Star.
London, England, 1803-05-20 00:00:00

DECLAR,ITION.

His Maje earnelt endeavours for the pre-
fervation of Peace having failed of fuceefs, he en-
tertains the fulleft confidence that he than receive
the fame fupport from hie Parliament, and that
the fame zeal and fpiiit will be manifefted by his
people, which he has experienced on every occa-
lion when the honour of his Crown has b:en at-
tacked, or the ellential interefts of his dominions
have been endangered.
During the whole courfe of the Negociations
which led to the Preliminary and Definitive Trea-
ties of Peace between his Majelty and the French
Republic, it was his Majefty's fincere defire not
only to put an end to the hoftilities which fnbfifte 1
between the two countries, but to adopt fu :1t nevi-
ftires, and to concur in fuch propolitions as might
moll etre/Nally contribute to eonfolidate thz gene-
ral tranquillity of Europe. The fame motives by
which his Majelty was at!lukted during the Nego-
tiationi for Peace, have fince invariably governed
his condo 1. As loon as the Treaty of Amiens
was concluded, his Majefty's Courts were open to
the people of France for every purpnfe of legal
redrelikt all ferprearations were taken off their
property ; all prohibitions on their trade which
had been impaled during the war were removed;
and they were placed in every relpeet on the fame
footing, with regard to commerce and intereourfe,
as the inhabitants of any other (late in amity with
his Majefty, with which there exiled no treaty.of
commerce. _ _

To a triton of condnet thokopen, liberal, and
friendly, the proceedings of the Frcneh Govern-
ment afforded the mnft linking contrail. The
prohibitions which had been placed on the com-
merce of his Majefly's fubjedts during the war,
have been enforced with increafed Itrienefs and
feventy ; violence has been- offered in leveret in.
hances to their veffels and their property ; and, in
no cafe; has jullice been afforded to thofe who
may have been aggrieved in confequence of fuch
ads, nor has any fatisfadtory anfwer been given to
the repeated repreferastions made by his Mujefly's
Minifters or Ambalradnrlit Paris. Under fuch
cir-
cumllances,whenhis Majefirifubjedts were not ltd.
feted to enjoy the common advantages of Peace
within the territories of the French Republic,
and the countries dependent upon it, the French
Government had recourfe to the extraordinary
meafare of fending over to this country a number
of perfons for the profeffed purpole of refiding in
the molt confiderable feu-port towns of Great Bri•
rain and Ireland, in the chandler of Commercial
Agents or Confols. There percent; could have no
pretenfions to be acknowledged in that chandter,
AS the right of being fo acknowledged, as well as
all the privileges attached to fuch a fituatiop, could
only be derived from a Commercial Treaty; and
as no treaty of that defeription was in exißence be-
tween his Majelly and the French Republic.
There was confequentiy ton much reafon to
fuppofe, that the real objea of their million was
by no means of a commercial nature, and this
fulpicion was confirmed, not only by the circum-
, Rance that Collie of them were military men, but
; by the lOWA difcovery that fveral of them were
furnifhed with inftruttiohstri obtain the founding,
of the harbours, and to procure military Purveys of
the places where it was intended they fhoold reticle.
His Majeßy felt it to be his duty to prevent their
departure to their refpedhve places of deftination,
and reprefented to the French Government the'
neceffity of withdrawing them ; and it cannot be
denied, that the eircumßances under which they
were feat, and the initruclions which were given
to them, ought to be confideved as decifive
indica-
tions of the difpnfitioas and intentions of the Go.
'eminent by whom they were employed.
The conduit of the French Government, with
refped to the commercial intereaurfe between the
two countries, mull therefore be confidered as ill
fuited to a Rate of 'peace, and their proceedings
in their More general politield relations, as well as
in thole which immediately concern his Majetty's
dominions, appear to have been altogether incon-
fißent with every principle of good faith, mode-
ration and jußice. His Majefty bad entertained
hopes, in confequence of the repeated afforances
and pmfeßions of the French Government, that
they might have been induced,to adopt a fyßem of
policy, whisk if it had not infpind other Poway!

whit confitience, might at leaft hay. allayed their
jealottliet.. It the Ft emit Government had really
appeared to he adtuated by a due attention to Itch
a fytlern ; if their difpolitions had pi oved to be
efllntially pacific, allowances would have been
made for the fituation in which a new Govern•
nyitt mull be placed after In dreadful and ee en.
five a convultion as that which has been produ:ed
by the French Revolution. But his NI tietly has
u 'fortunately had too much reafon to Otte: ye and
to lament, that the fy 11cm of violence, aFreffion,
and aggrandizement. which charadtetized the
proceedings of the different government%of France
during the war, has been continued with as little
difgutfe fince its termination. They have continued
to keep a French army in Holland agalntt the will,
and in defiance of the remonfirances of the Bata-
vian Government, and in repugnance to the letter
of three folemn Treaties. They have, in a period
of peace, invaded the territory, and violated the
independence of the Swifs nation, in dellance of
the Treaty of Luneville, which had flipulated the
independence of their territory, and the right of
the inhabitants to clot& their own form of Go-
vernment. They hay : annexed to the dominions
of France, Piedmont, Parma, and Placentia,
and the Hand of Elba, without allotting any pro.
vifion to the King of Sardinia, whom they have
defpoiled of the molt valuable part of his territory,
though they were bound, by a molt folemn en-
gagement to the Emperor of Rutlia, to attend to
his anterefts, and, to provide for his eftabli(hment.
It may, indeed, with truth, be alined, that the
period which has elapfed fince the conclufion of
the Definitive Treaty, has been marked ankh one
continued feries of aggi effion, violence, and infult
•
on the part of the French Government.
In the month of Odtober lad his Majefly was
induced, in confequence of the earnelt felicitation
1 of the Swifs nation, to make an effort, by a i epre-
fentation to the French Government, to avert the
evils which were then impending over that coun-
try. This reprefentation Was couched in the molt
temperate terms, and meafures were taken by his
Majefty for afeertaining, under the circamllaneet
which then exifted, the real fituation and willies
of the Swifs Cantons, as well as the fentiments or
the other Cabinets of Europe. His Majelly learned
however, with the utmoft regret, that no difpoli-
tion to counteraa thefe repeated infroeions of
Treaties and ails of violence was manifcfted b?
any of the Powers moll immediately interefled id
preventing them ; and his Majetly therefore felt
that, with refpefl to thefe objefts, his tingle efforts
could not be expedted to produce any confiderable
I advantage to thole in Whole favour they might be
i exerted. _ _ • _

It was about this time that the French Go-
vernment firtl diftinaly advanced the principle,
that his Mai esry had no right td complain of the
condua, or to interfere with the proceedings ...of -
France, on any poilst which did no' form a part
of the Itipulations of the Treaty of Amiens. That
Treaty was unqueflionably founded upon the fame
principle as every other antecedent treaty or con-
vention, on the affumption of the Date of poref,
ban and of engagement fubfiDing at the time of
its condufion t and if that Date of poffeffion and
of engagements is materially affeaed by the vo-
luntary aft of any of the parties, fo as to preju-
dice the condition on which the other party has
entered into the contra t, the change, fo made,
may be confidered as operating virtually as a
breach of the Treaty itfelf, and as giving the
party aggrieved a right to demand fatisfaaion or
compenfation fur any fubilantial difference which
fuch ass may have effeaed in their relative fitua-
titres I but whatever may be the principle on which
the Treaty is to be conlidered as founded, there is
indifputably a Genera/Law of Nation:, which,though
liable to be limited,explained,or reßrained by Corr
orations! Law, is antecedent to it, and is that law
or rule of conduit to which all Sovereigns and
States had been accuftomed to appeal, *here
Conventional Law is admitted to have been talent.
The Treaty of Amiens, and every other Treaty&
in providing for the objets to which it is particu-
larly directed, does not therefore affirms or imply
an indifference to all other objeas which are not
fpecified in its llipulations, much lets does it ad-
jpdge them to be of a nature to be left to the will
and caprice of the violent and the powerful. The
jitßice of the caufe is alone a fufilcient ground to
warrant the interpofition of any of the -Powers of
Europe in the differences which may arife between
other States,and application and extent of that
jua interpofition is to be determined folely by eon-'
federations of prudence. Thefe principles can ad-
mit of no difpute i but if the new and extraorili.
nary pretenfion advanced by the French Govern.
meat, to exclude his Iblajeßy from any right to
interfere with refpcift to the concerns of other
Powers, unlefs they made a fpecific part of the
Ripulations of the Treaty of Amiens, was that
which it was poflible to maintain, thofe Powers
would have a right, at leaß, to claim the benefit
of this principle, in every cafe of difference be-
tween the two countries. The indignation of all
Europe mutt tartly then be excited by the decla-
rations of the French Government, that, in the
event ofhoßilities, thefe very Powers who were no
parties to the Treaty of Amiens, and who were
not allowed to derive any advantage from the re-
monarances of his Majetly in their behalf, are
neverthelefsta be made the viaim► at a war which
is alleged to arife out of the time treaty, and are
to be facrificed in a contell which they not only
have not occafioned, but which they have had no
means whatever of preventing.
His Majeßy judged it zno.t expedient, under the
circumßances which then affeaed Europe, to
Rain from a macrons* to bottilitics on :swung ui

the views of ambition and alts of aggreffion ma-
nifeied by France on the Continent; yet an ex-
Tr ince of the cliiiraeter and dicpcifitions of the
Trench Gr.-trnment could not fad to impels his
wizh A fenfe of the n:ccility of increased
vigilance in guarding the rights and dignity of
his Crown, and in pruteaing the intercits of his

While his Majeav was acluated by thefe fen
time nts, he was called upon by the French C;o-
-vernment to evacuate the gland of Malta. His
Majelly had manifefted, from the moment of the
1.1„;r1 tture of the Definitive Treaty, an anxious dif.
p -,ltinn to carry into full cffeet the fliptaations of
the Treaty of Amiens relative to that ifland. As
form as hc v.-as informed that an eleslion of aGrand
'lacier bad taken place, under the aulpices of the
Fr.spernr of Rut Tis, and that it had been agreed by
Site ditTerent Pt i4:ries affembled at St. Peterfburgh,
to acknowledge the perfon whom the Court of
Rome fhould feled out of thole who had been
r.:mad by them to he Grand Mailer of the Order
of rt. John, his Majefly ptopoled to the French
Government, for the purpofe of avoiding any dif-
fizulties which might :dile in the execution of the
mrangement, to acknowledge that eleflion to be
valid :—and .when in the month of Anvil, the
Ft ench Government applied to his Majefly to per-
mit the Neapolitan troops to be fent to the Wand
of Malta, as a preliminary measure for preventing
any unnecefrary delay, his Majefty confented with-
out hcfi:ation to this propofal, and gave direflions
for the adz-MO.l°n of the Neapolitan troops into the
uland. His Majefly had thus (hewn his difpofi-
don not only to throw no obflacic in the way of
the execution of the treaty, but, on the contrary,
to facilitate the execution of it by every means in
his power. His Majefty cannot, however, admit,
that at any period fince the conclufion of the
Treaty of Amiens, the French Government have
had a right to call upon him, in conformity to
the itipulations of that Treaty, to withdraw his
forces from the ifland of Malta. At the time
when this demand was made by the French Go-
vcrnment, feveral of the molt important Itipula.
tions of the arrangement refpefting Malta remain-
ed unexecnted :—the eleition of a Grand Matter
had not been carried into effeft. The tenth arti-
cle had flipulated that the independence of the
island should be placed under the guarantee and
proteflion of Great Britain, France, Aultria, Ruf.
fla, Spain, and Pruffia. The Emperor of Ger-
many had acceded to the guaranty, but only on
condition of a like acceflion on the part of the other
powers fpecified in the article. The Emperor of
Ituflia had refufed his acceffion, except on the
condition that the Maltefe Langue fhould
.be
sibrogated ; and the King of Prutha had given no
anfwer whatever to the application which had
been made to him to accede to the arrangement.
But the fundamental principle, upon the exiftence
of which depended the execution of the other parts
of the article, had been defeated by the changes
which had taken place in the Conflitation of the
Order fince the conclufion of the treaty of Peace.
It was to the Order of St. John of Jerufalem that
his Majefly was, by the firft ftipulation of the
tenth article, bound to reltore the island of Malta.
The Order is defined to confift of thofe Langues
which were in exillence at the time of the conclu.
lion of the treaty : The three French Langues
having been abolifhed, and a Maltefe Langue
added to the inilitutinn. The Order, confined,
therefore, at that time of the following Langues,
viz. the Langues of Arragon, Cafiile, Germany,
Bavaria, and RufGa. Since the conclufion of the
Definitive Treaty, the Langues of Arragon and
Cathie have been feparated from the Order by
Spain, a part of the Italian Langue has been
abolilled by the annexation of Piedmont and Par-
ma to France. There is ftrong reafon to believe
that it has been in contemplation to fequeftrate
the property of the Bavarian Langue, and the
intention has been avowed of keeping the Ruffian
Longues within the dominions of the Emperor.
Under thefe circumftances the Order of St.
John cannot now be confidered as that body to
which, according to the niptilations of the Treaty,
the ifland was to be tenured ; and the funds in.
difpenfably neeethary for its fupport, and for the I
maintenance of the independence of the ifland,
have been nearly, if not wholly, fequeftered.—
Evers if this had arif-n from circumstances which
it was not in the power of any of the contra Sing
parties to the Treaty to controul, his Majefty
would neverthel:fs have had a right to defer the
evacuation of the ifland by his forces, until fuch
time as an equivalent arrangement had been con-
cluded for the prefervation of the independence of
the Order and of the ifland. But if thefe changes
have taken place in confequence of any ads of the
other parties to the Treaty ; if the French Govern-
ment (hall appear to have proceeded upon a fyll
tem of rendering the Order, whole independence
they had nipulated, incapable of maintaining that
independence, his Majelly's right to continue in the
occupation of the ifland, under filch circumflances,
will hardly be contetled. It is indifputable that
the revenues of the two Spanifh Langues have
been withdrawn from the Order by his Catholic
Majefty ; a part of the Italian Langue has in
fan been aboltihed by France, through the unpin
annexation of Piedmont and Parma, and Placen•
tia, to the French territory. The EleCtor of Ba-
varia Las been instigated by the French G ivern-
rnent to fequeftrate the property of the Order
within his territories ; and it is certain that they
have not only fatiettoned but encouraged the idea
of the propriety of feparating the Rutlian langues
from the remainder of the Order.
_

As the conduct of the Governments of France
and Spain have therefore, in Tome innances dire&
ly, and in others indirealy, contributed to the
changes which have taken place in the Order, and
thus daroyed its means fiipporting its indepen-
dence, it is to thofe Governments, And not to his
Majefly, that the non-execution of the 'Tenth Ar-
ticle of the Treaty of Amiens mull be afcribed.
kitsch would he the jull conclufion, if the Tenth
Article of that Treaty were confidercd as an ar-
rangement by itfelf. It mull be obferved. how-
ever, that this Article forms a part only of a Treaty
e Peace, the whole of which is conmaed t,•ge.
then, and the ttipulationa of which mull, up-. 0

principle common to all Treaties, be connived as
having a reference to each other.
His Majelly was induced by the Treaty of Peace
to content to abandon, and to reflort to the Order
of Sc. John the Hand of Malta, on condition of
its independence and neutralitT. But a further
condition which mull neceffarily he fuppofed to
have had confiderable influence with his Majefly,
in inducing him to make fa important a conceflion,
was the acquiefcence of the French Government
in an arrangement for the fecurity of the Levant,
by the eighth and ninth articles in the treaty flipu-
lating the integrity of the Turkifh Empire, and
the independence of the lonian Iflands. His Ma-
jAy has, however, fince learnt, that the French
Government have entertained views batik to both

thele objets ; and that they have even fuggefled
the idea of a partition of the Turkifh Empire.—
Thefe views mull now be manifeil to all the world,
from the official publication of the report of Co•
lonel Sehaftiani ; from the condo& of that Officer,
and of the other French agents in Egypt, Syria,
and the lonian Iflands, and from the d/linfl adtnif-
fion of the Firfl Confid hitnfeff, in hie communisation with
Lord Whitworth. His Majelly was, therefore, war-
ranted in confidering it to be the determination of
the French Government to violate thole Articles
of the Treaty of Peace, which flipulated for the
integrity and independence of the Turkilh Empire,
and of the lonian Iflands, and confequently he
would not have been juilified in evacuating the
Wand of Malta without receiving fome other fe-
purity, which might equally provide for thefe im-
portant objeEts. His Majeßy accordingly feels that
he has an inconteflible claim, in confequence of the
conduct of France fince the Treaty of Peace, and
with reference to the objets which made part of
the flipulations of that Treaty, to refute, under
the prefent circumflances, to relinquifh the poffef-
fion of the Wand of Malta.

Yet notwithitanding this right fo clear and In
unqueftionable, the alternative prefented by the
French Government to his Majelly, in language
the molt peremptory and menacing, was the eva-
cuation of Malta, or the renewal of war.

- - -
If the views of ambition and aggrandizement,
which have thus been manifefted by the French
Government fince the conclufion of the Treaty of
Peace, have in fo very particular a manner at-
traded the attention of his Majeily, it has been
equally impoffible for him not to feel, 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 Sebaftiani contains the
' moll unwarrantable infinuations and charges again ft
his Majefty's Government, againft the Officer who
commanded his forces in Egypt, and againft the
Blitifh army in that quarter. This paper cannot
be confidered as the publication of a private indi-
vidual ; it has been avowed, and indeed bears evi•
dent: upon the face of it, that it is the official report
of an accredited agent, publifhed by the authority
of the Government to which it was addreffed, who
thereby have given it their exprefs fanaion.
This report had been publifhed a very Ihort time,
when another indignity was offered to this country
in the communication of the FirftConful of France
to the Legiflative Body. In this communication he
prefumes to affirm, in the charafter of Chief Ma-
giftiate of that country, " That Great Britain cannot
Iv& contend again) the power of France i" an after-
tion as unfounded as it is indecent, difproved by
the events of many wars, and by none more than
by thole of the war which has been recently con
eluded. Such an affertion, advanced in the moll
folemn official aft of a Government, and thereby
meant to be avowed to all the Powers of Europe,
can be confidered in no other light than as a defi-
ance publicly offered to his Majefty, and to a brave
and powerful people, who are both willing and
able to defend his Oft rights, and thofe of their
conntty, againft every infult and aggreffion.
The condua of the Firft Contra to his Majefty's
Ambafrador at his audience, in pretence of the
Minillers of moll of the Sovereigns and States of
Europe, furnifhes another inflance of provocation
on the part of the French Government, which it
would be improper not to notice on the prefent
occafion, and the lubfequent explanation of this
tranfaftion may be confidered as having the effea
of aggravating inftead of palliating the affront.
At the very time when'his Majefty was demand-
ing fatisfaftion and explanation on tome of the
points above-mentioned, the French Minilier at
Hamburgh endeavoured to obtain the insertion in
a Hamburgh Paper of a moll pots and opprobri-
ous libel againft his Majefly, and when difficulties
were made refpeaing the insertion of it, lie availed
himfelf of his efficial Cbareatr of Minifier of the French
Republic to require the publication Of it by older of
his Government in the Gazette of the Senate of
that town. With this requifition to made, the
Senate of Hamburgh were induced to comply ;
and thus has the independence of that town been
violated, and a free State made the infirnment, by
the menace of the French Government, of prope-
-1 gating throughout Europe, upon their authority, I
I the moft offenfive and unfounded calumnies againft
his Majefty and his Government. His Majefty
might add to this lift of indignities, the requifition
which the French Government have repeatedly
urged, that the laws and conftitution of his coun-
try fhould be changed relative to the liberty of the
pets- His Majefly might likewife add the calls
which the French Government have on feveral oc.
cations made upon him to violate the laws of hot:
pitalit y with refpea to perfons who had found an
afylum within his dominions, and againft whole
cnndua no charge whatever has at any time been
fubitantiated. It is impoffible to reflca on theft
different proceedings, and the coerfe which the
French Government have thought proper to adopt
refpeaing them, without the thorough conviaion
that they are not the effea of accident; but that
they form a part of a fyftem which has been
adopted for the purpofe of degrading, vilifying,
and infulting his Majefty and his Government.
Under all thefe infults and provocations, his Ma-
jetty, not without a due fenfe of his dignity, has
proceeded with every degree of temper and mo-
deration to obtain faiisfatlion and redrefs, while
he has neglelled no means confiffent with his ho-
nour as d the Islay of his 4onsnlious,to induce the

Government of France to concede to him, what ;6,1
in hi. judgment, abfolutely neceffary for the future
tranquillity of Europe. His efforts in this refped
have proved abortive, and he has, therefore, judg-
ed it neceffary to order his Ambaffador to leave
Paris. In having recourfe to this proceeding, it
has been his Majefty's objet to put an end to the
fruitlefs difcuffions which have too long fubfifted
between the two Governments, and to clofe a pe-
riod of fufpenfe peculiarly injurious to the fubjeds
of his Majefty.
But though the provocations which his Majefty
has received might entitle him to larger claims
than thofe which he has advanced, yet anxious to
prevent calamities which might thus be extended
to every part of Europe, he is hill willing, as far
as is confiftent with his own honour, and the inte-
refts of his people, to afford every facility to any
juft and honourable arrangement, by which fuch
evils may be averted. He has, therefore, no dif-
ficulty in declaring to all Europe, that, notwith-
(landing all the changes which have taken place
fince the treaty of peace, notwithflanding the ex-
tenfion of the power of France, in repugnance to
that treaty, and to the fpirit of peace itfelf, his
Majefty will not avail bimfelf of thefe circum-
fiances, to demand in compenfation all that he is
entitled to require, but will be ready to concur,
even now, in an arrangement by which fatisfac-
tion (hall be given to him,for the indignities which
have been offered to his Crown and to his people,
and fubaantial fecurity afforded againft farther
encroachments on the part of France.
His Majefty has thus diftindly and unrefervedly
(latest the reafons of thofe proceedings to which
he has found himfelf compelled to retort. He is
actuated by no difpofition to interfere in the in-
ternal concerns of any other State; by no projects
of conqueft and aggrandizement ; but folely by a
fenfe of what is due to the honour of his Crown,
and the interefts of his people, and by an anxious
define to obarud the further progrefi of a fyftem,
which, if not refined, may prove fatal to every
part of the civilized world.