They alfo confulted together about proper Means to extinguish the War in the North; or, at leaft, to prevent its spreading into the Empire, and any ways affecting the Grand Alliance A. C. 1709. New Ad As foon as the Campaign in the Netherlands was vances at an End, the French Court thought fit to make made by new Advances, towards the fetting again on Foot, France to a Negotiation of Peace: In order to which, Signior wards aNeFofcarini, the Venetian Ambaffador, who about thisgotiation of time, came to Holland, took a turn, incognito, to Amfter- Peace. dam, to feel the Pulfe of the Burgo-mafters of that City. On the other-hand, Monfieur Pettecum, Refident of the Duke of Holftein, at the Hague, who had been, under-hand, employ'd the laft Winter, in the Negotiation of Peace, and had fince continu'd to hold a Correfpondence with the Marquis de Trocy, made fome new Overtures, on the Part of France, and defred Paffes for their Commiffioners to come to the Hague; which having been taken into Confideration by the Imperial, British and Dutch Minifters, and the Monfieurde Report of their Conferences Communicated to the Pettecum States-General, their High-Mightineffes refufed the Jets out for Paffes, but confented, that Monfieur de Pettecum The Duke of fhould go to the French Court, pursuant to their De- Marlbo fire, to know what farther Offers they had to make. rough goes Accordingly, that Minifter fet out for Paris, about to England the middle of November; as did, not many days after, and Prince the Duke of Marlborough for London; and Prince Eu- Eugene to gene for Vienna. France. Vienna. Monfieur Pettecum was receiv'd at the French Court with more Refpect than is ufally paid to a Minifter of fuch an inferior Rank; and with an affected Parade, and Oftentation, to make their famifh'd and murmuring People believe, that Peace was at Hand; not without fome vain Infinuations, That the Allies themselves had fent him to make Proposals towards it, tho' 'tis certain he had no fuch Power, or Direction from the Allies. After he had for fome Days conferr'd with the Mar- Monfieur quis de Torcy, and the other French Minifters, and Pettecum receiv'd a Prefent for the Trouble and Charge of his returns to the Hague Journey, he was fent back to the Hague with the following Answer: K * Wed * Dec. 7. A. C. 1709. VVednesday, November 27. at Four of the Clock in the The Answer he brought Monfieur French Afternoon. Onfieur Pettecum returning to the Hague, is 'defired to acquaint Monfieur the Penfionary, that it would be impoffible for the King, to execute the 37th Article of the Preliminaries, even altho' his Majefty might refolve to fign the 'fame. 6 "That without entering upon the Obfervations that may be made on the Expreffions and Form of 'the other Articles, it is evident that they were proposed by the Allies Six Months ago, upon no other view, than for preventing, by a Sufpenfion of Arms, the Events of the Campaign, which was then ready to begin; for it being poffible, that the Operations of War might change the Difpofitions 'that appeared then, towards a near Conclufion of the Peace, Prudence required to Prudence required to prevent the 'fame. That that Reason is now over, and does not 'fubfift at this time, because the Winter-Seafon does Naturally establish a Sufpenfion of Arms, without any Agreement in Writing. That therefore, without fpeaking any more of Preliminary Articles, the Three Months of this "Winter might be employ'd for treating definitive'ly of Peace. 6 That Suppreffing the Form of thofe Articles, the King would preferve the Subftance thereof, and that they fhould treat on the part of his Majefty, and that of the Allies, on the Foundation of the Conditions, to which the King was pleased to Confent for the Satisfaction of the Emperor, the 'Empire, England, Holland, and their Allies; tho' his faid Majefty had declared, that thofe Condi'tions fhould be void and of no effect, if they were not accepted during the time of the Conferences ' held at the Hague. That his faid Majefty is ready to refume the "Negotiations on the fame Foot, name Plenipotentiaries in order thercunto, and fend them to fuch a Place as fhall be agreed upon, to begin to confer with those of the Allies on the first Day of January next. If If it be confented to enter upon Negotiations, the ▾ Sieur Pettecum might forthwith return for fetling the . Paffes, and other Formalities, for the Place and manner of Meeting. AG. 1709. A Week † after, the States General, came to the † Sat Dec. following Refolution : 6 14. The States HE Sieur Van Welderen, and other Deputies of General's their High Mightin effes for Foreign Affairs Refolution having, according to their Commiffion of the 9th thereupon. inftant, examined the Answer brought from France by the Sieur Refident Pettecum, which he has de"livered in writing, fuch as it was communicated to 'him by the Sieur Marquis de Trocy, Secretary of State. The faid Deputies have reported to the Affembly, That having seriously weighed and confidered the Contents of the Anfwer aforefaid; it has im'mediately appeared to them, that in the faid Anfwer they entirely recede and depart from the 'Foundations that have been hitherto laid, and on which the Negotiations for grounding those of a 'General Peace, were begun, and have been hitherto continued; for it is evident that the Negotiations were at firft begun, to adjust and fettle certain Pre'liminary Articles, which when agreed upon, might 'ferve for a Foundation to enter upon the Negotiation of a General Peace; from which Negotiations, People could not expect any good Succefs, and 'therefore would not be induced to begin the fame, 'till certain Preliminary Points were adjufted and agreed upon for the Foundation thereof. That it was upon thefe Grounds, that the Prefident de Rouille, in the firft Place, and the Marquis de Torcy, after him, being come hither, Preliminary Articles were adjusted with them, which Preliminaries were fign'd the 28th of May, this prefent Year, 'by the Plenipotentiaries of his Imperial Majesty, 'those of her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, and those of their High-Mightineffes, and which were immediately ratify'd on the part of her faid Majefty of Great-Britain, and of this State. 1 That his moft Chriftian Majefty, having not thought fit to approve the faid Preliminaries, by 'Reafon only of the 37th Article thereof, and the Negotiations breaking off thereupon; yet upon K. 2 new A. C. 1709. new Inducements and Advances made on this part, the faid Negotiations were refumed by Letters, for endeavouring to remove the Difficulties about the 37th Article aforefaid, by an Equivalent, or any other Expedient, which has been the only Subject of the new Negotiations that have enfued thereupon; Affurances being given, in the mean Time, on the part of France, That their King ap'proved all the other Articles, and would ratify the fame as foon as they could agree upon the 37th Article aforefaid: That this was the only Subject of the Journey of the Sieur Pettecum; for seeing this Point could not be agreed upon by Letters, they made on the part of France, repeated Inftances, that the faid Sieur Pettecum might go thither, to fee whether his Prefence at the French Court might help towards finding an Expedient for overcoming and removing the Difficulties about the 37th Article aforefaid: But feeing by the Answer they have returned, that they recede entirely from the Preliminaries aforefaid, that the fame are wholly fubverted, and that they talk of entering upon Negotiations of Peace, without making any further mention of Preliminaries, whereby the "Foundation that was laid at firft, is rejected and fubverted, as well as the Aim and Defign that was. 'built thereupon, viz. That they might be affured on the fide of the Allies of certain Points, before they enter'd upon any formal Negotiations of Peace, and of the due Execution of the faid Points, during the faid Negotiations, and before the Conclufion of the Peace; which two Points and Ar'ticles being receded from by the faid Anfwer, the 'faid Deputies are therefore of Opinion, That it ought to be infifted on this fide, on the Foundations that have been laid in Concert, and with the Approbation of the Allies; and that it ought to be 'declared with the like Concert, That, for the Rea'fons aforefaid, the Anfwer brought by the Sieur Pettecum, is not fatisfactory; and that the faid 'Preliminary Article ought to be infifted upon, on 'which Articles there being no Difficulty raised on the part of France, but only upon the 37th and your High-Might ineffes, and your Allies, having been of Opinion, that an Expedient might be ८ fought fought, for to the Satisfaction of all Parties, they perfift ftill in the faid Sentiment. And it being taken into Confideration thereupon, That although all the Lords-Deputies of the refpective Provinces, are unanimously of Opinion, that upon the good and fundamental Rea'fons alledged, their Advice and Sentiments ought to be followed in all its Parts; yet it is thought it will be of a greater Force and Efficacy, if it be corrobrated by an unanimous Refolution of all the Members of the Union: Therefore it is thought fit and refolved, That Notice hereof fhall be given by Letters to the Lords-States of the refpective Provinces, and that it fhall be reprefented to them: That the Sieur Pettecum, who, at the Defire, and upon the repeated Inftances of France, was permitted, with the Confent and Knowledge of the High-Allies, to go for France, to fee if any Expedient could be found out for removing the Difficulties about the 37th Article of the Preliminaries, is, contrary to all Expectation, returned, not only without bringing any fuch Expedient with him, but with an Answer, in which there is not the leaft mention made of the Propofals that were made here fometime ago, and in which they recede entirely from the Foundations, which were agreed to with a common Confent, as it has been faid before, and with a Propofal to enter into a formal Negotiation of Peace, without fettling and adjusting any thing before-hand: A Propofal, which in all Times before, has been. judged dangerous, and not to be admitted by the Allies, and is, contrary to the Declaration, which has been always made on the part of France, after the adjusting of the Preliminaries, and even by the laft Letters, viz. That all the Preliminary Articles fhould remain firm as they were fettled, only with fuch Alterations in the Terms of the Execu-. tion, which the Course of Time had render'd neceffary, except only the 37th Article: That from this way of Proceeding nothing can be concluded, but that the Enemy is not fincerely difpofed to agree to a good and Safe Peace, and that little Regard is to be had to the Affurances of their good Intention and Inclination in that Respect, feeing the Effects * agree K 3 A. C. 1709. |