STATE PAPERS. 



709 



iluty, as a prince, and as the father 

 of an independent and faithful peo- 

 ple, has induced me to reject pro- 

 • positions so dishonourable to the 

 nation, and to maintain, with firm- 

 ness, the neutrality of my states. — I 

 still flattered myself that I should sec 

 my ardent wish accomplished, in the 

 repose of the country. The negotiati- 

 ons upon this subject were not yet 

 broken off, when Austria, faithful 

 to the system of annihilating the in- 

 dependence of Bavaria, violated the 

 most sacred treaties, passed the Inn 

 with her army, and treated you as 

 the inhabitants of a conquered coun- 

 try. The most burthensome requi- 

 itions were made. You were de- 

 prived of the instruments the most 

 necessary to your industry, even 

 those of your agriculture. Your 

 fields were laid waste; your cattle 

 were carried forcibly away ; you 

 were inundated with a depreciated 

 paper money ; even a great number 

 of your sons were forced to serve 

 under the colours of Austria. Af- 

 ter an invasion so perfidious, after 

 outrages so unheard of, it became . 

 my dignity, as a prince and protec- 

 tor of the nation, to take up arms, 

 and to deliver the country from its 

 oppressors. — The emperor of the 

 French, the natural ally of Bavaria, 

 flies to your succour with his intre- 

 pid warriors. lie; omes to avenge 

 us. Already your brothers and 

 your sons fight in the ranks of these 

 heroes, fiabituatcd to victory ; and, 

 already, we see the dawn of our 

 safety. — Bavarians! Vou, who pa- 

 tiently bear the evils which the ene- 

 mies of the country heap upon you, 

 remember your prince, who knows 

 your sufferings, who shares them ; 

 and who cannot support the idea of 

 being separated from you, but in 

 the persuasion, that, by prcscrvijig 



his personal liberty, he has secured 

 to himself the means of acting with 

 an absolute independence for his 

 dear and faithful subjects. — Our 

 good cause is under the protection 

 of a just God, and of a courageous 

 army, commanded by an invincible 

 hero ? Let the rallying word of eve- 

 ry Bavarian be, " for his prince 

 and his country!" 



(Signed) ]\Iax. Joseph, Elector. 



Copies of the Dociivieitts referred to 

 ill the " TriLC Statement of the 

 Conduct of the Serene Elector 

 Palatine of Bavaria.'" From the 

 Vienna Court Gazette of the I6lh 

 Oct. 1805. 



No. I. — Letter from his Majestif 

 the Emperor of Germany and Avs- 

 tria to his Serene Highness tike 

 Elector Palatine. Dated Vienna^ 

 Sept. 3d, 1805. 



The communication which I trans- 

 mit to your serene electoral high- 

 . ness, by lieutenant-general the 

 prince of Schwartzenburgh, vice- 

 president of my council of war, 

 win inform you in detail, of the 

 motives which induce the emperor 

 of Russia and myself to support the 

 pacific negotiation which we wish to 

 open with the conrt of France, by 

 eventual armaments. — I have every 

 reason to apprehend, that notwith- 

 standing the purity and moderation 

 of our sentiments, the emperor of 

 tlic French may determine upon an 

 immediate attack on my states; 

 and I am further informed, that this 

 prince has conceived the design of 

 securing to himself, before-hand, 

 the assistance of the troops of those 

 states that are situated between his 

 frontier and mine, cither immedi- 

 Z z 3 ately, 



