§ THE Overtures made to his Majesty by 104 the governments of Russia and of France have not led to Negotiation: and the intercourse to which those Overtures gave se being terminated, his Majesty thinks right thus promptly and publicly to lake known it's termination.—The continued appearance of a Negotiation, when peace has been found to be utterly unattainble, could be advantageous only to the enemy.—It might enable France to sow distrust and jealousy in the councils of lose, who are combined to resist her oppressions: And if, among the nations which groan under the tyranny of French alliance, or among those which maintain against France a doubtful and precarious independence, there should be any which even now are balancing between the certain ruin of a prolonged inactivity, and he contingent dangers of an effort to save themselves from that ruin; to nations so situated the delusive prospect of a peace between Great Britain and France could not fail to be peculiarly injurious. Their preparations might be relaxed by the vain hope of returning tranquillity; or their purpose shaken by the apprehension of being left to contend alone.—That such vas, in fact, the main object of France in he proposals transmitted to his Majesty from Erfurth, his Majesty entertained a strong persuasion.—But at a moment when results so awful from their importance and so tremendous from their uncertainty, might be depending upon the decision of peace or war, the King felt it due to himself to ascertain, beyond the possibility of doubt, the views and intentions of his enemies.—It was difficult for his Majesty to believe, that the emperor of Russia had devoted himself so blindly and fatally to the violence and ambition if the power with which his Imperial Majesty had unfortunately become allied, as to be prepared openly to abet the usurpation of the Spanish Monarchy; and to acknowledge and maintain the right, assumed by France, to depose and imprison friendly sovereigns, and forcibly to transfer to self the allegiance of independent nations.—When, therefore, it was proposed to his Majesty to enter into negotiation for a general peace, in concert with his Majesty's allies, and to treat either on the basis of the Uti possidetis, (heretofore the subject of so much controversy) or on any other basis, consistent with justice, honour, and equality, his Majesty determined to meet this seeming fairness and moderation, with fairness and moderation, 105 on his Majesty's part real and sincere.—The King professed his readiness to enter into such negotiation, in concurrence with his allies; and undertook forthwith to communicate to them the Proposals which his Majesty had received. But as his Majesty was not connected with Spain by a formal treaty of alliance, his Majesty thought it necessary to declare, that the engagements which he had contracted, in the face of the world, with that nation, were considered by his Majesty as no less sacred, and no less binding upon his Majesty, than the most solemn treaties; and to express his Majesty's just confidence that the government of Spain, acting in the name of his Catholic Majesty Ferdinand VII, was understood to be a party to the Negotiation.—The reply returned by Prance to this proposition of his Majesty casts off at once the thin disguise, which had been assumed for a momentary purpose; and displays, with less than ordinary reserve, the arrogance and injustice of that Government. The universal Spanish nation is described by the degrading appellation of "the Spanish Insurgents"; and the demand for the admission of the government of Spain as a party to any Negotiation, is rejected as inadmissible and insulting.—With astonishment as well as with grief his Majesty has received from the emperor of Russia a reply, similar in effect, although less indecorous in tone and manner. The emperor of Russia also stigmatizes as "Insurrection", the glorious efforts of the Spanish people in behalf of their legitimate sovereign, and in defence of the independence of their country! thus giving the sanction of his Imperial Majesty's authority to an usurpation which has no parallel in the history of the world.—The King would readily have embraced an opportunity of negotiation which might have afforded any hope or prospect of a peace compatible with justice and with honour. His Majesty deeply laments an issue, by which the sufferings of Europe are aggravated and prolonged. But neither the honour of his Majesty, nor the generosity of the British nation, would admit of his Majesty's consenting to commence a negotiation, by the abandonment of a brave and loyal people, who are contending for the preservation of all that is dear to man; and whose exertions in a cause so unquestionably just, his Majesty has solemnly pledged himself to sustain.
§ Westminster, Dec.15, 1808.