STATE PAPERS. 



713 



done them no injury. This was the 

 primary motive of that absolute and 

 complete neutrality which 1 claimed 

 of your imperial majesty by the 

 letter which I took the liberty of 

 addressing to yo ir majesty on the 

 8th instant. Every thing persuades 

 me to adhere to this system. I be- 

 seech you, sire, to believe that I 

 shall never depart from it, and that 

 the menaces of France will also be 

 wholly inettectual to make me aban- 

 don this invariable resolution. — I 

 shall not fatigue your majesty with 

 a detail of the conferences that have 

 taken place during the residence of 

 the prince of Schwartzenberg at my 

 court. Your majesty will condescend 

 to call to mind, that at that period 

 he had no power to accede to the 

 demands which 1 had preferred, and 

 that the retreat of my troops had 

 been constrained by the necessity 

 of saving them from the disgrace of 

 being disarmed, with which they 

 wereopenlymenaced. I say nothing 

 of what has since passed. The me- 

 lancholy picture of these events has 

 pierced my heart ; it would be no 

 less afflicting to that of your imperial 

 majesty if you were acquainted with 

 them to the full extent. — And now 

 your imperial and royal majesty will 

 do me that justice to which I am well 

 entitled, if you will but persuade 

 yourself that, whatever may be the 

 course of events, nothing shall ever 

 alter the respectful devotion with 

 Mhich I am, &c. &c. 



Proclamation of the Emperor of 

 ylustria, Francis II. Elective 

 Emperor of the Romann, heredi- 

 tary Emperor of Audria^ (Jj'C 

 Dated Vienna^ Oclt^er 28M, 

 J 805. 



The emperor of France has com- 

 pelled me to take up arms. To hii 

 ardent desire of military achieve- 

 ments, his passion to be recorded in 

 history, under the title of a con- 

 queror, the limits of France, already 

 so much enlarged and defined hy 

 sacred treaties, still apjiear too nar- 

 row. He wishes to unite in his own 

 hands all the ties upon which depends 

 the balance of Europe. The fairest 

 fruits of exalted civilization, every 

 species of happiness which a nation 

 can enjoy, and which results front 

 peace and concord ; every thing 

 which, even by himself, as the so- 

 vereign of a great civilized people, 

 must be held dear and estimable, ii 

 to be destroyed by a war of con- 

 quests: and thus the greater part of 

 Europe is to be compelled to submit 

 to the laws and mandates of France. 

 — This project announces all that 

 the emperor of France has perform, 

 ed, threatened, or promised. He 

 respects no proposition which re- 

 minds him of the regard prescribed 

 by the law of nations to the sacred- 

 ness of treaties, and of the first ob- 

 ligations which are due towards 

 foreign independent states. At the 

 very time that he knew of the me- 

 diation of Russia, and of every step 

 which, directed equally by a regard 

 to my own dignity, and to the feel- 

 ings of my heart, 1 adopted for the 

 re establishment of tranquillity, the 

 security of my states, and the pro- 

 motion of a general peace, his views 

 were fully disclosed, and no choice 

 was left between war, and un-armed, 

 abject submission! — Under these 

 circumstances, I took hold of that 

 hand which the empveror of Russia, 

 animated by the noblest feelings in 

 behalf of the cause of justice and 

 iadepcnderice, stretched forth to 



support 



