Star.
London, England, 1803-06-01 00:00:00

LEGISLATIVE. BODY, MAY 23.

The Counfel:or of State Elutes- addrefred the Le-
,,,-,illative Body, as follows :—The proceedings of the
negotiation already laid before you, have enabled
you to appreciate the fincerity of thole views which
the Government has nut ceafed to erprefs for the
maintenance of peace. The Fiat Conful has made
every factitice which did not appear to him to be
contrary to the Maiefly of the great people, of whom
he is the Chief. Lord Whitworth brought with him
the hopes of an accommodation; but the paffions
which agitate the MOIL Cabinet have difpelled the
L:l ray of hope; that Cabinet has fhewn stfelf infers.
Mile to tile voice of reafon, and deaf to the cry of hu.
manit y. France will not provoke the war, but will
meet it, and fupport it with all the energy her means
will enable her. The Englifh Miniltry have ordered
that French vefrel.lliall be feized, and all on board
made rrifuncri, without a previous declaration of
war. This aa of perfidy, unknown in the annals of
civilised nation., has been czercifed before even ill:
French Ambafrador quitted the foil of England. The
Proclamation of the King of England has caufed
allonithment and flopor among his own (oblate, and
excited the indignation and fury ,3f the French peo-
plc. It is true, then, that Eng Lend will make war
upon us Its this new crifis the flovt•rnment will not

be wanting towards the nation, nor the nation to-
wards the Government. England has become the
aggrefror ; reprifals thould immediately follow."
The Pretident replied—" Citizens, Counfellors of
State! the French people are too great, and too con-
fident in their own Rrength ; in the energy and wit.-
dom of the Government—in the genius of the Chief
of the Republic, for the war into which we are pro.
voiced to infpire the kelt dread. France will follow
it up with all the vigour of a warlike nation ; the
Legiflative Body will always give an example of that
firmnefs which the dignity and juftice of the caufe
thould infpire. Citizens, Counfellors of State ! let
us be always near to fupport the Government, and
thus anticipate the day when the Legiflative Body
!hall return the Government its folemn thanks for its
wifdom and firmnefs ; fay to it, we Mall be always
ready to fecond every =entre in which we (hall be
called to concur."
The Legiflator Dzsrmiss fpoke after the Prefi•
dent, as follows :—" Frenchmen will echo the cry of
indignation and vengeance, which the condud of an
ambitious and perjured Government provokes. They
will be feconded by the Powers of the Continent, in
that generous tranfport which mull be excited againft
a perfidy which forms fo ttriking a contrail to our
relighous execution of engagements. That infraftion
of a Treaty no fooner made than broken will not go
unpunilhed ; a Treaty in which the political into-efts
of two rival States were wifely balanced, and in which
humanity confoled herftlf in the folemn and ftrid
guarantee of the peace of the World. I have heard
fay, that Rome and Carthage went a fecond time to
dec de, by the lot of arms, the deßiny of the human
race, Rome only fought for herfelf; and it is the
curie of all the people that you are going to defend.
Every pretence for war was feited with avidity by
the Roman Senate, to whom all equilibrium was in
fupportable, and your Government, animated by
moderation, has exerted every nerve for the maintai-
nance of peace, confillent with the national dignity.—
Rome in the end dearoyed her rival, becaufe (he
withed every one to obey her : you, on the contrary,
have a nobler objet in view : you only defire to put
a flop to a culpable ambition, that difregards the moil
leered ties ; and faithful to the principles of a wife
and generous policy, you will always with for a coun-
tterpoife to your power, and objets of emulation to
Rimulate your virtue."