“All the world has been witness to the noble impartiality of the King
in the midst of the disputes of the court of London with its American
Colonies and with France. Besides which his Majesty, having learned
that his powerful mediation was desired, generously made an offer of
it, which was accepted by the Belligerent Powers, and for this motive
only a ship of war was sent on the part of his Britannic Majesty to one
of the ports of Spain. The King has taken the most energetic steps,
and such as ought to have produced the most happy effect, to bring
those powers to an accommodation equally honourable to both parties;
proposing for this end wise expedients for smoothing difficulties,
and preventing the calamities of war. But although his Majesty’s
propositions, and particularly those of his _ultimatum_, have been
conformable to those which at other times the court of London itself
had appeared to judge proper for an accommodation, and which were also
quite as moderate, they have been rejected in a manner that fully
proves the little desire which the British cabinet has to restore
peace to Europe, and to preserve the King’s Friendship. In effect, the
conduct of that cabinet, with regard to his Majesty, during the whole
course of the negociation, has had for its object, to prolong it for
more than eight months, either by vain pretences, or by answers which
could not be more inconclusive; whilst, in this interval, the insults
on the Spanish flag, and the violation of the King’s Territories, were
carried on to an incredible excess; prizes have been made, ships have
been searched and plundered, and a great number of them have been fired
upon, which have been obliged to defend themselves; the registers have
been opened and torn in pieces, and even the packets of the court found
on board the King’s packet boats.
“The dominions of the crown in America have been threatened, and they
have gone to the dreadful extremity of raising the Indian nations
called the Chatcas, Cheroquies, and Chicachas, against the innocent
inhabitants of Louisiana, who would have been the victims of the
rage of these barbarians, if the Chatcas themselves had not repented
and revealed all that the seduction of the English had planned. The
sovereignty of his Majesty in the province of Darien, and on the coast
of St. Blas, has been usurped; the governor of Jamaica having granted
to a rebel Indian the commission of Captain-General of those Provinces.
“In short the territory of the Bay of Honduras has been recently
violated by exercising acts of hostility, and other excesses against
the Spaniards, who have been imprisoned and whose houses have been
invaded; besides which, the court of London has hitherto neglected to
accomplish what the 16th article of the last Treaty of Paris stipulated
relative to that Coast.
“Grievances so numerous, so weighty, and recent, have been at different
times the object of complaints made in the King’s name, and stated
in memorials which were delivered either to the British ministers at
London, or transmitted to them through the channel of the English
ambassador at Madrid; but although the answers which were received have
been friendly, his Majesty has hitherto obtained no other satisfaction
than to see the insults repeated, which lately have amounted to the
number of one hundred.
“The King, proceeding with the sincerity and candour which
characterize him, has formally declared to the court of London, from
the commencement of its disputes with France, that the court of England
should be the rule of that which Spain would hold.
“His Majesty likewise declared to that court, that at the time their
differences with that of Paris might be accommodated, it would be
absolutely necessary to regulate those which had arisen, or might still
arise, with Spain; and with the plan of mediation which was sent to
the underwritten ambassador the 28th of last September, and which was
by him delivered to the British ministry in the beginning of October,
a plan of which Lord Grantham was apprized, and of which he received
a copy, his Majesty declared in positive terms to the Belligerent
Powers, that in consideration of the insults which his subjects and
dominions had suffered, and likewise of the attempts levelled against
his rights, he should be under the necessity of taking his part, in
case the negociation, instead of being continued with sincerity, should
be broken off, or should produce no effect.
“The causes of complaint given by the court of London not having
ceased, and that court shewing no disposition to give reparation for
them, the King has resolved, and orders his ambassador to declare,
that the honour of his crown, the protection which he owes to his
subjects, and his own personal dignity, do not permit him to suffer
their insults to continue, and to neglect any longer the reparation
of those already received; and that in this view, notwithstanding the
pacific disposition of his Majesty, and even the particular inclination
he has always had and expressed for cultivating the friendship of his
Britannick Majesty, he finds himself under the disagreeable necessity
of making use of all the means which the Almighty has intrusted him
with to obtain that justice which he has solicited by so many ways
without being able to acquire: in confiding on the justice of his
cause, his Majesty hopes that the consequences of this resolution
will not be imputed to him before God or man; and that other nations
will form a suitable idea of this resolution, by comparing it to the
conduct which they themselves have experienced on the part of the
British ministry.
“Signed LE MARQUIS D’ALMODOVAR.
“LONDON, _16 June, 1779_.”
These important papers being read, Lord Weymouth moved, That an
humble address be presented to his Majesty (and Lord North moved the
same in the House of Commons), to assure his Majesty of support,
&c. This event, though not unexpected, occasioned warm debates in
both houses. All were for agreeing to the address; but the Lords and
gentlemen in opposition were for adding a condition, “provided his
Majesty would discard from his councils the present ministry.” After
much altercation, and many severe charges of maladministration, the
condition was rejected, and the addresses, as originally moved, passed
by a great majority in both houses.