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Subsidies under the Duke of Wellington's engagements, not specially voted, paid and in course of payment

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1816.

NEGOCIATIONS RESPECTING TERRITORIAL ARRANGEMENTS

BETWEEN CONTINENTAL STATES-AFFAIRS OF FRANCE, THE NETHERLANDS, SPAIN, AND NAPLES.

Sir Charles Stuart to Lord Castlereagh.

Paris, January 1, 1816.

My dear Lord-Since I had the honour to write my private letter on Thursday, the knowledge that an intrigue, supported by the Princes, for effecting the return of M. de Blacas through their own influence, induced the Duke of Wellington to mention the subject, in the course of the various communications to M. Pozzo di Borgo and the Duke de Richelieu which have taken place upon the subject of public affairs last week.

The former appeared very sensible of the reasons which weigh in favour of the return of M. Blacas: the knowledge, however, that such a measure is not agreeable to the Emperor of Russia induced him to suggest the propriety of delay during six weeks, or till he should receive instructions from that Sovereign. The objections of M. de Richelieu are more decisive, and he does not hesitate to say that his enemies will take advantage of the outcry which has been raised against M. Blacas, to overturn the Ministry which shall venture to recommend his return. My certain knowledge that the party of the Pavillon Marsan and that of M. de Talleyrand decidedly concur in the expediency of this measure induces me to believe that the opinion of M. de Richelieu, supported, as he may be, by Russia, will not counteract the wishes his Majesty is known to entertain upon this point.

Prince Talleyrand, indeed, told me yesterday that, unless

the return of M. Blacas shall give that strength and energy to the King's opinions which he considers the present circumstances render essentially necessary, he will not only declare, at the head of his friends, that he will on no consideration accept of office on any contingency; but that, with M. de Jaucourt and several others who are attached to his fortunes, he will quit the country and travel for some years.

I remain, my dear lord, most faithfully yours,
CHARLES STUART.

[Enclosure.]

La Valette.

Various reports from places he is said to be arrived at, Brussels among others, state amongst the anecdotes I heard, that the sentinel of the Conciergerie deposed that he was so much struck by the unusual manner of his, or rather her, going out, and the way in which the jailor accompanied, that he called to arms, and for a few minutes nobody came.

A Member having asked in the House for des renseignements, it was overruled, as being more proper to wait for communications from the Ministers. None being produced for twenty-four hours, he got up next day and produced a paper. "Here is information for you!" He then produced an order, signed by the Minister of Police, dated the 18th, to all the editors of newspapers, forbidding anything whatever to be inserted respecting La Valette. The person who told me this added—" He was evidently saved by the faction—it was known that he meant to make important discoveries."

As this person is a thorough Royalist, and firmly persuaded that the country and King are only to be saved by their system, and as I believe him to be conscientiously of that opinion, I take notes generally of what he says. I must give them as shortly and incoherently as I took them.

The day after Vaublanc was in a minority, I expressed my surprise. "You don't know our way of doing things here.

The Ministers will do nothing on their own responsibility. The King is nobody. These laws, or propositions, are framed by the Conseil d'État of each department. These Conseils d'État are all Fouché and Talleyrand, as much as if they were still Ministers. These, then, wish to overturn the dynasty, because they can be nothing under it. The plan of altering the mode of elections, making curés and others vote, who have no property, merely to get rid of some Royalists whom they fear, will not succeed; and if the House was dissolved, other and stronger Royalists would be chosen-for the people of France are determined to get rid of all the révolutionnaires. Pasquier, Barante, Louis, &c., are all révolutionnaires. Barbé Marbois is a Quaker. I believe the man is more a dupe than anything else, but his daughter, Madame de Plaisance, is la plus fine Jacobine that we know.

"The club in the Rue St. Honoré is gone or going down very fast. There are many seceders: they found they were deceived. There is a club of Modérés: what did such people ever do but mischief! What nonsense is a club of Modérés now!-no man can take a middle course. The parties are en présence. We must save ourselves, and by doing so we shall have the King and the dynasty, in spite of the King. The amnesty will not pass.

"The King's word is not violated. Fouché and Talleyrand made the list: they put in many who were innocent, and left out the great culprits. These révolutionnaires want to throw the odium of everything upon us, even for punishing those they named themselves. The King may take all his Ministers from that party, but he cannot reign with them. The great majority of the nation is for the severest justice of the law against these men and their adherents, who are eternal enemies of the dynasty-we are every hour more and more convinced of it. We must destroy them, or render them null: by any other process, a civil war is inevitable. If the Allies come back, they must rule by a Royalist party, and can rule by no

other. We cannot believe in the sincerity of the Allies, when we see them supporting these men. We know how your ambassador talks on these subjects-they do not know the formation of our Conseils d'État, or the wishes, or objects, or sentiments of them.

"The Anti-Bourbon party affect to wish the troops may remain their reasons are known to us. The evasion of La Valette is their work, as his discoveries would be fatal to them; and you will see he will not be caught. We want tranquillity, the dynasty, and the Charte un peu modifiée.

"We know what would be the consequences of new disturbances-Prussia wanted four provinces, and none of the money: she got money, but was refused the other: she will get both, on any new disturbance. Wirtemberg wants an arrondissement at the expense of France. We dread these things, but we prefer anything to submitting to a single man being employed or suffered to exist in France who acted under the Acte additionelle."

This is, beyond any doubt, the language and feeling of the King's family; it has never varied, and is not likely to vary.

An anecdote is mentioned of the King's saying to one of the deputies" You think this majority against my Ministers a fine triumph-such men and such triumphs brought Louis Seize to the scaffold, but shall never bring me." I don't think it likely to have happened; but, out of the High Royalist party, the state of things is described to be-a constitutional King and Ministers contending for the liberties of the country against their representatives. Such a state of things cannot end à l'aimable.

Lord Clancarty to Lord Castlereagh.

Frankfort sur Maine, January 1, 1816. My dear Lord-The arrival of Krowse [Kraus] from Vienna, with despatches from Gordon, who desires to have him sent back, has confirmed me in the intention of despatching a mes

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