206 
Should drive the Emperor to extre- 
mities, and force him into serious 
measures (which might again be 
turned to keep up the alarms of the 
nation) by protecting and support- 
ing the new conspiracy of a revolt 
which has been lately discovered in 
the Low Countries, and of which 
it is known, beyond the possibility 
of a doubt, that the focus exists at 
Douay; and that the whole scheme 
was founded on the assurances of 
assistance from the republican par- 
ty in France. It is in general a- 
gainst the Emperor, and to take 
advantage of the unprepared state 
of his forces in the neighbouring 
provinces, that their principal or at 
least their firstdesign seems direct- 
ed; expecting, without doubt, to 
prevent the consequences of an at- 
tack which would become the com- 
mon cause of the powers, by en- 
deavouring with negotiations, and 
-separate deceitful offers, to disunite 
them, and to inspire them in a con- 
‘trary sense with the same emotions 
of jealousy and rivalship of alli- 
ance, which they will nowise excite 
at a time when every thing con- 
spires sincerely to fix on the firmest 
basis a system of repose and gene- 
ral moderation. 
It is finally owing to the fatal in- 
fluence of this same party, and to 
the same object of precipitating a 
war with his Imperial Majesty, that 
theextraordinary decree of the 25th 
of January may be -attributed ; by 
which, encroaching on the initia- 
tive reserved to the King by the 
constitution, the liberty is taken of 
reproaching the Emperor with hav- 
ing violated the treaty of uniomand 
alliance of 1756, because he wished 
to succour the King of France when 
a prisoner, and the French monar- 
chy when nearly destroyed,: at the 
ANNUAL REGISTER; 1702. 
period of the 21st of June last; and 
because afterwards he uséd all his 
influence to bring the‘other sove- 
reigns to an unison with the -deter- 
mination and the hopes of his Most 
Christian Majesty. By this decree 
the King even is invited to demand 
an explanation, in the name of 
France, who is arming for-war, of 
the hostile designs of the Emperor, 
who has not armed at all, who has 
put a stop to the armaments of 
others, and whom France ‘obliges 
at this day to arm in his own de- 
fence. By this decree, adding in- 
sult to injustice, aright is arrogated 
of prescribing, on reproaches with- 
out proof, to a respectable ‘sove- 
reign, the ally of France, a peremp- 
tory time of satisfaction; as if the 
rules and regards consecrated by the 
public law of nations were to be 
subjected to the arbitration of a 
French legislature. 
‘Notwithstanding these offensive 
proceedings, the Emperor will give 
to France the clearest proof-of the 
constant sincerity of hisattachment, 
by preserving on his oe that quiet 
and moderation which his friendly 
concern for the situation of the 
kingdom inspires ; he does justice 
to the personal sentiments: of the 
King his brother-in-law ; he is far 
from ascribing such measures to the 
majority of the nation, who either 
groan under the evils produced by 
a frantic party, or involuntarily 
take a part in the errors and pre- 
judices which are instilled into 
them against the conduct of his 
Imperial Majesty. 
To lay open the details and the 
true intentions of his conduct to- 
‘wards. France, without reserve and 
without disguise, to the eyes of the 
King and the whole nation, ‘is the 
only weapon to which the Emperor 
wishes 
_ 
ee. 
a SS ee, hee ee 
