mpulse given to our manufactures. The English Government had
hoped to obtain from the First Consul such a commercial treaty as would
have proved a death-blow to our rising trade; but Bonaparte opposed this,
and from the very circumstance of his refusal he might easily have
foreseen the rupture at which he affected to be surprised. What I state
I felt at the time, when I read with great interest all the documents
relative to this great dispute between the two rival nations, which
eleven years afterwards was decided before the walls of Paris.

It was evidently disappointment in regard to a commercial treaty which
created the animosity of the English Government, as that circumstance was
alluded to, by way of reproach, in the King of England's declaration.
In that document it was complained that France had sent a number of
persona into the ports of Great Britain and Ireland in the character of
commercial agents, which character, and the privileges belonging to it,
they could only have acquired by a commercial treaty. Such was, in my
opinion, the real cause of the complaints of England; but as it would
have seemed too absurd to make it the ground of a declaration of war, she
enumerated other grievances, viz., the union of Piedmont and of the
states of Parma and Piacenza with France, and the continuance of the
French troops in Holland. A great deal was said about the views and
projects of France with respect to Turkey, and this complaint originated
in General Sebastiani's mission to Egypt. On that point I can take upon
me to say that the English Government was not misinformed. Bonaparte too
frequently spoke to are of his ideas respecting the East, and his project
of attacking the English power in India, to leave any doubt of his ever
having renounced them. The result of all the reproaches which the two
Governments addressed to each other was, that neither acted with good
faith.

The First Consul, in a communication to the Legislative Body on the
state of France and on her foreign relations; had said, "England,
single-handed, cannot cope with France." This sufficed to irritate the
susceptibility of English pride, and the British Cabinet affected to
regard it as a threat. However, it was no such thing. When Bonaparte
threatened, his words were infinitely more energetic. The passage above
cited was merely au assurance to France; and if we only look at the past
efforts and sacrifices made by England to stir up enemies to France o