STATE: PAPERS. 
share in it, and would be obliged 
to leave it entirely to those of his 
co-states, who shall not have made 
any use of his majesty’s- offer, how 
they shall effectually secure them- 
selves, their subjects and property, 
against all danger; his majesty 
will zealously continue his good 
offices for the restoration of the 
general tranquillity of Germany ; 
and tranguillize himself in the con- 
sciousness of his pure intentions 
for all the fatal consequences of a 
too great and supposed safety, or 
of the non-acknowledgment of 
the purity of the said intentions ; 
and while his majesty in the face 
of all Germany, gives, by-this de- 
claration, a fresh and unequivocal 
proof of his Germanic patriotism ; 
his majesty may also expect from 
all Germany, and from the circle 
of Franconia in particular, the 
justice to have done all that de- 
pended on him, to avert from his 
co-states and their subje¢ts the un- 
happy consequences of the war, 
and to have fulfilled, in the most 
generous and disinterested manner, 
all the duties incumbent upon him 
in all his relations as a state of the 
empire. 
(Signed) Juztius Count SopeEn. 
\ 0 L.F. Cur. Scumip. 
Nuremberg, October 5, 1795+ 
Imperial Decree of Ratification con- 
' cerning the Opening of Negotiations 
Sit a Peace between the Empire and 
France, published 21st of August 
in the usual Form. Dated, 6 Vi- 
enna, the 29th Fuly.”” 
This memorable decree first states 
the different points set forth in 
the advice given by the Empire 
265 
of the 3d of July, and then con- 
tinues to observe as follows : 
HIS Imperial majesty, above 
all, returns his warmest acknow. 
ledgments to the electors, princes, 
and states, for the grateful senti- 
ments they have expressed towards 
his majesty for his sincere and zea- 
lous endeavours to promote the 
welfare of the empire. As chief 
of the Germanic body, he feels pe- 
culiar satisfaétion to find, that in 
the second seétion of the advice of 
the empire, it has been declared to 
be the constant wish and firm reéso- 
lution of all its members to obtain 
a general peace for the empire, in 
an unimpaired and unalterable junc. 
tion of all the states of the empire 
with its supreme chief, as soon as 
possible, in a solid and constitu- 
tional manner. It is moreover 
declared, that the full restitution 
of its territory, and security of 
the Germanic constitution, -shall 
form the basis of a treaty of peace, 
according to the fundamental prin. 
ciples laid down in the advice of 
the empire of the 22d December 
last year, and approved of by his 
majesty, with respect to the at- 
tainment of a reasonable, just, and 
honourable peace. ‘This desire and 
resolution (for according to the 
fundamental laws of the German 
constitution, in all matters concern. 
ing a peace or war of the empire, 
its supreme chief can neither be 
separated from its members, nor 
the latter from the former) is the 
true and ‘praiseworthy expression 
of constitutional, generous, and 
patriotic sentiments, and the con- 
stitution of Germany may still sub. 
sist for a long series of years, if the 
electors, princes, and states, sen- 
sible of their duty, and animated 
by patriotism and public spirit, 
remain 
