STATE PAPERS. 286 
document of the 21st of December. 
Every: intelligence that has been 
since received, either from Brussels 
or Coblentz, has confirmed the real 
disposition of the Emperor ; and. his 
jesty, desiring that the National 
Assembly should partakein this sen- 
timent, has required me to commu- 
nicate successively every thing that 
could tend to this end. But the 
order given so abruptly to Marshal 
Bender ; the apparent intention of 
succouring the Elector of T'reves, at 
the’ very time that this prince ob- 
served the most hostile conduct 
towards us ; the annunciation of a 
combination unknown tous between 
the powers of Europe; the tone and 
temper of the official document, 
have made an impression which the 
wisest could not avoid receiving, 
and which the King has not been 
able to efface. 
“Treturn to that essential object, 
the war. Is it for the Emperor’s 
interest tosuffer himself to be drawn 
into this fatal measure? I will allow, 
forthe sake of argument, that the 
most favourable events may attend 
his armies ;—what then will be the 
consequence? The Emperor will 
leave off, by being moreembarrassed 
by success than he would have been 
‘disasters; and the only fruit 
which he vil gather from this war, 
will be the sad advantage of having 
destroyed his ally, and of having 
encreased the power of his enemies 
and his rivals. 
I think, then, from incontestable 
evidence, that peace is as necessary 
to. the Emperor as to France; | 
_ think that it is prudent, for him to 
‘preserve an alliance, which cannot 
eafter produce any inconveni- 
ence to him, and which may be 
beneficial ; i think that, instead of 
taking in| measures which 
Vou. XXXIV, 
might tend to overthrow the king- 
dom, he ought, on the contrary, to 
desire the preservation of its power 
and prosperity. 
You ought, Sir, to demand expla- 
nations on three points. Ist. Upon 
the document of the 21st December. 
2d. Upon the Emperor's interpo- 
sition in our internal affairs. 3d. 
Upon the meaning of that expres- 
sion, — ‘‘ the sovereigns combined 
for the safety and honour of crowns.” 
Each of these explanations, de- 
manded from his. jusiice, may be 
given with that. dignity which ac- 
cords with his person and power. 
One circumstance will perhaps 
embarrass the imperial court in that 
explanation, which I wi!l suppose 
it may be inclined to give: thisas, 
the affair of the princes having pos- 
sessions in Alsace and Lorraine, in 
which the Emperor may think him- 
self obliged to interpose as chiefiof 
the empire. I shall first however ob- 
serve, that this.is.a separate trans- 
action, and ought to be treated in 
a way different from that which is 
the object of the present discussion. 
I shall add, that the decree of the 
i4th allews this negotiation a great- 
er degree of latitude than it has 
hitherto possessed; for, except 
every ‘thing whichmight tend to re- 
establish the feudal rights on the ter- 
ritories:of France, a measure which 
was and willalways. be impossible, 
every thing else is permitted; and 
the King will certainly never refuse 
any reasonable arrangement. I be- 
lieve that 1 may hope that the Na- 
tional Assembly will be disposed to 
adopt the proposition of his Majes- 
ty on this subject.—In a word, Sir, 
L express; to you the wish of the 
King, that of his council, and I he- 
sitate not in saying that of the sound 
part of the nation :—We wish: for 
T peace. 
