634 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



our enemies. Hence the incertitude 

 as to the duration of a peace yet 

 new and imperfectly settled. Hence 

 the fear of seeing rekindled a deso- 

 lating war, afflicting even for the 

 conqueror. Far from our new in- 

 stitutions producing such lamentable 

 effects, the emperor of Germany and 

 of Austria has seen, as he ought, in 

 the establishment of the impeiial 

 monarihy, in favour of a new dy- 

 nasty, a guarantee given to his 

 crown, and a motive for a clo- 

 ser alliance. It is in the organiza- 

 tion of our empire that Francis the 

 Second has found a new pledge of 

 security and peace ; a reason for 

 removing his armies from our fron- 

 tiers and those of our allies, and for 

 not keeping his forces on a war es- 

 tablishment. In fine, from all the 

 clouds which jealousy, hatred, fear, 

 or hope had raised, nothing has re- 

 sulted but happy explanations, solid 

 assurances of the duration of peace, 

 and the maintenance of harmony 

 Ijctwcen the two emperors. — Bava- 

 ria, Saxony, Hesse Cussel, Baden, 

 AVurtemberg, the elector of Katis- 

 boi\, all the reigning petty princes 

 of Germany, and the equestrian or- 

 der have given his majesty nuiltij)lied 

 proofs of interest, attaclimenf, and 

 ♦•steem. The Drakes, the Spencer 

 Smiths, and the Taylors, have been 

 driven away, as soon as it was known 

 that their diplomatic character, 

 shamefully profaned by them, served 

 to mask the vilest and most odious 

 procecdingSj and that the object of 

 their intrigues was war, which the 

 ])resent generation, fatigued with 

 battles, and desirous of repose, 

 wishes not to run into dangers, dread- 

 ing, as it docs, its misfortunes, and 

 abhorring its exciters. — Having 

 Prussia and Austria for allies, where, 

 gentlemen, are we to look for the 

 elements of % contincuta,! coali- 



i 



tion? Is it in Sweden ? The young 

 prince who reigns over that state, 

 endowed with a warmth of head and 

 with an exalted imagination, (la- 

 mentable gifts for kings when reason 

 does not control them), has not 

 known how to mature his designs 

 by prudence, has neglected to call 

 to his councils the sages with whom 

 Sweden abounds, and to enli^ihten his 

 experience b\' the wisdom of his old 

 ministers. Thus this monarch has 

 failed in the respect due to France, 

 and in the etfervesccnce of his reso- 

 lutions he has kept no measures 

 with her. But, at the same time, 

 his imprudent boldness has not used 

 more manaaement towards Austria, 

 and he has proved, by the inconsis- 

 tency of his conduct, that his pro- 

 jects were without calculation, his 

 prospects without maturity, his do- 

 sires without rellection, and his pas- 

 sions without guides. He had medi- 

 tated a treaty of subsidy with Eng- 

 land ; he had demanded of the 

 cabinet of St. James's 48,000,000 

 (livres) in exchange for 20,000 sol- 

 diers ; but the English minister, 

 trafficking for men in Europe as for 

 merchandize in Asia, valued the 

 Swedes like Sepoys, and would give 

 but sixteen millions, and thus the 

 treaty was not concluded. — Prussia 

 beside interposed in the negotiation, 

 declaring that the conclusion of it 

 would be the signal for his entrance 

 into Pomerania. And though tho' 

 sage prudence of the cabinet of 

 Berlin should not have defended the 

 king of Sweden from his oavu errors, 

 the blood of the Swedes does not 

 beloiig to him who barters and sells 

 himself to intrigue or to tyranny. — 

 If France formed a pretension con- 

 trary to the interests and to the 

 honour of Sweden, Stockholm w ould 

 see the descendants of the soldiers of 

 Gustavus arm for their country ; but 



