G92 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S09. 



the endless wars of ambition under 

 distant climes. Your blood shall 

 never flow for foreign fleets and fo- 

 reign covetousness ; not on you 

 shall the curse alight to annihilate 

 innocent nations ; and over the bo- 

 dies of the slaughtered defenders of 

 their country to pave the way for a 

 foreigner to the usurped throne. 

 A happier lot awaits you ; the li- 

 berty of Europe has taken refuge 

 under our banners. Your victories 

 will loose its fetters, and your bro- 

 thers in Germany, yet in the ranks 

 of the enemy, long for their deli- 

 veiance. You are engaged in a 

 just cause, otherwise I should not 

 appear at your head. 



On the fields of Ulm and Ma- 

 rengo, whereof the enemy so often 

 remind us with ostentatious pride, 

 on these fields will we renew the 

 glorious deeds of Wurtsburgh and 

 Ostrach, of Liptinpen (Stockach) 

 and Zurich ; of Verona, of the 

 Trebbiaand Novi. We will conquer 

 a lasting peace for our country ; 

 but the great aim is not to be at- 

 tained without great virtues. Un- 

 conditional subordination, strict 

 discipline, persevering courage, and 

 unshaken steadiness in danger, are 

 the companions of true fortitude. 

 Only a union of will, and a joint 

 co-operation of the whole, lead to 

 victory. 



My sovereign and brother has 

 invested me with extensive powers 

 to reward and to punish. I will 

 be every where in the middle of 

 you, and you shall receive the first 

 thanks of your country from your 

 general on the field of battle. The 

 patriotism of many of the Austrian 

 nobility has anticipated your wants: 

 this is a pledge in the fullest mea- 

 sure, of the public gratitude : but 



punishment shall also, with inflexf-* 

 ble rigour, fall on every breach of 

 duty : merit shall meet with re- 

 ward, and offence with animadver- 

 sion, without distinction of person, 

 or rank ; branded with disgrace 

 shall the worthless person be cast 

 out to whom life is dearer than his 

 and our honour. Adorned with 

 the marks of public esteem, will I 

 present to our sovereign, to the 

 world, those brave men who have 

 deserved well of their country, and 

 whose names I will ever carry in 

 my heart. 



There remains one consideration 

 which I must put you in mind of: 

 the soldier is only formidable to 

 the enemy in arms; civil virtues 

 must not be strangers to him : out 

 of the field of battle, towards the 

 unarmed citizens and peasants, he 

 is moderate, compassionate, and 

 humane : he knows the evils of war, 

 and strives to lighten them ; I will 

 punish every wanton excess with so 

 much greater severity, as it is not 

 the intention of our monarch to 

 oppress neighbouring countries, 

 but to deliver thera from their op- 

 pressors, and to form with their 

 princes a powerful bond in order 

 to bring about a lasting peace, and 

 to maintain the general welfare and 

 security. Soon will foreign troops, 

 in strict union with us, attack the 

 common enemy. Then, brave 

 companions in arms ! honour and 

 support them as your brothers; not 

 vain glorious high words,but manly 

 deeds, do honour to the warrior ; 

 by intrepidity before the enemy 

 you must show yourselves to be the 

 tirst soldiers. 



Thus then shall I one day lead 

 you back to your own country, fol- 

 lowed by the respect of the enemy, 



and 



