Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-08-24
4. dollars per anllum. /

cily accrued to the sovereign OF SAVOY; and
Minorca, Newfoundland and Gibraltar,
fell into the hands of the English. This m
test commenced i'll the year 100, and was
concluded by the treaty of Utrecht Ill 17I3.
Ihe next war of Importance was that IN
the year 1888, for the succession of Poland,
in which Russia, Austria and the empire sus-
tanned the pretensions of Au, ustus III. a-
gsinst France, who supported the rights Of
Stanislaus Leczinssi; the former cial.nihS
the crown in virtue of his descent; the lat
| ter, by election. Augustus eventually retainS
ed the dignity and authority Ut sovereign,
whilst Stanislaus, with the empty title OK
! king, recovered his possessions in Poland
and obtained conditional grant of Lorraine
! Ahis war produced several territorial chan
ges in Italy, and was terminated by the
treaty OF Vienna, "A. -. 1885.
| The war ofthe Austrian succession broke
out in 1740. Charles vi. ia his will, called.
the pragmatic sanction, under the guaranty
( OF several European states, left his posses
slonS to Maria Theresa, his eldest daugater-
/ ms, like almost ali others, was Conflict
I OF ambition and it ended, as most wars
do, by sacrifices, compromises and ;cquisIti-
ons among the parties Maria Tnerc a,
however, was secured in the possessions IT
her father, with the exception of Slesla and
/ Parma, the first of which was ceded to the
Ming VI Il russia anu Tue last 10 q OfdnCn
I the royal family of Spain. Hostlltles were
concluded in the year 174s, by the peace Of
, Aix-la-C hapeile.
! The descendants OF Maria Theresa, have
exhibited no splendid abilities Under their
! reigns, the House of Austria has lost its
| grandeur. From the chief of the GermaniC,
empire, the present sovereign, Francis III.
has been compelled by Napoleon, to shrink
| into the character of the emperor of Austria.
He abdicated the imperial crown, A. d.
! 1906; and Notwithstanding, he has since
made an effort to relieve himself from he
pressure of French power, he has entirely
| failed, and has been compelled to receive
| the law from the emperor of France, With
whom he has formcd close alliance and XII
ven his daughter in marriage.
1T the rivers and mountains of the globe
| did not remain to guide our researches, the
| desolation occasioued by human amnitlun
and the changes produced by political ar
| engagements, from time to time would pre-
Guide the possibility of tracing the success
! slve formation of human sucieues and king
doms on the maps, which represen' the sur
| face Of the world. OF the six principal dul
! chies ofodxony, Bavaria, Franconia, ouaOia,
| Upper aud Lower Lorraine, into which Ger
many was originally di' idsd, the line, are
| very ant: They have oeen Succeeded Dy
various states, laical and ecclesiastical, of
| which Austria IS at present the principal,
/ and the only one that maintains a respecta-
| BILE position, in the eI es of Europe, under tne
| predominant influence of France. Prussia.
| ny the policy and Courage Of few able mo-
| narchs, rose to degree OF spleHdOr and
power, that at once astonished and alarmed
| her neighbors. But as if her fate had been.
| merely to exist for the purpose of forming d
| hero in the person of Frederick the Great,
| her lustre has been suddenly eclpsed, and
ner sovereign is PROSTATE at the eet of
| France. The chief of the Prusslan royaL
| family was Frederick of Hohenzollern. of
| whom ROdolph of Hapsbourg was the uncle
| The House of Hohenzoiern was, in the first
| instance, of no higher dignity than that Of
| Burgrave; 1T afterwards rose to cleo oral
| Importance, and i'll l701, 1t attained the king
| ly dignity under Frederick /. The reign-
ing sovereign is Frederick William Ill VINO
| bst a great part his estates by the treaty
! of I'ilsit, i'll the year 1907.
In the present posture Of European az
| fairs, wh0n new wars may soon INTRODUCES
| new allctments OF territory and new names
I OF kingdoms, 1t would be useless, in a work
| OF this nature, to be more particular IN re-
| lauon to the several nominal principaiIteS
of Germany: And this letter will be clo-,
| sed with a briefnotice ofSwitzerland, winch
at this time bears the title of the HevetIc.
Republic; and few observations on tue
fundamental laws OF the Germanic body.
The ielvetic confederation began A. ID,
1903, and gradually increased unul 1t form
ed, in 1914, thirteen cantons. The SwisS-
are aharIy, valiant race, Injured to toll, fear
les OF danger, and intrepid in the Cause of
liberty Although situated in the midst of
mountains, and having scarcely any thing
to tempt invasion, they have always been "a
gitated by the connections OF their powerful
| neighbors, and have never faned to distin-
guish themselves by the most daring cotIr-
| age. Several passes lead from Switzerland
into Italy, that theatre of so many bloody
! wars, which has been one cause of the owlss
being frequently involved in hostilities.-
Their soldiers were formerly in SUCH hlgll
| repute that they were solicited by high pay,
into the service of almost every military
| power on the continent of Europe During
the French revolutionary conflicts they have,
been most cruelty treated by the Austr.,ns
and the French; particularly by the latter.
VINO deluged the country with blood FIN
ding, however, that the Swiss could only DC
effectualiy subdued by determination, Ma
poleOn entered into compact with them,
guaranteed TO them kind Of independence,
has taken great pains to conciliate their
friendship and cause them To forget thcir
mstortunes, and styles himself their MEDIA
tor. The population Of Switzerland is about
100000 souls.
The constitution of Germany, which tho
emperor Napoleon has Uverthrown, was a.
heterogeneous mass of provisions and regu-
cations, growing ont Of an adjustment of tho
rights and interests of a multitude Of pri-