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.^c-tST ATE PAPERS. 



199 



Eccheveiler : I exposed all my em- 

 barrassments, my troubles, and my 

 misfortunes ; I exerted all my ef- 

 forts to prevent any inconvenienqy ; 

 unfortunately the event has proved 

 tlie insufHcitiicy thereof: it is there- 

 fore only the iatimate persuasion I 

 have of the impossibiHty I am in to 

 effect what is right, which dictates 

 to me tlie measure of requesting 

 your majesty to appoint a successor 

 to me as soon as possible. This 

 measure, however afflicting to me, 

 is nevertheless a consequence of 

 those sorrowful reflections I have 

 made upon my situation. Prudence 

 requires I should retire, and honour 

 advises it. — When a great nation, 

 like that of France, is conducted by 

 the terror of punishments, and by 

 enthusiasm, an unanimoussentiment, 

 aiid the same principle, ought to 

 prevail in the measure of the co- 

 alesced powers. But when, instead 

 thereof, each army acts separately 

 aiid alone of its own accord, with- 

 out any fixed plan, without unani- 

 mity, and without principles, the 

 consequences are such as we have 

 seen at Dunkirk, at raising the 

 blockade of Maubeuge, at the storm- 

 ing of Lyons, at the destruction of 

 Toulon, and at the raising of the 

 blockade of Landau. Heaven pre- 

 serve your majesty from great mis- 

 fortunes! but every thing is to be 

 feared, if confidence, harmony, uni- 

 formity of sentiments, of principles, 

 and of actions, do not take place of 

 the opposite sentiments, which have 

 been the source of all misfortunes 

 for two years past. My best wishes 

 always attend yoar majesty, and 

 your glory will be my happiness. 

 Oppcnheim, Jan. 6, 1791'. 



Tin duke of Brunsvj'ich to ih; prince . 

 Toyal of Prussia. 



Mentz, Jan. 12, 



THE concern which yourroyal- 

 liighness has been pleased to 

 testify onaccount of my retreatfrom 

 the army, inspires me wnth the most 

 heart-felt gratitude. Nothing but , 

 a conjunction of circumstances, as 

 disastrous as uncommon, could have 

 prevailed on me to adopt a mea- , 

 sure which is so afflicting for mv- 

 self. ^ 



I have been highly fkttered by 

 the opportunities I have now and 

 then found to approach your loy^l; 

 highness, and to admire in youthose 

 talents which cannot fail to place 

 you among the great men of our 

 age, Europe stands truly in need, 

 of them at a time when near 

 400,000 combatants, and 80 line 

 of battle ships, supported by an in- 

 testine war, have in vain endeavour- , 

 ed to . crush that confederacy of 

 crimes which is tyrannizing over 

 France. 



I am erfiinently happy to find 

 that my zeal in serving a good cause 

 has notescaped yourroyalhighness's 

 notice. Very unfortunately, indeed, 

 the movements of the army have 

 been often checked at the very time 

 when the greatest energy and exer- 

 tion was required. 



If, after the surrender of Mentz, 

 Houchard had been attacked, forced 

 back, and defeated, the reinforce- 

 ments which strengthened the army 

 of the North would not have reach- 

 ed it; and of course the check near 

 Maubeuge would have been avoid- 

 ed. Saar Louis, ill provided with 

 provisions, and destitute of all pro- 

 tection from bombs, would, in all 

 O 4; probability. 



