Citizen Growvelle, Minister Plenipotentiary from the French Republic in Denmark, to his Excellency Count de Bernstorff, Minister of the Council of State to his Danish Majesty, and of the Department for Foreign Affairs.

Copenhagen, 27 Ventose,

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 reason to confider this extract as authentic, and in this character I feel myself bound to address you. Of whatever reficctions the principle and spirit of that extract may be fufceptible, my defign is not to comment upon it all. The government, whose reprefentative I am, poffeffes, as well as myfelf, a fcrupulous respect for the independence of governments, and even a regard for their private convenience. The tyrannical and intriguing fyftem of atking on every fubject official explanations, would be as contrary to their principles as to my own charact er. To make an

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incident of a phrafe, to attach a diplomatic importance to each word, to render the flightest difcuffion perfonal, to feafon with arrogance the ennui of a laborious epiftolary controverfy, is a part which we have lately seen played by certain agents, who quarrel for want of business, who know not how to serve their courts, but by infulting others, and who represent 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 system to that of the powers who acknowledge fuch minifters, I honour myself for being a contrast to them in all my proceedings.

But, fir, I cannot dispense with fixing my attention upon the conclusion of the extract of your instruction 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 speaking of my admiffion; and of the public acknowledgment of my character, you fay, that this step is isolated, and means nothing but what it is in itself. Do you not apprehend that the disaffected will fee, in this mode of expreffion, a fort of restriction, of implicit referve; that they may go fo far as to fuppofe that it alludes to I know not what other declaration or anterior measure which my have been adopted to the fame courts to which your minifters may have held this official language? That even attributing 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 wishes always to give of the frankness of its proceedings. That after having so long delayed a meafure, become neceffary to her own confideration, as well as to the dignity of the republic, the might be again suspected of withing to deftroy the good effect secretly, and to weaken whatever advantage the measure might produce to France. Would not this be a real inconvenience? I only wish to point out what in this concerns your own reputation.

On the other hand, fir, the French government, now established on a new conditation, refumes its rank among the other European powers. It will of course be extremely cautious not to incur the charge of inconfiftency, nor to fuffer any stain to attach on its dignity, nor in any refpect to sanction 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 effimation of the world, when their adverfa. ries are bufily employed in corrupting it.

Although they feel themselves far tuperior to flattery and oitentation, and direct. Il their operations with that e nndence which arifes from the windom of their councils, and the energy of their mealdres; yet the value they fet upon their connection with Denmark, renders it impoflible for them to bchod with an eye of indifference, circumfiance which conveys a parth VOL. XAXVIII.

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reflection on their conduct. The 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 stoops not to a disavowal, 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, especially 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 still 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 admitfion, were not of the moit conciliatory nature, and may produce fome embarrationents in the event, at least with respect to this court. The first obfervation I fubinit to your wildom, and the latter remark to your delicacy. (Signed)

GROUVELLE.

objects which do not admit of minifterial discussions. 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 those to whom it is addreffed, and which relates to the anterior correfpondence, and which breathing only the justice rendered to the present French conftitution, could not furely involve us in a difpute with her, but rather with those who do not love that conftitution. This is so clearly evident, that I should only weaken it by further expla

nation.

You know, besides, that your admiffion has been without the smallest referve, absolutely in the ufual and moft folemn forms that we know. We never do things by half, and as you are witness of our conduct and proceedings, I should love to chuse you yourself as judge, and I depend upon your impartiality. In the fame manner I intreat you to believe in the high confideration with which I am, &c. BERNSTORFF.

Copenhagen, March 19, 1796.

Proclamation of the Queen of Portugal for making Lisbon a free Fort.

Donna Maria, by the Grace of God, Queen of Portugal and the Algarves, &c. &c.

BE it known to all to whom this law shall come, that taking into my royal confideration the many and very important advantages which would neceffarily refult to the commerce of the fubjects of these kingdoms and their dominions, by the

establishment of a free port; and well aware, that the port of Lifbon from its fituation, security, and facility of navigation with the ocean, is preferable to those of other nations which have adopted fimilar establishments; conforming myself to the opinion of my royal board of commerce, agriculture, manufactures, and navigation, of those kingdoms and their dominions, and of others of my council, very learned and zealous for the good of my royal service, and of the public utility-It is my will, and I am pleased to create and establish, at Junquiera, joining to the city of Litbon, a free port, to take entire and due effect from the first day of January, in the year next enfuing of 1797, having deftined for its exercife and the depofit, the houses and warehouses of Fort St. John, with the ground adjoining, whereon to build the further neceffary 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 present sugar 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 entitl d to lawtul entry, and on paying the customary duties, at the refpective customhouses; 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 I per cent. on the amount of their value, calculated on the invoice to be produced by the captains of the

veffels, or

their confignees, by them figned and certified on oath; the liberty of franquin still, how ever, to remain as heretofore, for all veffels that shall require it, according to the rules as established by the cuftom-house of this city; fuppreffing all other duties, and revoking all and whatever difpofitions that may oppofe or infringe on the liberty and freedom, which are to conftitute the advantages of the establishment.

Further to animate and promote in this capital, a concurrence and abundance of articles of the first neceflity, I am pleased to declare, that all qualities of grain, meat, and food, which are free from paying duties inward, shall not only enjoy the free liberty of exportation, but shall be also free from payment of the aforesaid contribution imposed on other goods, and continue to be received and difpatched through the fame departments as heretofore.

In cafe it should happen that the crown of Portugal should enter into war (which God forbid) with any power whose subjects might be interested in goods in the free port, in which condition it is to be understood the aforesaid grain, meat and food, are included, no arreft, embargo, fequeftration, or reprisal, thall on that account be made thereon; but on the contrary, they shall remain in the utmost freedom and security, as if each individual had them placed in his own house, to dispose of them as he may judge most suited to his intereft.

The administration of the aforefaid free port fshall be conftituted under the fuperintendance of a general comptroller, with the ne

cessary officers under him that I may be pleased to appoint; and it is my will to order, that he shall be independent of all and every jurisdiction, and only fubordinate to the tribunal of the royal board of commerce, through which will be forwarded the neceffary orders to meet occurring circumftances, and bring up to my royal prefence all representations tending to maintain, and preferve inviolate, the good faith of this eftablishment, in due conformity to the particular regulations which I have ordered to be formed for the government of the aforesaid adminiftration, and officers employed in conducting it; and also to serve as a guidance to all captains of ships and their confignees, for their conduct on the entry and shipping of all goods claiming the benefit of this inftitution. Dated at the palace of Queliez, May 13, 1796.

Manifesto, or Declaration of the Queen of Portugal, against the Republic of the United States of the Netherlands.

WHEREAS the Portuguese en voy extraordinary with the republic of the United States of the Netherlands, bas, in his report of the 15th of June, tranfmitted to her majesty the copy of a letter which he received from the committee for foreign affairs of the republic, in which has been notified to him the fixed resolution of abstaining from all political communication with him, as representative of her majefty, the queen of Portugal, till the conclufion of a peace with the French republic.

Befides which, the said envoy ultimately fignifies in his letter, that

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that all commercial transactions had alto been fufpended: her majetiy has therefore refolved, under the present circumstances, to fufpend in a like manner, on her part, all commerce with the states general of the Netherlands, to prohibit her fubjects all tranfactions, of mercantile connections, with the subjects of the republic, and to forbid them all navigation to the harbours of the faid ftates.

Her majesty has been farther pleafed to ordain, that all tranfactions in the interior of her dominions with the fubjects of the Inited Provinces be fufpended; and that their capitals shall, under no pretence, be carried out of the kingdom.

The departure of all Dutch ships, which are in the harbours under the daminion of her majefty, is alfo entirely stopped, because there they muft remain under embargo till further orders.

That this refolution may reach the knowledge of every one, and be put in force, it has been pubickly potted up.

The fecretary of the tribunal of commerce,

republic; that she hoped there subfitted no other cause of difagreement between both ftates, and that the Dutch government would observe reciprocity with regard to the commercial connections; and that the temporary embargo had been occafioned by the measures manifested in Holland againft Portugal, and her majefty thought it very strange that Portugal thould not have been confidered like other friends of France who were at peace with the Batavian republic."

Copy of the Letter fent by the King of Naples to the Marquis del Vajto, who, after the receipt of it, fet out for Rome as Ambajjador Extraordi nary, and concluded there the offenfive and defenfive Treaty between Naples and the Pope.

HIS holiness acquaints me by letter of his determination to reject the unjust and execrable conditions of the French, on which account he demands of me, though rather late, speedy fuccour..o Notwithstanding this is againft ivy)ori ginal plan, I hefitate not a momenty to grant it to him, as it contents our holy religion, to which I have conftantly been devoted. As his holinets demands of me, at the fame time, to fend fome perfon with whom he may confult on our common affairs, I have appointed you, the marquis del Vafto, for this purpose. Depart immediately, and have at heart the honour of God and the holy church, the good of the frate, and the tranquillity of my fubjects, who daily give fresh proofs of their attachment and fidelity to

me.

Done in the camp of St. Germano.

FERDINANDO REX.

Proclamation