On the day following this extraordinary transaction, Ld. Yarmouth[213] presented his credentials to the F. Governt., though his instructions were not to present them at all, till the basis of the pacification was settled. This step of Ld. Y.’s is very reprehensible, as it may give d’Oubril a pretext to justify his conduct.
NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE
The terms of peace originally offered by Talleyrand and conveyed to Mr. Fox by Ld. Y. were very advantageous to this country; indeed, so extremely so, that as the proposals were verbally made, much doubt was entertained of Ld. Y.’s accuracy in reporting them, and he owed entirely his being employed in the negotiation to the doubts of his veracity. The uti possidetis on both sides was to be the basis of the treaty. Hanover was to be restored to the K. of E., in return for our acknowledgment of Bonaparte’s newly-created Kings. No further changes were to be made in Germany or Switzerland. The integrity of Spain and Portugal was to be guaranteed in both Hemispheres. We were not to interfere with the settlement of Italy or Holland. Upon a distant hint being thrown out about commercial arrangements, ‘Nous voulons être maîtres chez nous’ was the reply. When Sicily was mentioned, Talleyrand, who had spoken the above, exclaimed, ‘Mais que voulez vous? Vous l’avez.’ Our Cabinet readily assented to these terms (in addition to which it was hinted that Bonaparte was disposed to concur with Mr. F. in taking measures for the general abolition of the Slave Trade, but this was intended as a sneer. When Talleyrand read the resolutions of the H. of Commons upon the subject of the S. Trade, he said there was another Act of Parliament much more necessary, one for which the Spaniards, Portuguese, and Germans called out most loudly, ‘Et cette acte du Parlement, c’est la paix’), and Ld. Y. was sent back to Paris with full assent to his message. But when he arrived there he found the views of the French Governt. materially changed in the most important point. They now demanded that Sicily should be ceded to them in order to be re-annexed to the kingdom of Naples. Joseph, the new King, had represented that his kingdom of Naples would not be secure without the possession of Sicily, and the French engineers had given in a report that Sicily could be subdued with much more ease than they had at first supposed. On these grounds, which the French have the assurance to represent as new occurrences since their first overtures to Ld. Y., they pretend to justify their deviation from their original proposals, and they offered to the King of Sicily, in exchange for that island, to make him King of Dalmatia and Albania.[214] D’Oubril, the Russian negotiator, who was by this time at Paris, and who had been privy to everything done by our Cabinet, was caught by this last proposal, and expressed his opinion decidedly in favour of it. In the cession of Dalmatia to the King of Sicily, he fancied that he saw the elevation of power which would remove the French to a greater distance from the frontiers of Turkey, and prove in future a bulwark against the extension of their empire in that quarter. He was ready, as Mr. Fox observed, to sacrifice a well-understood English object to an ill-defined Russian one. This modification of the original project was received here with great disappointment and ill-humour, and was considered as a breach of faith on the part of the French. We contended that no event had happened which could justify any departure from the first proposals. We could not consent to transfer Albania from its present possessors, who were the friends and allies of England, in order to make compensation to the K. of Sicily for the loss of his dominions, which it was equally our interest and our duty to defend. Dalmatia alone was not to be mentioned as an equivalent for Sicily. But to show our disposition to accommodate matters, it was at length proposed as a compromise, that Dalmatia should be given to the King of Sardinia, with the title of King; and since the new K. of Naples was desirous to have a greater extent of sea-coast, that Sardinia, together with the other Spanish Islands of Majorca, &c., should be added to his kingdom; Sicily on no account could we yield. The Minute which Mr. Fox drew up for the Cabinet, in which he states his reasons compressed into 8 or 10 sentences, is the most able summary ever penned.
In this state of the negotiation, d’Oubril, who a few days before had reminded Mr. Fox of the expression of ‘piano piano,’ which he had used in his letter to Czartorisky upon the Grand Confederacy forming last year, signed the peace, the outline of which I have just noted. His excuse for this conduct is said to be the danger to which Russia would be exposed, if they were to persuade Turkey and compel Austria to join in a coalition against her. Austria is so much reduced that she must comply with whatever France demands, and French influence domineers at Constantinople. But these are not supposed to be the true reasons for his conduct. The late changes in the private councils of St. Petersburg are suspected to have had a greater share in determining him, and it is even said that, on the strength of those, he has ventured to take this important step without instructions from his Court. He says, ‘He is gone back to lay his Treaty and head at the feet of his Master.’
Czartorisky,[215] the late Minister of Russia, is a Pole of great consideration and high rank in Poland. He owed his elevation to the partiality of the Empress, who was passionately in love with him. He afterwards became a favourite with Alexander; he played the truant to his mistress, who was for a length of time quite inconsolable at his infidelities. The Empress is with child at present.
MISSION TO PORTUGAL
26th.—It is determined to send a military man to Portugal, and Ld. Rosslyn[216] has been fixed upon for the mission. Ld. H. immediately proposed to him to take Brougham, if he had any person in a civil capacity. He promised to propose him to Ld. Grenville. There is an idea of employing Dumouriez.
Sr. Sidney Smith has taken the Isle of Capri, and the French have been worsted in several encounters in Calabria. Hopes are entertained that we shall be able to defend Sicily against the French, with the aid alone of the Sicilians. The Queen and Duke of Calabria, who are surrounded by persons suspected of being secretly in the French interest, are eager for carrying the war into Calabria.
Great dissatisfaction at Ld. Yarmouth’s conduct, and another negotiator must go. Ld. Holland not being able to leave his uncle, Lauderdale, as the next best person, is to go. It is a sad mortification, as it has long been the darling hope of uncle and nephew; but it would be impossible to go, as Ld. H., besides being useful, is also one of the greatest comforts to Mr. Fox. Mr. F. so ill that none of the last transactions of the preceding three days have been communicated to him.
27th July.—Mr. Fox stronger, and in better spirits to-day, but there is no material change in his complaint. The news of the Russian Treaty, and the determination of sending Lauderdale to Paris, were communicated to him by Ld. Howick. Upon hearing that L. was to go to Paris, he exclaimed, ‘Why does not Holland go?’ Ld. Howick was perplexed, and stammered by way of excuse the ‘suddenness of the departure’; upon which Fox said, ‘Oh, I understand you!’ and immediately changed the subject. When he saw Ld. Holland about an hour afterwards, he began with saying, ‘So, young one, you won’t go to Paris’; on Ld. Holland’s answering that he preferred staying, as he thought he was a comfort to him, he caught his hand and said, with great emotion, ‘Yes, a comfort indeed,’ and was for several minutes quite overcome and shedding tears. This circumstance is the first event which has given him any apprehension about his own danger.