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or France; that the British Miniftry might always remain the arbitrators of the fate of the faid Colonies, in the point of fulfilling any treaties or agreements they might make. But the Catholic King, faithful, on the one part, to the engagements which bind him to the Moft Chriftian King, his nephew; juft and upright, on the other, to his own fubjects, whom he ought to protect and guard against fo many infults; and finally, full of humanity and compaflion for the Americans and other individuals who fuffer from the calamities of the prefent war, he is determined to purfue and profecute it, and to make all the efforts in his power, until he can obtain a folid and permanent peace, with full and fatisfactory fecurities that it fhall be observed.

25. To attain, as before-mentioned, the much-defired end of a fecure peace, it is abfolutely neceflary to curtail and destroy the arbitrary proceedings and maxims of the English maritime power; to the attainment of which, all other maritime powers, and even all nations in general, are become much interefed. The Catholic King, for his part, has done all he poffibly could, that the infults founded in fuch proceedings and maxims fhould be put an end to, but this he has not been able to

effe by amicable means. On the contrary, injuries have been repeatedly continued, as has been reprefented in the negociation fet on foot with England by the mediation of the faid monarch. The Court of London has become forgetful, in thefe later times, that The thould have adjusted and fettled her differences with Spain ac

cording to agreement. In the fame month of May, in which this negociation was put an end to, there came advices of the violences committed by English fhips and their crews in the river Saint John, and Bay of Honduras, (of which mention has been made in note the firit) and it was known alfo, with great probability, that the English Cabinet had given anticipated orders for the invafion of the Philippine Islands. From fuch deeds, as well as from the foregoing, the impartial and candid world will be enabled to do juftice in this famous controversy, and decide whether the declaration prefented by the Marquis of Almadovar, the 16th June laft, is founded in reafon and truth. In the mean while it should be obferved, that the Court of London, on the 18th of faid month, issued orders for commencing and committing hoftilities, and making reprisals against Spain, who did not iffue fimilar orders till after he had received advice thereof.

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particular, against the disrespectful treatment of the Spanish flag, and the violation of the territory belonging to his Catholic Majefty.

As nothing could be more diftant from the King's intention than to break the friendship fubfifting between Great Britain and Spain, it is by order of his Majefty, that the faid Viscount Weymouth offers fuch a ftate of the matters fet forth in the faid Declaration, as, he doubts not, muft fhew the fincerity with which his Majefty hath endeavour ed to maintain the general tranquil lity.

The little defire for peace, as fuppofed on the part of the King, is deducible from the conduct at tributed to Great Britain during the last negociation: after the profeffions of the impartiality of his Catholic Majefty; his offers of mediation between Great Britain and France, and after the acceptance of the fame, the Declaration affirms, That every ftep had been taken neceffary to produce the best effects, in order to prepare the two powers towards an accommodation equally honourable to both parties; that to this end wife expedients had been propofed; but notwithstanding these terms were conformable to fuch as the Court of London, at other times, judged proper and conducive to an accommodation, they were, however, rejected in a manner that proves too well the reluctance on the part of the British Cabinet to reftore peace to Europe, and to preferve the friendship of his Catholic Majefty."

The conditions offered by France were, to the highest degree, injurious and inadmiffible; the King exprefsly declared, that he confi

dered them as fuch; nothing can be more evident than that the expedients offered by Spain inevitably tended to enforce thefe very injurious conditions, but just before de clared inadmiffible.

Had

The pernicious confequences' of the propofed expedients had been explained to the Court of Spain, by order of the King, and that they were in the most amicable manner exprefsly rejected. it been otherwife, there could be no reafon for an ultimatum: yet it is not without astonishment, that, after the first answer, the King received the ultimatum from the Court of Spain, not only containing the very fame offers thus. rejected, announced with fcarce any difference in point of form.

The Declaration further fays, That, on the 28th of September, the Court of Spain had notified to the belligerent powers, that in cafe the negociation did fucceed, fhe would then determine how to act.'-If the open part the Court of Spain now takes, be THAT fhe fecretly intended at that time, it would have been more confiftent with her dignity THEN to avow it, and range her felf openly under the banners of France.

Inftead of fuch a conduct, the. Court of Madrid, affecting impartiality, hath offered to mediate, but not to dictate the terms of peace, promifing to communicate to each Court the conditions claimed by either, that fo they might be modified, explained, or rejected. When the proposals made by France were rejected, and the Declaration made to Spain to ceafe her mediation, fince her ent [Bb] 2 deavours

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deavours did not fucceed, it was accompanied with affurances, that the friendship fubfifting between the two nations fhould not be interrupted.

How far this is true, appears from the actual Declaration, announcing boftilities on the part of Spain, without venturing to ftate the non-acceptance of the terms as one of the caufes of the war: but should it be otherwife infinuated, it will furnish his Majefty with an additional reafon to complain of the injuftice and arrogance of fuch a pretenfion.

The previous caufes which the Court of Spain hath thought proper to urge, are, the infults against her flag, and the violation on her territory. As to the firft, thefe are the terms of her memorial: Prizes have been made; veffels have been fearched and plundered; many have been fired upon who were forced to defend themselves; the registers and packets belonging to the Court, and found on board his Catholic Majefty's packetboats, have been opened and torn to pieces.'

All forts of American veffels have been received in the ports of Spain; they have been furnished with falfe documents, and fuf. fered to carry Spanish colours; their privateers have plundered all nations without diftinction, and fuch has been the industry of the Spanish Miniftry, in order to enhance the number of grievances, that thefe depredations were by them reprefented as injuries committed by Great Britain. Thefe complaints, which do not exceed the number of twenty four, feldom specify the author of the fuppofed infult, and thofe which did

were frequently ill-founded, and in general frivolous; however, it is granted that the answers were amicable. The King thought it worthy of himself not only to use every precaution neceffary to prevent disorders which might offend neutral powers, but also to exert every effort to punish the authors, and repair the lofs of the fufferers. Such hath been his conduct at all times, when poffible to discover and convict the guilty.-Among the vaft operations, fuch as in the prefent war, it is not furprifing that fome irregularities have happened; but when fuch cafes were proved, reftitution was made with ample da-. mages, and all charges paid.

It has been advanced, That his Catholic Majefty formally declared to the Court of London, ever fince France commenced hoftilities, that the Court of Madrid would regulate her conduct by that of the Court of Great Britain.'-Neverthelefs thirteen English vessels have been feized, on what pretence, or by whofe order, we are fill to learn, although his Majesty ordered fuch reprefentations to be made, as are ufual on the like occafions, between nations in a state of amity; which his Majefty did, not attributing thefe feizures to a perfidious and inimical defign, until the conduct of the Court of Spain has been better explained by the prefent Declaration.

The pretended violation of the Spanish territory may be reduced to four heads.

In the first place it is faid, That the dominions in America, belonging to the Court of Spain, have been threatened,' without fpecifying time, place, or circumftance.

Secondly,

Secondly, the memorial mentions, That the Indians have been fet against the innocent inhabitants of Louisiana, who must have fallen victims to their fury, had not even the Chactaws repented, and revealed the confpiracy.'-It is well known that the Governor of New Orleans tried to feduce the Chactaws, and that he received with open arms thofe tribes which committed devastations in the English Western fettlements. These tribes returned, but were not fet againft the Spanish territory; it was never attempted, nor was fuch an idea ever entertained.

The Declaration afferts, That a formal reprefentation was made to the Court of London concerning thefe different grievances, and feeing the equivocal expreffions on the two preceding points, fuch remonftrances were particularly neceffary towards the ftrict obfervance of the good faith between two nations at peace.' It is not true that the leaft reprefentation was ever made on either of the two preceding articles, to which the most ample and fatisfactory anfwers might have been given.

Thirdly, they pretend, That the fovereignty of his Catholic Majesty, in the province of Darien, and on the coast of Saint Blas, hath been ufurped, the government of Jamaica having appointed an Indian to the rank of General over thofe provinces.' On this fubject, inftructions were difpatched, bearing date the 28th of April laft, as is ufual between nations in friendship; no advices being received from Jamaica on this matter, fresh orders were fent for a full expianation,

but in point of time no answer could yet be expected.

Fourthly, That the territory in the Bay of Honduras has bea ufurped, acts of hoftilities cmmitted, the Spaniards im rifo ei, and their houfes plundered; as also that England had neglected to fulfil the ftipulated article relative to this coaft, agreeable to the 17th article of the treaty of Paris

With regard to the English fubjets frequenting the Bay of Honduras, that matter had been regulated according to the aforefaid article, and finally adjufted with the Court of Spain in the year 1764. Since which period no complaint having been made on either fide, this Court is ftill ignorant whether the leaft caufe ever exifted. Surely this cannot be included among the pretended grievances which the Declaration fuppofes, as having been duly reprefented either to the English Court, or to her Ambassador at the Court of Madrid.

Such are the motives alledged by the Court of Spain in the name of his Catholic Majefty, as a juftification before God and the world, for commencing hoftilities against Great Britain. The King appeals to the actual ftate of affairs, being the fame as that which fubfifted fince the conclufion of the laft treaty, as a full proof that no attempt was ever made on his part to infringe this treaty. He appeals to his uniform conduct ever fince this epoch, to furnish ftill ftronger proofs that he hath endeavoured to preferve the fame with all the affiduity and care, which the interefts of humanity and the happiness of his fubjects required

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required. Ultimately, he appeals to the conduct of his enemies, and in particular to the aforefaid Declaration from the Court of Spain, as the laft proof of the neceflity he is under to defend the rights of his Crown and people, against a determined project to invade the fame; a project wherein the Court of Spain at length openly joins, without the leaft reafon to colour fuch a proceeding.

A MANIFESTO published at Paris, difplaying the Motives and Conduct of his moft Chriftian Majefty towards England.

TRANSLATION.

WHEN

HEN the Sovereign Difpofer of events called his Majefty to the throne, France enjoyed the most profound peace. The first concern of his Majefty was to fignify to all the powers of Europe, his fincere defire, that the bleffings of peace might be perpetuated to his kingdom. This gracious difpofition of his Majefty was generally applauded; the King of England in particular teftified his fatisfaction, and gave his Majefty the molt expreffive affurances of fincere friendship. Such a reciprocity of fentiment juftified his Majesty in believing that the Court of London was at laft difpofed to adopt a mode of conduct more equitable and friendly, than that which had been adopted fince the conclufion of the peace of 1763, and that a final ftop would be put to thofe various acts of tyranny, which his fubjects had in every quarter of the globe experienced on the part

of England, from the æra abore mentioned. His Majefty perfuaded himself that he could ftill place the greater reliance on the King of England's proteftations, as the primordial feed of the American revolution began to unfold itself in a manner highly alarming to the intereft of Great Britain.

But, the Court of London, vainly imputing that to fear or feeblenefs, which was only the natural effect of his Majefty's pacific difpofition, ftrictly adhered to her cuftomary fyftem, and continued every haralling act of violence against the commerce and the navigation of his Majefty's fubjects. His Majefly reprefented thefe outrages to the King of England with the utmost candour, and judging of his fentiments by his own, his Majesty had the greatest confidence, that the griev ances would be no fooner niade known to the King of England, than he would redrefs them. Nay, further, his Majefty being tho roughly acquainted with the embarraffment which the affairs of North America had occafioned the Court of London, charitably forbore to increase that embarrassment, by infifting too haftily on thofe reparations of injuries which. the English Minifters had never ceafed to promife, nor ever failed to evade.

Such was the pofition of affairs between the two Courts, when the meafures of the Court of London compelled the English colonifts to have recourfe to arms to preserve their rights, their privileges, and their liberty. The whole world knows the æra when this brilliant event Lione forth; the multiplied and unfuccefsful efforts made by

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