have assigned to the Prussian territories to the left of the Rhine, viz. nearly 95,000 souls. But the work published at Berlin, which we have several times quoted, modestly estimates it at 122,500, and the revenue at the enormous sum of £.136,400 sterling!-By what fatality is this series of transactions, so contrary to the laws of honour, of humanity, and of justice, so injurious to the rights of all sovereigns, so opposite to the letter and the spirit of the treaty of Luneville, so fatal to the German empire and to all Europe-by what fatality, I say, instead of exciting the strongest opposition of the sovereigns of Europe, is it assisted by some, and tolerated by all? This is, indeed, the most difficult part of my subject. Incedo per ignes Suppsitos cineri doloso. I shall, however, endeavour to reconcile my respect for sovereigns with the respect due to truth. This is not the time to remain silent. Europe has but a few moments left to save herself. If she is not made fully, sensible of the extent of her danger, she must inevitably be lost!-The consternation into which Buonaparté has thrown Europe, astonished Europe? But the remainder is not less cu- see that their possessions would be an object of cupidity to their neighbours; and, as the empire is made up of their neighbours, it is evident, that if it had been left to itself, the disputes about the division would have been endless, or that the eagles would have acted the part of the lion."-And who doubts, that it was left for that power which had given birth to these endless disputes, to put an end to them by its mediation? Here is the first peck at the Prussian eagle." The term of two months, fixed upon by France and Russia,-a term sufficient, I conceive, for us Frenchmen to conclude treaties of peace with all the powers of Europe,-must have appeared prodigiously short at Ratisbon, for an arrangement in some sort merely domestic."-The division of the spoils of a nation, is, then, a sort of domestic arrangement with the honest men who have made themselves masters of it." But interest is, in every country, a powerful spring of acceleration; as we may judge from the promptitude with which ap: plications for indemnities have been inade from all = quarters. That the applications would be numerous was to be expected. They spring up in crowds, at the sound of a single word in the declaration of the mediating powers-the completion of the indemnities; a word which is, nevertheless, very necessary.”—Yes! certainly very necessary for the object of one of these powers." With the exception of a few princes evidently favored in the plan of indemnities, who amongst them does not pretend to have some claim to this completion? Even among those whose indemnities are incontestibly greater than their losses, some are mentioned (and they are not princes without fortune) some are mentioned, I say, who without shame are soliciting for such or such a portion of the spoil of their co-rounding powers, or the high protection of the estates. Their greediness was inflamed at behold- mediating powers. Such, for example, is the ing the indemnities granted to the margrave of Ba- town of Nuremburgh, anxiously coveted, and, as is den; and, without weighing the excellent reasons well known, more than once threatened by Prusgiven by the minister for exterior relations, when- sia. When we consider its situation in the centre ever they have beheld some proposable arron- of the margraviates, whose value and importance dissement, some town still free, to be placed under it would considerably increase, it is difficult not to their yoke, they have hastened to demand it, in consider it as destined to pass, sooner or later, unthe same manner as a person demands justice.”-Itder the dominion of their master." (Some annual must be here remembered, that it is not I, who am douceurs, through the channel of Messrs. X. Y. Z. treating these princes with so much severity, but a paper would be able to retard the catastrophe.) "If it were appearing under the auspices of the French government, permitted to make use of a trivial expression on and generally understood to be published under the im- this subject, it might be said, that it was reserved mediate influence of the brother of the government*. for the thirst of the Prussian eagle."-Here is anIn fact, what other but this government, the protector other peck at the Prussian eagle! One would imagine of religion and of property, which has caused the one from this, that the moment for plucking him is at no and the other to be respected and re-established in the great distance !—I shall conclude this extract, and the fortunate countries where the mild influence of her arms numerous commentaries which it affords, by the followhas been able to penetrate, could have painted with so ing paragraph, in which the nature of the mediation of much force and so much truth, the scandalous scene the French government is unblushingly avowed.which Germany presents, at the present moment, to "Austria, which has not beheld, but with the most lively displeasure, the imposing attitude of France and of Russia, must be delighted with all those claims, which appear to be made in order to fetter the progress of their ministers, and the execution of what it calls their advice."—" Note of the Mercury,-Bohemia, in one of her votes, gave it as her opinion, that the declaration of the medi ating powers was considered as advice."-And it appears that the French government resolved that it should be looked upon as an order.-This specimen may serve to shew the German princes how lightly their concerns are treated by their friends the French! This expression may appear strange: it is nevertheless exact. It is one of Buonaparte's titles. When he was complimented on his return from Marengo, upon that fatal victory, he replied, "that the government was truly sensible of the attachment of the counsels." Now, as nobody has ever suspected Cambaceres or Le Brun, (but only General Desaix) of having contributed to this victory, it must be concluded, that Napoleone Buonaparté and "the government" are synonymous expressions. ། ། whom Providence has placed above them in the gradation of power, can they alone find real safety. This transfer of domains, though apparently made in their favour, will, by weakening the lawful influence and real strength of the head of the the witnesses of their overthrow, instead of pity. ing their fate, will only behold in it a just appl cation of the new law of nations, acknowledged by themselves, and accredited by their imprusent cupidity, Legem sibi dixerat ipse. undoubtedly explains, in some measure, this sin- [in any degree to their means of defence? Cergular phenomenon; but there is still some sove-tainly not; and the accession of a few lots of reigns whose high courage and exalted power ren- territory contiguous to their states leaves them no der them incapable of intimidation. That the ca. less under the absolute dependency of France, binet of Berlin, carred away by excessive defer- It is not in their own strength that sovereigns of ence for a government it feared, and by the desire the second order should look for their security. of enlarging its possessions, may have forgotten its In the respect due to the sacred character of sove duty to the empire, and abandoned itself to a sys-reign, in the protection and in the justice of those tem of aggrandizement, in which, for centuries past, it has been but too successful*; that princes, plundered of their all by the chance of war, may have indulged the wish of throwing the weight of those losses upon their innocent neighbours, it is possible to conceive; but there is still a so-empire, their real protector, by presenting tresh vereign whom it is impossible for frightened examples of the destruction of states and of seEurope to behold without astonishment, lending vereignties, and by inspiring them with ideas of the formidable support of his high power, and absolute independence incompatible with their the imposing authority of his name and his vir- individual weakness, prepare the way for their tues, to a system of iniquity, destructive to the final overthrow; and the moment the chief of the Germanic empire, and fatal to all Europe. This empire shall cease to be able to protect them, prince, whose immense possessions place him that moment will they fall a ready prey to a greedy beyond the temptations of ambition, whom all and all-powerful government: they will add to Europe rejoiced to sec ascending the throne, in-the crowd of sovereigns, already proscribed by the vested with all the strength of youth and the pru-act of indemnity, but with this difference, that dence of riper years, towards whom she turned her attention as towards her principal bulwark in the terrible crisis which threatens her with general subjugation; this prince, placed by his power and great distance beyond the reach of the turbulent government, which agitates, torments, and humbles Europe; this prince, a stranger to every mo- Who, in fact, does not see, that the vast portion tive of fear or of personal interest, and called by Germany comprised between France, Prussia, and this very consideration and by his great power, Austria, which more immediately acknowledged to be the impartial pacificator of Europe, and the authority of the head of the empire, but to the restorer of justice, order, and morality; this which he is now made a stranger by this new aprince has most undoubtedly been deceived as to rangement, is become the immediate object of the nature of the transactions which have taken French ambition; that it will be the theatre of the place in the Germanic empire; to which he is first war commenced by Buonaparté or his succesnot united by any other ties than those of protector sor; and that, according to the success of that war, and preserver. Entirely occupied in the cares of it will be divided by France between the other two a new reign, and the details of the government of powers? So that, in the course of a few years, his vast empire, his attention could not be fixed we shall, very probably, see Bavaria pass into the with the same steadiness on affairs which were hands of the house of Austria, as the reward of her necessarily secondary to his immediate duties. assent to the union to France of the countries con -It is possible, that accustomed to scatter his tiguous to the right bank of the Rhine: for what favours on all those whom heaven has placed under political bargain ought to surprize us, after we have his dependence, he has not been insensible to the scen France first of all purchase Louisiana of the aggrandizement of houses which had the honour to king of Spain, pay for it by giving Tuscany, over be closely allied to his own; but whatever pleasure which she had no legal right, to his relation, the his majesty may feel in bestowing favours, he duke of Parma, and afterwards receive it again of will never cease to be just. If beneficence be a the grand duke, in exchange for the archbishoprick pleasure more peculiarly reserved for sovereigns, of Salzburgh; so that strictly speaking, this arch justice is no less their highest duty.-If the houses bishoprick was the price of Louis ana. From the of Baden and Wirtemburgh were sufficiently il-violent manner in which all the indemnified lustrious to give successively two empresses to Russia; if the nations of this vast empire have enjoyed this two-fold choice, whereby they beheld the graces and the virtues seated on the throne of their sovereigns, what could be wanting to complete their lustre? Could the addition of a few bailiwicks, torn by force from their lawful sovereigns, raise them still higher? Could it add in princes have darted upon their prey, one is almost tempted to imagine that they are themselves sensible they shall only enjoy it for a short period I have shewn that the interest of the houses, uned by the strongest ties of his imperial majesty the emperor of Russia, ought to have deterred them from these acquisitions, to acquire which they have disputed with so much bitterness. But were these acquisitions even as useful to them as the may become fatal, are not the alliances of blood Far be it from me to insinuate any thing per- whatever influence they may possess over the sonal against the king of Prussia, whose moral private affections, subordinate to another spec qualities all Europe must respect! But it does not of alliance still more intimate, of a more exalted require much experience to know, how difficult nature, and of a character, if I may use the ex it is for a sovereign to shake off the influence of pression, sacred? I mean that eternal and un his cabinet, and struggle single-handed against perishable alliance, by which the Deity himself deep rooted prejudices, and a long established sys- has united the small number of sovereigns of the first order to whom he has delegated his pows em of policy. over the human race. I speak of that sacred asso- | without pretext or ceremony, to prepare the subciation of power, of rights, and of duties, which mission of Europe, and to bring the arms of victounites them for one common end, the preservation rious France still nearer to the frontiers of Russia. of social order and the happiness of the human And this hope is the better founded, since there are race. It is in this sense that all kings are, as they means, conformable to justice, still left, of favourreciprocally style each other, really brothers.-ifing the houses in whose fate his imperial majesty, we minutely examine the political relations of the emperor of Russia, takes so lively an interest, Russia with her two western neighbours, Austria and of procuring them, if not the favours which and Prussia, which separate her from the greater France is dispensing with so prodigal a hand, at part of Europe, we shall find, that Austria has been least a compensation equivalent to the real losses the constant and faithful ally of Russia; from whom, they have sustained. These means, as I shall in return, she has received numerous good offices; hereafter shew, are in the hands of the house of that even since they have become contiguous, and Austria; and there can be no doubt of his impein spite of the natural rivalship between two great rial majesty's disposition to furnish fresh proots of empires of the same order, no subject of dis- his attachment to Russia, by a renewal of those pute has ever arisen between them; for we can- sacrifices to which he consented on another ocnot consider as such a few light clouds, occasioned casion. But there is not an instant to be lost. If by the almost inevitable incompatibility of the Russia should once suffer the overthrow of the respective agents, and no sooner raised than dis- Germanic empire, it will no longer be in its power pelled; that Austria is the most powerful bar- to revive the Germanic body, whose destruction rier against the only power that can become for- it could have prevented. Her disjointed terrimidable to Russia; in short, that the very situation tories will have irrevocably passed into the hands of Austria, Russia between which can be so ser- of princes immediately dependent on France; viceable to her, and France, whose power and all the established principles of equity will have whose hatred she has at once to dread, is a sure been subverted, the essence of sovereignty destroy-pledge of its regard and attention to the former.ed, and its lustre for ever tarnished, by the pro.. -On the other hand, we shall find, that Prussia scription of so many sovereigns, whom their plunhas rarely omitted a favourable opportunity of op- derers acknowledge to be innocent victims (see the posing the interests of Russia; that, recently, she 21st sitting of the commission) and, consequently, was desirous of tearing from the immortal Cathe-that they themselves are the guilty plunderers.rine the second, the fruits of her victories over the The head of the house of Austria, weakened by Turks; that, more recently, she assisted the Poles irretrievable losses, and surrounded by dangers of against the form of government they had adopted the most alarming nature, will no longer be able under the guarantee of Russia; that the greater part to furnish his quota to the defence of the empire, of her numerous acquisitions shew how little scru- And let it not be imagined that the possession of a pulous she is, as to the means by which she aggran- few additional abbeys or imperial towns, granted dizes herself; that so many contradictory treaties to the grand duke of Tuscany, in Swabia, will, in made, at one and the same time, with the powers any degree, alter this conclusion. These slender at war, do not permit much confidence to be placed concessions, with which the house of Austria may in her alliance; that, above all, Prussia is under the probably be contented in her present abandoned absolute dependence of France; that she was, during situation, may apparently lessen the injustice of the course of the war, and that she will be hence- Buonaparte's conduct towards the grand duke, in forward, the principal instrument of French am- plundering him of Tuscany in the name of insulted bition; that France retains her by the double tie of Europe, but they will not add one atom to the real fear and of hope; with one hand threatening her power and defensive strength of Austria; which is possessions between the Rhine and the Weser, or evidently the strongest bulwark against the attacks even the Elbe, whilst with the other she presents of France.--I have now shewn, in detail, how much her that attractive bait, the possession of Hanover; this plan of indemnities, forced upon the empire by and that France is so much the less fearful of in- France, and countenanced by Prussia, who was not creasing the power of Prussia, as she well knows ashamed to adduce her eagerness to despoil its coshe can destroy this instrument the moment it be- etates as a proof of her tender solicitude for the comes useless to her. According to this parallel, good of the Germanic body, takes from the actual which appears correct, would it be the interest of forces of the emperor, in order to transfer them to Russia to abandon her ancient and close connexion France, already so powerful; that this plan reduces with Austria, in order to form a new one with to nothing the influence of his high dignity, that France and Prussia? Would it be of any service it debases the majesty of that situation, and conto her, to destroy the influence of the emperor verts it into a perpetual source of unceasing humiover the empire, which he can only employ against liations, since there is no longer any state in the France so beneficially for Europe, but which he empire, however mean, that does not possess the can never turn against Russia, and transfer it to power of insulting its head with impunity; secure Prussia, which can turn it, under the direction of in the protection of a diet, entirely at the dispoFrance, to the destruction of the power of Austria? sition of the inveterate enemies of the house of -It appears impossible that so many powerful ino- Austria; that the Austrian possessions, from the tives should not influence the conduct of Russia; mouth of the Narew to the lake of Constance, the eminent virtues of Alexander the first do not borders upon Prussia, and lies open to her arms, permit Europe in general, and the German empire and to the arms of all the secondary powers of Gerin particular, to entertain a fear that his august many, sharing the indemnities, and united in a name will ever be united with that of Buonaparté, league essentially hostile to the emperor; that the for the accomplishment of a work of violence and whole of this vast extent of frontier, more than injustice, immediately tending to overthrow the 250 German miles (of 15 to a degree) is entirely Germanic empire, to sap the foundation of sove-exposed, excepting a small part, reaching from reignty itself, by deposing so many sovereigns, Gallicia to Lusatia, in which Joseph the second VOL. II. 40 -Supposing, however, that in spite of all these had the foresight to erect some fortresses, though Thus it will be seen, that every probat chance of success, on the side of Italy, is aga hit imperial majesty; for, as long as Switzerland, the Grisons, and the Valais are dependent ai France, and Piedmont in her possession, the Ca alpine republic, surrounded and penetrated by be armies, in every direction, principally governed by the despot of France, and the details of th government administered by his creatures, has m choice of her own: she must submit. This ti weight of the war, and all the exactions necessary for keeping up a vast army must fall, of course upon the Cisalpine republic and the adjo countries, so capable from their fertility to supper, so incapable, from their weakness, to repel them and thus does Buonaparté avoid the clamours and discontents of the French nation, on which weight of these heavy burdens by this means der not fall. Thus, the lake of Guarda, the fortress of Peschiera and Mantua, the Lower Po, with t extensive marshes enclosed by its different branche, and the fortress of Ferrara in the centre, form, for France, an insurmountable barrier; whilst Adige, the passage of which has been as t effected as attempted, presents no obstacle. Th Adige once crossed, the investiture of the souther Tyrol is complete, and its evacuation there compelled; and as the country, from the Adgt to the mountains of Carniola and Carinthia, entirely flat, and defended by no fortresses (i Palma Nuova, in the condition I examined it, doe not deserve that name) nor by any river (for thi Brenta, the Piave, the Tagliamento, and the Iscr are merely torrents, empty as soon as filled)= least decisive success on the banks of the Adige in the Tyrol, necessarily forces the evacuation of the Tyrol and the Venetian territories, the rentz of the Austrian armies in Carniole and in Carnthia, the loss of Venice and of Trieste, and corsequently, of the whole of the marine and tox maritime commerce of Austria; and, what e serves some consideration, all communication thus cut off with her natural and necessary al Great-Britain, except by the deserted and alme inaccessible coasts of Dalmatia. All Europe s remembers the alarms excited for the fate of Austrian monarchy, when, about six years a the armies of France, in a situation infinitely favourable than her present one, penetrated as a as Styria. The union of Piedmons, and particularly state of servile dependence to which the Frenc have reduced Switzerland, will keep up a perpe tual alarm for the safety of the house of Aust and, by a necessary consequence, for the ind pendence of the rest of Europe, and even England herself; against whom, France, when i lishment of the sovereignty of each canton.- war with her, will be able to direct all the naval tesources of subjugated Europe; and, in time of peace, to prohibit the entrance of her commerce into its ports. If, to the dangers to which Austria is exposed on the side of Switzerland and Italy, áre added those which threaten her on the side of Germany and Poland, we shall be convinced, that Austria cannot possibly embrace the order of things which France is desirous to impose on her, without resigning herself, sooner or later, to destruction, and that it is the general interest of Eu-trated into the very heart of Switzerland; that is rope to arm, for the purpose of extricating her from to say, into the great valley of the Aar. Her =this critical situation, by snatching Piedmont and troops can, in a few hours, seize upon Basle, Switzerland from the hands of Buonaparte.-It is not, Berne, and Soleure; in two days, upon Lucerne = therefore, so much on her own account, as on its and Freybourg; and in three days, at farthest, immediate consequences to the general system of upon Zurich itself; so that, at the expiration of Europe, that Switzerland becomes an object of this short interval, all the principal towns of Switteal political interest: Europe, doubtless, has not zerland, as well as the principal cantons, will seen, without indignation, a whole nation at- have been conquered; and, from the first day, the tacked without cause and without pretext, sub-forcés extending from Soleure to Burgdorf at the =dued and completely pillaged, and afterwards entrance of the Emmenthal, will completely di= voluntarily abandoned to the horrors of a civil vide Switzerland into two parts; of which two tvar, which had no other object than that of forc- parts, the southern can derive no succour from ing her to throw herself unconditionally into the the other but by the mountains.-3d. The Pays de arms of France. But the fate of Piedmont so Vaud, which has taken up arms, and supported wisely governed by sovereigns contemporary with the war of the central government against the the birth of the state, which they created and sup- federal government, which the rest of Switzerported with such ability; of that country, so un- land is calling for, furnishes Buonaparté with a justly torn from its legitimate sovereign, in direct specious pretext for detaching from Switzerland, opposition to the most solemn engagements, treated a country, differing from it in language and in with so many indignities from the moment it manners, and nourishing a rooted antipathy, which passed under the yoke of France, that at the very the recent events have, most assuredly, not tended time in which Buonaparté, increasing in audacity to extinguish. This country, hemmed in, bein proportion as his adversaries become weaker, sides, by France, from which it draws is corn formally incorporated it with France, he has put and salt, and to which it disposes of its cattle and it out of the protection of this very empire, for cheese, cannot shake off a dependence, rendered the space of six years, and abandoned its unfortu- so complete, both by strength and by interest. It nate inhabitants, during the whole of that term, is also necessary to Buonaparté for the passage of to the brutality, the rapacity, and the insolence of troops marching from Franche-Comté, Alsace and his satellites; but the fate of Tuscany, so happy the north of France, into the Milanese by the under the paternal protection of the sovereign she Simplon. Buonaparté has the choice of either has lost, and that of so many other states over-making it a separate republic, nominal and dethrown, mutilated, or destroyed by the ambition pendant, like the pretended republic of the Vaof the French government, must excite the same lais, of uniting them all in one, under one general compassion, as well in favor of the inhabitants as denomination, or of taking it to himself by a of the sovereigns, and, in proportion to their im- formal annexation to France. Is it likely that the portance to the safety of Europe, the same poli-Swiss cantons, having obtained what they demand, tical interest. The independence of Switzerland is, then, an object of the first necessity for the preservation of the Austrian monarchy; but we should grossly deceive ourselves, if we imagined, that were the object, for which the Swiss have lately taken up arms against the bastard government forced upon it by Bounaparté, and accomplished, Switzerland would recover its independence, and that consequently the dangers with which her subjection threatens Austria in particular, and Europe in general, would cease immediately. The major part of the Swiss appear to have been sincerely united by the desire of recovering their ancient distinction of states, to which they are even more attached than to the form of government under which they lived. In fact, with the exception of the small democratic canfons, in all the rest, that is to say, in more than three-fourths of Switzerland, a body of men sufficiently numerous, were desirous of some changes as to this last point, and the confederates have, generally announced an extension of the rights of citizen. Whatever may be the internal modification of their governments, let us suppose them to succeed in their principal object, the re-estab the re-establishment of their respective sovereign- |