Star.
London, England, 1815-10-31 00:00:00

storms, and, as becomes an honest and peaceable
people, will have no occasion to interfere in any pa

'ideal disputes.
• •
The Emperor Alexander, in his late visit, spoke in
the most flattering terms of the condos: of the Swiss
during the late events, which, he declared, had been
highly serviceable to the common cause, anti that the
allies had endeavoured to chew their sense of it by
the attentinn they had paid to the interest of Switzer-
land is the negociations. At Zurich he 'inked the
library, when he paid particular attention to the mo-
del, in relief, of Switzerland, acid asked to be shewn
the route of General Suwarrew. He had requested
to have no escort ; however, on his depurate, lie
found a corps of light horse drawn up in ord.:r of
battle before his hotel. The Colonel hogged permis-
sion to attend'him as a special favour " Were it a
day of battle," replied Alexander smiling,'' I should
d. pond up.'n you ; but new I should only trouble
you, without your being of any use to me."
ON TOE NECESSITY olf RESToRING TIDE SIX IMPERIAL
TOWNS otiARAsTi:ED IN 18(':f.
(FROM TUI: RHENISH MERCURY Of lilt 21Sr OCTOSCR.)
In a preceding 'lumber of the Rh.aish Mercury,
there was an article in answer to the questiou, •Wito
represented the linnet ial towns at the Con•,;res ?
In this article an opinion was given, that the De.
pities of tf:e free towns of Hamburg!), Bremen, Lin
neck, and Frankfurt, whose independence was already
acknowledged, would plead for the restitution of the
other guaranteed towns, not only as it was of impor-
Imace to themselves to form a greater acsociation, but
.is it was impossible for the mediatized States to make
t demand in their own names, and to make the ge
ral wishes known. Respecting their interference,
however (HEAVYNT knows from what cause), not one
word has come to the public ear, and, contrary to
the hopes of every man of these distinguished trading
towns, which the great Powers formally guaranteed
its 1803, and which the Enemy of Europe, in the
midst of a profound peace, and as it were to sl.en, his
contempt of them, sans rimes sans raison, partrcul
Nuremberg and Augsburg, have not been rest•ree'.
When in the year 1803, atter a war with France,
which ended so unfortunately 10i Germany, the most
of the Imperial Towns lost their independence, and,
like other mediatized and secularized States of the
Empire, served to indemnify and enlarge °Otto States,
the whole of the belligerent Sovereigns, convinced of
the urgent necessity, that of the fitty-one Imperial
Towns which existed previous to the cession of the
left bank of the Rhine, the six principal ones, at least,
viz. Hamburgh, Bremen, Lubeck, Fran kft err, Nurem-
berg, and Augsburg, should remain free and isidepen-
dent ; nay, at the express desire of the mediating
Powers, Russia and France, it was even fixed that
these six Imperial Towns should in future take no
part, either actively or passively, in any war, but en-
joy a perpetusl neutrality. • '
This arrangement was evidently suggested by the
insignificance of these towns, in a belligetent point of
view, and the importance of their trade et,d other,
relations for the general prosperity. It was tesnlved
th at a few points should st least remain, to wtoch
the ravages of war viand not extend. Bus it was not
atone as emporiums and focuses of trade, which can
only flourish, it as trite, under the pottection • f tree-
Qom ; it was not merely as the celebrated seats of I
manufactures that these large towns were then de-
clued free and independent. No, they were also!
considered as pl .ors in which the most important
and disinterested • measures at all times originated,
which had alwats been forward in making ti.e gird'.
est sacrifices for the Emperor and Empire, and
which, if their former imp. rtance should again tail,
to their share, would still prove themselves the truest
States of Get many ; as useful seats of the inveations,l
arts and sciences, to which Germany and all the
neighbouring countries owe the increase of their na-
tional industry and national property ; as seats of
civil freedom, public spirit, and the peaceable do-
rwstic virtues which nourish and strengthen manly
sentiments and the honesty and sincerity which con-
tribute to the happiness of nations.
For these and other political reasons the indepen,
dente and neutrality of these greater towns was pro- I
trounces' ; and in consequence of a solemn Treaty of
Peace, guaranteed by Russia and Fiance, they were
warranted in believing that their iisdepehtknee wonli '
be respected, when war again utilotrunately broke
out between Austria and France. They had the
more reason to believe this; as the German empire
took no pan in this was, and as on the Bath Septem.
ber of that year it was declared on the part of France,
by the Minister Becher, to the Imperial Diet at Ra-
tisbon :^44 L'Amperear d Rol ffe toreres lee ammo que
Imps le reds sit ?Empire aura be ritaldi et pour mu.
jowl demi nor took, see lads," and as his Majesty
the Emperor of Germany and Austria, from a love
of justice, was induced to issue similar declarations.
These six Imperial towns were therefore placed completely
beyond the reach of attack in Mis new war and could net
be conquered. Nevertheless they became gradually
the prey of him who never could be satiated, and who
had no idea of law or justice ; fur when in the follow-
ing year, 1806, peace was concluded, and when Bona-
parte not merely effected the Rhenish Confederation,
but constituted himself the Protector, or rather the
Lord of Germany, he laid his hands also on these free
towns, and disposed at pleasure first of Frankfort, ti:en
of Augsburg and Nuremberg, and lastly of the t: tee
Hans-towns of Hamburgh, Bremen, and Lubeck.
What these towns have more or less slittered in
consequence of this injustice; what destruction has
befallen their trade and industry with their internal
institutions; how much they have fallen off from
their former prusperity is too well tnown to reqttire
repetition.
Can there be a greater violation of the inrieren-
dency of States than when one indivl,fu it di., of
that which is placed under the guar...tins- of s. rat
Sovereigns ; can there be a greater iuju,.tce th
the seizure of the neutral in the triad of peaco and without'
any cause; must not, on we wo.t utictiiittovss irate
principles, this injustice be-placed to the account of
those in worse power it now is to restore them,
and who haveo,iie whole
already disc.
thesedis sixs.,ved the Rhenish Confede
estop -
towns, ousel all that
belonged to them, must be restored and declared
tree ARAI independent, it the High Allied Puwers co
not wish to draw on themselves the reproaches of
'heir contemporaries and posterity, of having justi-
fied this foul transaction.—'They tare
r • more rapes tally
bound to do this act of justice as they have already
le-established the three Hanse Towns and Vranktort,
and Acknowledge the injustice practised unrAtids ctaem,