to find repofe, and a fecure afylum against the cruelty of their perfecu tors. It is with extreme concern, magnificent lords, that I find myfelf obliged to refuse their request, and to declare to all of them that I cannot grant a paífport to any of them until I have received orders from my court. I think it neceffary, magnificent lords, to communicate to you my refolution upon this fubject, in order that the perfons, to whom it relates, may not be fufpected of any neglect or tardinefs in obeying the ordonnance made refpecting them. God forbid that, in taking fuch a refolution, I fhould pretend to fet bounds to the munificence of my fovereign, or the generofity of his fubjects, which I hope will exift as long as the monarchy itself. We have always, magnificent lords, a confidence that our means will be in creafed by divine favour, in proportion as they are employed in atlifting the unfortunate. But it is my duty, in this unforefeen cafe, to take no feps without having previously communicated to my coutt all the circumftances which have preceded, accompanied, and followed this measure, and entreated his Majefty to give me the most diftinct orders for the regulation of my conduct in all that relates to this bufinefs. I do not hesitate to avow that I have not been without hope that the delay, which might be caused by my refolution in the execution of the order against those who have no other afylum but England, would have offered to your lord fhips an opportunity of confidering of every mitigating circumftance, of which this cafe is capable. Perhaps 4 alfo this delay may lead thofe perfous, who have urged this mea fure, to think deliberately both upon its nature and the confequences which may enfue from it. Whatever may be the event, magnificent lords, in adopting and communicating this refolution to your lordthips, if I can be the means of faving any one of those refpectable' families from exhausting their laft refources in taking a long and dangerous voyage, I thall think that I have performed my duty to my God and my king; and I dare anfwer, that whatever may be the affection and friendhip which the king, my mafter, (after the example of his auguft predeceffors) feels for your lordships, thefe fentiments must be much ftrengthened, when I fhall have laid before him a fresh act of your's of that generous and enlarged humanity which forms the diftinguifhed character of his reign, and which our two nations have formerly exercised to the unhappy refugees from that fame country. With the fincereft wishes for the profperity and happiness of your ftate, I am, Magnificent and powerful lords, W. WICKHAM. Articles of the Concordat agreed upon among the different Parties in Geneva, as well as the Refolution taken by the Syndics and Council on this Subject. ART. 1. RESPECT to the law, obedience to the magiftrate, engage both parties united, to maintain the government at the risk of their lives, with dispatch, and entire readiness, as often as neceflity thall fhall require it, to fupprefs every act of infubordination or violence; to caufe the legitimate authority to be refpected, and the free and impartial administration of justice and the laws. 2. A full and entire abrogation of all the fentences pronounced by the revolutionary tribunals, and the fincere and loyal abjuration of all public and perfonal vengeance paffed against any individual whatever. Such perfons fo profcribed, may reft affured of an inviolable afylum in the bofom of the union of all the citizens, for which we now labour, and of which we thall give an example.-This furely fhall be pronounced by the nation, as the first article of the preliminaries upon which that union fhall be founded. 3. A fincere mutual return, and inviolable attachment of both parties thus united in the three fundamental principles, already confecrated by our primitive laws, and the prefent conftitution; namely, political equality, removal from public offices, and the feparation of powers. 4. The citizens who have hitherto expreffed a diflike to the revolution of 1792, declare, "That with respect to the new legiflation, now in a state of formation, they will confine themselves in demanding that a more moderate application fhould be made, with respect to the removal from office, and the feparation of the powers, than that which exifts at prefent; as alfo the re-establishment of the forms of our ancient government, which are not in compatible with the three fundamental principles announced above. The citi zens attached to the revolution of . 1792, acknowledge that thefe demands accord with the true interefts of the republic, and receive that declaration with pleasure; they confider it as inviolable and facred, and declare, on their part, that they will formally adhere to it. 5. The affembly decree, that L. A. CONSTANTINE Geneva, 31, Auguft, 1795, Extract from the regifters of the Official Note of Count Bernflorff, Da nifh Minifter of State. THE fyftem of his Danith Majefty, uninfluenced by paffions and prejudices, is merely governed by reafon and truth, and conftantly fuch modifications are adopted as are rendered both juft and unavoidable by the obvious change in the pofture of public affairs. So long as no other than a revolutionary government exifted in France, his majefty could not acknowledge the minifter of that government; but now that the French conftitution is completely organized, and a regular government established in France, his majefty's obligation ceafes in that refpect, and M. Grouvelle will therefore be acknowledged in the ufual form. For the reft, this ftep remains remains an isolated measure, be ing neither more nor less than the natural confequence of circumftances, and an additional proof of the complete and truly impartial neutrality of the king. February, 1796. Citizen Growvelle, Minifter Plenipotentiary from the French Republic in Denmark, to his Excellency Count de Bernstorff, Minifler of the Council of State to his Danish Majefty, and of the Department for Foreign Affairs. Copenhagen, 27 Ventofe, 4th Year of the Republic. THE German papers, fir, have inferted the extract of an inftruction, which appears to have been addreffed in a circular manner by you to the minifiers of Denmark, at the different courts, and which concerns the refolutions adopted by his majefty, to give to the character of minifter plenipotentiary from the French republic, in which character I have refided for two years and a half at this court, a fuitable publicity by admitting me to a private audience. I have every reafon to confider this extract as authentic, and in this character I feel myself bound to addrefs you. Of whatever reflections the principle and fpirit of that extract may be fufceptible, my defign is not to comment upon it all. The government, whofe reprefentative I am, poffeffes, as well as myself, a fcrupulous refpect for the independence of governments, and even a regard for their private convenience. The tyrannical and intriguing fyftem of alking on every fubject official explanations, would be as contrary to their principles as to my own charaft er. To make an incident of a phrase, to attach a díplomatic importance to each word, to render the flighteft difcuffion perfonal, to feafon with arrogance the ennui of a laborious epiftolary controverfy, is a part which we have lately feen played by certain agents, who quarrel for want of butinefs, who know not how to ferve their courts, but by infulting others, and who reprefent nothing more than the vices of their nations; ridicule and contempt are attached to them; their example is fit to be recollected, only because it is proper to be avoided. As the French republic makes it her glory to follow a contrary fyftem to that of the powers who acknowledge fuch minifters, I honour myself for being a contraft to them in all my proceedings. But, fir, I cannot difpenfe with fixing my attention upon the conclufion of the extract of your inftruction above mentioned, and feeing that the refult is announced in terms which, by their too general acceptation, may lead to abufive interpretation. I have thought that it is neceffary to have an amicable understanding with you. In fpeaking of my admiffion, and of the public acknowledgment of my character, you say, that this ftep is ifolated, and means nothing but what it is in itself. Do you nor apprehend that the difaffected will fee, in this mode of expreffion, a fort of reftriction, of implicit referve; that they may go fo far as to fuppofe that it alludes to I know not what other declaration or anterior meafure which may have been adopted to the fame courts to which your minifters may have held this official language? That even attri buting the publication to you. they they may give a fort of credit to the inductions? Undoubtedly you will fee with pain that the public receives them; for however forced they may be, they injure the idea which the court of Denmark wifhes always to give of the franknefs of its proceedings. That after having fo long delayed a measure, become neceffary to her own confideration, as well as to the dignity of the republic, the might be again fufpected of withing to deftroy the good effect fecretly, and to weaken whatever advantage the meafure might produce to France. Would not this be a real inconve nience? I only with to point out what in this concerns your own reputation. On the other hand, fir, the French government, now efta blished on a new conditution, refumes its rank among the other European powers. It will of courfe be extremely cautious not to incur the charge of inconfiftency, nor to fuffer any ftain to attach on its dignity, nor in any respect to fanction by injuftice the detraction of its calumniators. The government well know the influence of public opinion, and will not fail to fet themselves right in the efimation of the world, when their adverfaries are bufily employed in cor rupting it. Although they feel themfelves far fuperior to flattery and oftentation, and direct all their operations with that confidence which arifes from the wisdom of their councils, and the energy of their measures; yet, the value they fet upon their connection with Denmark, renders it impoffible for them to behold with an eye of indifference, a circumftance which conveys a barth VOL. XXXVIII. The reflection on their conduct. abuse that might be made of your note, gave them much concern, and it was with extreme fatisfaction that they received a teftimony of the rectitude of your intentions. A loyal government ftoops not to a difavowal, because it afferts nothing but the truth. A wife government ought to contemn falfe reports, but a benevolent government, or only an impartial one, will not reject overtures to an explanation, efpecially if it is demanded with amicable views. It is with this view, fir, that I now difcharge this important duty, a duty which, though painful, is fill neceffary to prevent an interruption of the exiting harmony between our respective states, which ought to be united more closely than ever. If perfonal confideration were of any weight, I thould give my opinion that this is not an unimportant object, and perhaps the occurrences, which preceded my admition, were not of the moft conciliatory nature, and niay produce fome embarraffments in the event, at least with respect to this court. The firft obfervation I fubmit to your wisdom, and the latter remark to your delicacy. (Signed) GROUVELLE. objects which do not admit of mi-establishment of a free port; and nifterial difcuffions. The inftructions which I gave to fome of the king's minifters at different foreign courts are of this kind: it is become public without our knowledge; it is nothing like a declaration to these courts. We have made no declaration; it is a fimple official inftruction, only defigned for the information of thofe to whom it is addreffed, and which relates to the anterior correfpondence, and which breathing only the juftice rendered to the prefent French conftitution, could not firely involve us in a difpute with ther, but rather with thofe who do not love that constitution. This is To clearly evident, that I thould only weaken it by further expla Dation. You know, befides, that your admiffion has been without the malleft referve, abfolutely in the ifnal and moft folemn forms that we know. We never do things by Half, and as you are witnefs of our conduct and proceedings, I fhould Tove to chufe you yourfelf as judge, and I depend upon your impartiality. In the fame manner I inTreat you to believe in the high con fideration with which I am, &c. BERNSTORFF. Copenhagen, March 19, 1796. for making Lisbon a free Fort. Donna Maria, by the Grace of God, Queen of Portugal and the Algarves, &e. &c. BE it known to all to whom this law fhall conie, that taking into my royal contidetation the many aud very important advantages which would neceffarily refult to the commerce of the fubjects of these kingdoms and their dominions, by the 4 well aware, that the port of Lisbon from its fituation, fecurity, and facility of navigation with the ocean, is preferable to those of other nations which have adopted fimilar eftablishments; conforming myself to the opinion of my royal board of commerce, agriculture, manufactures, and navigation, of thofe kingdoms and their dominions, and of others of my council, very learned and zealous for the good of my royal fervice, and of the public utility-It is my will, and I am pleafed to create and eftablifh, at Junquiera, joining to the city of Litbon, a free port, to take entire and due effect from the firft day of January, in the year next enfuing of 1797, having deftined for its exercife and the depofit, the boutes and warehouses of Fort St. John, with the ground adjoining, whereon to build the further neceflary accommodations, there to receive and depofit all goods and merchandize, of whatever quality or kind they may be, as well for foreign countries, (except for the prefent fugar and tobacco) as from national ports fituate beyond the Cape of Good Hope, for the purpose, at the option of the proprietors of the faid goods, of difpofing of them for the internal confumption of the kingdom, provided they are entitld to lawful entry, and on paying the cuftomary duties, at the refpective customhoufes; or to be exported to foreign ports, or national ones beyond the faid Cape of Good Hope, on paying only towards the benefit of my royal revenue, for protection and depofit, the duty of 1 per cent. on the amount of their value, calculated on the invoice to be produced by the captains of the vefiels, |