STATE PAPERS.
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Vienna and Verfailles had rejefted thefe propofals. If, on the con- trary, it was a formal treaty, by virtu* of which the king's domini- ons were to remain in the enemy's hand^, till an entire reconciliation of the fovereigns, which was at a great diftance, it required the rati- fication of the king, which had never been obtained.
The court of France has fur- nished the king with many other reafons for regarding the conven- tion as null and void. Scarce was the news of it received at Paris, but they thought they had gained the point {o long defired, and that they were able to make the king ac- cept the moft unfupportabie terms. They not only declared, that tTev would abfolutely hear no terms of peace, but even protefled againll the validity of the convention, and re- fufed to accept the guaranty of the King of Denmark, unlefs the troops Ihould take a folemn engage- ment not to ferve during the war againft France or her allies. This is formally declared in the poft- fcript to a letter to Count de Ly- nar. Another equally authentic proof of this faft is found in a letter of Marfhal Richelieu to Ge- neral de Zaftrow. The difarming of the troops was alfo infifted upon, though by the advice of France her- felf, the convention had obferved a profound filence on that head. This pretenlion was fo obftinately maintained, that the propofal made without the concurrence of his Britannic majefty, by his ma- jefty the King of Denmark, to re- ceive thefe troops into his domi- nions, was rejefted.
The weight of the yoke impofed Upon the electorate of Hanover was doubled, by giving it in farm to a
citizen named Faidy : {0 that the fentiments cf humanity which a peoplt reduced to the laft extremity might expect from fome placemea of France, were more efeftually liifled by the av.irice of the farmer, whole interell rendered him deaf to prayers and remonftrances. To leave no doubt of the aiT\bitiou3 views of the court of Verfailles ; to fhew that it expefled to make new conquefts owr the king, the faid Jean Faidy obtained by patent the farm of the territories of his Britan- nic majej}y, ^w'.ich nxiere conquered or to be conquered.
Tiie convention was infringed in numberiefs other refpedis by France, of which an ample ac- count was given in a piece, inti- tuled. Previous ex portions of the reafons 'which induced his Britannic majejiy, in quality of EieSlor of Ha- ncver ^ to take up arms againfl the French ariny^ if-'hich is again in motion.
The king's territories and thofe of his allies were threatened with the moft fevere treatment. They even threatened to rafe and reduce to alhes the royal palaces, and thofe of the king's miniilers, in cafe they fhould make the leall difficulty to fubfcribe blindly to the will and orders of the court of France. Of this Count Lynar's letter gives fufficient proof. As to the court of Vienna, it fpared no pains to fecond the unjuft defigns of its ally. After the example of the latter, it declared that it was not a feparate peace that would be fought: and that the king might not change his premeditated deiiga of putting the laft hand to it, the Aulic and Imperial Councils ought to interpofe on this occafion. The Prince of Tour-Tax had alfo the
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