358 ANNU AL:REGISTER,: 1797. - 
rious notions of the Germanic affo- 
ciation, whofe founders had for 
their principal objeé& the fupport 
of the laws of the empire, and the 
prefervation of its conftitution? 
Upon the feizure of the county of 
Schaumbourg by Heffe, your Ma- 
jefty teftified that a member of that 
affociation would draw upon him 
the reproaches of the whole body, 
if he attempted to difpoffefs a co- 
eftate of the empire without hav- 
ing recourfe to a judicial procefs. I 
confefs that that differed in feveral 
particulars from the prefent cafe; 
but they are fimilar in refpect to the 
arbitrary ‘procedure in both cafes, 
It is fatisfactory for me to learn, that 
after having concluded an arrange- 
ment with ditferent ftates, your 
Majefty hopes that the fame thing 
will take -place with neighbouring 
ftates. I confider the fpeedy ful- 
filment.of this profpeéas the only 
means of preventing thofe confe- 
quences which will follow, from a 
juridical information if the differ- 
ence, cannot otherwife be accom- 
modated. After all thefe confide- 
rations, and confermably to the 
jentiments of friendfhip and vene- 
ration which I feel for your Majetty, 
i intreat you to employ ultimately 
the moft proper means for effecting 
an equitable arrangement with the 
fiates of the empire, and to remove 
every thing which looks like being 
-unconftitutional in your condué to 
-thefe ftates. - 
2 
) Madrid, March Vfp.. 
Proclamation of the K: ing of Shain. 
view glory of my crown and the 
- honour of my people, with 
‘the government of whom I have 
‘been entruiied by Divine Provi- 
dence, and the intereft.I take in 
defending their rights, and in ob- 
taining a juft fatisfaction for the in- 
fults they have fuftained by the 
Englith, by a notable infraction of 
the moft folemun treaties, founded 
upon the reciprocal utility of both 
ftates, obliged me, contrary to my 
pacific intentions, to enter into a 
new war, when hardly difengaged 
from that which I had maintained 
again{t the French republic, which 
terminated in an honourable peace 
that fecured the tranquillity and 
happinefs of my faithful fubjeéts. 
But to confolidate this important 
benefit, and to contribute to the re- 
pofe of which Europe ftood fo much 
in need, I find myfelf under the 
indifpenfable neceflity_of entering 
into new engagements, which re- 
quire an enormous, expence and 
immenfe provifion.—As it has ever 
been my principal object to unite 
the high dignity of my crown with 
the good of my fubjeéts, already to 
much oppreffed by the weight of 
the public revenue as  fcarcely to 
admit of any new impofts, I have 
not availed myfelf of the power 
with which J am invefted, nor a- 
dopted any of the means pointed 
out to meas capable of producing 
the defired effect ; being perfuaded 
that, on the contrary, it would be 
more convenient to adopt other 
meafures, which may greatly faci- 
litate the neceflary fuccours, fuch 
as the re-eftablifhment of the loan 
upon the revenue of tobacco, cre- 
ated by my auguft predeceffor, ac- 
cording to a royal decree of De- 
cember 17, 1782, and conformable 
to my edict of December 10, 1794, 
which wiil effectually unite the ne- 
ceffities of the ftate with the good 
of individuals, of which it is com- 
pofed, ‘The return of the capital 
having 
