had intimated it to be General Bonaparte's Wifh that they fhould pursue, in order to remove fo effectually, every Thing which might not perhaps be confidered equally by them, as giving juft Caufe of Offence of Jealoufy to France.

M. Talleyrand did not rejoin upon the Matter ; but asked me when I propofed writing. Upon my replying I fhould lofe no Time, he faid, that if I fhould write as To-day, he would avail himself of the Opportunity to convey a Letter to M. Otto. I have the Honor to be, &c.

(Signed)

A. MERRY.

The Right Honourable Lord Hawkesbury,

&c. &c. &c.

No. 8.

Sir,

Downing Street, June 10, 1802.

YOUR Dispatches of the 4th Inftant were received on Monday Night, and have been laid before the King.

The Account given in that Dispatch of the Converfation which paffed on the 3d Instant, between you and M.Talleyrand, refpecting the French Princes and their Adherents, would have afforded here confiderable Surprize if His Majesty's Government had not in fome Degree been prepared for it by Information which had been previously received: from the Manner, however, in which this Subject has been mentioned to you, it is important that you

fhould

fhould take a proper Opportunity to explain, candidly and fairly, to the French Government, the Line of Conduct which His Majefty feels it to be His Duty to purfue in this very delicate Bufinefs. His Majefty would certainly confider it inconfiftent with both the Letter and Spirit of the Treaty of Peace, between Him and the French Republic, to encourage or countenance any Projects that might be hostile to the prefent Government of France. He is fincerely defirous that the Peace which has been concluded may be permanent, and may lead to the Establishment of a System of good Under-standing and Harmony between the Two Countries. With thefe Sentiments He is difpofed to employ all the Means in His Power to guard against any Circumstance which can have the Effect of disturbing the Tranquillity that has been fo happily restored; and He certainly expects that all Foreigners who may refide within His Dominions, fhould not only hold a Conduct conformable to the Laws of the Country, but fhould abstain from all Acts which may be hostile to the Government of any Country with which His Majefty may be at Peace. As long, however, as they conduct themselves according to thefe Principles, His Majefty would feel it inconfiftent with His Dignity, with His Honor, and with the common Laws of Hofpitality, to deprive them of that Protection which Individuals refident in His Dominions can only forfeit by their own Misconduct. The greater Part of the Perfons to whom Allufion has been made in M. Talleyrand's Converfation

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verfation with you, are living in Retirement, and His Majefty has no Reafon whatever to fuppofe that fince the Conclufion of Peace they have availed themselves of their Refidence in this Country to promote any Designs injurious to the Government of France.

I have the Honor to be, &c.
(Signed)

Anthony Merry Efq.

&c. &c. &c.

HAWKESBURY.

No. 9.

I

My Lord, Paris, June 17, 1802. HAVE the Honor to acquaint your Lordship, that I have executed the Inftructions. given me by your fecret and confidential Difpatch (No. 14), in confequence of the Communication from M. Talleyrand, which I tranfmitted in my Number 23, refpecting the Refidence of the French Princes, and other French Perfons in His Majesty's Dominions.

In delivering my Anfwer on this Bufinefs to the French Minister, I took Care to exprefs, in the ftrongest Manner, the Affurances which your Lordfhip has authorized me to give of His Majesty's fincere Defire that the Peace which has happily been concluded fhould be permanent, and that it should lead to the Eftablishment of a Syftem of Harmony and good Understanding between the Two Countries; and that, as His Majesty's Conduct would,,

in every Respect, be guided by thofe Sentiments, He of Course would not tolerate, much less encourage, any Proceedings on the Part of Perfons within His Dominions, which might be hoftile to the prefent Government of France; which Affurances might, I trufted, be fufficient to tranquillize and fatisfy the First Conful, without recurring to the Measures which had been intimated to me, and which could not but be confidered as inconfiftent with His Majesty's Dignity and Honor, as well as with the common Laws of Hofpitality, which He could not but obferve towards Foreigners within His Dominions, until they fhould have forfeited that Protection by their Misconduct.

M. Talleyrand expreffed to me in Reply, that the Fift Conful had folicited no more than the British Government itfelf had, at the Time, demanded of France, when the Pretender was in this Country, and then had been practised between other Governments under fimilar Circumftances: That he could not fee any Humiliation in the Measure which he had intimated to me; that he could affure me it had not been fuggefted with any fuch Idea; and that he could only repeat, that the Adoption of it would be in the highest Degree agreeable and fatiffactory to the First Conful, and be confidered by him as the most convincing Proof of His Majesty's Difpofition to fee a cordial good Understanding established between the Two Countries; concluding his Answer with a Requeft that I would report it to your Lordship.. I rejoined

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I rejoined upon the Subject by obferving to the French Minister, that even without adverting to the ferious Confideration of the King's Dignity and Honor, the Feelings of the People of England were to be taken into Account on the Occafion: That he must be sensible the relative Situation, hitherto, of the Two Countries, especially in regard to Trade, afforded His Majesty's Subjects no Room to reap thofe Advantages which were common to, and which were always expected from a State of Peace, and that it therefore appeared to me that the First Conful would equally give a Proof of his Difpofition to fee Harmony and a friendly Intercourfe re-established between the Two Nations, by not repeating his Wish upon a Matter which would operate in the strongest Manner against such an Approximation and Reconciliation of Sentiments, were it even only to come to the Knowledge of His Majefty's Subjects.

I am happy, my Lord, to fay, that M. Talleyrand fhewed no Warmth, or any very marked Eagernefs, in his Manner of replying to my Communication; and that our Conversation on this Head terminated with the laft Remarks I made to him, when he changed it to another Subject.

I have the Honor to be, &c.

(Signed)

ANTHONY MERRY.

Right Honorable Lord Hawkesbury,

&c. &c. &c.

No. 10.