GENERAL HISTORY. 
attached to their ancient govern- 
ment, which they considered as 
their right, refused to accept of 
that which was offered ; and after 
various proceedings, a royal de- 
claration was made that the deci- 
sion should be deferred till the re- 
turn of the Crown Prince from 
Vienna. In subsequent negocia- 
tions between the royal commis- 
sioners and some deputies of the 
States, the former declared that 
they were merely authorised to 
hear proposals relative to the mo- 
Gifications of the new constitution 
to be drawn from the old one; 
but, of six points extracted from 
this as a basis, not one was ac- 
ceded to by the King’s commis- 
sioners ; and in fine, nothing be- 
ing effected, an adjournment of 
the assembly took place. Of these 
transactions an account was sent 
by the States to the ministers of 
the courts of Great Britain, Prus- 
sia, and Denmark, as guarantees 
of the constitution of Wurtem- 
berg. 
On Avgust 5th a royal rescript 
was issued, informing the people 
that although the States had not 
accepted the new constitution, his 
Majesty had not abrogated it, as 
he had a right to do, but had suf- 
fered them to continue in its en- 
joyment, and had graciously re- 
ceived their petitions. The old 
constitution, it was said, was no 
longer practicable, as the recently 
added territories had no claim to 
it. The King had given up many 
points ; and although the right of 
taxation properly belonged to him, 
he had conceded it to the States. 
For these favours they had made 
no adequate return, buthad drawn 
up a list of grievances with the 
intention ofembarrassing the royal 
[ios 
government. It concluded with 
announcing the King’s resolution 
of opposing their designs, and en-: 
abling all his faithful subjects to 
enjoy the advantages which he 
hereby confirmed to them. It had 
however already appeared by ma- 
ny addresses to the King from 
towns and corporate bodies, that 
the people concurred with the 
States in desiring the restoration 
of their ancient constitution ; and 
even in Stutgard, the royal resi- 
dence, the court had not influence 
enough to prevent thesignature of 
a petition by 600 citizens. 
About this time a list of taxes 
for 1815 and 1816 was issued by 
the minister of finance, to com- 
mence from April 23d, butthe de- 
cree for the purpose was dated 
back on March 11th, four days be- 
fore the assembling of the States. 
This occasioned many district 
meetings in the kingdom, at which 
resolutions were entered into not — 
to pay the taxes without the as- 
sent of the States given to them, 
and also to petition for their re- 
assembling. Deputies were no- 
minated for the delivery of repre- 
sentations on these subjects to the 
King in person, which they were 
prevented from doing by the royal 
authority and a military force.— 
The result of these measures was 
another royal rescript, dated Sep- 
tember 7th, in which it was as- 
serted that the taxes were such as. 
had been annually levied on the 
different parts of the country since 
their union, for the purposes of | 
taxation, in 1808 and 1810. It 
further mentioned, that ordershad 
been given to the authorities of 
government to restrain future de- 
putations from petitioning, andto 
- preserve the public tranquillity ; 
