STATE PAPERS. 



19 



great calamities, produced by dissen- 

 tioa and oligarchy, might at length 

 be the means of restoring order, and 

 an equitable government, for the se- 

 curity of the French people, and 

 other states. This pleasing hope 

 was not fulfilled ; the government 

 was indeed frequently changed ; but 

 the fundamental principles, so dan- 

 gerous to all Europe, still remained 

 unaltered. They were not only re- 

 tained under the consular govern- 

 ment, but in proportion as power 

 came into the hands of the first con- 

 sul, his ideas of law and Justice were 

 diminished ; every thing was now 

 sacrificed to that ambition which 

 usurped an authority over the rights 

 of nations and treaties, and even 

 over that respect which all govern- 

 ments wish to preserve for them- 

 selves. The blood of one of the 

 worthy descendants of the ancient 

 and honourable family of France 

 was not long since shed by the hand 

 of violence. This shocking circum- 

 stance was not only a specimen of 

 the ideas which the French go- 

 vernment entertained of law and 

 equity, but also a most disgusting 

 picture of the system it had adopted ; 

 and, in every respect, atiording a 

 signal vyarniiig to all governments. 

 ^Vhile this encroachment furnished 

 the great states with such a view, as 

 enabled them to draw the most jje- 

 nuine conclusions respecting the ir- 

 resistible power of France, the 

 smaller states were converted into 

 provinces by violence or intrigue ; 

 and the danger appeared not less 

 general than overwhelming, as it 

 seemed that security against these 

 menaces was no longer to be found 

 in any distance from the scenes of 

 action. — The most justifiable claims, 

 made by us upon the French go- 

 Tcrnmeiit. were fruitless, in obtain- 



ing indemnities for the demands 

 made by several of our subjects, 

 respecting unlawful captures, ar- 

 bitrary freightage, and an illegal 

 embargo ; as the lawless proceed- 

 ings of the French government were 

 carried to such a pitch, as to lay the 

 Swedish commerce under consider- 

 able embarrassments in the French 

 ports, during the space of nine 

 months. Such proceedings could 

 only increase the apprehensions en- 

 tertained of this dangerous conduct, 

 and excite, as it doubtless has in 

 cverj' loyal Swede, a wish for the 

 organization of an adequate coun- 

 terpoise against a pov.cr which had 

 so rashly committed itself in its en- 

 deavours ro obtain a superiority, 

 and availed itself of every unjust 

 means to obtain the end proposed. 

 — But as no state was powerful 

 enough to escape the efi'ccts of these 

 practices, we hoped that the general 

 experience of these outrages, would 

 finally unite, and concur in their 

 eft'orts to remove this common nui- 

 sance, and etfectualjy to resist that 

 power, the object of which was, by 

 degrees, to subjugate all others. — 

 This period has at length arrived, 

 and the greatest powers in Europe 

 have taken the field, to support their 

 own dignity and iiulependciice. Wr 

 have united ourselves with them iu 

 every worthy and friendly connec- 

 tion, and for the ))urpose of sharing 

 in all undertakings, have drawn 

 closer the ties of amity : and we 

 hope, with the assistance of Piovi- 

 dence, to contribute to the restora- 

 tion of the general tranquillity. 

 With this view, we have now passed 

 over, with a jiart of our artny, to 

 Pomerania, there to unite our pow- 

 er with the Russian forces; and, 

 further, to act with energy in such 

 a manner as circumstances may re- 

 quire. - 



