2.?0 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1794. 



The enemy, availing themselves 

 of the perplexed slate of public af- 

 fairs, increase their exertions in all 

 quarters, and seem determined to 

 prevent the defection of the armies, 

 depressed by a series of fatigue and 

 defeats. Their progress has been 

 so rapid, and (heir army so formi- 

 dable, that the Imperial and royal 

 court will be unavoidably obliged to 

 withdraw its troops, and to station 

 them within its own frontiers, if 

 the empire does not think proper to 

 oppose to the irruption of the French 

 an adequate force, and to co-operate 

 with his majesty at this awful and 

 momentous crisis. His majesty's 

 solitary efforts would be fruitless, if 

 he were to attempt to cover the 

 frontiers from Basle to Luxembourg ; 

 and it cannot be denied, that an 

 army, exhausted by fatigue, without 

 opportunity of recruiting itself, re- 

 ceiving assistance from no one, and 

 at a distance from home, ought to 

 make an effort to reach their o\\'n 

 country, where they would be bet- 

 ter furnished with necessaries, and 

 supported by the faithful inhabitants 

 of the Imperial and royal states. It 

 would appear at least equitable to 

 hazard his last eflbrt in defence of 

 his own dominions, when we have 

 before our eyes the melancholy 

 truth, that, with the most upright 

 and sympathetic intentions, it is 

 impossible to protect his friends and 

 neighbours. 



The spiritual and temporal com- 

 munities of the superior and lower 

 classes are still possessed of treasures 

 which remain untouched, but which 

 might be beneficially applied. The 

 people of property of every descrip- 

 tion have a credit, which they 

 ought to lend to raise great sums of 

 money, to complete that, which the 

 house of Austria, after such an im- 



mense influx of money into the em- 

 pire, only drawn from its own he- 

 reditary dominions, is noiongerable 

 to a fiord by itself. 



It is only by such an influx of 

 money, that the standing armies can 

 be supplied witli what is most ne- 

 cessary for their preservation, that 

 the fortresses can be put in a pro- 

 per slate of defence, and that the 

 masses, who are to hasten to the 

 frontiers, will be supported. 



Tlie undersigned minister pleni- 

 potentiary is charged by the empe- 

 ror and king most solemnly to de- 

 clare, in hislmperial majesty's name, 

 that, if the Imperial royal court is 

 abandoned at this decisive crisis, it 

 will not be able to save the empire; 

 but it will console itself with the 

 idea of having done all that could 

 possibly be done for the country ; 

 and that the Imperial court will be 

 obliged tomakeitresponsible, before 

 God and to posterity, for all those 

 misfortunes that will then unavoid- 

 ably crush the provinces of the Ger- 

 manic empire, and for the misery 

 which may then spread infections 

 all over Europe, by the propagation 

 of principles of anarchy ; nay, the 

 Imperial court will make responsi- 

 ble those who, by neglect, by in- 

 activity, or even by mercenary pri- 

 vate views, shall have omitted con- 

 scientiously to exert themselves for 

 the general preservation. 

 (Signed) 



Count Von Schlick 

 Done at Frankfort, 



Aug. 12, 1/94. 



The emperor issued an edict, dated \ 



the 28th of October, 1794, to the 1 



directors of the cbxles of the em- , 



pire, 



