line
through the department of the Ardennes, which should be continued till
it reached the Meuse near Mezieres.

"However, in fixing the line of the armistice, we must rely on the
ability of messieurs the commissioners, to endeavour to obtain the
most favourable arrangement.

"Their mission being to the English and Prussian armies in common,
there is no occasion to inform them, that it is indispensable for the
armistice to be common to both armies.

"It would be very important likewise, to introduce into the armistice,
as one of its clauses, that it should extend to the armies of all the
other enemies, taking for its basis the _status quo_ of the respective
armies, at the moment when information of the armistice should reach
them. If this stipulation be rejected, under pretence, that the
commanders of the English and Russian armies have no right, to make
arrangements in the names of the commanders of the armies of the other
powers; they may at least consent, to invite the others to accede to
it on the basis above mentioned.

"As even the negotiations for the armistice, from the nature of the
conditions already placed foremost, which must be the subject of more
serious debate, will inevitably occasion some delay, it is a
precaution rigidly necessary to be obtained, that, in order to treat
of an armistice, all movements should be stopped for a few days, or at
least for eight and forty hours.

"There is one precautionary arrangement, which messieurs the
commissioners must not neglect. This is, to stipulate, that the
enemy's armies shall levy no extraordinary contributions.

"Though the particular object of their mission is the conclusion of an
armistice, as it is scarcely to be imagined, that messieurs the
commissioners, in their intercourse with the Duke of Wellington and
Prince Blucher, will not hear from these generals either proposals, or
suggestions, or at least simple conjectures, respecting the views the
allied sovereigns may adopt with respect to the form of government in
France; messieurs the commissioners undoubtedly will not fail,
carefully to collect every thing, that may appear to them capable of
having any influence on the part to be taken definitively by the
government.

"The copy of the instructions given to messieurs the plenipotentiaries
appointed to repair to the allied sovereigns, which has been delivered
to them, will make them acquainted with the bases, on which the
government has been desi