266 
remain faithful to the sentiments 
thus solemnly declared. His ma- 
jesty having frequently proved, and 
but very lately declared in: the 
court decree of the roth of May, 
his inviolable attachment to the 
German constitution, and his ar- 
dent zeal for the preservation of all 
its parts, tights, and members, it 
would be in open contradiction 
with his own declarations and 
aGtions, if he did not readily and 
fully approve and ratify the afore. 
said second se€tion, which so per- 
fe€ily agrees with his paternal sen- 
timents and duties, as chief of the 
empire. 
His Imperial majesty farther 
declares, that he is ready to take 
upon himself the required first in- 
troduction of pacificatory, negoti- 
ations, which, as far as it relates 
to the place where the congress is 
‘to be held, has been entirely left to 
his Imperial majesty’s own judg- 
ment and discretion. In arder as 
much as possible to accelerate the 
conclusion of a peace to the em- 
pire, pursuant to the wish of the 
dict, his Imperial majesty, in his 
quality of chief of the Germanic 
body, has for this purpose already. 
‘tuken the necessary steps, of» the 
result of which he will not fail in 
due time to inform the diet, as well 
as the place where the negotiations 
‘for peace are to be carried on, 
The question, whether, without 
‘any prejudice to the future negoti- 
ations of peace, it will be possible 
to obtain an armistice, can hardly 
be decided, before the said negoti- 
ations are actually set on foot; 
and in pursuance of the Imperial 
decree concerning the advice of the 
empire of the 22d of December, 
a probable prospeét opens to ob- 
tain a reasonable, just, and ho- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
nourable peace; whence, and in. 
deed in every possible case, there 
arises the crue! necessity, that the 
electors, princes, and states, con- 
formably to their duty and own 
declarations, do not negleét, but 
persist in their united ard consti- 
tutional means of defence, until 
Germany has obtained the bless- 
ings of a general peace for the 
empire. Meanwhile, the diet may 
rest assured, that if his Imperial 
majesty should be able, on behalf 
of suffering humanity, to obtain 
from the present rulers of France, 
who seem to have adopted more 
moderate sentiments, a modifica- 
tion or temporary pause of hostile 
requisitions and devastatipns, he 
will not fail to make, for that pur- 
pose, the necessary proposals. 
As to the rest, his Imperial 
majesty is of opinion, that hitherto 
no political relations exist, which 
urge the necessity of accepting a 
mediator, although clothed with 
all the necessary requisites in point 
of skill, prudence, sincerity, and 
impartiality ; nor does his majesty 
see the necessity of accepting the 
mediation of a third person. If 
the German empire, the first in 
point of rank, and mighty and 
powerful in its chicts and its mem~ 
bers, is with true German spirit 
united for a grand and momentous 
purpose, there isno doubt» but it 
possesses sufficient authority and 
power to obtain a reasonable, just, 
and honourable peace. But as the 
diet, according to the plurality of 
votes, finds a peculiar satisfattion 
in seeing his majesty the king of 
Prussia co-operate for that purpose, 
his Imperial majesty, provided, 
however, that it does not tend to 
the prejudice either of the immedi- 
ate negotiations for peace between 
the 
