286] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1706. 
aétions, and all the public papers 
which they have issued, the marks 
of the inflexible obstinacy of a con- 
queror inflamed with pride by the 
fortune of his arms. Upon this 
point we refer to the note addressed 
by the French ambassador to the 
plenipotentiary of his Britannic 
majesty, upon the 26th of May, 
this year. We remark, with regret, 
in this note, how much the spirit 
in which it is drawn up, the nature 
and extent of the demands which it 
contains, and the manner in which 
they are announced, are remote 
from a reciprocal desire of peace. 
We are not mistaken even in con- 
sidering this very note as a new 
proof of the aversion of the French 
government to enter into negotia. 
tions with the empire united under 
its constitutional head, since, in 
effeét. if we compare that note with 
the above-mentioned answer of the 
committee of public safety, we find 
that both absolutely announce the 
same political maxims; to which 
we must likewise add, that the 
note of the direCtory demands, as 
an invariable preliminary of peace, 
a status quo relatively to the coun. 
tries conquered by the enemy, and 
united in virtue of its decree, which 
cannot in any way be reconciled 
with the basis of peace laid down 
by the diet. 
To divide, to conquer, and to 
Tule, js the spirit of the egotist po- 
licy of France. But every division 
infers a diminution of strength in 
the measures of resistance of the 
whole, and which must necessarily 
lead to the dismemberment, to the 
devastation, to the dependance, to 
the subjection, and, in fine, more 
er less rapidly, to the decomposi- 
tioo of our respeftable constitution. 
Concord, on the contrary, firmness, 
the love of our country, and 
faithful observance of the laws 
are the first duties of society ; th 
dearest and more sacred duties 
every vassal of the empire, whe 
our common country is menaced, is 
the most eminent and essential ob- 
ject of all political societies, its 
safety and preservation. Such i 
the object of the fundamental con. 
stitution of the German empire, 
which renders all the individual 
means of resistance possessed by the 
states of the empire subordinate to 
the direction of one supreme autho. 
rity, and prohibits in the most for. 
cible manner the conclusion of a se- 
parate peace during a general war 
of the empire. But, independently 
of this consideration, it is not less 
certain that it is to a against all 
experience to reckon upon the very 
rare instance of the generosity of 
the enemy, and to expect only, from 
the magnanimity and love of justice, 
a peace that can be accepted, instead 
of constraining them to grant it by 
force of arms. In fine, we find a 
manifest contradiction in not ceasing 
to desire an object, and yet failing 
to proportion the means by which 
it is to be attained to the magni- 
tude of the dangers interposed. ‘he 
example of the invincible constancy 
and vigour with which the enemy 
exert themselves to execute their 
plans, ought to afford to the citi- 
zens of Germany a sufficient motive 
of emulation to excite them to the 
most obstinate resistance, and to 
the defence of their political and 
religious constitution, 
After this faithful disclosure of 
circumstances, we put it to your 
judgment to decide, whether, how- 
ever much we are disposed to re- 
store peace to the empire, as soon 
as it canbe established on an ho- 
nourable 
