The Paget Papers.
Letter from Mr. B. Garlike to Sir Arthur Paget (Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Austria).
Source: Paget, Right Hon. Sir Augustus B. Paget, G.C.B. The Paget Papers, Diplomatic and other Correspondence of the Right Hon Sir A. Paget. G.C.B., 1794-1807, 2 Vols. Longmans, Green and Co. New York 1896. Vol 2. Page 151.
From Lord Harrowby to Sir A. Paget.
Downing Street, Sept. 11th, 1804.
I
am not surprised to learn that no fresh instructions have yet been received
by Count Rasoumoffsky, as no answer has yet been returned from St. Petersburgh
to the communication from
hence.
The
delay has probably arisen from a determination to wait till an answer could
be received from Paris to M. Oubril's last note ; & the absence of both
Buonaparte & Talleyrand from Paris* will have afforded a real ground
for some delay, & a plausible pretext for extending
it.
In
the meantime the language of the Court of St. Petersburgh to that of Vienna
seems perfectly satisfactory ; & the declaration made to the German Emperor
that Buonaparte never would he acknowledged until the conditions stipulated
in M. Oubril's note are fulfilled, ought to be felt as a strong tie in point
of honour to adhere to that determination.
* Oubril received the order to demand satisfaction for Talleyrand's
note when Napoleon and Talleyrand were in Boulogne in July. Their journey
closed with visits to Aix-la-Chapelle and Mayence in September. In that month
at last Talleyrand
replied-
(1.)
That Russia retained Corfu, and increased her troops
there.
(2.)
That Russian agents everywhere opposed
France.
(3.)
That Malta was still held by
England.
(4.)
That threats must not be employ ed. The last campaign (Suvarrow's) did not
entitle Russia to use them, and it must be well understood that the Emperor
of the French is not the Emperor of the Turks or Persians.
Oubril thereupon quitted Paris.
