HISTORY OF MALTA.

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parties. Malta then is the only power which can continuallyand indiscriminately pursue all Barbary corsairs; since she isconstantly at peace with every Christian state, and can neverbe induced from either political or commercial motives toform an alliance with the powers of Africa. Though Franceand Venice entered into an agreement with the order, thatits squadron should not enter the Levant and Adriatic, itwas only because those two powers refused to admit corsairsof any description into their latitude. They, however, never ob-jected to the ships of Malta pursuing any Barbary vessels whichhad taken shelter in those seas: and from the moment aChristian power went to war with the Turks, this conven-tion with France and Venice was broken; because the orderthen became their ally, and accompanied them in all theirexpeditions.

Were the cause of the knights and Maltese people to bepleaded, and their right to return to their former situation tobe discussed, in a court actuated by motives of justice andhumanity, it would undoubtedly soon be decided. My mostardent wishes are, that this may be the case, notwithstandingthe intrigues and false reasoning of the politicians of the presentday, who, intoxicated with the success of their armies, mis-take the real interest of their country, to which they cruellyand wantonly sacrifice the peace and happiness of their fellow-creatures.

Before I conclude this work, I may, surely, be allowed to