Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1803-07-23

What, will war be convenient to
us only 2? Does the Engli!h minifer
think the French nation 70 feeble that
treating with her in fuch important
deliberations, he does not even obierve
the cnfomary ufages which govern
all civilized nations
Was it NOT under a conCcioufnels
of its iaiuItice that the Engtiih govern
m=nt hehtared to make in sVrifiag
her demand hoping TO prevent all
traces of her real proportions and at
future day to deceive the public as
to the caufs of rupture /?
Or, finally, 10 the miniiters Of
his Britannia Majety 70 little know
the character of the Fira Confal, that
they hav: hoped, by force of provo
cation 10 exaiperate-to intimidate---
to make him forget the interelts of his
nation, or to irritate him 30 fome open
act (d'eelat) that they might dilsuiie
to the eyes of Europe, the commence
ment of the war /?
The FirIt Conful more than any
man exiting, knows the evils of war,
becaule that, more than any man ex-
illing, he is accufomed TO calculate
ITS chances. He believes that, under
the circumstances liz which we fad
ourfelves, the firit thought of govern
ment ihould be to avoid the cataitro.
phes and evils whiyl NUT fpring from
a new war he believes that their firft
with is not only to aviod yielding to
the feelings Of irritation but to employ
all proper means 70 moderate the raih
and imprudent patlions of the people.
The Manifsito proceeds TO ex-
anime the nature of the propolitions ;
to repeat the independence of Malta;
to fay that Lampedofa belongs to ano-
ther power, to fhow thar the COM
pliance with tke nltimatum would
be violation of the treaty OF Amiens.
1t notices the circumstance of their
ailent being limited to sc hours sc.
and concludes in the following terms
This day they demand the aboli-
ton of this order (alluding TO Malta)
and that il lhould be conlentsd to in
90 hours /!
But the dehnitive conditions, were
they alto conformable 10 the treaty of
Amiens, and to the in,erefs of France
queiles feur /onf esnfraries-ths form
OF the demand-the term of 36 hours
preicribed for the reply, could leave
no doubt as to the determination Of
the French government.
No !-never would France ac-
knowledge in any government the
right to annul, by Jingle act of her
will, the POPULATIONS of reciprocal
engagement If lhe has permitted the
tone of menace to be ufed if ihe has
saGered them to prefcn, her an ulti-
matum of ? days |; an ultimaum Of
36 hours ; and proportions 10 con-
clude treaties before they are negoci-
ated ihe could have no objed but to
ihow the Britiih government an ex-
ample of moderation But lhe could
content TO nothing that would call in
queltion, the infereas of her dignity,
and thoie OF her power.
The underfgned is charged to
declare to Lord Whitwor,h, thar a
communication, the fpirit and the
form of which do not accord with the
ufages obierved between great pow
ers, and with principles of the mott
perfed equality, could not be admit
ted in France.
That nothing could oblige the
French government todifpofe OF coun-
tries which do not belong to her, and
that lhe could never accede to Englan
the right of violating in any point the
treaties III. has made with her.
In fhort, the underligned repeats
the proportions of placing Malta in