sing to surrender Malta,
you are openly violating the treaty of Amiens, which I will not tamely
suffer to be infringed." Dissension increased. Napoleon demanded that
the Bourbons and their partisans should be expelled from England, which
met with a firm and generous denial. Thus baffled, the first consul
directed his political agents to circulate outrageous libels against
the highest characters in the kingdom; they plotted, he averred,
conspiracies against his life. At length Napoleon demanded, why the
British government had not evacuated Malta, according to stipulation?
The reply was, "because he had increased his European territories and
threatened Egypt." To demand Malta of the first consul was in reality to
declare war; he declared that harmony could not be restored, unless that
island was restored to the knights, or put into the possession of some
continental power; and that he would as soon see Paris in the hands of
the English as Malta. The Russian emperor now offered his mediation,
but as he proposed no scheme of accommodation, his offer was politely
refused. Finally, Lord Whitworth suggested the following terms of an
amicable arrangement:--If the cession of Lampedosa could be procured
from the King of Naples, it should serve as a naval station for the
English in lieu of Malta, which should then be left to the natives on
the basis of independence. At the same time Holland was to be evacuated
by the French troops, while Switzerland was to be freed from all
encumbrance. His Britannic majesty promised to recognize the Spanish
prince who had been made King of Etruria, as well as the Cisalpine and
Ligurian republics; in return for which France was required to cede some
valuable territory to the King of Sardinia. By a secret article, Malta
was to remain ten years under British government before the exchange
took place. On the acceptation or refusal of these terms, peace or war
was to be determined. A week only was allowed for a reply; and at the
lapse of that time, no reply being given--Napoleon wishing still to
prolong the discussion--the British ambassador, in compliance with his
instructions, declined all further negociations, and prepared to quit
Paris, which he did on the 12th of May. Orders were immediately issued
for seizing the ships of France, and of the states subject to her
power, in British ports; and Napoleon detained all British subjects who
remained in the French territories after Lord Whitworth, our amba