Star. — London, England, 1813-09-14 00:00:00

lIIIMIONNIMI His Majesty the Emperor made every effort in his power by friendly mediation with both parties to avert the impending storm. No human judgment valid at that time foresee that the period was so near at hand, when the failure of these friendly attempts should prove more injurious to the Emperrr Napoleon than to his opponents. Thus, however, it was resolved by the wisdom of PROVIDVI4CE. When the commencement of hostilities was op longer doubtful, his Majesty was compelled to have recourse to measures which, in so unnaterstl and dan gerous a conjiincture, might combine his own security with just considerations for the teal interests of neigh, bouring S:atcs. The system of unarmed inaction;' the only neutrality which the Emperor Napoleon, cording to his own declarations, would have permitted, was by every sound maxim of policy wholly inadmis sible, and would at last have proved only a vain en deavour to. shrink form the approaching trial. A power so important as Austria could not renounce all participation in the interests of Europe, nor could she place herself in a situation in which, equally in effective in peace or war, she would lose her voice . and infli.enoe in all great negotiations, without ac quiring any guarantee for the security of her own frontier. To prepare for war against France would Bove been, under the existing circumstances, as little consonant with equity, as with prudence. The Em. pereoNapoleon had given his Majesty no personal ground for hostile proceedings; and the prospect of attaining many beneficial results by a skilf u l employ - meet the established friendly relations, by confi dential representations, and by conciliatory councils, bed not yet been abandoned as hopeless. And with moral to the immediate interest of the State, such a revolution would inevitable have been attended with this consequence—that the Austrian territory would buve become the first and principal seat of war, which with .its well-known deficiency of means of defence could. in a short time, have overthrown the monarchy. ~ In this painful situation his Majesty had no other resource than to take the field on the side of France. To take up arms for France, in the real sense of the Word, would have been a measure not only in contra. diction with the duties and principles of the Emperor, but even with the repeated declarations of his Cabi net, which bad, 'without any reserve, disapproved of this war. On the signature of the Treaty of the 12th March, 1812, his Majesty proceeded upon two dis tinct principles t The first, as it proved by the words of the Treaty, was to leave no means untried which mi alit sooner or later obtain a peace; the other was to place himself internally and externally in a position, which, it it should prove impossible to effect a peace, or in case the turn of the s*aj should render decisive measures in this part necessary, would enable Austria to act o ith independence, and in either of these cases • or adopt the measures which a just and wise policy should prescribe. Upon this principle it was that only a fixed and comparatively small part of the army was destined to cionperate in the war; the other mi litary resources, at that time in a state of readiness, or that still remained to b 4 prepared, were not called forth for the prosecurion of this war. By a kind of tacit agreement between the Belligerents, the Aus trian territory was even treated as neutral. The real end and views of the system adopted by his Ma jesty could not escape the notice of France, Russia, or any intelligent observer. The campaign of 1812 furnished a memorable ex. ample of the failure of an undertaking supported by gigantic powers, conducted by a Captain of the first rank, when; in the confidence of great military talents, he despises the rules of .prudence, and outsteps the bounds of nature. The illusion of glory carried the Emperor Napoleon into the heart of the Russian Em pire; and a false political view of things induced him to imagine that he should dictate a peace in Moscow, should cripple the Russian power for half a century, and then return victorious. When this magnanimous constancy of the Emperor of Russia, the glorious deeds of his warriors, and the unshaken fidelity of his people, put an end to this dream, it was too late to repent it with impunity. The whole French army was scattered and destroyed s in less than four months we have seen the theatre of war transferred from the Dneiper and the Dwina to the Oder and the Elbe. This rapid and extraordinary change of fortune was the forerunner of an important revolution in all the political relations of Europe. The confederacy of Russia, Great Britain, and Sweden, presented a point of union to all neighbouring States. Prussia, whom report had long declared determined to risk all—to prefer even the danger of immediate political destruction to the lingering sufferings of continued oppression —seized the favourable moment, and threw herself into the arms of the Allies. •Itioliny greater and smaller Princes of Germany were ready to do the same. Every where the ardent desires of the people anticipated the regular proceedings of their Govern ments. Their impatience to live in independence, and tinder their own laws, tl.e sentiment of wounded na tional honour, and the hatred of a foreign dominion, broke out in bright flames on all sides. His Majesty the Emperor, too intelligent not to ccr.sider this change of affairs as the natural and ne cessary consequence of a previous violent political vinvulsion, and too just to view it in anger, was solely bent upon securing, by deep digested and well cranbincd measures, the real and permanent interest of the European Commonwealth. Already in the beginning of December, considerable steps had been taken on the part of the Austrian Cabinet, in order to dispose the Emperor Napoleon to quiet and peace ful policy, on grounds which equally interested the world and his own welfare. These steps were from time to time renewed and enforced. Hopes had been entertained that the impression of last year's cam paign, the recollection of the fruitless sacrifice of an immense army, the severe measures of every descrip tion that would be necessary to replace that loss, the decided disinclination of France, and of all those na tions connected with her, to a war, which, without any prospect of future indemnification, exhausted and ruined her internal strength ; that lastly, even a calm _reflection on the doubtful issue of this new and highly i.nminent crisis, would move the Emperor to listen to the representations of Atraria. 'the tone of these re p: )tatit -- carefully adapted the circum ,s of the ,t.le issue, d. a motive should be decidedly rejected, enuld not certainly tie, Trona tb natural view of things, upon Which ever. ' foreseen. But the manner in which they Were re- France could no longer deceive herself, his Majesty ceived, and still more the striking contrast Setweert continued his preparations with unwearied activity.' the sentiments entertained by Austria andlhe'whole He quitted, in the early part of Jay, his residence, conduct of the Emperor Napoleon, to the period of and proceeded to the vicinity of thescene of action, these unsuccessful endeavours for peace, soon dettrof. in order the more effectually to labour at the nego ed the best hopes that were entertained. Instead of ciation for peace, which still continued to be the ob endeavouring by-a moderate language to improve at ject of his - most ardent desires ; and partly to be able least our view of the future, and to lessen the general the more effectually to conduct the preparations for despondency, it was on every occasion solemnly de-, war, if no other choice should remain for Austria. dared, before the highest authorities in France, that A short time before, tlie Emperor Napoleon had the Emperor would hear of no proposition for peace, declared,—" that he hacfproposed a Congress, to be that should violate the integrity of the French empi t e, held at Prague, where Plenipotentiaries from France, in the French sense of the word, or that should make the IJaited States of North America, Denmark, the any pretension to the arbitrarily inetopurlited pro. King of Spain, and the other Allied Princes on the winces. • one hand, and on the othe r , Pl en ip otent i ar i es o f Eng . : ? ,Abt At the sante time, eventual conditions, with which land, Russia, Prussia, the Spanish Insurgents, and this self-created boundary did not even appear to the other Allies of this hostile mass, should meet, and have any relation, were spoken of, at one time me- lay the ground-work of A durable peace." To whom nacing indignation, at another with bitter contempt ; this proposition was addressed, in what manner, in as if it had not been possible to declare in terms wife what diplomatic form, through whose organ it could ficiently distinct, the resolution of the Emperor Na- have been done, was perfectly unknown to the Au poleon not to male to the rejare of the world even one strian Cabinet, which only ssois made acquainted with single nominal sacrifice. the circumstance through the medium of the public These hostile demonstrations were attended with prints. How, too, such a project could be brought this particular mortification to Austria, that they to bear—how from the combination of such dissimi placed even the invitations to peace with this Cabinet, ler elements, without any gyerelly acknowledged with the knowledge and apparent consent of France, principle, without any previously regulated plan, a made to othei Courts, in a false and highly disad- negotiation for peace• was to be set on foot, was so vantageous light. The Sovereigns united against lane to be comprehended, that it was very allowable France, instead of any answer to Austtia% proposi. to consider the whole proposition rather as a play tions fur negociation, and her offers of mediation, laid of the imagination, then as a serious invitation to the before her the - public declarations of the French Em- adoption of a great political measure. peror. And when in the month of march, his Ma. Perfectly acquainted with all the obstacles to a ge jesty sent a Minister to London, to invite England to neral peace, Austria, had loag considered whether share in a negociation for peace, the British Ministry this distant and difficult object was not rather to be replied, 6 . that they would not believe Austria still attained progressively ; and, in this opinion, had ex entertained any hopes of peace, when the Emperor pressed hert-elt both to France, and to Russia and Napoleon had in the mean time expressed sentiments Prussia, upon the subject of a continental peace. Not which could only tend to the perpetuation of war ;" that the Austrian Court had misconceived, even for a declaration which was the more painful to his Ma- a moment, the necessity and importance of an uni jesty, the more it was just and. well founded. • versal peace among all the great Powers of Europe, Austria, however, did not, upon this account, cease and without which there was no hope of either shfety to impress in more forcible and distinct terms, the or happiness, or east imagined that the Continent necessity of peace,"upon the mind of the Emperor of could exist, if the separation of England were not in- France; directed in all her measures by this prin. variably considered as a most deadly evil! The ne ciple, that, as all order and balance of power in Eu. goctation which Austtia proposed, after the alarming rope had been destroyed by the boundless superiority declaration of France had nearly destroyed all hopes of France, no real peace was to be expected, unless of England uniting her endeavours in the attempt to that superiority were diminished. His Majesty in procure a general peace, was an essential part of the the mean time adopted every necesssary measure great approaching negociation, for a general and effec t() strengthen and concentrate his armies; sensible rive Congress for peace; it was intended as prepare that Austra must be prepared for war, if her media- wry to this, to draw up the preliminary articles of the tion were not to be entirely unavailing. His Imperial future Treaty, to pave the way by a long continental Majesty had moreover been long since persuaded, that Armistice to a more extended and durable negocio the probability of an immediate share in the war. tion. Had the principle upon which Austria ad would no longer be excluded from his calculations, 'fenced been other thin this, neither Russia nor Pius- The actual state of things could not be continued ; sia, bound by the strongest ties to England, would of this the Emperor was convinced ; this conviction certainly ever have listened to the proposals of the was the mainspring of his actions, and was naturally Austrian Cabinet. strengthened by the failure of any attempt to procure After the Russian and Prussian Courts, animated a peace. The result was apparent. By one means by a confidence iu his Majesty, highly flattering to or the other, either by negociation or by force of the Enipewe had already declared their concurrence arms, a new state of things must be effected. in the proposed Congress udder the mediation of The Emperor Napoleon was not only aware of the Austria, it became necessai y to obtain the formal Austrian preparations for war, but even acknowledg- assent of the Emperor Napoleon, and to determine ed them as necessary, and justified them in more than upon whit principles the negociations for peace were one instance. He had sufficient reason to believe that to be carried on. For this purpose his Imperial Ma his Majesty the Emperor, at so decisive a period for jesty resolved towards the end ot the month of June I the fate of the whole world, would lay aside all per- to send his Minister for For, ign Affairs to Dresden. tonal and momentary feelings, would alone Consult The result ot this mission was a Convention concluded the lasting welfare of Austria, and of the countries upon the 30th June, accepting the mediation of his by which she is surrounded, and would resolve no- Imperial Majesty in the negociation of a general, thing but what this great motive should impose as a and it that could not be effected, of a preliminary duty upon him. The Austrian Cabinet had never ex- Continental peace. Tire cii yti Prague was fixed pressed itself in terms that would warrant any ether upon for the meeting of the Congress, and the sth construction ; and yet the French did not only ac- of July for the J ay •tt its openiug. In order to ob knowledge that the Austrian mediation could only be win a sufficient time for the negociation, it was de an armed mediatihn, but declared, upon more than termined by the same Convention that the Emperor one occasion, that Austria, under existing circum- Napoleon should not give notice of the rupture of stances, ought no longer to confine herself to act a the Armistice which was to terminate on the 20th of secondary part., but should appear in force upon the July, at that tin:e existing between himself and Rus stage, and decide as a great and independent Power. sia, till the 10th of August; and his Majesty - the Whatever the French Government could either hope Emperor took upon himself to I btain a similar De ur fear from Austria, this acknowledgment was of it. claretion from the Russi to and Prussian Courts. self a previous justification of the whole intended and . The points which had been determined liaDresden, hitherto adopted measures of his Imperial Majesty. • were hereupon impanel.' to the two Courts. Although Thus far were circumstances developed when the the continuation of the Armistice was attended with Emperor Napoleon left Paris, in order to make head many objectiniss, and IA ith much serious inconvenience against the progress of the allied armies. Even their to them, the desire of giving to his Imperial Majesty enemies have done homage to the valour of the Rus- another pool of their confidence, and at the same sian and Prussian troops in the sanguinary actions of time to satisfy the world that they would not reject the month of May. That, however the result of this any prospect of peace, however confined it might be, first period of the campaign was not more favourable that they would not refusl i any attempt which might to them, aws owing partly to the great numerical se- "rep -ire - the way to it, overcame every consid e r at i o n. periority of the French force, and to the universally l'he only alteration made in the Convention of the . acknowledged military talents of their leader, and 30th June, was, that the term of the opening the partly to the political combinatiool, by which the Congress, since the final regulations could not so Allied Sovereigns were guided in all their under- soon be determined, should be deferred until the 12th takings. They acted under the just supposition, that of July. In the mean time his Majesty, who would a cause like the one in which they were engaged, not as yet abandon all hopes of completely termi could not possibly be confined to themselves, that noting by a general peace, the sufferings of mankind, sooner or later, whether successful or unfortunate, and the convulsions of the political world, had also every state which still preserved a shadow of hide- resolved upon a new attempt with the British Go pendence must join their confederacy, every indepen- vernment. dent army must act with them. They, therefore, did The Emperor Napoleon not only received the not allow further scope to the bravery of their troops, proposal with apparent approbation, but even volun than the moment required, and preserved a consider- tardy offered to expedite the business, by allowing able part of their strength for a period when, with the persons to be dispatched for that purpose to Eng more extended means, they might look to the land a passage through France. When it was to bei attainment of greater objects. For the same cause, carried into effect unexpected difficulties arose, the and with a view to the developement of events, they passports were delayed from time to time, under consented to the Armistice. trifling pretexts, and at length entirely refused. This In the mean time the retreat of the Allies had for proceeding afforded a fresh and important ground for the moment given an appearance to the war, which 'entertaining just doubts as to the sincerity of the as daily became more interesting to the Emperor, from surances which the Emperor Napoleon had more than the impossibility, if it should proceed, of his remain. once publicly expressed of his disposition to peace, al •ing an inactive spectator of it. The fate of the Pros- though severalof his expressions at that particular sian Monarchy was a point which peculiarly attract- period, afforded just reason to believe that a marl. ed the attention of his Majesty, feeling, as the Em- time peace was the object of his most anxious soli-' , peror did, that the restoration of the Prussian Mo- citude. narchy was the first step towards that of the whole During that interval their Majesties the Emperor political system of Durope, and he viewed the danger , of Russ' t and tile King of Prussia hau nominated in which the now stood, as equally affecting himself. their Plenipotentiaries to the Congress, and had tur- Already, in the month cf April, had the Emperor nished diem with very decisive instructions. On the Napoleon suggested to the Austrian Cabinet, that he led) July they both arrived at Prague, as well as his considered the dissplution of the Prussian Monarchy Majesty's Minister, charged with the concerns of tite as a natutat consequence of her defection from Mediation. France, and of the continuation of the ear, and that The negociations were not to he protracted beyond it now only depend e d upon oeustria to add the most • the 10th of August, except in the cyclic of their as important and most flourishing of her piovinces to stoning such a character as to induce a confident its own state ; a sugaa stion witch ;hewed distinctly hope of a favourable result. To that d • U A ay le r. enough, that no fifteens could properly be neglected .mistice had been extended through the tnedoitioti of to save that Power. If this great °hi .ct co u l d not tiuwta—the polithod and inam b uy sitmition of tar he obtained by a just pe ace , it was necessary to sup- Allied Sovereigns, the condition of the countries the ) port Russia and Prussia by a powerful cu-operation. occupied, anti their Anxious wish to terminate au ult. some period of uncertainty, prevented any further extension of it. With all these circumstances the Emperor Napoleon wits acquainted ;—he well knew that the period of the negotiation was necessarily defined by that of the Armistice; and he could not moreover conceal from himself hew much his own determinations would influence the happy abridgmeat and successful result of the pending negotiations. It was therefore with real sofrow that his Majesty soon perceived not only that no serious step wa* eaten by France to accelerate this great work but, on the contrary, it appeared as if a procrastination of the negotiations, and evasion of a favourable issue bad been decidedly intended. There was, indeed, a French Minister at the place of Congress, but wittiest' any orders to proceed to business, until the appear. ante of the first Plenipotentiary. The arrival of that Plenipotentiary was in minor pected from day to day. Nov was it until the 21st of July that it was ascertained, that a demur which took place on settling the renewal of the Armistice between the French and Russian and Prussian Com missioners, an obstruction of very subordinate import tamer, having no influence whatever upon the Con gress, and which might have been vrry easily and speedily removed by the interference or Austria, was made use of as the justification of this extra. rdi. nary delay. And when this last pretext was removed, it was not until the nth of July, 16 days after that appointed for the opening of the Ciingres., that the first Pienipontetiary arrived. Even in the very first flays after this Minister's atrival, no doubt remained as to the fate of the Congress. The term in which the full powers were to be delivered, and the nonuel explanations should be conducted, a point *limb had already been treated by all parties, became the object of a discussion which rendtred all the endeavours of the mediating Power abortive. The apparent insufficiency of the Powers intiurted io the French Negotiator, occasioned a s lance of se. veral days. Nor was it until the Gilt August that this Minister gave in a new Declaration, by which the dif. ficulties with respect to forms were by no means re. moved, nor the Negcciation by one step brought nearer to its object. Af er a useless exchange of notes upon every preliminary question, the 10th of August arrived. The Prussian and Russian Ne , gociators could not exceed this term : the Con. gress was at an end, and the resolution which, Austria had to form was previously determined by the progress of this Nerciation—by the actual cons viction of the impossibility of peace—by the no longer doubtful point of view in which his Attitjestyeamines& the great question in dispute—by the principles and intentions of the Allies, wherein the Emperor iecoge nised his own.—and finally, by the firmer positive declarations. which left no room for misconception. Nut without sincere.affrction, and alone coos leas by the certainty that ester' means to avoid the MUt had been exhausted, does the Emperor now find him. I stlf cbmpelled to Action. For three years has his Ma. jesty laboured with unceasing persevecauce to effect s by mild and conciiiatory mea,ures, real and durable peace for Austria and for Europe. AI his, endea, yours have tailed; there is now lio remedy, no re course to be had out to arms. The Emperor (rekes them up without any personal animosity. mono a Niue ful necessity, from an irresistible duty, ripen grown!" which any faithful citizen tit his realm, Which 111 e world, which the Emptror Napoleon tuna self;inais sop, ment of tranquility and reason, wet acknowledge And justify. Thr necessity of this war is engravetr in the heart of every Austrian, of every Eriropean, trader whatsoever dominion he m r y live, in such legibiecha. racters,that no art is necessary to distinguish llitM.The nation and the army will do their duty. An union established by common necessity, and oy the mutual interest of ever) power that is in arms for its inde pendence, will give due weight to our exertions, and the result, with the assistance of HeAvx'm, will be such as must fulfil the just eapectatiens of ever y friend of order and of peace. pr, sentatiuns was carefully ailApted to the stances of the times, serious as the grentoe , minierate as the desire of a favourai and as the existing friepoly relations requires That overtures Bowing from so pure a FRENCH PAPERS. PARIS, SEPTEMBER 7. Het Majesty thiampress and Queen has received the following intelligence from the Army, dated Ist September ; 44 On the 28th of August the King of IsLiples and Duke of Belluno slept at Freyberg, the 29th at Lich... tenberg, the Stith at Zittau, the Sist 4t Saydo. 44 The Duke of Ragusa, with the 6th, slept on the `?Bth at D;ppoldeswdlkta, where the enemy abAndoned 1200 wouncki ; on the 29th at FAlkenhain, and oft the 31st at Zinnwalti. The 14th corps, under the orders of Marshal St. Cyr, wls on the 2ath at Mazen ; the •29th at Runhar.its Grimm, the Stith at Dellersuorf, and the Slat at Liebanau. " The Ist corps, under General Vandaznme, was on the 28th at Hohendorl, and ute 29tii at Peters. walda, occupying the mountains. " The Duke of Treviso was in position on the 28th aid 29th at Pirna. Gen. Pajol, commanding the cavalry, has made some prisoners. " The enemy retired to the position of Dippnides- . walda and Altenburg, his left billowed the Platten road, and fell back by Tharandt upon Dippol•tes. walda, not being able to retreat by the Frt•yherg road. His right could neither retire by tht• cause • ay of Pirna nor that of Dohna ; and, therefore, r-tired upon Maren, and from thence upon Dippoldeswaltia. All that there were of psi tisans or detached were tut off. The Russian, Prussian and Austrian b .it age got entangled upon the causeway ot Frey berg. sevw ral thousand carriages were taken there. at Altenburg, where the void Toepli'z te) Otp.• poldeswal to became impracticable, tit.- enemy 'ouk the resolution of abandoning more than 1. it • car. riages ot ammunition and baggage. This graad army re-entered lliftemia, atter having lust part of its artillery and baggage. " On the 291 h Getieral Vandanime passed with eight sir ten battalit•iis the neck ot the grand ...:ain, land marched upon Kuhn. lie ili..re met the en-my, eight or lU,OUO strong, he engaged him; not hutiatg I