59 1 



State of Public Affairs ih October, 180G.' [Nor. Ij 



had hitherto afled for fome time longer. 

 Wiihing to preferve his force, now more than 

 ever necefljry to Europe, and r.t the leafl; to 

 fecure the tranquillity of tlie north, he con- 

 nrr.ied tlie new tie<ity. Confidence, how- 

 ever, was now utterly laft. Pruliln was con- 

 vinced that, on t'lic tiril opportunity to weaken 

 her without danger, fte mi^ht expctt an at* 

 tack from lier pretended ally ; convinced 

 there is a degree of ambition which nothing 

 can fatisiy — which procerdj, without inter- 

 niiffion, from ufurpalion to ufurpation, fome- 

 times witliout a plan, but ever intent on de~ 

 llrutlion ; caieleis of the choice of means, 

 iipd employing alike arms and the pen, vio- 

 lence and oaths. But even with this convic- 

 tion, fo great is the unfortunate fuperiority 

 obtained by.fuch policy over tliofc who wi/h 

 only to be juft, the Kinjr fulfilled all the 

 conditions of the treaty with the pancluality 

 of a faitliful ally. It is known vhat the con- 

 fequences were with rcfpetu to the connec- 

 tions of his Majcft^' with Eni;land. France 

 giiincd nothing by thisj but (he triumphed in 

 Itcrct at the tliought of having difunited 

 two courts, the union ot wh'ch might have 

 been dangerous to her; aud wliac, in the view 

 of France, gave the principal value to her 

 alliance with the King was, that tliis alliance 

 ifoUitcd his Majefty, fmce it produced an opi- 

 nion that Prulha was a participator in the 

 caul'e of fo many misfortunes. 



But not content with this, wc fliall foon 

 fee in what niann'-r the politics of f ranccj 

 aiTured that (he had now no enemy to fear, 

 believing that (he had annihilated Aurtria, 

 forming a judgment of KulTia with equal ig- 

 norance and raihnefs, and i>linded by the ap- 

 parent tranquillity of Prullla, (he at length 

 threw off tiie malic j and delpifing forms 

 which ihe had hitherto fometimes refpeCled, 

 epenly trampled os all treaties and all rights. 

 Three months after the figning of the treaty 

 with Prudia, all its articles were violated. 



T he treaty had for its bafis the Jtatus quo of 

 the moment in which ;« was concluded, alfo 

 the guarantee of the German empire and its 

 rtatec, according to the conilitation then efla- 

 blilhed. This truth aril'es not only from the 

 nature of things ; the treaty had alfo exprefaly 

 prefcribed to the powers their duties. The 

 relations in which the ptace of Prclburg had 

 left his Majefty the Emperor of Auftria, were 

 guaranteed to him ; confequently, alfo the 

 imperial crown of Germany, anil the rights 

 uonnedled with it. The exiftcnce of Bavaria, 

 and confequently the relations whii:h had con- 

 ueiAcd it tor fo many centuries to the Bmpire, 

 were likewife confirmed by the fame common 

 guarantee. Three months after, the Con- 

 ledcration of the Rhine overthrew the Ger- 

 manic conftitution, deprived the Emperor of 

 the ancient oinament of his houfe, and placed 

 Bavaria, and thirty other prLncts, under the 

 tutelage of France. 



But is it necefl'ary to appeal to treaties, to 

 iilirni a jult judgnicnl ol thii c)ttraora.iri»rjf 



event ? Previous to all treaties, nations havtf 

 their rights j and had not France fported with' , 

 the fanftity of an oath, this aft of unexampled 

 defpotifm would exafpe-'ate every mind. Te 

 deprive princes who had nevcrofiended France, 

 and to render them the vafTals of others, 

 themfelves the v.^ffals of the French govern- 

 ment; to abolidi, with a (troke of the pen, 

 a conftitution of a thoufand years' duration — 

 which long habit, the remembrance of io 

 raany illuftrious periods, and fo many various 

 and mutual relations, had rendered dear to 

 luch a number of princes— which had fo of- 

 ten been guaranteed by all the European 

 ))owers, and even by France herfelf — to lay 

 contributions on the cities and towns in the 

 midft of profound peace, and leave the new 

 pofl'eflions only an exhaulted (kcleton — to 

 abolKh this conftitution witliout confulting 

 the limperor of Germany, Irom whom a 

 crown was wrelted ; or Ruflia, fo lately be- 

 come the guarantee of the German league ; 

 or Prufha, intere(ted intimately in that league 

 thus arbitrarily difl'olved— No: wars and con- 

 tinued vicVories have fonictimes produced 

 great and remarkable cataftrophes ; but fuch 

 an example in times of peace was never be- 

 fore given to the world. 



The King commlleratcd the unfortunate 

 princes, who futfcred by thefc tranfaftions \ 

 but he pitied not lefs thofe who had fufl'ered 

 themfelves to be lured by the hope of gain ; 

 and he would reproach himfelf, (liould he 

 incrcafe their unhappinefs by judging them.- 

 with too gre.it feverity. Deluded by the re- 

 ward of their compliance ; probably, forced 

 to obey commands which admitted of no op- 

 pofition J or, if furprifed into confent, fufK* 

 ciently puniihed by their acquifitlons, and by 

 being reduced to a ftate of valfalage, as har(h 

 and degrading as their former relations wcre^ 

 lionourable, they dcfetve not to be treated- 

 by Germany with the utmolt rigour. Per- 

 haps, when the majinanimous nation, to 

 which they formerly belonged, arifes around- 

 them on every fide to contend for their inde- 

 pendence, they may liften to the voice ofi 

 gratitude and honour, and, at leal-l, abhor 

 tlieir chains, when they find they mult be 

 Itained by the bliiod of their bvethern. 



It was not enough that thefe defpotic aft* 

 were immediately injurious to Pruliia. The 

 Emperor of France was intent on rendering 

 them fenlible to the perfon of the King in all 

 his allied (latcs. The exifteacc of the Prince 

 of Orange was under the common guarantee 

 of tlie two powers ; lor the King had acknow- 

 ledged the political changes in Holland only 

 undsr this condition. For (everal years this 

 Prince had expefted that his claims, fecured 

 by the mutual ftipulations of Prulfia and 

 France, (hculd be fati^ficd. The Batavian 

 republic bad been willing to enter into an ac- 

 commodation, but the Emperor Napoleoa 

 forbad it. Keither the recoUeftion of this 

 circuniltance, nor the confiJeration of the 

 tifs of blood which united his Majefty to the, 



