STATE PAPERS. 



4r. 



preparations, the war in 1809 

 would have brought the state to 

 ruin, had not the ever-memorable 

 bravery of the army, and the spirit 

 of true patriotism which animated 

 all parts of the monarchy, over- 

 balanced every adverse occurrence. 

 The honour of the nation, and its 

 ancient renown in arras, were 

 happily upheld during all the mis- 

 chances of this war ; but valuable 

 provinces were lost; and Austria, 

 by the cession of the countries bor- 

 dering upon the Adriatic, was de- 

 prived of all share in maritime com- 

 merce, one of the most eiBcient 

 means of promoting her industry; 

 a blow which would have been 

 still more sensibly felt, had not at 

 the same time the whole continent 

 been closed by a general and de- 

 structive system, preventing all 

 commercial intercourse, and almost 

 suspending all communication 

 amongst nations. 



The progress and result of this 

 war fully satisfied his Majesty, that 

 in the obvious impossibility of an 

 immediate and thorough improve- 

 ment of the political condition 

 of Europe, shaken as it was to 

 its very foundation, the exertions 

 of individual states in their own 

 defence, instead of setting bounds 

 to the general distress, would only 

 tend to destroy the little strength 

 they still retained, would hasten 

 the fall of the whole, and even 

 destroy all hopes of future and 

 better times. Under this convic- 

 tion, his Majesty foresaw the im- 

 portant advantage that would result 

 irom a peace, which, if secured for 

 some years, might check this over- 

 grown and hitherto irresistible 

 power — might allow his monarchy 

 that repose which was indispensa- 

 ble to the restoration of hii> finances 



and his army, and at the same 

 time procure to the neighbouring 

 states a period of relaxation, which, 

 if improved with prudence and ac- 

 tivity, might prepare the way to 

 more fortunate times. Such a 

 peace, under the existing circum- 

 stances of danger, was only to be 

 obtained by an extraordinary effort. 

 The Emperor was sensible of it, 

 and made this effort. For the pre- 

 servation of the empire, for the 

 most sacred interests of mankind, 

 — as a security against immeasur- 

 able evils, as a pledge of a better 

 order of things — his Majesty sa- 

 crificed what was dearest to his 

 heart. With this view, exalted 

 above all common scruples, armed 

 against every misconstruction of 

 the moment, an alliance was form- 

 ed which was intended, by a sense 

 of some security, to reanimate the 

 weaker and more suffering party, 

 after the miseries of an unsuccess- 

 ful struggle, to incline the stronger 

 and victorious one to a course of 

 moderation and justice, without 

 which the community of states can 

 only be considered as a community 

 of misery. 



His Majesty was the more justi- 

 fied in these expectations, because 

 at the time of the consummation 

 of this union, the Emperor Napo- 

 leon iiad attained that point of his 

 career, when the preservation of 

 his conquests was a more natural 

 and desirable object than a restless 

 struggle after new possessions. Any 

 farther extension of his dominions, 

 long since outstretching their pro- 

 per limits, was attended wiUi evi- 

 dent danger, not only to TVance, 

 already sinking under the burthen 

 of his conquests, but even to his 

 own real personal interest. What 

 his authority gained in extent, it 



