1805.] 



State of Public Af airs in OSioher, 1905. 



365 



be enforced with all the terrors of penal 

 law. Evafion and defertion <ire cunttrued 

 \r.to treafoil againft the ftate, and the :iioft 

 ii^nominious puniflirtients are denounced 

 againft fuch as are backward in joining 

 the armies. To this view of the plan 

 we add his fpeech in the fenate on the 

 ♦\-ar. 



SPEECH or THE EMPEXOX. 



" In the prefent circumftanccs of Europe, 

 J feel the nereliity of beinij in the midft of 

 you, and of acquainting you with my inten- 

 tions. 



" I am going to leave the capital to head 

 the army, to bring fpcedy affitlance to my 

 allies, and to defend the deareft interefts of 

 my people. 



•' The « ifhcs of the eternal enemies of the 

 Continent are accorr plhhed ; the war has com- 

 menced, in the midft of Germany. Auiiria 

 and Ruflia have joined England, and the pre- 

 sent generation are again drawn into ail the 

 calamities of war. A few days ago, I dill 

 hoped that the peace would not be difturbed ; 

 menaces and outrages had no effeft upon me ; 

 but the Auftrian army has p?ffed the Inn, 

 Munich is invaded, the Ele£lor of Bavaria is 

 driven from his capital j all my hopes have 

 vani/hed. 



" It is at this moment that the malignity 

 ef the enemies ofthe Contineit has develop td 

 icfelf. They ftill fear a difplay of my pro- 

 found love of peace ; they fear left Auftria, 

 at the fight of the abyfsj which they have 

 dug under her feet, Ihould return to fenti- 

 mentsof juftlce and moderation. They iisve 

 plunged her into the Wir. I figh for the 

 blood it will coft to Europe; but the French 

 name will derive a new luftre from it. 



" Senators, when in conformity to your 

 wiflies and to the voice of the whole of the 

 French people, I placed on my head the Im- 

 perial Crown, I received of you, of all the 

 citizens, the engagement to prefcrve it pure, 

 and without bltmilh. My people have given 

 me, on all occafions, proofs of thi ir contiilence 

 and love : they will fly to the col lurs of 

 flieir Emp-^ror, and of his army, which in a 

 few days will have pifTed the frontiers. 



" Magiftrates, foldiers, citizens, all will 

 keep their country free from the inlluence of 

 England, who, if ihe were to prevail, would 

 grant us only a peace furrounded withfliame 

 arid difgrace, and of which the principal con- 

 ditions would be, the burning of our fleets, 

 the filling up of our ports, and the annihila- 

 tion of our induftry. 



" All the promifcs which I have mide to 

 the French people 1 have kept. The French 

 people, on their parts, Uivo, made no en- 

 gagement to me but what th'y h.>.ve exceed- 

 ed. Ill th'fe circumftances, lo important to 

 their glory and to my own, they fluU con- 

 tinue to del'crvc that name ol 7if Great Peo- 



ple, with which I hailed them In the midft 

 of the field of battle. 



" Frenchmen, yur Emperor will do h!» 

 duty, my foldiers will do thcir's, you will 

 do your's " 



The King of Pri'lTia and ihe cantons of 

 Swifl,;rland, have declared tor a (tri<^l ncir- 

 tMJity during the pielent war, aird hive 

 publifhed declarations to thi» effeflj in- 

 th3t of the latter, it IsfaiH, «' the Diet, 

 moved by leniiinents of ancient Swi's fide- 

 I'ty ; careful in cb!'erving every ireaty». 

 and every amicable i elation exifting witli 

 the neit;hb iiring; Itates; aminated wit!» 

 t'r.it fpirit wh:ch file inherits from her An- 

 ceftors, and which infpiies her with the: 

 love of peace, and a due confideration for 

 every power; refieftinjf, in fine, on the 

 pofitipn, and the •■^ants of the SwiCs peo- 

 ple, for wbofe renovation, prolperit) , and 

 repoie, jn(t f> rbearance en the part of fo- 

 reign States, aii.i ihe ficnvity of Peace, 

 are become indifpenfahlc; the Diet from 

 all thefe confideratlons, regards it as tjieir 

 molt i'acied duty to remain absolutely 

 NEUTRAL iiT the war which appears ready 

 to brea.k. out ; and to ohferve, and caiil'e 

 to be obfcrved, this neutrality by her I'ub- 

 jefts, with faiih and impartiality towards 

 each of the Belligerent powers and theif 

 allies: to fupport tnis neutrality, and to 

 maintain order thioughont the extent oi 

 the Swifs territory ; the Diet has dcter- 

 m'ned (o ciui'e the troops of the Cuntericr- 

 ation to march to the frontiers, and to 

 guarantee by arms the fecuitty and invio- 

 lability of their territories." 



Btfidt s thel'c ftate papers, we haveothersy 

 viz. one from Baclier, entitled the Frencl> 

 Imperial declaration, which was delivered 

 to the Diet, and cotnmunicaiel (o all the 

 members of Rati>hon; in this the Empe- 

 ror of Francedecl/ires, that he has but one- 

 obj;Cl, viz. the repelling -in unjaft attack, 

 and reft.>ring the independence of the nody 

 of the German Empire, which has beer» 

 attacked bv the ulurpations, unjalt acqui- 

 fiti' ns, anil acts of volence r,t' the C -U't 

 of Vienna : he farther declares that he wi.l 

 retain poiTefliinot n.me of the territcriesoF 

 Germany winch mav fall in:o his lniid& 

 by the fate of arms ; he gu-ar.,n:ets to 

 every prince (he indepenilen.e o! his rights 

 and (loffefTjons ; and affirms, that he wilt 

 not lay down hi'- arms tiU the lecel's of the 

 Kinpire (hall be lert.ie.l and-confii-mtd iiv 

 all us bales, and iimil Aul'-iia fliall have 

 renounce.l her claims, anH yieldtd the ac- 

 qu (i:ions which (he has mxle in Swabia, 

 and ceaffd to make att.icks on the inde- 

 pendence and fnfety of Germany. 



a Ao 



