motive, on which Prince Blucher founded his
demand of six of our fortified towns, which were named, and some
others besides, which were not named, _the security of his army_, is
one of those allegations brought forward by force, to carry as far as
possible the advantages arising from the success of the moment. This
allegation is very easily refuted: since it may be termed an act of
derision, to demand pledges for the security of an army already master
of a considerable portion of our territory, and which is marching
without obstacle almost alone in the heart of France. There is another
declaration made on the part of Prince Blucher, calculated still more
to disquiet us: which is, that he can be induced only by immense
advantages, to take upon himself to conclude an armistice, for which
he has no authority. In this declaration there is a frankness of
exaction, that offers many difficulties in the way of accommodation.
However, though the committee of government is far from being inclined
to favour the cessions required, it does not tie itself up, by a
peremptory refusal, from entering into discussions of an arrangement,
the conditions of which are not carried beyond the bounds traced by
the true interests of the public.

"If, to arrive at a conclusion, we must submit to the cession of some
fortified town, it is thoroughly to be understood, that such a cession
ought not to take place, unless it were the guarantee of an armistice,
to be prolonged till peace is concluded. It is unnecessary to add,
that the delivery of such a town is not to take place; till the
armistice has been ratified by the respective governments.

"One of the points, that demands all the zeal of messieurs the
commissioners, is that of fixing the line, where the occupation of the
French territory by the enemy's armies is to stop.

"It would be of great importance, to obtain the line of the Somme;
which would place the foreign troops nearly thirty leagues from Paris,
messieurs the commissioners ought strongly to insist on keeping them
at least at this distance.

"If the enemy were yet more exacting, and we should be finally
compelled to greater condescension, a line traced between the Somme
and the Oise should not let them approach within twenty leagues of
Paris. The line, that separates the department of the Somme from that
of the Oise, might be taken, detaching from the latter the northern
part of the department of the Aisne, and thence a straight