THE THE meritorious and intrepid manner, in which you have stepped forth, and called the public attention to the negociation of the last infamous peace, deferves the thanks and applause of your country. As an individual of this country, not wholly un acquainted with fome parts of that negociation, you have my poor thanks: but thanks alone are not fufficient in fuch a cause. I fhould hold myself the bafest of Englishmen, if I did not contri bute my mite towards accomplishing a full and impartial enquiry into the manner in which that important work was conducted. Such parts of the negociation as have accidentally come to my knowledge, I fhall freely relate. If my account is true, as I have great reafon to believe it is in the general, I hope it will warm. fome virtuous man to ftand up in his place, and call for the pa pers relating to that negociation. In a pamphlet, intituled, The prefent State of the Nation, &c. p. 24, 8vo edit. published laft winter, there is this extraordinary paffage, evidently alluding to thefe papers, which I have often wondered was not taken notice of;" Whether by the treaty, Great Britain obtained all that the "might have obtained, is a queftion to which those only who were "acquainted with the fecrets of the French and Spanish cabinets

can give an answer. The correspondence relative to that negociation has not been laid before the Public; for the laft parliament approved "of the peace as it was, without thinking it neceffary to enquire, " whether better terms might not have been had."

The fecret of the negociation, or ultimatum, on the part of England was neither in the D. of B. the B. A. at Paris; nor in the late Earl of Egremont, the official Minifter at home, who was Secretary of State for the Southern departmeut: but between Lord Bute and the Sardinian Minifter in London, and the Duc de Choifeul and the Sardinian Minifter at Paris.

The fact, of thus committing the management of the most im portant affairs of Great Britain to the Minifters of a foreign power, is extraordinary and alarming, and ought to be confidered as highly criminal; especially when we recollect, that the Sardinian Minif ter in London, at the time of his prefent Majefty's corona tion, figned a proteft in favour of the Houfe of Savoy, which he procured to be legally attefted and given in, in the name of the King his matter. He printed or caufed to be printed, the Genealogie de la Famille Royale d'Angleterre, by which he hoped, at a future day, that the ridiculous claims of his master's family, as being, although Papifts, immediately defcended from • Henrietta Maria, the daughter of Charles I, would have prevailed over thofe of the Houfe of Brunfwick, who are defcended Vol. V. ⚫ from

'from Elizabeth, Electress palatine, one degree more remote from the crown, as being the daughter of James I. He might hope for a general confusion among us; but being born under arbitrary government, he could not have the leaft idea of the only lawful right to the crown of these realms, a parliamentary right. The contrary doctrine was in Queen Anne's time exprefly declared to be high treafon by a particular ftatute, the A& "for the better fecuring her Majefty's perfon and government, and of the fucceffion to the crown of England in the Proteftant "line; That if any or perfons, from and after the 25th day of March, 1206, shall maliciously, advisedly, and directly, by writing or printing, declare, maintain or affirm, that the Kings or Queens of England "with and by the authority of the parliament of England, are not able to make laws and ftatutes of fufficient force and validity to limit and "bind the crown of this realm, and the DESCENT, LIMITATION,

INHERITANCE, and government thereof, every fuch perfon or persons "fhall be guilty of High Treafon and being thereof convicted and attaint"od, Sc. &c." Count Viry acted by the exprefs orders of his court, in conjunction with the court of France. In the fame mannar the two courts acted in concert, at the beginning of this century, in the last year of our glorious Deliverer King William III. Count Maffei, the Ambaffador from Savoy, delivered in the first famous proteftation in the name of the Duchefs of Savoy, against the Hanover fucceffion, at the time the Duke himfelf commanded the French army in Italy, with Marshal Catinat and and the Prince of Vaudemont under him, and every action of his life was dictated by France.'

The prefent Count V. (who, during his late father's lifetime, was known by the name of M. De Verois) had a penfion granted him for his fervices in this negociation of 1000l. per ann. on the Irish establishment, though not in his own name. In the debates

relative to the affairs of Ireland in the years 1763 and 1764, &c. infcribed by permiffion to Lord Chatham, we find this fact mentioned, Vol. II. page 475, by Mr. Edmund Sexton Perry, who thus fpeaks: "I fhall communicate a fact to this Houfe. There is a penfion granted nominally to one George Charles, but really to * Monfieur De Vergis, the Sardinian Minifter for negociating the peace that has just been concluded with the Minister of France, "I muft, confefs, Sir, that, in my opinion, this fervice deferved "no fuch recompence, at least on our part. If it is thought a de"fenfible measure, I fhould be glad to know why it was not avow. "ed; and why, if it is proper we should pay 1000l. a year to "Monf. De Verois, we should be made to believe that we pay it to "George Charles."

Befides the above penfion, there was certainly a remittance from France or Spain, or both, of a confiderable fum of money; but for whom it was defigned is not at prefent fo certainly known. However, there is no doubt that Count V. is thoroughly acquainted with the whole of that transaction: but now that the affair of the peace begins to be enquired into, he is preparing to depart the kingdom;

kingdom; and has actually fold his penfion upon the Irish eftablish ment for 1600ol. or thereabouts.

When the D. of B. fet out for Paris, which was on the 5th of September, 1762, he had full powers to treat with the French miniftry upon the terms of peace. But when he arrived at Calais, a meffenger was difpatched after him, containing a limitation of thofe powers. Upon which, he inftantly difpatched the fame meffenger back to London, declaring (by letter) he would pro+ ceed no further, unless his former inftructions were restored. He waited at Calais for the return of this meffenger, who brought a restoration of his former inftructions. However, he fubmitted, notwithstanding this affected fpirit, to fee the conquefts of a glo rious war bargained for and furrendered by the two Sardinian Minifters. In a word, the D. made no important figure in the negociation, till an event turned up, which feemed, by the confufion it occafioned, to be totally unexpected. This was the capture of the Havannah.

This being only an introductory letter, my next, I hope, will be more worthy of your attention; at least, it will contain some important truths. I am, Sir, your most humble Servant,

SIR,

M

An ENGLISHMAN.

LETTER II.

To Dr. MUSGRAVE, of PLYMOUTH.

Y laft letter concluded with the mention of the conqueft of the Havannah. The news of this important conquest arri ved in England on the 29th of September, 1762, while the trea ty of peace was negociating. Until this period, the D. of B

had little or no trouble in the negociation, for the principal arti cles or great outlines of the terms of peace had been previously fettled between Lord Bute and Monf. De Verois (now Count Viry) in England, and the Duc de Choifeul and the Sardinian Minifter at Paris.

At this time the Right Hon. GG was Secretary of State for the Northern department, and by his office (being a commoner) was to carry the peace through the House of Commons, when it fhould be laid before that Houfe. When the news of the conqueft of the Havannah came, and it was directly determined by the Favourite to give up this important ifland, because it should not embarrass the negociation, nor impede the conclufion of the peace, Mr. G differed, and, in particular, infifted upon an idemnification for it, from either France or Spain. He wanted St. Lucia and Porto Rico, or the entire property of Jucatan and Florida. The Favourite refused to make application for any of thefe; upon which Mr. G refigned October 12, 1762”.

In the pamphlet, intituled, An Appendix to the State of the Nation, we find this fact strongly pointed at, p. 16. wherein the au

002

thor

Mr. Fox (now Lord Holland) was then called upon to carry the peace through the Houfe of Commons. Lord Halifax fucceeded to Mr. G's office, but Lord Hallifax being of Mr. G. 's opinion, prevailed to have an inftruction fent to the D. of B to demand Florida only, which was granted without hefitation; for the meffenger who was difpatched to the Duke at Paris with this demand, returned in eight days, with an account of its having been complied with. The fact is, the French Minifter (Choifeul) obliged the Spanish Minifter to agree to this demand, without fending to his court. A proof of the difcretionary power which was vefted in the French Minifter by the court of Spain, to agree to whatever compenfation fhould be infifted upon for the Havannah,

The following anecdote concerning the English ultimatum may throw fome light on the preceding fact-Towards the latter end of the negociation, Mr. Wood, then Secretary to Lord Egremont, called one day at the Duc de Nivernois' (the French Ambaffador in London) about three o'clock, and defired to speak with him. The Swifs told Mr. Wood his Excellency was dreifing, and could not be disturbed: but Mr. Wood infifting upon admittance, was carried up ftairs, and paffing thro' a bed-chamber leading to the dreffing room, he laid fome papers upon the bed, and covered them with his hat. This circumftance being obferved by the French Secretary, he directly whifpered the Ambaffador to keep Mr. Wood to dinner, and he would copy the papers if they contained any thing effential. This was accordingly done: and thefe very papers, which contained nothing less than the Ultimatum on the part of England, were actually copied by the French Secretary and his clerks, and difpatched that very night to the Duc de Choiseul at Paris. Thus the French Minister at Paris was in poffeffion of thefe important papers at least two days before the D. of B. In a fubfequert conference which the D. of B had with the French Minifter, he urged a compliance to his demands in a high and péremptory tone; the wily French Minifter smiled, and

gen

thor fays, in reply to the Obferver: "If he means to charge the great statesman (Mr. G.) who was Secretary of State at the time "the plans for the reduction of Martinique and the Havannah were carried into execution, with confenting to restore them "without compenfation; I must tell him, that it was publicly spoken "of, at the time the treaty of Paris was negociating, that this "tleman refigned his office of Secretary of State for no other rea"fon, than that further ceffions in the Weft Indies were not infifted on." And in the Obfervations on the State of the Nation, we find that author not unacquainted with this part of the negociation, though, agreeable to the principles of the party he efpoufes, it is but faintly touched; page 29, 8vo edit. are thefe words, "If this gentleman's hero of finance, inftead of flying from a treaty, which, "though he now defends, he could not approve,, and would not oppose; if he, inftead of fhifting into an office, which removed him from the manufacture of the treaty," &C.

told

told his G. He knew the fentiments of the court of London upon the whole bufiness:

It was the current report in England when the D. of Breturned from France, that he had frequently faid to his frier.ds, that he could have obtained better terms of peace if he had been permitted. If he was controuled, why does he not now fhew those inftances of controul, and who it was that obliged him to facrifice the conquests of the war? As he is known to keep a diary of all public tranfactions wherein he is concerned, there is no doubt of his being able to give full information; and as days and dates are fometimes of importance in affairs of this kind, his diary will affift him greatly on this occafion. Pefides, his letters are fomewhere in existence; the Chevalier D'Eon never faw them, and confequently a motion in the Hof C might produce them. We fhould then fee who were the betrayers of our country in that infamous peace: And who it was that fo frequently preffed his G. to conclude the negociation, and fign the treaty. The originals of all these important letters are probably in being; and if they fhould not, there is no doubt the D. has a copy of them in his diary. I repeat it emphatically, the correfpondence relative to the negociation ought to be laid before the public, the commons of England have a right to call for it; and it is a duty which they owe to their country and to pofterity.

Whether the immediate ceffion of Florida, or what other caufe that hath not yet tranfpired, encouraged the demand of Porto Rico, or whether the D. of B- knowing Mr. G fentiments, made that demand himself, finding Florida fo eafily given up; certain it is, that a demand of that important island was made, and here the French Minifter reforted to his chicane. A meffenger was fent with this demand to the court of Madrid. Fourteen days were allowed for the meffenger to return. During this interval, the D. received exprefs and pofitive orders to fign the treaty immediately. Two days after the treaty was figned, and within the fourteen days, the meffenger returned from Madrid, with the furrender of the island. It has been fufpected, perhaps from the complexion of the fact, that the island was purchased. If it was, Count V-, no doubt, knows both the fum that was given, and to whom it was configned. If any fum actually was given, it was by Spain; for the view of France was, to make Spain pay the piper.

My next will contain fome further particulars of this extraordimary negociation. I am, Sir, your humble fervant,

SIR,

TH

An ENGLISHMAN.

LETTER III.

To Dr. MUSGRAVE, of PLYMOUTH.

HE article refpecting the Eaft India Company, is a demonftration that better terms of peace might have been obtained, if they had been infifted upon. During the negociation Mr. Wood

waited