government. I must likewise observe, that the nomination of Catholic Bishops in Ireland is, and has been, for a long time, de facto, purely domestic, as the Pope does not grant canonical institution to any but native Irishmen previously named, recommended, and postulated by the existing respective provincial Bishops of Ireland, or the clergy of the vacant diocese.

But, although this be notoriously the present general practice with respect to Ireland, the Alarmist will askDoes not the Pope enjoy the abstract right of controlling it, and of granting canonical institution to whomsoever he pleases?—Allowing this abstract right, which he never exercises, except in his own temporal States, is it not most improbable that he will ever deviate from the established practice, or from the uniform conduct of his predecessors, during so many years, in granting canonical institution to Irish Catholic Bishops?

Nevertheless, the Alarmist may reply, and ask again, Is it not, at least, possible that his successor or successors may deviate from the practice; and is it not the duty of every wise Government to guard against such a contingency, and even the possibility of foreign influence?

In Catholic States, the exercise of the Pope's acknowledged right to grant canonical institution is regulated by Concordats, or agreements between him and the respective Catholic Sovereigns, by which they, as patrons and protectors of the Catholic Church, are privileged, under specified conditions, to nominate to Bishoprics.

Although such privilege cannot be granted to a Protestant or non-Catholic Sovereign or State, a Concordat, or agreement, between his Majesty of the United Kingdom and his Holiness might be entered into, whereby the present mode of nominating, recommending, and postulating, to Bishoprics in Ireland by the respective Catholic provincial Bishops or clergy of the vacant diocese would be confirmed, and the nomination rendered

in all future times completely domestic, precluding the possibility of any foreign influence.

I am confident the Pope would sanction such a Concordat, or agreement; nor will the Catholic Bishops of Ireland refuse their co-operation to effect it.

The Pope will probably depute a Nuncio, or other Minister, to the expected Congress on the Continent to negociate a peace. As Lord Castlereagh will be a principal member of it, his lordship will have an opportunity of conferring with the Nuncio, and of ascertaining by his means whether his Holiness is disposed to sanction and ratify the present mode of domestic nomination to Bishoprics in Ireland.

Should you write to Lord Castlereagh, I pray you to present my humble respects to his lordship.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

J. T. TROY.

to

Mr. William Hamilton to Lord Castlereagh.

Foreign Office, February 1, 1814. My dear Lord-I have nothing to add to the communications you from others contained in this bag; but that some embarrassment and delay have been occasioned by the fourth Article of the Treaty with Denmark, which stipulates that the Colonies shall be restored on the same principles as in 1801; which, being on the most liberal and gratuitous principles towards Denmark, would, if acted upon in this instance, entail an expense of at least half a million; as, in that case, compensation was made for the public revenue and all private losses occasioned by our occupation of the Islands, &c.

It is now intended to substitute either explanatory articles, or a declaration, stating that the Colonies are now to be restored. on the principles usually adopted on similar occasions, with a saving clause for the disposal of property and protection of persons.

I believe that Addington will be despatched to-morrow, with

the arrangement, finally adopted, copies of which will be forwarded to you.

Believe me, my dear lord, faithfully yours,

W. HAMILTON.

The Hon. Sir Charles Stewart to Lord Castlereagh.

Chateau de Brienne, February 2, 1814.

My Lord-I am gratified in being enabled to send your lordship a far better report of the results of the battle of La Routière than if I had been so fortunate as to have been myself in the field.

Colonel Lowe's detail is so satisfactory and so accurate, from his having had the advantage of being with Marshal Blücher in the advance during the whole day, that there is little in the official reports that have come in, which the Colonel has not already noticed.

I think, upon every military reasoning, and the appearance, and reports of the preceding day, Napoleon's giving battle in his position of La Routière was improbable; and this opinion I not only hazarded to your lordship, but it detained me at Chaumont yesterday to receive your orders. However, during this campaign, Napoleon has hardly, in any instance, acted on common calculation, and he seems yesterday to have drawn up his army in two lines in the great plain before La Routière, occupying the villages, and neglecting much stronger ground in his rear, about Brienne, evidently showing he means to play his last stake with desperation. He led on his young guards himself to wrest the village of La Routière from the gallant corps of Sacken. But three repeated efforts were ineffectual. All agree that the enemy fought with great intrepidity. Napoleon seems to have set his life on a die, as he exposed himself everywhere, and had his horse shot under him. He had the mortification, however, of witnessing a battery of guns of the young Guard taken close under him.

If Marshal Blücher was not long since immortalized, this

day would have crowned him in the annals of Fame. For whatever were the apprehensions entertained by many for the result of the Prince of Wirtemberg's attack on the right flank, your lordship will see, by Colonel Lowe's report, the Marshal steadily pursued that combination upon which the result of the day depended. This foresight, judgment, and decision, is done justice to by all the Allied army. The Russian artillery are spoken of in the highest terms of praise. The ground was so covered with snow, and so deep, that they were obliged to leave half their guns in the rear, and by harnessing double teams to the other half they continued to bring them forward, and get a sufficient number into action.

The Allies had about 70 or 80,000 men in the battle. The other corps of the army, which are not enumerated in the report, were not up. The enemy are supposed to have had about the same strength.

The enemy's last attack on the village of La Routière was at two o'clock this morning. Immediately after, they seem to have commenced their retreat. Passing the Aube river, they took up a very strong rear-guard position at Lesmont, with their right, and extending behind the Oise. Dispositions were made to attack it, with the corps of the Prince Royal of Wirtemberg, Wrede, and Giulay; and there was a sharp fire all this morning on this spot; but the day was so very unfavourable, and the fall of snow so excessive, that the troops could make no progress.

In the meantime, the Field Marshal Prince Schwarzenberg has made his arrangements for the pursuit of the enemy, who have retreated on Vitry, Arcis, and Troyes. The two former places are supposed to have garrisons and cannon, and Vitry is walled, with a ditch of some extent.

The Grand Army march by Troyes on Paris, and the army of Silesia by Lesmont upon Vitry, making their junction with the corps of Wittgenstein, coming from Vassy, and the corps of York from St. Dizier, which was taken,

with some guns York.

and loss on the part of the enemy, by General

The great force will thus operate on the shortest line to the capital; and Marshal Blücher, sweeping round by the right, and forming a junction with the corps above stated, will annihilate all before him, and probably come in contact with the corps of Macdonald, which, it is reported, is marching to unite near Vitry. Prince Schwarzenberg's head-quarters will be to-morrow at Vendœuvres, and Marshal Blücher at Beaux le Comte.

These are the few trifling observations which it occurs to me to make to your lordship from this place to-day, in addition to sending Colonel Lowe's report. I set out this night for Chatillon to obey your lordship's orders, and I hope to arrive there early to-morrow.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

CHARLES STEWART.

Mr. Edward Cooke to Lord Castlereagh.

Foreign Office, February 2, 1814.

My dear Lord-I have been quite a wretch these last three weeks, but am better again, and, as the spring comes on, hope to revive with the tulips.

We hope no embarrassments will arise on the Danish treaty; but Thornton was not aware of what took place on the restoration of the Danish possessions, in 1801. I could have also wished he had not left Kiel, as Addington is so young, and in no official situation. He tells me that Mr. Bourke did not appear aware that the articles of ceding the conquests, as drawn by Mr. Thornton, were particularly or unusually favourable to Denmark; and, as there was no original disposition to overreach, I hope they will admit a fair explanation.

Your lordship will read in the Morning Chronicle a strange account of a mission to Lord Wellington and Suchet, of a M. Viel-Castel, for the restoration of the Bourbons. The