The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2 - Online Library of ...

Online Library of Liberty: The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2
relative marine forces in the Mediterranean. Will Great Britain be able to preserve the
superiority there? This is a serious question for the Emperor. Mr. Scott lends me
Burke’s pamphlet,? which is strongly thought and in general well expressed, but the
coloring too high. There was in the Frankfort paper an answer of the British Cabinet
through Lord Malmesbury to the French Directory. This answer is well drawn, but the
Directory, who answer with contemptuous brevity, have, however, the advantage in
reserve of being able to say that Britain, though called upon, has not specified the
conditions of peace which she means to propose, but only brought forward a vague,
abstract proposition which, denied, would lead to long investigation and which,
admitted, brings the questions to be agitated in concluding a peace to no nearer
decision than before. It is evident, however, by the high tone of the Directory, that
they wish to avoid treaty, otherwise they would have made this simple observation,
and it is evident also that the British administration do not consider matters as ripe, or
they would not direct the discussion of moot points. In effect, this Court is not yet, I
believe, decided as to its object. Conversing with Sir M. Eden about general affairs, I
express the idea that the misfortunes in Italy should induce this government to
abandon it. He acknowledges that there is a kind of spell upon everything there, but
thinks that, if Italy be abandoned, everything there will go to ruin. I fully agree with
him, but insist that the Emperor had better leave the Italians to their fate than ruin
himself in trying to save them. I find, however, that other ideas prevail here. Quem
deus vult perdere, etc. I mention to him Lafayette’s detention, and find from what he
says that there is not much likelihood that he will speedily be liberated. I state to him
what has occurred to me on Lord M.’s negotiation at Paris, and he feels but tries to
color the objections.
“The Marquis de Salinés dines with me [December 5th]. He mentions with some
indignation the wretched conduct of his Court, but adds that nothing is left for an
individual but silent concern. It seems clear that all Italy will be at the mercy of the
French, and he thinks Naples will follow the example of Spain, and become the ally
of France. I am inclined to the same opinion. This evening the Venetian ambassador
tells me that Alvinzi has retired, and Davidovitch is beaten. The affairs of Italy seem
to be very bad for this Court, to which it would appear that the French Court are still
making overtures of peace. Madame Rassoomovsky, with whom I spend the evening,
entertains much by the naïf histories which she gives of herself in her presentation
here as ambassadress, and her reception at Moscow by her father-in-law. She admires
much the Empress of Russia, not merely as a great sovereign but as a pleasant
woman, and tells, among other things, a story of a sleighing party in which her
coachman overset her and excused himself by saying that he had tried for an hour to
overturn the sleigh of a page without effect, and could not have succeeded if he had
not seized that opportunity, in doing which he had gone further than he had intended.
She smiled, and begged him in future to play such tricks when there was nobody in
the carriage. This woman is, however, accused, and I believe justly, of many acts of a
most serious complexion. But such is human nature. Malcolm, I think, says, ‘A good
and virtuous nature may recoil in an imperial charge.’ The nuncio tells me that the
King of Naples, in rectifying his treaty with France, has included the Pope, but in such
way as to leave a part of the papal dominions at their mercy; that the French have,
indeed, retracted those articles which gave most uneasiness to the people of Rome in
regard to the religious rights of His Holiness, but have left enough to destroy all his
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