Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1803-07-23
Important State Paper.
FRENCH MANIFESTO.

Il
eInmrnt. commopica,ed 20 The srrare, the note
sddfeaed ;be zsd. 20 the AmbsGadors Of his
h;iiannic Msjehy, by the minlier OF foreiga
ahaiTs.
73d Foresl-li3'h May.)
Under the important and fe.icus eircorn-
tances, In ~hich the Two nations are 6tuatd,
: the nnderhgned m'ni'er Of foIeign relation. OF
! the French kcprblic. hiss received oTaen 10
place before the eycs Of the Bitiih goysInment,
the follow communication
On the 18th Vent3fe. (8ih Ma,ch) his
| Britannia msje6y made known 10 hi. Parliament
by iPecisi neGaee, that formidable srms meus
were pieF Fanng 10 the ports oi Ffsuce and Hoi-
land. aud thar important negotiations, OF v hieh
the iiiue was doubltUl. divided the two govern
mcnIs.
This extraordinary and unexpected declz-
ration, excited general sRonlihm,n' bot the
maritime affair, ~ France were msniief. Erp-
land, aod Europe, knew that there was no fer
midabe armament either in the poits Of France
or Holland.
ihe undersigned need not repeat TO Lord
Whnwoitf ali That has been already iaid. He
deTands, from ~hat ioorce had come iptorms-
ton 80 un'ooded. The pehcnsl difcernment of
Lord Whi,~crth; the 10y atty of Lis character.
could not for an infant be fufreeird.
u ne ancf,ion thst Farce nzde hoftilc az
nsn'en,s, was maoifte iurpoG,on, and which
could not inpo'e on any peifon. The natural
erect would be TO induce an opinion that il was
msIely mean that wooId iupport particular
perfors IN their hottie opinions, sod Was eager
ly caught as pSetext 20 produce dieorbsnce,
10 inh~me the rs6ions Of ,he Britith people, 10
excite defiance. hatred and ala,u,.
As 10 the Engli'h government, We NUT
believe thar ii by faIie ieloIs il has been led in.
10 error Rejecting she exiteice cfasmauents, ,t
could not OF The esiAence Of the peeocia,ions.
The smbyiIs Of the republic az London
was 10 tooncr info,ned Of the mSilsge OF hi,
B'iIsnnc Msjeay, than afionG1sd at thar whie&
announced ,he exiftence of a negotiation Of hich
he had no aowlcdse, he. sddie ieffsd h;mfc.f to
LORD Ha~keibury Immediately, and enicr,ain-
Ing fpip;cions that an appeal 10 arms founded
On thefc fslic fuppof:ions might cover apso-
jott 20 violate the treaty of Amiens in thoic ar
tc'e, which were not already executed he pre-
iented to III. miaiRer OF his Bli,annic Majesty.
the 10Th Ventoie, ooh Msroh) note r,ouir-
ing from him an explanation.
At The fame time the underhgned had or.
ders 10 prc!ens to his excerncy Lord Whitp os,h
the motives which bad determined the Eneliih
government to sc,hot;fr in vhe mefIspc tse al-
feitions. both equally falic, 20 call tive nation
TO arms aud dihufb the peace which united The
two nations.
His ExceIlency Lord 'Hsvkefbury replied
14'h Veuioie. tIs,h May, TO Gen. Andreoii.
in vague and abloIutely hoiiile no,e, ~hich
far from Calculating, lh.ew freih obcuity on
the fubjcd of dicuiions, and diminitiei the
Profpett Of happy iilu-.
Wbas could the government reply - fvch
harfh and ffange overiuresf 1t could only be a
great love for peace that could iupptefs i,s udig-
nation. IL cultivated fpirit of cal.nrrh and
temperance. which would leave reafon ard jvf-
tice time TO fuPpreis the psi,ion.. II was peoe-
traied with ah idea ,ha, the numcreus victims of
the diicord OF governments, have no part in The
iniults that agit,,e them. That tSe millions of
brave citizens, who in the VOWS ct their heroic
devotion, ihed their blood only for their coun-
try, have never the dehre Of offending a neigh
boring and powerful people that they take no
in,ercit IN the ftrides OF pside, OF 10 the vain
prctences OF fopnmacy.
Ii was not only penetrated with this idea.
but it was cooasntIy governed by il.
Lord Whitworth agreed TO write to his
court, ,ha, the Fisft Conful could no, eonf.nr
TO the violation Of folemn treaty. but that he
wifhed for peace That If the Englih govern
nsnt deEred that a convention (hould be held
for arranging ma,tcu foreign to the treaty of
Amiers, he would accede 10 il, and thas the
terms OF this convention fhoud be foouded on
their reciprocal! grievances.
The!e views were jut and moderate: Il
was difficult to form negotiation on a more
liberal BATS. II is not improper to obferve here.
that this was icveral weeks after the msnsee.
during which dificul, negociation Of weigh
~ interea and uncertain iiIue had been pending.
and in shich the niniaeu of the two govern
ment had not been able to arrive at any true
negotiation.
Lord Whitworih receives new orders ne
preienrs fuccel'vsly two p,grtsf Of convention.
By the FRA he had propofed thar Ma,ra
fhould remain under the iovereignty Of the King
Of England. and thi, claufe being adopted. his
Btitaonic MsjeRy offered to acknowledge III that
had been done in Europe iiOce the treaty Of
Amiens.
His Britannia M.jeHy promifed .ea;n 10
take mesfores refpeeiog all thoie perfoos 10 dif-
freas parts of Englapd ~ho ~ere employed in
plots ag,ina Francr, and fhould be eificac;ouav