STATE PAPERS. 



643 



transmit to mc. The first consul 

 observes, with regret, that the in- 

 fluence of the enemies of France 

 has prevailed in the cabinet of St. 

 Petersburgh, and that it now puts 

 at hazard the good untlerstanding 

 which was established with so much 

 pains, and which appeared to be so 

 well conlirmed by the happy etiedts 

 which it has produced. His majesty 

 the emperor of Germany, and his 

 majesty the king of Prussia, Avho 

 undoubtedly are tiie two powers the 

 most concerned in the fate of the 

 German empire, have understood 

 that the French government was 

 sufficiently authorized to arrest, at 

 two leagues distance from her fron- 

 tier, French rebels who conspired 

 again their own country, and wlio, 

 by the nature of their plots, as well 

 as by the terrible evidence which 

 corroborated them, had placed them- 

 selves out of the protection of the 

 law of nations. The German princes 

 having thus been satisfied, the first 

 consul would hav(5 nothing to say 

 to the emperor of Russia on a point 

 which does not in the least concern 

 his interest ; but he will always 

 be happy to speak to his majesty 

 the emj)eror of Russia, with that 

 openness which Europe knows he 

 possesses, which only is becoming 

 great and jjowerful states. If it be 

 the intention of his majesty to form 

 a new coalition in Europe, and to 

 recommence the war, what need 

 is there for empty pretences ; and 

 , why not a/^ more oi)eiily? Much 

 as the renewal of hostilities would 

 grieve the (irst consul, he knows 

 no man in the world tliat could p\it 

 France in fear ; no man whom he 

 Mould sillier to interfere in the iu- 

 ternal concerns in the country ; and 

 •ince he himself does not meddle 

 with the parties or opinions between 



which Russia may be divided, his 

 imperial majesty can have no right 

 to meddle with the parties or opi- 

 nions between which France may 

 be dividecL In the note, sir, which 

 you have delivered, you require — 

 " That France should employ the 

 most efficacious means to tranquil- 

 lize the diii'erent governments, and 

 to let an order of things cease in 

 Europe, which is too alarming for 

 their security and independence." 

 But is not this independence of the 

 states of Europe attacked, if it 

 appear that Russia protects and 

 maintains, at Dresden and at Rome, 

 authors of plots who seek to abuse 

 the privilege of their residence, for 

 the purpose of disquieting the neigh- 

 bouring states ? and if the Russian 

 ministers at most of the courts of 

 Europe pretend to place under *^ 

 protection of the law of nations, 

 persons who are nalives of that very 

 country where those ministers rc« 

 side, as M. de Marcoif wanted to 

 do at Paris with a Genevese ? These 

 are real infringements of the inde- 

 pendence of the states of Europe ; 

 these are the very infringements 

 which ought to excite their vigor- 

 ous remonstrances. The circum- 

 stance against which an outcry is 

 raised, is of a very different nature. 

 — By the treaty of Luneville, Ger- 

 many and France had mutually en- 

 gaged to allow no assylum to any 

 of those men who. could disturb 

 their respe6tivc tranquillity. The 

 emigrants who resided at Baden, at 

 Friburg, at Dresden, &c. were by 

 that treaty not to be suH'ered in the 

 German empire; and this circum- 

 stance shews what real impropriety 

 there Mas in the conilu6t of Russia. 

 — France requires of her to remove 

 emigrants who were in the employ- 

 mejit of Russia, at the time when 

 T t 2 the 



