Page:Life of William Shelburne (vol 1).djvu/396

370 the intervention of any other Power; the little value of Corsica in itself, its importance to France alone from its vicinity, the openness of the whole proceeding on the part of France, and in fine the good intentions of France in general, as well as the particular disposition of the King, the interest of the present Ministers and the desire of the whole people to preserve the public tranquillity: the answers to which are so obvious and self-evident, that I have no doubt of your Excellency's having repeatedly urged them, it being clear that whatever right States may have to conclude Treaties amongst each other, it must be with a due regard to the obligations they have entered into by former Treaties, and if none of the powers concerned have claimed to exercise the guaranty of such Treaties, it furnishes still further ground of enquiry, what can the secret motives of Sovereigns be, who are apparently interested, and who on former occasions have been most forward in taking the alarm, to make them remain on the present occasion silent and indifferent.

"Next to that, as to the importance of Corsica itself, it does in truth appear in a light of defence so trifling an object and so little deserving the expense I may say already incurred, that that very consideration is sufficient to show that something more is meant, for it cannot be with any degree of credibility asserted that a power like France can really apprehend the enmity of a little island, which must feel itself too happy in its exemption from oppression to risk the heavy hand of a mighty kingdom like that of France, whose conduct in this whole affair has by no means been of a defensive nature, but carried on with that reserve and obscurity in the commencement of the design, and rapidity in its execution, which gives just reason to suspect further views than they even now profess; nor can we any more form a judgment at this time what this matter may end in, than we could at the end of March last foresee what has since happened, having only the same assurances to trust to.