People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1896 — FOX AND NAPOLEON. [ARTICLE]

FOX AND NAPOLEON.

ra* Eaclkh aatWMi Wm IWeiMted the First Cwml. During the summer of 1802 Fox lourneyed to Paris, where he was presented to Bonaparte early in September, says a writer in the Century Magazine. The English statesman was fascinated, and, although the first consul said nothing definite or precise, his visitor departed convinced that his host desired nothing but peace with a liberal policy, both domestic and foreigrl as far as was consistent with safety. But the attacks of the English Press became none the less virulent in consequence of Fox’s favorable report or of his brilliant defense of France from his place in parliament. Toward the close of January Talleyrand remonstrated with Whitworth, at this time giving point to his remonstrance by a plump demand as to what England intended to do about Malta. Whitworth replied that he was without instructions and made an evasive answer, hinting that the king’s opinion of the changes which had taken place in Europe since the treaty might be of importance in determining him as to the disposal of the island. This was the first official intimation that England did not intend to keep her promise. A few days later Sebastian! returned from the east and on Jan. 30, 1803, the Moniteur published his thorough and careful report. It was a long document, fully explaining every source of English weakness in the orient and setting forth the possibilities of re-estab-lishing French colonies in Egypt and the Levant. There was only one menacing phrase, but it expressed an unpalatable truth that “6,000 French troops could now conquer Egypt.” The publication in England of this paper raised a tremendous popular storm and it has pleased many historians to regard Bonaparte’s course as a virtual declaration of war. In realty it was merely a French Roland for the English Oliver. If England intended to keep Malta let her beware of her pr.stige in the east. Had Bonaparte intended to act on Sebastiani’s report he certainly would not have published it. Of course, the English populace utterly failed to grasp so nice a point and the incident so strained the relations of France and England that all Europe saw the impending crisis—one or the other must consent to a modification of the treaty in respect to Malta or there would be war.