Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-06-03

have just received the order vi the kim
my sovereign TO communicate the following
to your Excellency. ~
The propositions which have heretofdyss
had tlie honor 10 submit 10 your ExcelIency,
were oil nature to merit an answer euuaI,
iy prompt and decisive. The progress .,
fhe Russian armies iiees the heat ofR the
monarchV, and the retreat Of theFrench
armies rendered it impossible for Prussia
10 Continue IN her present state of uncertain
~. On the one hand the Emperor of Rus
STA, connected with the King by the ties Of
personal friendship, offers Prussia at this
critical jmcture. the support of his power
and the advantages Of his friendship on the
other. His Majesty the Emperor Of 1.-The
French persists in repelling aut- ally, who
has sacrificed himself for his.cSuscss and e.
ven disdains all explanation as to The mo-
tves of his silence.
France had long time since violated in
all their points the treaties which united her
to Prussia. This alone was enough to dis
Charge Prusaiajronl her engagements Not
Content witli hlting dictated to her at I'll
SIT peace as craek as IL ypas huh1iiatiup.
not even has she suffered her to enjoy the
feeble advantages, which that treaty seem
ed to promise her. 4@
She has made use of odjous pretexts to
shake to their foundation the fortune of the
state and otindividuals. Ever since that e.
pooh Prussia has been treated as a CONQUER
ed country, and has been made to bow un-
der yoke of iron. The French armies re
manned there contrary to the terms of the
treaty, and lived at discretion during eigh-
teen months eXorbitant and arbitl'ary con-
triontipns we're imposed or her her coin
merce was ruined by her being forced to a.
dept the continental system French garri-
sons were placed IN three foftresses Of the
Oder, and the country was obiiged,t 70 pro-
vide for the sxpences If appointments /;
in fine, by the greatly of Bayonne, the proper
~ OF widows and orphans was disposed of,
still in manifest contradiction to the stipu-
lations of the treaty of peace.
Every thing declared that no sort of terms
wouldbe kept with an unhappy and oppress-
ed state. In this state OF things, the: be1e-
TT OF the peace became illusory. The King
Sroaned with the enormous weight which
burdened his subjects. He .fattered him
self that he could conquer by condescensio ion
and sacrifices, an luminosity, the effects OF
which he knew, while he was ignorant of
its cause. He abandoned himself 10 tho hope
OF sparing his people still greater misfor-
tunes, by fulfilling scrupulously his engage
ments with France, and carefully avoiding
whatever might give her offence. BY ex-
traordinary and nnheard of efforts, Prussia
was able 70 discharge two thirds OF thecon-
tribution; she was preparingato pay the re
mainder, when the difficulties arose between
Russia and France, and the immense pre-
paratIons of the two powers left no room to
doubt that war was abOnt to burst forth in
the North. The King, faithful TO his princi-
pie of saving at every hazard the national
existence, judg lng OF the future 10y tke past,
pGrceiS ed that he had every thing to fear
from France. He made a sacrifice of his
affections and concluded a treaty Of alliance
with uer. At the epoch of the conclusion of
che treaty, before the news Of it could reach
Berlin, French troops advanced into Pomc-
rama aud the March Electoral The King
saw with pain that no account was made of
bis frank and loyal intentions-Forcc was
employed to obtain what it appeared impos-
sible to obtain by negotiation. The agents
of Prussia. terrified by the menacing attitude
Of France, had signed at Paris separate con-
venticns containing conditions extremely
onerous relative TO the provisioning and the
wants OF the Grand Army. The French
Government aware of the smallness of our
resources, forcsaw a refusal, and prepared
iiseH to wrest by forcibIe means the consent
of the King. 1t was deceiyeds His Males
~ ratified those conventions, although he
saw the difficulty of fulfilling them he re
iied on Me devotedness Of the Prussians, and
hoped that by setting bounds to our sacTi-
fees, he might preserve his people from ar
bitrary acquisitions & their fatal consequent
ces. Experience mas not justified this hope
While Prussia exhausted all her means to
pour into the magazines the stipulated
supplies, the French army subssted at the
charge of individuals. France demanded al
once the accomplishment OF the treaty, and
the daily maintenance of the troops. The
property Of tile inhabitants was seized by
main force and without any account, and
Prussia lost by these acts Of violeAce more
than se@cnty thousand horses and twenty
thousand carriages.
Mean white notwithstanding all these en-
barrassments, the King, faithful to his system
fulfilled with religious fidelity all the engage
ments he had entered INTO. The Supplies camC
in succcssiullyi the stipulated contingent was
~ in great progress IN short no;hing was omitted
20 demonstrate the l1yaity OF our conduct. Bu
Pranoe answered dis deyotednCss only by new
pretcnsions, and believed that she might dis
pense with performing on her side those sUpu
fations Of the treaty, which ioll TO her charge
Size constantly refused TO verify her accouma
bility for uIe supplies, although she had ex
prtssly undertaken that thc account should u
settled quarterly.
TIE military convention secured TO tie I'm
pcyor, until a new arrangement with Prussia
The possession Of The tortresses OF Giogau, otet
tn and Custrin but the provisioning Of tn
Grst of ,ht Sc was 30 be & the eSpcnce OF Franc
front day ofthc signature Of that convention
ard a. In The others, from the dag when til