11a, and Placentia, and the island of*Elba,with
cut allotting any provision to the King cf Sar
iinia, whom they have despoiled of the moil
valuable part cf his territory, though they were
"round by a solemn engagement to the Emper
ir of Ruflia, to attend to his interests, and to
provide for his eflabliihment. It may, indeed,
with truth be affected, that the period which
'aas elapsed since the cenciufion of the cefini
r ive treaty has been marked with one continu
ed series of aggrtflion, violence and insult on
the part of the French government.
In the month of October last his Majefiy
wasinduced in corfcquence of the cerneft fo
heitation of the Sw ft nation, to make an effort,
by a representation ito the French government,
to avert the evils which were then impending
over that country. This representation was
, couched in the most temperate terms; and
mczlures were taken by his majefly for afeer
taining, under the circumstances which then
ezifled, the real situation and willies of the
Swiss Cantons, as well as the sentiments of the
other Cabinets of Europe. His majesty learned,
however, with the utmoG regret that no difpo
fition to counteract these repeated infractions of
treaties and ads of violence was manifefted by
any of the powers moll immediately interested
in preventing them . •and his majesty therefore
felt, that with refperil to these objects, his single
'efforts could not be expelled to produce any
considerable advantage to those in whose favor
they might be exerted.
It was about this time that the French
Igover, ment firft diftwttly advanced the
Jpriiicipte,that his majesty had no right to
complain of the conduct, or to interfere
with the proceedings of France, on any
,point which did not form a part of the
j stipulations of the treaty of Amiens.
That treaty was unqueflionably founded
3 upon toe fame principles as every other
.antecedent treaty or convention, on the
;afTumptiun of the slate of pofleffion and
inf engagements subsisting at the time of
[ its conclusion ; and if that flare of poflef
tian and of engagements is materially Qf
.tested by the voluntary a^t of any of the
parties, so as to prejudice the condition
;m which the other party has entered in
ird the contrast, the change, so made,
nay be considered as operating virtually
jus a breach of the treaty itfelf, and as giv
ing the party aggrieved a right to demand
fatisfattion or compensation tor any fub
llantial difference which such acts may
have effected in their relative situations ;
but whatever be the principle on which
the treaty is to be considered as founded,
there is indisputably a general law of
, nations, wh.ch, though liable to be limit
-led, explained, or retrained by conven
tional law, is antecedent to it, and that
law or rule of conduct which all Sover
:eigns and Bates have been accustomed to
'appeal, where conventional law is admit
-1 ted to have been Silent. The treaty of
'Amiens, and every other treaty, in pro
',viding tor the objects to which it is par
°ticularly directed, does not therefore im
' ply an indifference to all other objects
°whit, are not fpecified in its stipulations,
* much less does it adjudge them to be of a
' nature to be left to the will and caprice
'of the violent and the powerful. The
justice of the cause is alone a fufficient
e'
ground to warrant the interpolation of
any of the powers of Europe in the differ-1
r enceswhich may arise betweeoother Bates,|
,|md the application and extent cf thatjud;
^Jnterpofition is to be determined fclely 1
lay considerations of prudence. These 1
/principles can admit of no depute ; but|
sis the new and extraordinary pretentious
j advanced by the French government,toex-1
a clud^ his majesty from any right to inter-I
. tere with refpeft to the concerns of other|
. powers, unirfs they made a fpecific part 1
j of the Bipulations of the treaty ofAmiens,|
vas that whichit was possible to maintain, ;
o.hofe powers would have a right at lead
n 0 claim the bene fit of this principle, in
j every case of difference between the two
e countries. The indignation of all Europe
y null surely then be excited by the decla
-1 ration of the French government, that, in 1
1 he event of hottdities, these very powers
c who were no parties to the treaty of
- Amiens, and who were not allowed to
t derive any advantage from the rethon-'
a Frances of his majesty in their behalf, are
-nevertheless to be made the vttims of a |
y war which is alleged to arise out of
- the fame treaty, and are to be facrificedl
9m a contest which they not only have not|
M >ccafioned, but which they have had no
- neans whatever of preventing.
His Majesty judged it molt expedient
e under the circumstances u hich then affeft-1
?d Europe, to abstain from a recurrence I
1 to hoflilhies on account of the views of
1 ambition and acts of aggression mani-1
eked by France on the continent ; yet 1
r in experience of the character and dif.l
portions of the French government could'
'not fail to impress His Majelly with a
= sense of the necessity of increased vigi-I
lance in guarding the rights and dignity•
[ of his crown, and in protesting the in- }
'terras of his people.
Whilß His Majesty was actuated by 1
these sentiments, he was called upon by'
;the French Government to evacuate the [
Bland of Malta. His Majesty has mani-/
felled, from the moment of the fignature|
n the Definitive Treaty, an anxious dis- *
!rofition to carry into full effect the ftipu-|
,unions of the treaty of Amiens relative ,
0 that iftand. As soon as he was inform-:
ed that an election of a Grand Matter had ,
uken place, under the aufpicesof theEm-|
§ ? eror of Ruflia, and that it had been a-?
, ;reed by the different priories affembledl
at St. Petersburg, to acknowledge the|
1 >erfon whom the Court of Rome fnonld|
releft out of those who had been named |
. jy them to be Grand Mailer of the order 1
> I Sr. John, His majesty propped to the\
Tench Government,for the purpose of a-|
voiding any difficulties whichimght arife|
o the execution of the arraugnient, to
wkno.Cedge that election to be valid :;
md when, in the month of August, the|
flench government applied to his majefiy;
1 0 permit the Neapolitan troops to be;
ent to the Island of Malta, as a prelmi
, my measure for preventing any unnecef'
ary delay,lns Majesty CBnfented without
lefitation to this propofol, and pave di
rections for the admiflion of the Neapoli
an troops into the island. His nujefty :
'ad thus shewn his difoofition net only toI
tirow no obflacles in the way of the ex-|
cution of tile treat, ,but on the contrary, |
' o facilitate the execution of it by every|
'mean in his power. His Mjefty cannot [
3 however, admit that any period since the;
1 ouclufion of the treaty of Ameins the |
French government had any right to call 1
upon him, in conformity to the Bipnla
-:i,ps of that treaty, to withdraw his for
ces from the Bland of Malm
At the time when this demand was
made by the French Government, several
' ,i the mcfl importart Bipul.ti ns of the|
mrangement reflecting Malta remained 1
[ unexecuted :'The election of a Grand |
; Vue er had not been carried intoeffe& —;
I he io:h article had stipulated that thei
}iedpeudence of the illand should b° placed
under the guarantee and protection of
Great Britain, France, Austria, Rutfia, j
,prill and PruTiad}
The Emperor of Germany has acceded to
I the guarantees but only on condition of a like
zacceffion on the pare of the other powers fpeci-,
jfied in the article. The Emperor cf Russia
, had refufed his accession except on the condi
. cion that the Maltese language Should be abro
gated; and the King of Prussia had given no
. answer whatever to the application which had
been made to him to accede to the arrangement. ;
, But the fundamental principle, upon the cxift-,
ence of which depended the execution of the|
, other parts of the article, had been defeated by ;
.'the changes which had taken place in the con- !
, ftitution of the Older since the conclufon cf the
, Treaty of Peace. It was to the order of St.
John of Jertifalem that his majesty was, by the
[ firfl stipulation of the tenth article, bound to
„ restore the Bland of Malta. The order is de
fined co consist of those languages which were
lin exigence at the time of the conclusion cf the
treaty; the three French Languages having
been abolished, and a Maltese language added
to the institution. The order confift@, there
fore, at that time, of the following languages,
viz the languages of Arrogan, Caftile, Germa
- Iny Bavaria, and Russia. Since the conclusion
of the Definitive Treaty; the languages of Ar
^rogan and Cattile have been separated from the
Order by Spain, a part of the Italian language
he would rot have been juftified in evacuating
of the Island of Malta, without receiving some
other security, which might equally provide
for these important objects. His majesty ac
cordingly feels that he has an inconteftiole claim
in consequence of the condu& of France since
the treaty of Peace, and with reference to the
objeds which made part of the stipulations of
that treaty, to refufe, under the present circum
stances, to relinqnifh the possession of the island
of Malta.
Yet notwithstanding this right so clear ahd
and so unquestionable, the alternative presented
by the French Government to his Majesty in
language the most peremptory and menacing,
was, “ The evacuation of Malta, or the renew
al of war."
If the views of ambition and aggrandizement,
which have thus been manifefted by the French
Government since the conclusion of the treaty
of peace, have in so very particular a manner at
trafled the attention of his Majesty, i: has been
equally imp fhble for him net to fee!, and not
to notice the repeated indignities which have
been offered by that Government to his Crown
and to his people.
The report of Colonel Sebafliani contains the
most unwarrantable insinuations and charges
against his Majesty's Government, against the
officer who commanded his forces in Egypt, and
against the British army in that quarter. The
paper cannot be considered as the publication
of a private individual; it has been avowed,
and indeed bears evidence upon the face of it,
that it is the official report of an accredited a
gent, publifbed by the authority cf a govern
ment to which it was addressed, who thereby
have given it their express fandlion.
This report had been publifbed a very short
time,when another indignity was offered to this
country in the communication of the Firfl Con
fsl of France to the legislative body. In this
communication be presumes to affirm, in the
character of Chief Magistrate of that country,
" That Great-Britain cannot singly contend a
gainst the power of France ;" an affection as
unfounded as it is indecent, disproved by the
event of many wars, and by none more than by
those of the war which has been recently con
cluded. Such an assertion, advanced in the
most solemn official ad of Government, and
thereby meant to be avowed to all the Powers
of Europe, can be considered in no other light
than as a defiance publicly offered to his Majes
ty, and to a brave and powerful people, who
arc both willing and able to defend his just
rights, and those of their country, against eve
ry insult and aggression.
The conduft of the First Consul to
his Majesty's Ambassador, at his audi
ence, in presence of the Ministers of most
hasbeen abolifhedby the annexation of Piedmont
and Parma to France. There is a strong reason
to believe that it has been in contemplation to se
questrate the property of theßavarian language,
and the intention has been avowed of keeping
the Ruffian languages within the dominions of
the Emperor.
Under these circumstances the Order of St.
John cannot be considered as that body to
which, according to the stipulations of the trea
ty, the island was to be restored ; and the funds
indispensably necessary for its support, and for
the maintenance of the independence of the
island, have been nearly, if not wholly sequest
ered. Even if this had arisen from circumftanc
cs which it was not in the power of the contract
ing parties to the treaty to controul, his Majes
ty would nevertheless have had a right to defer
the evacuation of the inland by his forces, until
such time as an equivalent arrangement had
been concluded for the preservation of the inde
pendence of the Order and of that Bland. But
if these changes have taken place in consequence
of any acts of the other parties to the Treaty ;
if the French Government shall appear to have
proceeded upon a system of rendering the Or
der, whose independence they had flipulated, in
capable of maintaining that independence, his
Majeß/s right to continue in the occupation
of the island, under such circumstances, will
hardly be contested. It is indisputable that the
revenues cf the two Spanish languages have
been withdrawn from the Order by his Catho
lic Majesty; a part of the Italian language has
in fa& been abolished by France, through the
urjuft annexation of Piedmont, and Parma, and
Placentia, to the French territory. The Elect
or of Bavaria has been instigated by the French
Government to fcqoeflrate the property of the
Order within his own territories ; and it is cer
tain that they have not only fanflioned but en
couraged the idea of the propriety cf feparatiog
the Ruffian languages from the remainder of
the Order.
As the conduft of the Governments of France
and Spain have, therefore, in some instances di
redlly, and in others indiredly, contributed to
the changes which have taken place in the Or
der, and thus destroyed its means of supporting
its independence, it is to those governments,
and not to his Majesty, that the non-execution
of the tenth article of the treaty of Amiens
mull be ascribed.
Such would be the just conclusion if the tenth
article of that treaty were considered as an ar
rangement by itfclf. It mull be obferved,how
ever, that this article forms a part only of a
Treaty of Peace, the whole of which is con
nected together, and the Stipulations of which
must, upon a principle common to all treaties,
be conftruod as havinga reference to each other.
His Majesty was induced by the treaty of
peace to consent to abandon and to restore to
the Order of St. John the island of Malta, on
condition of its independence and neutrality.
But a further condition which must necessarily
be supposed to have had considerable influence
with his Majesty in inducing him to make so
important a conseflion, was the acquiescence of
the French government in an arrangement for
the security of the Levant, by the eighth and
ninth articles in the treaty stipulating the in
tegrity of the Turlcifh Empire, and the indepen
dence of the lonian inlands. His Majesty has,
however, since le#nt, that the French Gov
ernment have entertained views hostile to both
these objects; and that they have even fuggift
ed the idea of a partition of the Turkish em
pire. Thefe.views mull now be manifeft to all
the world from the official publication of the
report of Colonel Sebafliani, from the condu&
of that officer, and of the other French agents
in Egypt, Syria, and the lonian i Hands, and from
the diftind admission of the First Consul him
felf, in his communication with Lord Whit
worth. His Majesty was, therefore, warranted
in considering it to be the determination of the
French Government to violate those articles of
the treaty cf Peace, which ilipulated for the
integrity and independence of the Turkish em
pire, and of the lonian Inlands, and confeqeuntly
Under all these insults and provoca
tions, his Majetiy, not without a due
sense of his dignity, has proceeded with
every degree of temper and moderation
to obtain fatisfadion and redress, while
he has neglefted no means, confident
with his honour and the fafety of his
dominions, to induce the Government:
of France to concede to him, what is in
his judgment, abfoluicly ieceffary for
the future tranquility of Europe. His
efforts in this refpe& have proved a
bortive, and he has therefore judged it
necessary tto order his ambassador from
Paris. In'having recourse to this pro
ceeding, it has been his Majesty's ob
jed to put an end to the fruitlefs dif
cufiions which have too long subsisted
between the two Governments, and to
close a period cf suspense peculiarly in
jurious to the fubjedts of his Majesty.
But though the provocations which his
Majesty has received, might entitle him
to larger claims than those which he
has advanced, yet anxious to prevent
calamities which might thus be exten
ded to every part of Europe, he is dill
willing, as far as is confident with his
own honour, ard the intereds of his
people, to afford every facility to any
just and honorable arrangemen t, by
which such evils may be averted. He
has therefore no difficulty in declaring
to all Europe, that notwithstanding all
the changes which have taken place
tince the i reaty of Peace ; notwithdan
ding the extension of the power of
France, in repugnance to that treaty,
and to the spirit of peace itfelf, His
Majesty will not avail himfelf of these
circumstances, to demand in compensa
tion all he is entitled to require, but:
will be ready to concur, even now, in
an arrangement by which fatsfeaicn
shall be given to him, for the indigni
ties which have been offered tohiscrown
and to his people, and substantial secu
rity afforded against further encroach
ments on the part of France.
His Majesty has thus diftindly and
unrtfervedly Rated the reasons of these
proceeding to which he has found him
felf compelled to resort : he is actuated
by no disposition to interfere in the
internal concerns ofany other Rate ; by
no proje^s of conquest and aggran
dizement ; but solely by a sense of
what is due to the honour of his Crown
and the interests of his people, and by
an anxious desire to obftru& the further
progress of a system, which if not refit
ted, may prove fatal to every part of *
the civilized world.
of the Sovereigns and States of Europe
furnishes another inflance of provoca
tion on the part of the French Govern
ment which it would be improper not
to notice on the present occasion, and
the subsequent explanation of this tran
ladion may be considered as having the
effect of aggravating instead of pallia
ting the affront.
At the very time vehen his Majesty
was demanding latisfaftion, and expla
nation on some of the points above
mentioned,the French Minifterat Ham
burgh endeavoured to obtain the infer,
tion in a Hamburgh Paper of a most
gross and approbriou: libel againilhis
Majesty, and when difficulties were
made refpeding the insertion of it, he
availed himfelfof his official character of
MinifteroftheFrench republic to require
the publication of it by order cf hisGcv
ernment in the Gazette of the Senate of
that town. With this requisition, so made,
the Senate of Hamburgh were induced
to comply ; and thus has the indepen
dence of chat town been violated, and
a free State made the instrument, by
the menace cf the French Government,
ofpropogating throughout Europe, up
on their authority, the mod ofFenfive
and unfounded calumnies against his
Majesty and his Government. His
Majesty might add to this lift of indig
nities,the requisition which the French
Government have repeatedly urged,
that the laws and conflitution of his
country should be changed relative to
the liberty cf the press. His Majesty
might likewise add, the calls which the
French Government have, on several
occafions,made upon him to violate the
laws cf hospitality with refpe& to per
sons who had found an asylum within
his dominions, and againftwhofe con
dud no charge whatever has at any
time been substantiated. It is impoffi
blc to refled on these different proceed
ings, and the course which the French
Government have thought proper to
adopt refpeding them, without the
thorough conviction that they are not:
the effeft of accident ; but that they
form a part of a system which has been
adopted for the puapofe of degrading,
vilifying, and insulting his Majesty and
his Government.
LONDON, MAY Ifo
Yesterday morning orders were dis.
patched from the admiralty to the com
manding officers of all his Majeftj's
(hips of war, authorizing them to
CAPTURE, SINK, BURN, and
DESTROY the (hips and vessels be
longing to the Republic of France.