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Article MONTHLY CHRONICLE. ← Page 2 of 9 →
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Monthly Chronicle.
the conditions on which they would conclude any peace with these kingdoms . Their pretensions have always been brought forward either as detached or an preliminary points , distinct from the main object of negociation , and accompagied , in every instance , with an express reserve of farther and- unexplained demands . The points which , "" in pursuance of this system , the Plenipotentiaries of the enemy proposed for separate discussion in their first conferences with his Majesty ' s Minister , were at once frivolous and offensive ; none of them probut all calculated to raise ob
ductive of any solid advantage to France , new - stacles in the way of peace . And to these demands was soon after added another , in its form unprecedented , in its substance extravagant , and such as could orig inate only in the most determined and inveterate hostility . The principle of mutual compensation , before expressly admitted by common consent as the just and equitable basis of negociation , was now disclaimed ; every idea of moderation or reason , every appearance of justice was disregarded ; and a concession was required from his Majesty ' s Plenipotentiary , as a preliminary
and , indispensable condition or negociation , which must at once nave superseded all the objects , and precluded all the means of treating . France , after incorporating with her own dominions so large a portion of her conquests , and affecting to have deprived herself , by her own internal regulations , of the power of alienating these valuable additions of territory , did not scruple to demand from his Majesty the absolute and unconditional surrender of all thst the energy of his people , and the . valour of his fleets and armies have conquered in the present war , either from France , or from her Allies . She required that within its former limitsat the
the power of Great Britain should be confined , very moment when her own dominion was extended lo a degree almost unparalleled in history .- She insisted , that in proportion to the increase of danger , the means of resistance should be diminished ; and that his Majesty should give up , without compensation , and inio the hands of his enemies , the necessary defences of his possessions , and the future safeguards of his Empire . Nor was even this demand brought forward as constituting the terms of peace , but the price of negociation : as the condition on which alone his Majesty . was to be allowed to learn what further unexplained demands were still reserved , and to what greater sacrifices these unprecedented concessions of honour and safety
were to lead . Whatever were the impressions which such a proceeding created , they did not induce the King abruptly to preclude the means of negociation . In rejecting without a moment ' s hesitation a demand , which could have been made for no other reason than because it was inadmissible , his Majesty , from the fixed resolution to avail himself . of every chance of bringing the negociation to a favourable issue , directed that an opening should sliil be left for treating on reasonable and equal grounds , such as might become the dignity of his leased the Diviue
Crown , and the rank and station in Europe in which it has p Providence to place the British Nation . This temperate and conciliatory conduct was strongly expressive of the benevolence of his Majesty ' s intentions ; and it appeared for some time to have prepared the way for that result-which has been ihe uniform object of all his measures . Two months elapsed after his Majesty had unequivocally and definitively refused 10 comply with the unreasonable and extravagant preliminary which had been demanded by his enemies . During all that time the the conferences heldand the
negociation was continued open , were regularly , demand thus explicitly rejected by one party , was never once renewed by the other . It was not only abandoned , it was openly disclaimed ; assurances were given in direct contradiction lo it . Promises were continually repeated , that his Majesiy's explicit and detailed proposals should at length , be answered by that which could alone evince a real disposition to ne-gociate with sincerity , by the delivery of a Counter-Project , of a nature tending to facilitate the conclusion' of peace ; and the long delays of the French Government in executing these promises , were excused and accounted . for by an unequivocal declaration , that France was concerting with her Allies for those sacrifices on their part
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Monthly Chronicle.
the conditions on which they would conclude any peace with these kingdoms . Their pretensions have always been brought forward either as detached or an preliminary points , distinct from the main object of negociation , and accompagied , in every instance , with an express reserve of farther and- unexplained demands . The points which , "" in pursuance of this system , the Plenipotentiaries of the enemy proposed for separate discussion in their first conferences with his Majesty ' s Minister , were at once frivolous and offensive ; none of them probut all calculated to raise ob
ductive of any solid advantage to France , new - stacles in the way of peace . And to these demands was soon after added another , in its form unprecedented , in its substance extravagant , and such as could orig inate only in the most determined and inveterate hostility . The principle of mutual compensation , before expressly admitted by common consent as the just and equitable basis of negociation , was now disclaimed ; every idea of moderation or reason , every appearance of justice was disregarded ; and a concession was required from his Majesty ' s Plenipotentiary , as a preliminary
and , indispensable condition or negociation , which must at once nave superseded all the objects , and precluded all the means of treating . France , after incorporating with her own dominions so large a portion of her conquests , and affecting to have deprived herself , by her own internal regulations , of the power of alienating these valuable additions of territory , did not scruple to demand from his Majesty the absolute and unconditional surrender of all thst the energy of his people , and the . valour of his fleets and armies have conquered in the present war , either from France , or from her Allies . She required that within its former limitsat the
the power of Great Britain should be confined , very moment when her own dominion was extended lo a degree almost unparalleled in history .- She insisted , that in proportion to the increase of danger , the means of resistance should be diminished ; and that his Majesty should give up , without compensation , and inio the hands of his enemies , the necessary defences of his possessions , and the future safeguards of his Empire . Nor was even this demand brought forward as constituting the terms of peace , but the price of negociation : as the condition on which alone his Majesty . was to be allowed to learn what further unexplained demands were still reserved , and to what greater sacrifices these unprecedented concessions of honour and safety
were to lead . Whatever were the impressions which such a proceeding created , they did not induce the King abruptly to preclude the means of negociation . In rejecting without a moment ' s hesitation a demand , which could have been made for no other reason than because it was inadmissible , his Majesty , from the fixed resolution to avail himself . of every chance of bringing the negociation to a favourable issue , directed that an opening should sliil be left for treating on reasonable and equal grounds , such as might become the dignity of his leased the Diviue
Crown , and the rank and station in Europe in which it has p Providence to place the British Nation . This temperate and conciliatory conduct was strongly expressive of the benevolence of his Majesty ' s intentions ; and it appeared for some time to have prepared the way for that result-which has been ihe uniform object of all his measures . Two months elapsed after his Majesty had unequivocally and definitively refused 10 comply with the unreasonable and extravagant preliminary which had been demanded by his enemies . During all that time the the conferences heldand the
negociation was continued open , were regularly , demand thus explicitly rejected by one party , was never once renewed by the other . It was not only abandoned , it was openly disclaimed ; assurances were given in direct contradiction lo it . Promises were continually repeated , that his Majesiy's explicit and detailed proposals should at length , be answered by that which could alone evince a real disposition to ne-gociate with sincerity , by the delivery of a Counter-Project , of a nature tending to facilitate the conclusion' of peace ; and the long delays of the French Government in executing these promises , were excused and accounted . for by an unequivocal declaration , that France was concerting with her Allies for those sacrifices on their part