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will act in the same manner with respect to the augmentation of territory he pretends to bestow on his allies.

These were all preludes to the steps he took against Prussia: we now approach the moment which determined his majesty.

Prussia had hitherto derived nothing from her treaties with France but humiliation and loss; one single advantage remained. The fate of Hanover was in her power; and it must remain, unless the last pledge of the security of the north were annihilated. Napoleon had solemnly guaranteed this state of things, yet he negotiated with England on the basis of the restoration of the electorate. The king is in possession of the proofs.

War was now in fact declared-` declared by every measure taken by France. Every month produced a new notification of the return of his army; but, on one frivolous pretext or another, it was still continued in Germany; and for what purposes?-Gracious heaven! to eradicate the last trace of sovereignty among the Germans-to treat kings as governors appointed by himself to drag before military tribunals citizens only responsible to their own governments; to declare others outlaws who lived peaceably in foreign states, under foreign sovereigns, and even in the capital of a German emperor, because they had published writings in which the French government, or at least its despotism, was attacked; and this at the time when the same government daily permitted hired libellers to attack, under its protection, the honour of all crowned heads, and the most sacred feelings of nations.

The French troops were in no manner diminished, but continually reinforced and augmented, and continually advanced nearer to the frontiers of Prussia or her allies, till they at length took a position which could only menace Prussia, and were even assembled in force in Westphalia, which certainly was not the road to the Mouths of the Cattaro.

It was no longer doubtful that Napoleon had determined to overwhelm Prussia with war, or to render her for ever incapable of war, since he was leading her from humiliation to humiliation, till she should be reduced to such a state of political degradation and feebleness, that, deprived of every defence, she could have no other will than that of her formidable neighbour.

The king delayed no longer. He assembled his army. General Knohelsdorf was sent to Paris with the final declaration of his majesty. Only one measure remained which could give security to the king, which was the return of the French troops over the Rhine. General Knobelsdorf had orders to insist on this demand; it was not the whole of the king's just demands, but it was necessary that it should be the first, since it was the condition of his future existence. The acceptance or refusal of it must shew the real sentiments of the French emperor.

Unmeaning professions-argu. ments, the real virtue of which were known by long experience-were the only answer the king received. Far from the French army being recalled, it was announced that it would be reinforced; but with a haughtiness still more remarkable than this refusal, an offer was made,

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that the troops which had marched into Westphalia should return home, if Prussia would desist from her preparations. This was not all: it was insolently notified to the king's ministers, that the cities of Hamburgh, Bremen, and Lubeck, would not be suffered to join the northern confederation, but that France would take them under her protection, in the same manner as in the other confederation, she had given away cities, and promulgated laws, without permitting any other wer to make the least pretension. The king was required to suffer a foreign interest to be introduced into the heart of his monarchy.

Another contrast of conduct incensed the king to the utmost. He received from the emperor a letter full of those assurances of esteem, which, certainly, when they do not accord with facts, ought to be considered as nothing, but which the dignity of sovereigns renders a duty to themse res, even when on the eve of war. Yet, a few day afterwards, at a moment when the sword was not yet drawn-when the minister of the emperor endeavoured to mislead those of the king, by assurances on assurances of the friendly intentions of France-the Publiciste of the 16th of September, appeared, with a diatribe against the king and the Prussian state, in a style worthy of the most disgrace. ful periods of the revolution, in sulting to the nation, and what, in other times than ours, would have been considered as amounting to a declaration of war.

The king can treat slanders that are merely abusive, with contempt, but when these slanders contribute to explain the real state of things, it would be unwise to treat them so.

The last doubt had now disap peared, troops marched from the interior of France towards the Rhine. The intent to attack Prussia was clear and certain. The king or dered a note to be transmitted by general Knobelsdorf, containing the conditions on which he was ready to come to an accommodation.— These conditions were :

1. That the French troops should immediately evacuate Germany.

2. That France should oppose no obstacle to the formation of the northern confederacy; and that this confederacy might embrace all the larger and smaller states, not included in the fundamental act of the confederation of the Rhine.

3. That a negotiation should be immediately commenced, for the adjustment of all differences still in dispute: a preliminary article of which should be, the restoration of the three abbeys, and the separation of the town of Wezel from the French empire.

These conditions speak for them, selves: they shew how moderate the king, even at this moment, has been in his demands, and how much the maintenance of peace, if France wishes peace, depends upon France herself.

The term peremptorily fixed by the king for the decision of peace or war has elapsed. His majesty has not received the answer of the cabinet of St. Cloud; or rather, the preparations made around him, daily, give that answer. The king can henceforth confide the safety and honour of his crown only to arms. He takes them up with pain, because the chief object of his wishes was, not a glory purchased by the tears of his people, but by their tranquillity;

for

for his cause is just. Never has a sovereign made greater sacrifices to peace. He pushed his condescension to the last limit that honour would allow. Every thing which was directed against him personally, he passed over in silence. The opinions of the ignorant, and the reflections of the slanderous, he despised, animated with the constant hope, that he would be able to conduct his people, without injury, to that period which must sooner or later arrive, when unjust greatness shall find its bounds; and ambition, which obstinately refused to acknowledge any limits, shall at length overleap itself.

The motives which induce his majesty to take up arms, are not to satisfy his resentments, to increase

knows what he may expect from their energy and affection. Princes, the honour of the German name, who can confide in his gratitude and honour, and who, fighting by his side, are not dubious of victory, have joined their banners with his; and a sovereign, who adorns with his virtues one of the first thrones in the world, is penetrated with the justice of his cause. Every where his arms are blessed by the voice of the people, and even where they are silent from fear, their impatience is the greater. With so many motives to be conscious of her strength, Prussia may well be permitted con. tinually to confide in her high destiny. Head-quarters, Erfurt, Oct. 9, 1806.

peror and King.

Senators,

his power, or to render a nation Letter from His Majesty the Emuneasy which he shall always esteem, as long as it confines itself to its just and natural interests; but to avert from his kingdom the fate which was preparing for it; to preserve to the people of Frederick, their independence and their glory; to rescue unfortunate Germany from the yoke by which it is op. pressed, and to bring about a safe and honourable peace. The day on which he shall effect this, will be the proudest of his life. The events of the war which is now beginning, are in the disposal of Supreme Wisdom. His majesty leaves it to others to indulge in premature exultation and gratuitous insult, as he has for a long time allowed them the miserable satisfaction arising from unjust invectives. He leads to an honourable combat an army worthy of its former glory. He reigns over a people of whom he may be proud; and, while he is ready to shed his blood for them, he

We have quitted our capital to place ourselves in the midst of our army of Germany, at the moment we saw with certainty that its flanks were menaced with unexpected movements. Scarcely arrived on the frontiers of our states, we had an opportunity of perceiving how much our presence was necessary there, and of congratulating ourself on the defensive measures that we had taken before we quitted the centre of our empire. Already the Prussian armies, ready for war, were in motion in all parts; they had passed their frontiers; Saxony was invaded, and the wise prince who governs it was forced to act against his will, and against the interest of his people. The Prussian armies had arrived in face of the cantonments of our troops. Provocations of every kind, and even acts of vio

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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 ourself, to form our camps, and to cause the sound of war to be heard. It has spread into the hearts of all our warriors. Rapid and combined 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 sorely affected at this constant preponderance which the genius of mischief obtains in Europe, occupied incessantly in traversing the designs we form for the tranquillity of Europe, the repose and happiness of the present generation-besieging every cabinet by every kind of seduction leading those astray whom it cannot corrupt-blinding them to their true interests, and launching them into the midst of disputes, without any other guide than the passions it has known how to inspire them with. The cabinet of Berlin itself has not chosen with deliberation the part it takes it has been thrown into it with art, and with malicious address. The king has found himself, all 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 counting upon the ties which unite the two states, and upon the lavish

protestations made in all circumstances by the court of Berlin. In a war so just, in which we take arms 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 Foreig Affairs, Sept. 12, 1806.

The undersigned, feeling how much it is of the first importance to answer immediately the note which his excellency the prince of Benc vento, minister for foreign affairs, has done him the honour of addres sing to him this evening, feels hin self compelled to limit himself to th representation of the following ob servations. The motives which have engaged the king, my master, make armaments, have been the ef fect of a scheme of the enemies of France and Prussia; who, jeales of the intimacy which exists betwee these two powers, have done every thing in their power to alarm, by false reports, coming at once from every quarter. But above all, whe

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proves the spirit of this measure is, that his majesty has concerted it with no person whatsoever, and that the intelligence respecting it arrived sooner at Paris than at Vienna, St. Petersburgh, and London. But the king, my master, has ordered to be made to the envoy of his majesty the emperor of the French and king of Italy, an amicable communication on the subject of these measures. That minister had not yet returned an answer upon this communication. The relation of the interesting conversations that his imperial majesty has deigned to entertain with the undersigned, and the marquis de Lucchesini, could not yet have arrived at Berlin. After this explanation, the undersigned can only testify to his excellency, his most ardent wish, that public acts may yet rest suspended, till the return of the courier dispatched to Berlin.

jesty the king of Prussia, ought only to be considered as the execution of an anterior order; and that the movements marked out for the Prussian troops would cease as soon as it was known at Berlin, what his majesty the emperor and king was pleased to say to M. M. Knobelsdorff and Lucchesini, in the private audiences which he granted them.

His majesty has ordered, in consequence, that the communications which were to have been made to the senate on Monday next, shall be deferred; and that no troops, beside those which are actually on their march towards the Rhine, shall be put in motion, until his majesty learns the determinations and the measures that the court of Berlin shall have taken, after the report that M. M. de Knobelsdorff and Lucchesini have made; and if these determinations are such that the French army in Germany shall be no longer menaced, and that all things shall be replaced between / General Knobelsdorff. France and Prussia on the same

The undersigned begs his excellency, &c.

(Signed)

Copy of the second Note to M. de Knobelsdorff, dated Sept. 13th. 1806.

The undersigned has laid before his majesty, the emperor and king, the note that his excellency M. de Knobelsdorff yesterday did him the honour to address to him.

His majesty has found therein, with pleasure, the assurance that Prussia had not entered into any concert hostile to France; that the armament she has made, had no other cause than a misunderstanding; that the departure of the garrison of Berlin, though it happened since the letter written by his ma

footing as they were a month ago, his majesty will immediately order the retrograde march of the troops who were actually advancing to the Rhine.

His majesty expects that this singular misunderstanding will be cleared up. He expects to be enabled, without any mixture of uncertainty or doubt, to restore him

self to those sentiments of which he

has given so many proofs to the court of Berlin, and which have always been those of a faithful ally.

The undersigned prays M. de Knobelsdorff to receive the assurances of his high consideration.

(Signed) C. M. Talleyrand, Prince of Benevento.

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