In this state of things the King thinks, that the conferences, proposed by the two mediating Courts, would at present be without effect, and that the meeting of the respective plenipotentiaries would be but a vain pretence, which would not diminish nor abridge the horrors of war, and which might compromise the dignity of their Imperial Majesties.
The King is truly sorry to see, that things have taken a direction so contrary to his wishes, and to the expectations of their Imperial Majesties; and, if it were in his power to change it, he would do it with an eagerness, which would show to them the purity of his intentions; but his Majesty thinks it his duty to observe, that he has allies with whom he has inviolable engagements, that he should betray them by abandoning the American cause, and that he should betray this cause, if he consented to negotiate a peace separate from and independent of the United States. The high mediating powers have perceived the impossibility of such a proceeding, since they have themselves proposed to place the negotiation of the King, and that of the United States, upon an equal footing.
But even admitting, that the King should lay the affairs of America out of the question, that he should be content to act only for his own personal interest, and that he should leave to the Americans the care of coming to an accommodation with their mother country, what would be the result of this mode of proceeding?
The result would be, that the peace would be deceptive; that it would have a merely speculative existence. In fact, if, as appears from the strongest evidence to be probable, the Americans should persist in their refusal to return to their obedience to the British crown, the war between Britain and her former colonies would still continue. The King would then be obliged, as at present, to assist them; the King of Spain, on his part, would be under the necessity of assisting his Majesty; so that France and Spain, after the signature of their private treaty, would be in the same situation as they now are.
These considerations seem to the King to be most forcible, and his Majesty has too just an idea of the wisdom and penetration of the two high mediating powers, not to be convinced, that they will regard them in the same point of view, and that they will wholly approve the cautious course which they oblige him to pursue.
The King is earnestly desirous to be able to change this course, and it is in consequence of this desire, that he invites the high mediating powers to employ all their influence at the Court of London to induce that Court to show dispositions, which may convince us, that it is at last resolved to unite, in good faith, in a prompt and equitable peace.
The King thinks, that he ought to inform the high mediating powers, that his Ambassador at Vienna is at present authorised to attend to all overtures and all expedients, which tend to this object, whether they come from the Court of London, or are proposed by their Imperial Majesties; and he is also authorised to join in the negotiation, if sufficient grounds are presented to him, for conducting it safely to a happy conclusion, under the auspices of their Imperial Majesties.
TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.
Translation.
Philadelphia, November 23d, 1781.