1712.

Whilft this paffed in England, the propofitions of France, which were quickly difperfed in print in all the United Provinces, were received with the utmoft indignation by people of all ranks, the multitude not forbearing to vent the feverest reproaches against thofe, from whom they supposed the French court had received encouragement. These offers, however, had this good effect, that thofe among the Dutch, who before were moft eager for a peace, particularly the regency of Utrecht, refolved to spend their last penny to carry on the war.

Copies of the fpecific explanation being fent by all the minifters of the allies to their respective principals, the earl of Strafford, at the next general conference, told the minifters of France, pursuant to what had been agreed at a meeting of the other minifters, " that they found it neceffary to take time till the 5th of March, N. S. to give in the "fpecific demands of the parties engaged in the war." To which the French ministers readily agreed. In the mean time, the minifters of the allies communicated to each other their refpective demands, agreed upon the manner in which they were to deliver them in, and, at a meeting on the 3d of March refolved, that a clause of mutual guarantee, importing, that a just and reasonable fatisfaction fhould be given to all the allies, according to treaties, engagements, and other conventions,' fhould be inferted among their demands.

The minifters of the proteftant allies were feveral times in conference together, to concert fuch measures as might

"tion of this houfe, at the dif-
66 honourable treatment of

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66

66

66 our lives and fortunes, in car66 your majefty by France, in having propofed to acknowledge your majefty's title to these realms,

no fooner, than when the peace "fhall be figned. And we can"not forbear expreffing our ut"moft refentment at the terms of "peace offered to your majefty, "and your allies, by the plenipo66 tentiaries of France: and we "do, with the greatest zeal and "affection, affure your majefty, "that this houfe will stand by, "and affift your majefty with

rying on this war, in conjunċ"tion with your allies, till a "fafe and honourable peace can "be obtained for your majefty "and your allies."

The queen's answer was to this effect:

My lords,

"Ireturn you my hearty thanks "for the zeal you exprefs for

my honour, and for the af"furance you give of support "ing me." Pr. H. L.

be

be proper to be taken, during the courfe of this congrefs, 1712.
for the fecurity of their religion, and particularly an abo-
lition of a claufe in the fourth article of the treaty of Ryf-
wick, prejudicial to the fame: as likewise the making some
provifion, in their negotiations with the minifters of France,
for the relief of the proteftants of that kingdom. But, though
these particulars were mentioned in the demands of the pro-
testant allies, yet they were afterwards but faintly infifted on;
and it was observed, that in this negotiation, as in moft for-
mer treaties, the proteftants fhewed not an equal zeal for
their religious concerns, as they did for their temporal
interefts.

On the 4th of March, the minifters of the allies met a-
gain, and count Zinzendorf again infifted, that the reftitu-
tion of the whole Spanish monarchy fhould be expressly
mentioned. The Dutch declared, they were refolved to
make good all their treaties, made on occafion of this war,
as well those that related to Spain and the Indies, as those
made with Portugal; but the British were the only ministers,
that did not make any mention of Spain and the Indies, con-
tenting themselves with a general declaration concerning the
juft and reasonable satisfaction for the queen's allies, in con-
formity to her alliances. However, it is obfervable that a few
days after, upon the earnest inftances of the imperial mini-
fters, the British and Dutch plenipotentiaries made a decla-
ration (which was registered in the Protocol, kept by monfieur
Buys) importing, that by the claufe of mutual guarantee, or
claim, agreed to on the 3d, and inferted in their respective de-
mands, they understood the reftitution of Spain and the In-
dies to the house of Auftria.'

At the general conferences held the next day, the minifters of the allies delivered in writing their specific demands, which ran as high as the French explanation another way. The emperor afked the whole Spanish monarchy; England afked the restoring Newfoundland, and the demolishing of Dunkirk; the ftates afked their whole barrier; and every ally asked fatisfaction to all the other allies, as well as to himself. England and the states declared, that they demanded Spain and the Weft-Indies for the emperor; fo the high pattern fet by the French, in their demands, was to the full imitated by the allies. The French plenipotentiaries declared they could not give in fpecific anfwers to fo many demands of the allies, till they had received new inftructions from Paris and Madrid, and therefore defired till

Hh3

the

1712. the 30th of March, N. S. to deliver them in, to which ne objection was made (s).

When the 30th of March came, fuch of the minifters of the allies, as were not in the fecret, were full of expectation, that the French plenipotentiaries would give in a specific answer to their demands; but they were not a little furprised, when, inftead of offering an answer in writing, marthal d'Uxelles propofed to enter into verbal conferences on the demands made on both fides. This indeed had been practifed in treaties where mediators interpofed, but that was not done till the main points were fecretly agreed to. The minifters of the allies rejected this proposal, and demanded fpecific anfwers in writing.' Upon Polignac's faying, they would not answer in writing, their inftructions being only to treat verbally, one of the Dutch minifters proposed to break up the congrefs; but he was foon taken down by the British minifters, who could not agree with the Dutch in that particular; but faid, on the contrary, they would enter into a negotiation by way of dictating, as was done at the Hague, in the conference with the deputies of the states, However, the next day, at a meeting among themselves, they unanimously agreed upon a declaration, wherein they infifted, That an answer be delivered them in writing." But at the next general conference, the French minifters refused ftill to comply with this declaration, which was delivered to them by monfieur Buys.

(s) The French minifters and their partifans exclaimed againft the demands of the allies as unreasonable and exorbitant; but they excepted in a particular manner against the pretenfions of the allies in favour of the French proteftants. The abbot de Polignac, who had a cardinal's hat in view, and therefore could not fail on all occafions to fhew his zeal for the Romish church, appeared the most obftinate on that article; and difcourfing one day with Vanderduffen, one of the Dutch plenipotentiaries, about the demand, "That the French proteftants in the gallies, or "detained in prifon, fhould be s fet at liberty;" asked him,

"Whether the ftates would fet

at liberty the people detained "in their Spin-house and Rafp"houfe, if the French king should

demand it?" Vanderduffen, justly refenting that odious comparifon, told him, "That if the "French court would own the "people detained in those houses "for their brethren, as the flates "owned for fuch the proteftants "in the gallies, whom they in"terceded for, he did not quef"tion but their high mighti"neffes would fet at liberty

those malefactors."The French abbot, being confounded with this answer, turned off the dif courfe to other matters.

This refufal of the French raised a very great heat in the 1712. affembly; and fome minifters gave it as their opinion, that fuch trifling was a fufficient ground to diffolve the congrefs; for, the French plenipotentiaries refusing to answer in the method all the minifters of the allies had agreed on, it would be fruitlefs, as well as difhonourable, for the latter to remain at Utrecht. However, the British minifters were of opinion, that the negotiations might be managed on the foot proposed by France: but when they obferved, that the tide ran too ftrong against them, and that the generality were of contrary fentiments, they concurred with the reft, and declared, that they had pofitive inftructions to conform themfelves to the general opinion of the minifters of the congrefs. According to this refolution, Mr. Buys delivered a Tecond declaration in the name of all the allies, wherein they perfifted to demand an answer in writing to their specific demands. In anfwer to this, the French minifters declared, "That, as they had pofitive inftructions not to engage "themselves in a negotiation in writing, they could not do "it without new orders from the king their mafter; to "which end they would immediately difpatch a courier, to "acquaint him with this laft refolution of the allies." Some of the minifters of the allies replied, "That they "had reason to have expected that they had not wanted "fuch inftructions; but, however, they were willing a "longer time might be taken, if it were defigned with pur"pose to answer effectually." The French minifters replied, "That they could promife no more than to follow

the inftructions they should receive, fince they did not ex"pect the allies would have dealt with them in fo tyranni"cal a manner:" adding, "That they pleaded for no more "than was practised at the treaties of Munster, Nimeguen, "and Ryfwick." But their affertion was proved to be wrong with respect to these treaties, where every thing was not altogether tranfacted by word of mouth, without writing. Befides, it was urged, that there were mediators at those treaties, whereas there was none at Utrecht, which made this an irregular fort of a congrefs. The marfhal de Uxelles answered, "That they had no reason to deliver

any thing in writing, fince the confederates made a bad "ufe of the laft, to inflame the people against them." To which one of the imperial minifters replied, "That the "French had no more to do, but to give in just and reafon"able propofals in writing; and then it would inflame the people against the allies, if they refused to accept

Hh 4

"them."

1712.

"them." One of the Dutch minifters having been fo
plain as to tell the marshal d'Uxelles, that the French court
would be deceived, if they expected a peace by tampering
with fome of the allies, in order to divide them from the
reft; the marshal warmly replied, "That not only the
prefent king of France, but even the whole royal family,
"would enter into a vow to be revenged upon the Dutch,
if they obftructed the peace."
To which one of the
confederate minifters anfwered, "That fuch menacing dif-
"courfes would only ferve to keep the Dutch on their

guard, and arm them against all future revenge, by in"ducing them to lay hold on this opportunity to crush that 66 power, which now threatened them." When these heats were over, the French minifters promifed again to write to the king their mafter, in order to know his pleasure on the fubject in hand, in which the minifters of the allies were obliged to acquiefce. But it was agreed, that, unless some extraordinary occafion required it, no general conference fhould be held on the 9th of April. On the 13th, another general conference was held, in which nothing material was done; and the French minifters, whofe only business, it feems, was to gain time, propofed, that the next general conference, which was to be held the 16th, might be put off, as had been done before, unless the allies had fomething particular to offer. This propofal not being agreed to, the general conference was held, as ufual, on the 16th; and the minifters of the allies enquiring again of those of France, whether they were ready to give specific answers in writing, the French plenipotentiaries ftill excufed themselves, on pretence of their not being yet fully inftructed from the king their master, on that subject. The truth is, they knew very well that their business was not to be done at Utrecht, but by a negotiation carried on directly between London and Verfailles. And it appears from the report of "the committee of fecrecy,' that the refusal of the French to give no answer in writing was no furprize to the British minifters, whom they had beforehand advised with. The earl of Strafford, in his letter to Mr. fecretary St. John, of the 25th of March, expreffed himself thus: "I cannot help faying, I believe the French have taken the wifeft part not "to answer in writing, though most of the ministers of the allies will be furprized, expecting they fhould." And he faid further; "I believe it is beft they should first begin in the open congrefs to reafon upon fome of the allies demands, which will occafion fo much difficulty, that

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the