the Empire, or elsewhere, conformably to named powers and his Moft Faithful Max jefty, fhall be, as they are in effect, res newed and confirmed, in all their points which are not derogated from by the prefent preliminary articles, notwithstand ing whatever may have been ftipulated to the contrary by any of the high, contracting parties: and all the faid parties des clare, that they will not fuffer any privi lege, favour, or indulgence, to fubfift contrary to the treaties above confirmed. Guadeloupe, Defirade, Mariegalante, Martinico, and St Lucia, three months after the ratification of the definitive treaty, or fooner if it can be done. te G. Britain fhall like wife, at the end of three months after the ratification of the XXIV. The prifoners made refpectivedefinitive treaty, or fooner if it can be ly by the arms of their Britannic, Moft done, enter into poffeflion of the river, and Chriftian, Catholic, and Moft Faithful of the port of Mobile, and of all that is Majefties, by land and by fea, fhall be to form the limits of the territory of G. reftored reciprocally, and bona fide, after Britain, on the fide of the river Miflifip, the ratification of the definitive treaty, pi, as they are specified in the 6th article. without ranfom, paying the debts they The island of Gorée fhall be evacuated fhall have contracted during their capti by y G. Britain, three months after the ravity. And each crown fhall refpectively tification of the definitive treaty; and the ifland of Minorca by France, at the fame epoch, or fooner if it can be done. And, according to the conditions of the 6th article, France fhall alfo enter into pof feffion of the islands of St Peter, and of Miquelon, at the end of three months. The comptoirs in the Eaft Indies fhall be restored fix months after the ratifica tion of the definitive treaty, or fooner if it can be done. The ifland of Cuba, with the fortrefs of the Havannah, fhall be restored, three months after the ratification of the definitive treaty, or fooner if it can be done: and, at the fame time, G. Britain fhall enter into poffeffion of the country ceded by Spain according to the 19th article. All the fortreffes and countries of his Moft Faithful Majefty, in Europe, fhall be reftored immediately after the ratification of the defimitive treaty: and the Portuguese colonies which may have been conquered, thall be reftored in the space of three months in the Weft Indies, and of fix months in the Eaft Indies, after the ratification of the definitive treaty, or frateriation the In confequence whereof, the neceffary orders fhall be sent by each of the high contracting parties, with reciprocal paffports for the fhips which fhall carry them, immediately after the ratification of the definitive treaty. pay the advances which thall have been made for the fubfiftence and mainte nance of their prifoners, by the fovereign of the country where they shall have been detained, according to the receipts and attefted accounts, and other authentic titles which fhall be furnifhed on each fide. 7 XXV. In order to prevent all causes of) complaints, and difputes, which may arife, on account of fhips, merchandises, and other effects, which may be taken by z fea, it is reciprocally agreed, that the fhips, merchandifes, and effects, which! may be taken in the Channel, and in the : North feas, after the pace of twelve days, to be computed from the ratification of the prefent preliminary articles, fhall be reciprocally restored on each fide. That the term fhall be fix weeks for the prizes taken from the Channel, the Britifh feas, and the North feas, as far as the Canary islands inclufively, either int the Ocean, or in the Mediterranean.olm Three months from the faid Canary iflands, as far as the Equinoctial Line or Equator. Laftly, fix months, beyond the said Equinoctial Line, or Equator, and in all other parts of the world, without any exception, or other more particular descrip tion of time and place. XXVI. The ratifications of the prefent preliminary articles fhall be expedited in I. All the treaties, of what na good and due form, and exchanged in the ture foever, er, which exi before the pre- pace of one month, or fooner if it can fent war, as well between their Britan- be done, to be computed from the day nic and Moft Chriftian Majefties, as be- of the fignature of the present articles. tween their Britannic and Catholic MajeNies, gas allos between any of the above In witnefs whereof, aveni the under written ministers-plenipotentiary of his Britannic Nov. 1962. The French declaration, fübjoined to the preliminaries. 375 Britannic Mijelly, of his Moft Chriftian Majefty, and of his Catholic Majefty, in virtue of our respective full powers, have figned the prefent preliminary articles, and have caufed the feal of our arms to be put thereto. Past •Done at Fountainebleau, the 3d day of November, 1762. BEDFORD, C. P. S. CHOISEUL, DUC DE PRASLIN. 6 EL MARO. DE GRIMALDI. (L. S.) Declaration, figned at Fountainebleau, the 3d of November, 1762, by the French plenipotentiary, relating to the 13th article of the preliminaries. His Moft Chriftian Majefty declares, that, in agreeing to the 13th article of the preliminaries, figned this day, he does not mean to renounce the right of acquitting his debts to his allies; and that the remittances which may be made on bis part, in order to acquit the arrears that may be due on the fubfidies of preceding years, are not to be confidered as an infraction of the faid article. In witnels whereof, I, the underwritten minilter-plenipotentiary of his Moft Chriftian Majesty, have signed the prefent declaration, and have caused the feal of my farms to be put thereto. Done at Fountainebleau, the 3d day of November, 1762. (L. S.)CHOISEUL DUC DE PRASLIN. SIR, London, Nov. 15. A Great deal of random abuse is thrown out against the fuppofed preliminaries of peace. Whether this abufe is well founded, we leave to the true well-meaning lovers of their country to determine, after they have maturely weighed the prefent condition of our poffeflions (according to the fuppofed preliminaries) against our condition at the commencement of the war, and after they have com-" pared our prefent condition, with what it would have been, if the peace we would have made last year had been ratified. Enumeration of the acquifitions made, and Caufirmed to G. Britain, according to the fuppofed preliminaries. From FRANCE. 1. The whole of Canada, Cape Breton, The preliminaries published by auth-rity, Louifburg, the exclufion of the French from filhing in the gulf of St Laurence, or the banks of Cape Breton, St John's, Anticofte and Gafpée; allowing them, ing ftead of an unlimited claim, only a fmall limited fhore to cure and catch filh; no harbour but at Miquelon, and St Pierre where none but French hips can touch and no fort but for fifty men, fubject to the infpection of an English commiffary, 2. The most valuable part of Louisiana, the river Miffifippi being declared the boundary, the English to have the navi gation of the Millilippi down to the fea. 3. Granada, and the Granadillas. 4. Tobago, Dominico, and St Vin cent's. 5. Senegal. 6. The exclufion of the French from the kingdom of Bengal except three factories, with no more than sixteen men to garrifon each. Befides the demolition of Dunkirk, the evacuating Neuport and Oftend, and Portugal, and withdrawing the French armies from Germany. From SPAIN. 1. St Auguftine, and the whole country of Florida, which now makes the whole to the Ocean; in the poffeffion of which of North America ours from the Millilippi having undifputable boundaries, the Ovaft empire we can never be disturbed, cean and the Miflifippi, no poffibility of an attack from the weak remainder of Louifiana, or from the Indians unsupport, ed by the French. 2. The right of the English to cut logwood allowed, for which we entered into a long Spanish war in 1739, which coft us many millions, and did not obtain it at last. land fishery given up, which was the 3. The Spanish claim to a Newfoundfoundation of the prefent Spanish war and occafioned the continuance of the French one. Befides which, Portugal to be immedi ately evacuated. did not comes abroad [620,] til Lecember ad.) Befides all this, England has the glory and 576 The preliminaries and terms offered laft year compared. Vol. xxiv. and advantage of having faved two kings her allies, totally refcued Portugal from inevitable destruction, and raised Pruffia from as bad a fituation, to be now fuperior to his only remaining enemy; has taken or deftroyed one third of the whole Spanifh fleets, and two thirds of the French; and enriched G. Britain with more Spanish treasure in a few months, than was ever done in the courfe of the longeft war; has, without any ceflions on her part, obtained every defirable conceffion, beyond the reach of future cavalling, nothing being left to future commifforial difcuffions, all things being defcribed and fixed with the cleareft precifion: a precifion never ob tained, nor even fo much as aimed at in a ny former treaty; the want of which ocCafioned our two laft wars: and if our enemies fhould ever attempt to interrupt a peace, fo much wanted for the recovery of our finances, fuch is our fituation, according to the fuppofed preliminartes, they must fight us entirely upon our own element; the war must be totally infular, unless we are mad enough to Don Quixot it again in Germany. As the terms infifted upon laft year were univerfally allowed to be honourable and advantageous, let us compare them with the prefent, though now our debt is increafed twelve millions, our enemies are doubled, and we have Portugal to defend. Enumeration of the acquifitions made by G. Britain according to the fuppofed preliminaries, over and above what was asked by the last year's treaty, or we should have had. if our enemies had acquiefced in all our demands. From SPAIN. as we were to have divided the four neutral iflands with the French, and they would have had one of thefe with St Lu cia. Art. 6. The contracting and confining the French factories in India, with a precifion not to be difputed, inftead of being referred to commiffaries at large, whe would never agree to fuch conditions; another fource of a future war. Now for all these acquifitions we have made by this peace, over and above what we should have made by that honourable and advantageous one, which was propofed and fo much applauded laft year, what has Great Britain less than fhe would have had if laft year's peace had taken place? The anfwer is-Nothing-except giving Gorée, as the fettlement which the French were by that treaty to have for the purchase of flaves. This is the fair ftate of the cafe, if the fuppofed preliminaries are really genuine ; and if they are, without expatiating upon the advantage and glory of them, which is infinite and felf-evident, let every honest, unbiassed lover of his country lay his hand upon his heart, and pronounce fentence upon the contrivers, whether all the abufe and obloquy they have met with, or whether the greatest honours and applaufe a grateful people can beftow, are due to them? Letter from the COCOA-TREE to the Country-Gentlemen. GENTLEMEN, ENgaged to you by every fentiment of affection and efteem, united with you in the fame political principles and ideas of the conftitution, I need not profefs my Every country, claim, &c. &c. above zeal for your interefts and honour. I recited. From FRANCE.. Art. 1. Instead of an unlimited right of fishery, as by the treaty of Utrecht, a vey limited one as in the article above, precifely afcertained, and impoffible, but by ur own neglect, to hurt ours. have always acted with you, and can now look back with pleasure on our paft conduct. I find it fteady and uniform," except in one inftance, when we were firft infenfibly engaged, and afterwards as infenfibly carried too far, in fupport of the war in Germany. I make this acArt. 2. Entirely additional, which gives knowledgment without apprehenfion of us an indisputable boundary, the Milli- offending, as I know your opinions upon. dippi, and an immenfe country, instead that fubject. But a new and extraordiof Vaudreuil's boundary, never afcer-nary crifis of affairs is coming forward, tained; a fure fource of a future war. Art. 3. Granada and the Granadillas, entirely additional, which, befides being rich fugar islands, have one of the fineft harbours in the Weft Indies, much wanted by us, Art. 4. One of the three neutraliflands, which will call upon us to maintain the integrity of our political principles and character. I-am-therefore defirous to lay before you fuch reafons, as, in my opinion, ought to influence our future.conduct and engagements, with regard to the ftrange things that are palling here. An Nov. 1762 The heads of the oppofition characterisedg od 1577 32 meatures of governme against the of Pruffia. May no luch treaty ever apona 3. to minifters, or a conteft tion, our fovereign, gracious and good, or power, for places and employments, would have given up Hanover to the wel I or poink it pandent, I would fare of his native country. He would nore T ather call the prefent opposition a formd defign against his Majesty's independ, nce, and liberty in exercifing the most conftitutional prerogatives of bis crown, The declared and avowed intention of he great perfons engaged in it, is to ommand the prefent reign, an and dicate to their lovereign; humbly to inform im, to whom he hall give, not only he direction of the public affairs, but een his private affection and efteem. Two Noble perfons, and a third, ftill noble, have declared themselves the atrons and leaders of this oppofition. The two firft appear in fupport of the Vbig intereft, and the old English fanilies, formerly diftinguifbed by that deomination. They complain, that the Tories, by which title they inean to difinguish the country-gentlemen, to whom am writing, are received by the preent adminiftration, into offices of truft and confidence; or what, perhaps, in pite of the spirit of refigning, they more efent, into places of profit in the ftate. Thus have they revived thofe unhappy liftinctions under which our fathers were nlifted, and engaged in almost civil war. The Noble perfons would renew this war, Tid, in contradiétion to all conftitutional rinciples, would narrow the bounds of majefty, and confine its cares, its attenion, and its bounty, to a part, which ught to be diffused through the whole, of he nation. Thus would they make their overeign, in Hamlet's language, "a king f fhreds and patches," instead of the ommon father and monarch of his peo le. E Another of their complaints is truly oft unaccountable; That his Majeity, a proof of his first declaration to his parament, is indeed a Briton; true to the nterefts of his native country, and uninuenced by any predilection for Hanover. n attachment to German measures was he deepest ftain of the two late reigns. When his prefent Majefty came to the rone, he found us involved in a contiental war, to which the dearest interefts this nation had been facrificed. The gnity and honour of the kingdom were nominiously abandoned, by treaty, to e infolence and arrogance of the King VOL. XXIV. have put an end to the German war, Impo lible. He would have recalled his Bri tih troops. Impracticable. This continental mifchief hung, like a dead weight, immoveable, upon all the other operations of the war. It lay equally heavy upon the negotiations of peace, and enboldened our enemies to refufe us thofe terms, which we had a right, froin our fucceffes in every other part of the world, to demand. But if the Noble perfons have founded their oppofition upon thefe complaints against their fovereign, what wonders of political architecture may we not expect, when they raife the fuperftructure of faction upon fuch a foundation? But, in truth, what do they propofe? That one of them fhould indulge his natural difpofition, and pleafe himself with the hopes of finding his account in tumults and confufion, in parliamentary difputes, and the riots of elections, is no thing wonderful. They may recal a momentary youth, and bring back to his imagination thofe illuftrious fcenes in ** which he first displayed his political abi-> lities. Experience then taught him the value of those active virtues, and habi tude has confirmed him in his good opinion of their merit. Even age, and its unavoidable infirmities, have not convin ced him of the breach of character, in engaging again in the contests of ambition with people who are only entering on this buly tumultuous fcene. I do not mean to blame, and I thall not prefume to pity him. Whoever has not in himfelf, and his own understanding, the refources of retirement and self-enjoyment, is allowed to go abroad, at whatever indecent hour, for amufement and diffipation. His age, however, might juftly ftartle the most fanguine fpirits, that found their future hopes of ambition ups on a life of more than threefcore and ten. But fome gentlemen, furely influenced rather by a principle of gratitude, than any reafonable appearance of his fuccefs in this defperate project, have resigned their employments, ufefnl at least, if not abfolutely neceffary to their economy. What have they to expect of a life of seventy years, animated by the fhort and 4 G wasting wading vigour of the rage of faction, and unnatural ambition? The fecond Nobie perfon is of fo differ ent a character; fo naturally an enemy to violent and precipitate counfels, that it is amazing, by what influences he could be wrought to engage in the prefent fyftem of oppofition. He certainly does not fore fee the unhappy confequen ces into which he will unavoidably, and without a poflibility of retreating, be led by thefe engagements. He, who loves his country, and reveres the conftitution, is expofing them both to certain confufion, and at least probable diftrels. There is another circumftance with regard to this Noble perfon not a little fingular. With all affection and reverence for his Majefty, he is entering into league and amity with a party who are determined to diftrefs his meafures, and infult his adminiftration. It is wholly foreign to the design of this letter, to inquire into the circumstances, either of his refignation or difmiflion. I hope, however, he does not think it the right of fubjects, only, to refent, and that princes are to be infenfible to the neglect of duty, and the indecent behaviour of their fervants. But if the Noble perfon founds his oppofition upon the indignity, whether real or fuppofed, with which he has been treated, where fhall we fix our ideas of virtue, particularly that first of virtues, the love of our country, when a man fhall dare to avow his private refentment, as a juftifiable reafon for his oppofing public measures? Upon this plea, the late Lord Bolingbroke has juftified his entering into the fervice of the pretender, and his leaving it. But an ancient family is dishonoured by fuch an indignity. What right has any man to plead the merit and fervice of his ancestors, who has himself deviated from that line of conduct which they thought duty to their fovereign? But as I conceive we are deeply interefted in the conduct of this Noble' perion, we are therefore authorifed to inquire into the motives of it; and I think we may rely upon the following account. He had early in life conceived fome very exalted notions of the rights of Whiggifm to direct the adminiftration, and to govern the fovereign he therefore could no longer hold an employment, by which he was obliged, to the mortification of feeing the Tories fight hateful, fight tormenting, received at court, upon equal terms of grace and favour with other fubjects, in proportion to their personal merit, the birth and fortune. He was fometimes en liged by his office to introduce taem the royal prefence. The third Noble perfon feels it a ter worthy of his indignation, that fovereign will not again enter inter nonage, and submit himself to a fe pupillage. He would gain by force t power, with which neither the w of his Royal Father, nor the appreisni fions of the people, would intruft him the year 1751. [xiii. 266.]. But of injuries does be complain? He hast treated, during the prefent reign, more especially during the prefent niftration, with every diftinction de his rank, and relation to the crown. Ven in the latest inftance, when a was formed by the miniftry for the m tion of the Havannah, it was imme ly fent to him for his approbation. T commander in chief was appointed acom ing to his nomination. Every that asked, in order to fecure the fucce the expedition, was inftantly c with. The vigour of the miniftry ed to fecond his demands. Never any troops better appointed. Upon pretence of complaint, therefore, ca enter into an unnatural alliance in fition to the interests of his own far What views of future power can t him to join with a man whom he mot cerely detefts, to diftrefs the crown. which he is fo nearly related? Is grippina's impotence of ambition, E2quia non regnaret? Does he con himself a prince of the blood, and is his proper conduct? Does he acknow's himself a fubject, and is this his prof duty to a fovereign? But, in truth, as much a fubject to the crown, and all human probability, as far rem from the throne, as any private ge man in England. We have often been reproached our apprehenfion of military power. W ther thofe apprehenfions were in ti felves juft, or not, we certainly juftified, in being watchful to repele a pollible danger, fo formidable, in fo fatal, to the liberty of our cor It is wildom to forefee fuch danger; courage to meet it in its approach; our duty to die or to repel it. But what will they who used to impute fears to us as crimes, what will they now, when the profeflion of the o tion is, to govern the King abfolute |