Lord Hollandobserved, that a paper had appeared in all the public prints, purporting to be a Declaration of the Allied Powers, published at Frankfort; in which it was said, "the first use which their imperial and royal majesties have made of victory, has been, to offer peace to his majesty the emperor of the French." He wished, therefore, to ask of the noble lord opposite, in the first place, of course, whether this paper was an authentic document; if so, whether this government was a party to it; and whether an overture of peace 286 had been made to the emperor of the French and rejected; or whether any overture had been made, that was likely to lead to a negociation?
The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, he had no difficulty in stating, that the paper purporting to be a Declaration of the Allied Powers was an authentic document. With respect to the question, whether this government was a party to it, the allies were undoubtedly in full possession of our sentiments; but he had no hesitation in saying, that the Declaration itself was issued at Frankfort without any previous concert with his Majesty's government, as to the publication of such a document. With regard to the questions, as to whether any overture had been made to France? he must, consistently with his public duty, decline giving any answer.
The Earl of Darnleyobserved, that his noble friend's questions appeared to have been in some degree misunderstood by the noble earl. The Declaration of the Allied Powers stated, that an overture had been made to the emperor of the French; and the object was, to ascertain whether such an overture had been made and rejected.
The Earl of Liverpoolrepeated, that the Declaration had been published at Frankfort, without a previous concert with this government as to its publication.
Lord Hollandobserved that it was of considerable importance to know, whether an overture had been made to the emperor of the French, and rejected; and upon this point he thought his questions had been in some degree misunderstood.
The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, his answers had referred distinctly to the points, that the Declaration was an authentic document; that the allies were in full possession of the sentiments of his Majesty's government; but that the Declaration, so far as it went, was published at Frankfort, without any previous concert with this government as to such publication.