The Sun. — London, England, 1806-10-23 00:00:00

PRUSSIAN 1114N1FE,ST,O. (Concluded tro,l. Yhstcrday ) TriE existing state of:the Austrian Mdnarchy„and the Piytelia) been naturally gtrranteed:' peror NAPOLF,ON. 'certainly wished tint P'russi'a. 60111 , 1 be bound by the guarantee; fdr:irti.kis hands • it was an instrument he might e . riiploy`ks suited . , his poli'.lc , —a_ pretext f r detnanaing sacrifices in any contest •Niii( h•his . ani.siti9n might occasion. Fte4 V , Thself, •howervdidv'uot it longer than it contribute.i . i - O . hrslul'ereife"!`Rt'OS3,.tllo , igh "ulider the proteclion of the' Porte, was taicen pOSsession of by his treops. Gradisca and :Aguileia w r y rgsted froni Anstria Onder . nearly. - ..the'sime bad been employed when the. Ft'eneh. •. A three Ahbeys. '?. In rill political proceedings - , •it viras-natumillAaken for granted, that:th.r.e.. , .States'forrned FfatiCe in ow.proper sense of the :term, and not • French - Provinces:; but, it cost .the Cabinet of :Saint Cloud only a word to' deprive thern of their . jade pendenc4. The,appellition, -" the. Great . EMpire," • was invented, and that Empire was immediately On - ly surrounded with vassals. Thus there was no trade of the Treaty :leti; yet PrUssiaproceededto shut her Ports against England, and still considered ,herself as having .obligations to fblfil. The Emperor at • length informed his Majesty, that it was his pleasure to dissOlve the German Em pire, and form a Confederation of the Rhine; and recommended to the King: to establish a 'similar Confederation in the North of Germany. This was according to his customary policy— , a policy which had long been crowned with - success-'-at the rif&= melt of the birth of any new project, to throw. out a.lure,to those Courts which might occasion difa tultieS in the execution of such projeas. The King adopted the Idea of such a Confederation, not that' the advice he received , macke the least inapression on him ; bit because, in faa, it-was rendered necessary b) circumstances ;' and because, after the seccss i i,on of the Princes who had acceded to the Confedm lion of the Rhine, a close union between those of the North bepme more than ever the condition of their safety. ' The King took measures to establish this L-azue, - ;but, on, other principles froin those of the model priqented - to him. He made it his pride to colle6 the.last of, the Germans under his hannerS., hilt the rights of. each he left unimpaired; and hio riour alone. was the, housl of the League. .• -Bat could France-advise the King to any measure which should be produaive of advantage to Prus ? 'We shall . sdoa see what is. to ?be:,expoeted 'when France makes.profeSsions of favonr. In the first place ;case had. been taken to introduce inn the fundamental . Statute of the Confederation of tlic Rhine, an .rticle .which contained the germ of all fivc.re . innovations. It provided that other Princes should be received into the Confederation, Should they desire it. In this manner all. 'relations in Gerinny were left' indeterminate, .and, ,as.. the means were- • Still'reserved to detach,. and annex .to this League the weaker States, either, by Ptionliies - or threats, it was but too probable that:in i t , 141 c , this Confederation would be. extended into the heart of the Prussian Monarchy. And that this might no longer remain doubtful, but be manifest to every one, the first attempt was immediately made. Fortunately it was madeon aPrince who knows not fear, and who considers independ ence as the highest c t bjea of his ambition. The French Minister at CaSsel invited the Elector, to throw himself into the arms of his mastei. Prussia, it was .alledged, did. nothing for her Allies. It is true, NAPOLEON knows how to manage his better; and every one sees that Spain and Holland, and the Kings of Wirtemhurgh and Bav'aria, have:-to thank their alliance with him for Peace,.lndepend ence and Honour. Prussia did nothing for her Allies; NAroLnoN, on the contrary, would reFard the sc-. cession - of the Eledtor by an enlargement of his ter- ritory. , • And this treachery W , IS exercised towardian Ally; and at the very moment when •the . , King' was• ad vised tc ,form an alliance; Of which Hesse was to he firtit bulWark, endeavours were made to detach fr him a Prince ,whom family crinnexicns,,j alli ances, and: elations of -every, kind, runited in th.e • Clbscsi manner.to his Majesty's Person. • ! But even thesehostile steps were not sn dent: Does any -cne wish to know what - was the Iprs,,hy which it was hoped to gain the EleEtor of FIE . SSE, :Ind what was 'the augmentation . of. territory with the expeEtatidn of which he was flattered ? It was the Piince of MANGE, the hi-Other-in-law • of the." - • , ;Rin—that Prince,.who had been twice deceived in the most 'shameless manner—wasnow. to . be robbed ;bird time. He still possessed the• territeir o( This was promised to the' EleCte,: j and'iti would have been given had the Eleaor consentedi to. accept i , and had not Prussia taken. up 'arms. His Majesty saw the i system of usurpation adVance every day ; he saw a,circle' cotstinually betoing narrower, drawn around him, and even the right of Moving within it boginning* to be 'disputed wirii him, for a swcepin2.; resOluton forbade a passage to any foreign Troops, arrned . or, 'hot, ;through the States ;of the Confederation. This was,r6 3 'Out off, 'con trary to t, .e rio - hts: of nationS the conLexion between the detached Hessian provinces :, this was to prepare pro-- texts on which .to aCt : thjs vas the first threat of "punishment - aimed - at a magoLiiiiriidos - Prihte who had preferred a defenderto a 'Master: • • - But even 'after this—his Majesty cannot reflea.on without admiration—the Kino considered whe ther a Combination might not be found, which should render this •sta , .e, of. things compatible with the Maintenance of Peace. . The Enlii?ror NAPOLEON'appeared to be solicitoUs to.recnove this donbt. 175:v0 'Negotiations were then Far t rying on at' Paris, one wi:h Russia, ,the other W. 114 the English . Ministry. In .both, these Negotiations the intentions . . of France against Prussia' were evi dently:manifesied. By the Treaty which the' Emperor of Russia had refused .to ratify, France offered, in conjunc tion with -Russia, to prevent Prdssia • from de priving the King of Sweden of ,his German Ter- . ritorieS -; yef, fOr many 'months, the Cabinet. of. St. Cloud had continually pressed the King of Pries-• sia tOseizethoSe States, with the threefold view;‘first, to rev:rage himself on the King of Sweden ; second-• ly, to embroil Prussia with. all other Powers ; and, thirdly/ to purchase her*silenc - e' with respe& to the subversion of Southern' .Germany. But the King . had long been ,aware that such were, the views of France, and his unfortunate dispute with Sweden Was painful to him. He had therefore been - careful to provide against every suspicion of self-interested motives,. and he confided . his explanatiOns. to the. Emperor ALEXANDER... The. scene was now again changed; and . NArOLEON, who had so long been' the enemy of the 'King of Sweden, was suddenly trans formed into his prote&or. , It is not superfluous to remark; that in this insidie ous Treaty the French Emperor, in order to satisfy the honourable interest,which the Court of St. Peters burgh took in the maintenance of the rights of the King of Napres, promised the latter indoinnitica tion, engaging to prevail on the King of Spain to cede to him the BalaKic Islands; • He will as in the same manner with respect to the augmentation of territorfhe pretends to bestow on his Allies,' These were all preludes to the steps he took as;•ainst We now approach the moment which de termined his Majesty. • Prussia. 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 in . her power it must remain, unless the last pledge of the security of the North .were annihilated. NAPOLEON had solemnly gliaran.! teed this state of things; yet he negotiated with Eng land on the basis,of the restoration of the Electorate. The King - is in possession of the proof. War"was now faadeclared ; declared by every measure taken "by Vrance. Every month produced a new notification of the return of his - Army,' but, on one 'frivolous pretext or another, it was still conti nued in Germany ; and for what purpose ?--Gra cious Heaven ! :to eradicate the last truce of ;Soi. vereignty among the Germans ;-to treat King's as Govet nors appointed by himself;--to drag be fore Military Tribunals citizens only responsible to their own Governm'e . nts ;.--to declare others mit laws, who bad lived peaceably in foreign States, under foreign . Sovereigns, .and even the ca pital of a German Emperor, because they had published writings in which the French Govern ment, or at least its despotism, was attacked ; and this at the time when that same Government daily permitted hired libellers to attack, under its protec , .. tion,.the honour of all crowned heads, 'and the most sacred. feelingS of nations, These armies were in no manner diminished - , - ',; but, continnally reinforced and augmented, advanced nearer to the frontiers of Prus ski or her. Allies, till they at length tea a position, which could only meanc4.-, Prussia, and, were assem 7 bled in farce in Westphalia—Which certainly was not the road to the mouths of the Catare It was no longer doubtful that NAPOLEON had determined to overwhelm Prussia with war, or to render her incapable of war, Since he wad leading her from humiliation to humiliation, till she should be reduced to such a. state of political degrada tion and feebleness, that, deprived of every* de-, fence, she could, have no•other will bUt that of her formidable= neighbour. The King delayed no longer; he. assembled his Army. General KNOBLESDORF was sent to Paris with the final . declaration' Of his,. Majesty. Only :one • measure remained could give security to the. King; which was the rQiurn of the French Troops over the Rhine. The time tor discussion' was past, though 'the Cabinet of St. Cloud appt)ared still anxious tOprotraa it. General KNo BE . Ls- DORF'had orders to insiston this demand ; it' Was not . the whole of the king's just demands ; but it was ric• cessary that it should be the first, since it Was the con-. caul,, of his future existence. The acceptance or fusal of it, must shew the real sentiments of the French Emperor.. Unmeaning profession§ and argp-,. merits (the real' value of which W(t known 14 long experience) were the only answer the,King received. : Far frorla the French Arm) being recalled, it was announced that it would be reinforced but with an haughtiness still - more 'remarkable than this refusal; an offer was Made, 'that the troopA which bad ad-' vanced into Westphalia should return home if Prus• pia Would desist from her preparations. This•,was not all—it was insolently notified to the • Ministers - That the:Cities Of Hamburgh, Bre . Men, and , Lubeck, would not be stlffered to join in the Northern Confederation, but that France'WOuldtake them under her, prbte6tion, in. the same Manner as, • in the other Confederation, she had given away cities ' and promulgated laws, without permitting any other Power to make. the least pretenSion. The King was required to suffer a foreign interest to be intro duced into the heart Of his monarchy. Another contrast of condut incensed the King to the utmost.. He received from the Emperor .a letter, full of , those assurances of esteem which • certainly, when trey do not accorckWith fafls, are to be considered Tis nothing, but which the dignity of Sovereigns ren .ders a duty to themselves even when on the eve of war ; yet a few days 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,assdrances on assurances of the friendly in tentions of France, the Paliciste of the Ifith of September appeared' with a diatribe against the King 'and the PruSsian 'State,' in a style worthy of the most disgraceful,periods of the revolution, insulting. to the nation,: and . .what,- in other times than ours, would hai'e been considered as amounting to n :decla ration of war. The King can treat slanders that are merely abusive with 'Contempt; but when these slan ' I derscontribute to *lain the real state of-things, it would be unwise to treat them with. contempt. The last hope had now disappeared,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 OfELS DORF, containing the conditions Qll which he was, ready to cetne to an accommodation. These coti f ditions were, nab. Ist, That the French Troops will ittmediately evacuate Germany. • 2d, That France should oppose'no Obstacle. to the foundation of the Northern Confederacy ; and that the Confederacy miilit'enbrace all the larger and smaller States not included in the fundamental Aft of the Confederation of the Rhine. ,3d. That NeaOtiations should immediately be com menced for the adjustment of ,A ditTerences still. in dispute, a preliminary Article of which sh4.,uld be :the restoration of the three AbbeyS, and the se paration of the Town of . Wesel from the ,French Empire. These conditions speak for themselves: they she how moderate the King, even at this moment, has' been in his demands,and how much the maintenance of Peace, if France wishes Peate,.. depends upon FranCe herself. The term peremptorily fixed by the H King for the decision of Peace or. War has elapsed.. His Majesty has notreceived the answer of the Ca binet of Saint acrud;Or rather, the preparations he sees around him daily, give' him that answer. - The King can henceforth confide the ,honour and safety of his Crown only to arms. He has recourse to them with pain, since a glory purchased by 'the tears of his people, was never his wish; i btit he has recourse to them with the tranquillity of confidence, since his . cause is just.—The King has carried "his forbearance to the utmost. limit, and till honour forbade hits to carry it farther.—The King has overlooked eye!y thing only perSonally injurious to himself; he has.dii regarded the deciSions of ignorance, and the attacks of calumny, always hoping that he should be able to ; conduct his people; without injury,. to that period,_ which must sonner. - or later arrive, when, unjust greatness shall fiA its, bounds, and ambition, which obstinzitely ref'ises to acknowledge any limits, shall at length n'erleap itself ! His Majesty takes up arms, not to gratifTa long nourished resentment, not to increase his power, not to disturb a nation which knows how to esteem itself in its natural' and lawful limits, but to proteCt his Monarchy from the fate which 'is prepared for it, to maintain the People of FREDERICK in their indepen deuce and glory, to deliver unfortunate Germany from . - the Yoke under which it lies, and to obtain an honour able. and secure Peace. ..The day on which he shall cfft.qi.this will afford the King his noblest triumph. events of the war, which is now beginning, are in the disposal of.Supr..qcie Wisdom. .The King leaves to others premature boastings, as he has long left to them the miserable enjoyment Of their base inye'aiyes - and unanswered calumnies.' But he leads to honourable combat an Army worthy of its former glory. He reigns over 'a people of whom he may be, proud ; azd while he is ready to shed his blood for them, he knOWs what he may expea from their energy and their affeetion. Princes, the hQ• . . , f itouri) the-Cerman name, confiding in his gratimd, and integrity, ina Wh - C.i; while they%tight.bylis side, fear not to obtain thp'vi6tory, have joined their ban (a" Soi*ereign whO adorns with his virtues one of the first thrones in the world, is pene rated with the justice of his cause ; the voice of Nations every where invokes a blessing on his arms, f„ 'wh4:. arid e env ere it is overawed into silence, is only more . distinelly heard. With so manymotives to be conscious of her strength, Prussia . May well be per mitted to repde confidence in her high.destiny. Fi'orn the . Head 7 cf . ilarteit at Erfurth, ' • 9:11 of . oCtober, 186. MAILS. llu Hamburgh, t Gottenburgh, z Dublin , 3 Waterford. PRICE OF STOCKS DAY AT TWELVE O'CLOCK. - GI -.14 i Omnium CQnsols - THE SU N. SOLESI QUIS DICZIZE FALStlioi AUDZAT L 0 N D 0 N, TIWRSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1806. WE, am happy to have it in our power, at length to lay before our lialt,rs a satisfa j aory, account of Admiral ViLLEAUMEeS Squadrotr, which has for so long a time eluded the vigilance of our Comnianders. The dreadful gale of wind by which Sir RICHARD , STRACHAN'S Squadron sustained so much damage 'was still , more destralive to that of Admiral Vu.- LEAVAEZ. There is every reason to believe that 'one ofhis Line-of-bat tie Ships went doivit in the s4;1111. he remainder, of the Squadron was d - -peried: - Admiral VILLEiAUMEZ,. iii his own Ship, which was disrnasted arid, nearly a wreck; had , the good fortune to get into the limn- The other French Ships endeavoured, it to reach the Chesapeak one of them;- hosA;el ., er, fell in with the Bellow and the Belle- isle, two of Sir RICHARD STRACHAN'S Squa- deal. - The French Ship sustained a running fight some time, but was at last driven on shors near the Chesapeak.l The /11,e/ampus Frigate, which wo in coni- pany with the Bellona and Belleiyie, was sent in destroy • the French Ship, which was L'lmpetueux, of 74 &uns, This was completc.,:y effeaed, and the crew made prisoners. While the 16 lelampus was engaged in this service:. two more French Ships of` the Line hove in sight, and the Bellona . and Belleisle immediately crowded all sail in pursuit of, them, and were in chace of them,. when Capt. POYNTZ, of the Afelamput tranarnitte4 this intelligence. 46 Belleisle, and . Alelampus were crulz inibff.the.Chesapeak in - search of Sir H. STRAC HAN when they fell in with the French Ships. The Severn, Capt. ETHERIDGE, and the Dicrnl, from Jamaica, are arrived at Bristol ; they left the Fleet all well on the igth inst. to the South. wardpof Cape Clear.. Ttleoßartadoes, Captain LEWIS, is arrived at Li verk6oi :from Barbadoes. She sailed 'on the leth of §ptember. Admiral COCHRANE had returned .to Bar,badoes from seeing the' homeward-bonnd Fleet toll - certain latitude, and was there on the 'l2th ult. On . that day the' Elephant Man of War, and Pickle Schooner, ,sailed to the assistance of General IVl,l' BANDA at Coro: - It appears from this statement, that the assertion in the Jamaica Paper, that the Naval and Military COnnmanders at Jamaica had refused toaasist'iVll- I;ANDA, was incorret. _ The Duke of Kent. Packet,' with Mails fi.oM Fat mbuth, ariived at BarbadOes on the 1 tth, and sailed the next day for Jamaica, No intelligence reached Town this morning from the Continent. But the reports of ACtions betwe'en the French and Prussians succeed .each other with a rapidity.that is'really astonishiog. Yesterday af terncioiva person of the name of OVEREND, who is the Commander of a Ship which is just arrived from Rotterdam, went upon 'Change, - and declared, that before he sailed- a report was very generally circulated of a Battle having been fought between the Prussians and French, in which the latter were defeated, the loss of 30,000 rnen.—Ano- thy- atiytal Captain arrived on Monday Litt iti ;iie„Tyne; from the Elbe ; he asserted pool kivily-othat he .had seen, in the Gauckstadt Pa per'sof the : ith instant, an account of a Battle havn* beeto'ought . on the sth, between the Prus sian Army, commanded 'hi the Duke of BRUNS.. *net. and the Rend!, commanded by General