$14 
lence, had marked the spirit of 
hatred which animated our enemies, 
and the moderation of our soldiers, 
who, tranquil at the aspect of all 
their movements, astonished only at 
receiving no orders, rested under 
the double confidence of courage 
and a just cause. Our first duty 
has been to pass the Rhine our- 
self, to form our camps, and to 
cause the sound of war to be heard. 
Tt has spread into the hearts of all 
our warriors. Rapid and com. 
bined marches have. brought them, 
in the twinkling of an eye, to the 
spot we had indicated. All our 
camps are formed ; we are going to 
march against the Prussian armies, 
and to repel force by force. At all 
times, we ought to say it, our heart 
is sorcly affected at this constant 
preponderance which the genius of 
mischief obtains in Europe, occu- 
pied incessantly in traversing the 
designs we form for the tranquillity 
of Europe, the repose and happiness 
of the present generation—besicg- 
ing every cabinet by every kind of 
seduction —leading those astray 
whom it cannot corrupt—blinding 
them to their true interests, and 
Yaunching them into the midst of dis- 
putes, without any other guide than 
the passions it has known how to in¢ 
spire them with. The cabinet of 
Berlin itself has not chosen with de- 
liberation the part it takes: it has 
been thrown into it with art, and 
with malicious address. ‘The king 
has found himself, ail at once, an 
hundred leagues from his capital, on 
the frontiers of the confederation of 
the Rhine, in the midst of his army, 
and opposite the French troops dis- 
persed in their cantonments, and 
who thought themselves justified in 
¢ounting upon the ties which unite 
the two states, and upon the lavish 
. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
false reports, coming at once from 
1806. 
protestations made in all circum. ; 
stances by the court of Berlin. In- 
a war so just, in which we take armag 
only to defend ourself, who have 
provoked by no act, by no preten- 
sion, and of which it would be im- 
possible to assign the true cause, we 
reckon entirely on the support of 
the laws and the people; whom 
circumstances call upon, to give us 
new proofs of their love, of their 
devotion, and of their courage. On 
our part, no personal sacrifice will 
be painful to us, no danger will stop 
us, whenever it is the question to 
assure the rights, the honour, and 
the prosperity of our people. 
Given at our imperial quarters, at 
Bamberg, the 7th Oct. 1806. 
By the emperor, 
(Signed) Napoleon. 
The minister secretary of state. 
(Signed) H. B. Maret. 
Copy of the Note of M. de Knobels- 
dorff, to the Minister for Foreign 
Affairs, Sept. 12, 1806. 
The undersigned, feeling how 
much itis of the first importance to 
answer immediately the note which 
his excellency the prince of Bene- 
vento, minister for foreign affairs, 
has done him the honour of addres. 
sing to him this evening, feels him- 
self compelled to limit himself to the 
representation of the following ob 
servations. The motives which have 
engaged the king, my master, to 
make armaments, have been the ef- 
fect of a scheme of the enemies of 
France and Prussia; who, jealous 
of the intimacy which exists between 
these two powers, have done every 
thing in their power to alarm, by 
every quarter. But above all, what 
proves 
