1 quillity of Europe; and whilst the tracting poivers, they declared their dictates of his own confcience difpofed refolution," not only never to perthe King to give credit to the profef-mit any hoftilities by land or fea, but fions of the court of Verfailles, he pre- even to procure reciprocally, on every pared to have nothing to fear from occafion, all that can contribute to the perfidious deligns of its ambition. their mutual glory, intereft and adFrance now dares to fuppofe that the vantages, without giving any fuccour King, inftead of confining himfelf or protection, directly or indirectly, within the limits of a lawful defence, to thofe who do any prejudice to one gave himself up to a hope of conqueft, or other of the high contracting parand that the reconciliation of Great ties." Such was the facred engageBritain with her Colonies, announced, ment which France contracted with on her part, a fixed project of re-ally- Great Britain; and it cannot be dif ing them with her crown, to arm guifed, that fuch a promife ought to them against France." Since, then, bind with greater ftrength and energy that the court of Verfailles cannot ex- against the domeftic rebels than the cufe its procedure, but in favour of a foreign enemies of the two c crowns fuppofition deftitute of truth and like- The revolt of the Americans put th lihood, the King had a right to call fidelity of the court of Verfailles to upon that court, in the face of Eu- proof, and notwithstanding the fre rope, to produce a proof of an affer- quent examples that Europe hath a tion as odious as bold; and to deve ready feen of its little regard to th lope thofe public operations, or fecret faith of treaties, its conduct in the intrigues, that can authorife the fuf- circumstances aftonifhed and enrage picious of France, that Great Britain, every nation which was not blind after a long and painful difpute, of devoted to the interefts, and even ti fered peace, to her. fubjects, with no caprices of France." If France hadi other defign than to undertake a fresh tended to fulfil her duty, it was i war againit a refpectable power, with potible for her to have mistaken which he had preferved all the ap- the fpirit as well as the letter oft pearances of friendship. treaty of Paris, impofed on her an ligation to bar her ports against American veffels; to forbid her f jects to have any commerce with t rebellious prople; and not to aff either fuccour or protection to the meftic enemies of a crown with wh the had fworn a fincere and inviol friendhip. But experience hath well enlightened the King in rega the political fyftem of his antien verfaries, to fuffer him to hope they would conform exactly to just and reasonable principles, w would have affured a general quillity.. Th After having faithfully expofed the frivolous motives, and pretended wrongs of France, we can reflect, with a certainty, juftified, by reafon and by fact, on the fit propofition, fo fimple, and fo important,-That a Peace fubfifted between the two nations, and that France was bound by every obligation of friend hip and treaty with the King, who had never fail ed in his legitimate engagement. The first article of the treaty figned at Paris, the 10th of February 1763, between his Britannic, Mot Chriftian, Cotholic, and Most faithful Majeftics, confirms, in the most precife and folemu manner, the obligations which natural justice impofes on all nations which are in mutual friendship; but thefe obligations are fpecified and ftipulated in that treaty, by expreffions as lively as they are just. After having comprifed, in a general form, all the ftates and fubjects of the high con As foon as the revolted Col had completed their 'criminal prife, by an open declaration of pretended independence, they th to form fecret connections wit powers who were the leaft favo to the interefts of their mother try; and to draw from Europ military aids, without which it bare fupported the war they had undertaken. Their agents endeavoured to penetrate into, and fettle in the different ftates of Europe; but it was only in France that they found an af ylum, hopes, and affiftance. It is beneath the King's dignity to enquire after the æra, or the nature of the correfpondence that they had the addrefs to contract with the minifters of the court of Versailles, and of which the public effects were foon vifible in the general liberty, or rather unbounded ficence of an illegitimate commerce. It is well known that the vigilance of the laws cannot always prevent artful illicit traders, who appear under a thousand different forms, and whofe avidity to gain makes them brave e very danger, and elude every precaution: but the conduct of the French merchants, who furnished America, not only with ufeful and neceffary merchandize, but even with faltpetre, gunpowder, ammunition, arms, and artillery, loudly declared that they were aflured not only of impunity, but even of the protection and favour of the minifters of the court of Verfailles. An enterprize fo vain and fo difficult, as that of hiding from the eyes of Great Britain, and of all Europe, the proceedings of a commercial company, affociated for furnishing the Aricans with whatever could nourish and maintain the fire of a revolt, was tot unattempted. The informed pubfix mamed the chief of the enterprize, shofe houfe was established at Paris; correfpondents at Dunkirk, Nantz, and Bourdeaux were equally known. The immenfe magazines which they irmed, and which they replenished evey day, were facceffively laden in fhips which they built or bought, and of abich they fcarcely diffembled the ob or the place of their deftination. Tsefe veffels commonly took felfe dearances for the French islands in Aserica, but the commodities which comfed their cargo were fufficient, before time of their failing to difcover the ad and the artifice. These fufpicions quickly confirmed by the courfe The they held: and at the end of a few weeks, it was not furprizing to hear they were fallen into the hands of the King's officers cruizing in the American feas, who took them even within fight of the coafts of the revolted colonies. This vigilance was but too well juftified by the conduct of those who had the luck or cunning to efcape it; fince they approached America, only to deliver the rebels the arms and ammunition which they had taken on board for their fervice. marks of thefe facts, which could be confidered only as manifeft breaches of the faith of treaties, multiplied continually, and the diligence of the King's ambalador to communicate his complaints and proofs to the court of Verfailles, did not leave him the fhameful and humiliating refource of appearing ignorant of what was car ried on, and daily repeated in the very heart of the country. He pointed out the names, number, and quality of the fhips that the commercial agents of America had fitted out in the ports of France, to carry to the rebels arms, warlike ftores, and even French officers, who had engaged in the fervice of the revolted colonies. The dates, places, and perfons were always fpecified, with a precifion that afforded the minifters of his moft Chriftian Majesty the greatest facility of being affured of thefe reports, and of stopping in time the progrefs of thefe illicit armaments. Among a crowd of examples, which accufe the court of Verfailles of want of attention to fulfil the conditions of peace, or rather its constant and determined attention to nourish war and difcord, it is impoffible to enumerate them all; it is very difficult to felect the most striking objects. Nine large fhips, fitted out and freighted by the Sieur de Beaumarchais and his partners, in the month of January 1777, are not confounded with the Amphitrite, who carried about the fame time a great quantity of ammunition, and thirty French officers, who paffed with impunity into the fervice of the rebels. Every month, almoft every day, fur nifhed new fubject of complaint; and * a fhort Memorial that Viscount Stormont, the King's ambafador, communicated to the Count de Vergennes, in the month of November, in the fame year, will give a juft, but very imperfect idea of the wrongs which Britain had for often fuftained."There is a 60 gun fhip at Rochfort, and an Eaft India fhip pierced for 60 guns, at L'Orient. These two fhips are deftined for the fervice of the rebels. They are laden with different merchandize, and freighted by Meflrs. Chamont, Holken, and Sebatier, The hip L'Heureux, failed from Marfailles the 25th of September, under another name: fhe goes ftraight to New Hampshire, though it is pretended he is bound to the French iflands. They have been permitted to take on board 3000 mufquets, and 25000 pounds of fulphur, a merchandize as neceflary to the Americans as ufelefs in the islands. This hip is commanded by M. Lundi, a French officer of diftinction, formerly lieutenant to M. de Bouganville-L'Hippopotame belonging to the Sieur Beaumarchais will have on board 4000 mufquets, and many warlike ftores for the ufe of the rebels. There are about -go French fhips laden with ammunition and different merchandizes for the ufe of the rebels, preparing to fail to North America. They will go from Nantz, L'Orient, St. Malo, Havre, Bourdeaux, Bayonne, and other different ports.Thefe are the names of fome of the perfons principally interested; M. Chaumont, M. Menton, and his partners, &c. &c." In a kingdom where the will of the Prince meets with no obstacle, fue cours fo confiderable, to public, fo tong fupported in fine fo neceffa Fy to maintain the war in America, Thew clearly enough the fecret intens tions of the moft Chriftian King's ministers. But they fill carried further their forgetfuinefs, and cons tempt of the most foleran engagements, and it was not without their permiffion that an underhand and dangerous war iffued from the ports of France, under the deceitful mafk of peace, and the pretended flag of the American colonies, The favourable reception that their agents found with the minifters of the court of Verfailles, quickly encouraged them to form and execute the audacious project of establishing a place of arms in the country which had ferved them as an afylum. They had brought with them, or knew how to fabricate letters of marque, in the name of the American Congrefs, who had the impudence to ufurp all the rights of fovereignty. The partnership, whofe interested views eafily embarked in all their defigns, fitted out hips that they had built or purchafed. They armed them to cruife in the European feas, nay, even on the coatts of Great Britain. To fave appearances the captains of thefe corfairs hoifted the pretended American flag, but their crews were always compofed of a great number of Frenchmen, who entered, with impunity, under the very eyes of their governors and othcers of their maritime provinces. A nu merous farm of thefe corfairs, animated by a spirit of rapine, failed from the ports of France, and after cruit ing in the Britifh feas, re-entered, o took fhelter in the fame ports. Thi ther they brought their prizes, an under a grofs, weak artifice, whic they fometimes vouchfated to employ the prizes were fold publicly and con modiously enough, in the fight of the royal officers, always difpofed to prote the commerce of thofe traders, who vi lated the laws, to conform themfelves the intentions of the French minifty The corfairs enriched themselves wi the fpoils of the King's fubjects; at after having profited of full liberty to pair their lofles, provide for their want and procure all warlike ftores, gunpo der,cannon, and rigging, which mig ferve for new enterprizes, they parted freely from the faid ports, make new cruizes. The hiftory of Reprifal privateer may be cited fr a crowd of examples, to fet the unju but fcarcely artificial conduct of court of Verfailles in a clear lig This fhip, which had brought Franklin, agent of the revolted c nies to Europe, was received, with of Martinico forted always as a theltwo prizes fhe had taken in her pafter to corfairs who cruized under Afage. She remained in the port of merican colours, but manned by Nantz, as long as the thought conve- Frenchmen. Mr. Bingham, agent nient, put twice to fea to plunder the for the rebels, who enjoyed the faKing's fubjects, and came quietly in-vour and confidence of two facceffive to L'Orient with the new prizes the governors of Martinico, directed the bad made. arming of thofe privateers, and the public fole of their prizes." Two merchant hips, the Lancaire Hero, and the Irifli Gimblet, which were taken by the Revenge, affures, that out of her crew, conlifting of 125 men, there were only two Americans; and that the owner, who at the fame time was proprietor of eleven other privateers, acknowledged himself to be an inhabitant of Martinico, where he was refpected as the favourite and fecret agent of the governor himself. Notwithstanding the strongest reprefentations of the King's ambaffador; notwithstanding the most foleman afurances of the French minifters, the captain of the corfair was permitted to thy at L'Orient as long as it was neceflary to refit his hip, to provide 50 barrels of gunpowder, and to receive many French feamen as chose to engage with him. Furnished with these reinforcements, the Reprifat failed a third time from the ports of their new allies, and prefently formed a little fquadron of pirates, by the concerted junction of the Lexington and the Dolphin, two privateers, the first of which had already carried more than ene prize into the river Bourdeaux and the other, fitted out at Nantz, and manned entirely by Frenchmen, had nothing American, but her name and her commander. Thefe 3 fhips, which fo publicly enjoyed the protec on of the court of Versailles, in a fort time afterwards took 15 British fhips, the greatest part of which were brought into the ports of France, and fartily fold. Such facts, which it would be eafy to multiply, ftand in ad of reafonings and reproaches, And we may difpenfer with cal ng, upon this occafion, on the fath of treaties and it is not stellary: do fhew, that: antoallied; even a neutral power, can never permit war, without violating the ace. The principle of the law of utings, will, “doubtless refufonto the Abafador of the most respectable er, the privilege of armingsprit , which the court of Verfaites ged under-band in the very bofof France, to the agents of rebels. In de French iblands, the public trans ility was violated in a manner yet audacious, and notwithstanding change of the governor, the ports n In the midst of all thefe acts of hoftifity, (which it is impoffible to qualify by any other name) the court of Verfailles continued always to speak the language of peace and unity and its minifters exhaufted Call the fources of artifice and ditmalation, to pull the jutt complaints of Great Britain, to deceive her juft fufpicions, and to ftop the effects of her just resentment, From the first era of the American troubles, to the moment of the declaration of war by the Marquis de Noaildes, the minifters of the Moft Chrif tian King never ceased to renew the ftrongest and most expreffive protestations of their pacific difpofition and, if the common conduct of the court of Verfuilles was adapted to infpire just diftrunyonyeed His Majelty's juft heart furathed him with powerful motives to believe, that France had at length adopted a fyltem of moderation and peace, which would perpetuate the folid and reciprocal happiness of the two nations. The minifters of the court of Versailles endeavoured tổ excufe the arivalland refidence of the rebellagents by the strongest alfurances, that they found only a fimple afylum in France, without either diftinction or encouragement. The freedom of commerce, and the thirstofgain fervefometimes as pretexts to cover the illegitimate defigns of the མ་ L fubjects of France and at a time ben they vainly alledged the importance of the laws to prevent abufes,which neigh, bouring ftates know fo well how to fup prefs, they condemned with every apr pearance of fincerity, the tranfportation of arms and ammunition, which the permitted with impunity, for the fervice of the rebels. To the first reprefentation of the King's ambalador upon the fubject of the privateers, which were fit red out in the ports of France under American colours, the ministers of his Moft Chriftian Majefty, replied, with expreflions of furprize and indignation, and by a pofitive declaration, that attempts, fo contrary to the faith of treaties, and the public tranquility, fhould never be fuffered. The tram of events, of which a small num ber hath been fhewn, foon manifested the inconftancy, or rather falfhood of the court of Verfailles; and the King's ambaffidor was ordered to reprefent to the French minister, the ferious, but inevitable confequences of their policy. He fulfilled his commiffion with all the confideration due to a re fpectable power, the prefervation of whofe friendfhip was defired, but with a firmnets worthy of a fovereign, and a nation little accustomed to do, or to fuffer injuftice. The court of Versailles was called upon to explain its conduct and its intentions, without delay or evasion; and the King propofed to it the alternative of peace or war France chofe peace, but it was only to wound her enemy more furely and fecretly, without having any thing to dread from her juftice. She feverely Condemned thofe fuccours and thofe armaments, that the principles of pub equity would not permit her to juftify:She declared to the King's amballador that he was refolyed to banit the American corfairs inmedis tely from all the ports of France, never to return again and that the would take in future, the most rigoTous precautions to prevent the fale of prizes taken from the fubjects of Great Britain. The orders given to that effect aftonished the partizans of the rebels, and feemed to check the progrefs of the evil; but fubjects of complaint fprung up again daily; and the mane ner in which thefe orders were firft eluded, then violated, and at length cutirely forgotten, by the merchants, privateers, nay even by the royal of ficers, were not to be excufed by the proteftations of friendship, with which the court of Verfailles accompanied thofe infractions of peace, until the very moment that the treaty of alliance, which it had figned with the a gents of the revolted American colo: nies, was announced by the French ambaffador in London." If a foreign enemy, acknowledged by all the powers of Europe, had con quered the King's American domi nions, and if France had confirmed by a folemn treaty, an act of violence that had plundered in the midit of profound peace, a refpectable neigh bour, of whom the filed herself th Friend and ally, all Europe would hav rifen against the injuftice of a com duct which fhamefully violated a that is most facred among men. first difcovery, the uninterrupted po feffion of two hundred years, and t confent of all nations, were fufficie to afcertain, the rights of Great B tain over the lands of North Americ and its fovereignty over the peo that had fettled there with the p miffion, and under the governm of the King's predeceffors. If ev this people had dared to flake off yoke of authority, or rather of Laws, if they had ufurped the F vinces, and prerogatives of their vereign; and if they had fought alliance of ftrangers to fupport pretended independency; thofe ft gers could not accept their allia ratify their ufurpations and ack ledge their independence fuppofing that REVOLT hath extenfive rights than thofe of w aud without granting to fubjects, a lawful title to cond which they could not have mad in contempt of both law and ju The fecret enemies of peace, of Britain, and perhaps of France felf, had, nevertheless, the cri wit |