Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1801-02-10
No. SO.
To Me-. Hammond.

rrench government TO negotiate a conveuA-
ton for an armiitice between this conntry
e France, with view to negotiations for a
general peace and having exorefvd an ear
nei dehre to enter into ,erbsl explanation,
on thia iuhea With fome perfon proper.
authorized on his najcay's part, the king
willing TO omit noihiog which can con,,i-.
butte to the great wok of rello.iag fold
and permanent tranquility 20 Earope. haa
been pea!ed to make choice of yon Cor ,ho
pnrpoIe Of meeting Nj Quo, aud Of recsiv.
log E'om rim !uch ve,taI communicative as
hT .aay win 70 make in addition TO what
has already psEcd in writing refpeaing the
different projects propoi-d ON either fde Cor
laval armiGice.
This letter will poin; 10 yon the r,aCons
which induce his najejty to coulidcr M.
Otto'' fecond projett as uufa,sfaaory in all
the material points which il differs from IL.
counter projea prepared here by his n,aief.
ty's commlnd.
You will Rate to NJ. Otto, his Maieav's
dsciion in this refpea, and you will enter
willor, rcTervc into the difcuf!ion of The
gronnca On ui,ich it reGa Ilis MsieAv has
no other Object in view in this tranfata;o,
than 10 contribute To ,hc relors,ion Of oe.
neral peace. he 10 not wiling Tor this pur.
P"ie, TO iacri6ce lome prefen, advantage.
IN Tie opinlon tiSt By 70 doing he conGlts
fhc permanent interels of his people hut
he caa neither content, at the opening OF a
negotiation fer peace to PLACE h;misI, in
coalition of iHfcriority to his ene,Dics. inch
a. The reiult OF the var n wnieh he IS en-
gagsd by no means warrants, nor doea n.
i'.iak that tho obj-a of pes-e itfelf womb
DC promo ed or accelerated by rem cling the
intermediate f'uatiou of his eaenies, under
color Of an armi0ice, fach as they m;sht he
deiirooa 10 proi0ng, rather than to tern,;--
nate It ~ admiiiiole condition, Of peace.
lbs haietty fees, in the laA pso;-t OF tbe
French government, lit,le p,orreli toward,
an accommodation; it is indeed Jared in
IA. Osto's letter 10 me of the 2lttinlt th,t
satisfactory explanations are here eives on
the two moit important points which lad
been inGaed on by hs Ms jeay'
The addition Of his maieay's alice n
parts!Se ~ the fame terms OF the arr;aic- :,
winch France c!liras TO include her slIies. "a
indesd not only ga important. bn. an maj
penlhie coalition OF any fuch spreem.nt.
but there can be no ground for renrei.,,;..s
this equal and uunecei!ary arrangen,er, -
cencesa'n oP The part Of France, rather than
on tie part OF his majety, Add wi.b re-
iPect to the other point faied by M. or
that which relates TO the French RI; IS
war the offer OF France EiIl falls vsry ,i,or,
both OF the kings demand, aud of -
won'd be necelIary even TO aiimIafe en-. -
val aTmiitice to that of the continent ~.
article in rs preient ihape ia thereto. r.
lar from containing any facility which co,IJ
'oi'en or remove the other ob9acies in the
way OF an amicsbie concIufion Of tbi, bnGN
nei'' that 1t mutt ELL be regarded il ina.
as an unequal and inadmifIi6c claim On ,bc
part OF the kings enemies, -
On other POINTS OF Iels imoor,s,..
the new ptojet adheres to the fo,mcr ~
nand, and even in one inaance, brings t.
ward freih pretenfon, which had nor q ~
fore been Rated.
Ia examining 10 detail the Gcveral sr,;o,..
of,he propoGed convention, lome vc,hai d;e
terence between the EngIih counter NO.
jet and iecond French projet, are moi IN
tcnueu 10 DC mere adverted to.
II the more important points Of the ne
gOciaiion were Satisfactorily adiuaed !,
would he neceRary to make fopc r.n3,ts
on thefe, and poGibly ALTO 10 propof-' TO-
the fake of preciiion, few verbal aItr,.,i-
ons or additions 20 the original articles. hrt
none OF theie appear likely ia Tia, eac. To
create any !srious difficulty.
It MT be efficient to ioclsd. -
der this refsrys the tive variation, mali !,
the preamble Of ihc conveniion.
But !. may perhsPs be more preper fo-
yon TO late at this time tie following or,
Va'ious r. 'Pe6tirg them, viz:
l. hat the mention Of REFLECTIVE allie.
~ The 'oTm in which ihefe word, are ;,,-o'
dueed in the Frcnch preamble, EeDeto ~,
ply OF neeeiiitY not L Iy that he negoc;,
tons ihai Gas 70 the Kings in,entioy 4.
carried OK. with =, 70 gene,sI 80,
alone, 10 az to include IN III. fiosI 1eiggne.,
or all parties on beth iides, bu, slc,tb,, ne,
allies ihood Immediately be called uno, -
take pert By their minijle,o 10 The prdpofed
"sgoclaiions: qus6on which his Mia