236 
nal affection towards the empire, 
to unite the electors, princes, and 
states; and,-with an entire confi. 
dence in their patriotism, to con- 
cur with them in a constitutional 
manner, upon measures to be taken 
in this important conjunéture, which 
may agree with the fundamental 
tights of the constitution of the 
empire, with the system of the in- 
dependence of the states, and with 
the dignity and integrity of the 
Germanic body. His Imperial ma- 
jesty does not think it necessary to 
detail the instances of his conduct 
which prove his close adherence to 
the German constitution, and his 
zeal for its support, his constant 
care and energetic endeavours to 
preserve and increase the general 
welfare of the country ; since the 
whole of his majesty’s reign, from 
his ascending the Imperial throne 
to this moment, has been distin- 
guished by his paternal care and 
. love for the German empire, and 
by the immense sacrifices made by 
the house of Austria for its de- 
fence, and for the support of its 
constitution, His Imperial ma- 
jesty continued to shew his consti- 
tutional intentions, and the sincere 
interest he took in the affairs of 
the empire, in his quality of its su- 
preme chief, by approving of the 
principles laid down in the conelu- 
sum of the diet of the 22d of De- 
cember last, in order to open a 
yoad for a just and Jasting peace, 
when his Imperial majesty declared, 
that he was disposed to enter into 
preparatory considerations how to 
obtain this desirable object ; observ- 
ing at the same time, that it was 
necessary to invite his majesty the 
king of Prussia to co-operate in 
concert with his Imperial majesty, 
in accomplishing this wished-for 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
measure, in the manner in which 
it was proposed in the conclusum 
of the diet : and lastly, by the con- 
stitutional regard which his Impe- 
rial majesty has always paid to that 
commitial decree. 
He has given an assurance in his 
quality as chief of the empire, not 
only that he will in time give a 
Special information to the general 
diet of the empire, of the success 
with which the preliminary dispo~ 
Sitions. shall meet; but also ex- 
pressly invited the diet itself to co. 
Operate ultimately in this obje&, 
in order to partake of the heavy 
burthen which his paternal cares 
for the empire are imposing upon 
his Imperial majesty: that he 
might, by this ulterior co-operation, 
receive a more efficacious assist- 
ance, in the same degree as his 
paternal condu@t exerted itself ia 
the present difficult political state 
of Germany, which shall always 
be sincere and ative for the wel. 
fare of the empire. 
In consequence of this disposi. 
tion, which his Imperial majesty 
manifested, of seriously endeavour- 
ing to establish the means which 
tend to procare peace, he did not 
fail to take the first step in this 
salutary measure. On the 14th 
of February, in the present year, 
(the day when the decree of com- 
mission respecting the war of the 
empire, and the proposal of peace, 
was presented to the dictature in 
the diet of Ratisbon), his Imperial 
majesty gave orders to his minis- 
ters at the court of Berlin, to com. 
municate the annexed note to the 
Prussian ministry. 
This note, if considered through 
the whole extent of its contents, 
as well as with regard to the ob- 
jects to which they relate, and 
particularly 
