the validity of their own contracts, since they refuse to observe treaties which they had concluded."

These words of the first consul require no comment. They explain completely his present opinions, his past conduct, and his resolution for the future. It is sufficient to compare them with the tergiversations, the duplicity, the evasions, and the message of the English government, in order to be enabled to decide on the justice of the dispute.

No. 8.

Copy of a Note presented by the Russian Chargé d'Affaires, Mr. d'Oubril, relative to the Occurrences at Ettenheim, where the Duc D'Enghien was seized, dated Paris, April 20, 1804.

According to the orders which the chargé d'affaires of his Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of all the Russias, has received from his court; he hastens to inform the minister of the French Republic, that his illustrious master has learned, with equal astonishment and concern, the event that has taken place at Ettenheim, the circumstances that have attended it, and its melancholy result. The concern of the Emperor on this occasion is the more lively, as he can by no means reconcile the violation of the territory of the Elector of Baden, to those prin ciples of justice and propriety, which are held sacred among nations, and are the bulwark of their reciprocal relations. His Imperial Majesty finds in this act, a violation of the rights of nations; the consequences of which, if considered as admissible, must entirely annihilate the security and independence of states. If the German Empire, after the misfortunes it has suffered, must still be in fear for the integrity of its territory;

could it have been expected that this should have originated on the part of a government, which has laboured to secure to it peace, and imposed on itself the duty of guaranteeing its continuance? All these considerations have not permitted the Emperor to pass over in silence this unexpected event, which has spread consternation through all Germany. His Imperial Majesty has held it to be his duty, as guarantee and mediator of the peace, to notify to the states of the Empire, the manner in which he views an action which endangers their security and independence. The Russian resident at Ratisbon has, in. consequence, received orders to deliver in a note to the Diet, and to represent to it, and to the head of the empire, the necessity of remonstrating to the French government, against this violation of the German territory, &c.

The Second Note presented to the French Government, by Mr. d'Oubril, previous to his quitting Paris.

The undersigned has been ordered to declare, that he cannot prolong his stay at Paris, unless the following demands be previously complied with. First, that conformably to the 4th and 5th articles of the secret convention of the 11th of October, 1801, the French government shall cause its troops to evacuate the kingdom of Naples; and when that is done, that it shall engage to respect the neutrality of that kingdom, during the present and any future war. Secondly, that in conformity to the 2d article of the said convention, the French government shall promise to establish immediately, some principle in concert with his Imperial Majesty, for regulating the basis upon which the affairs of Italy shall be finally adjusted. Thirdly, that it shall engage, in conformity to the 6th article of the convention aforesaid, and the promises so renent de ghen to Ru

to indemnify without delay the king of Sardinia, for the losses he has sustained. Fourthly, and lastly, that in virtue of the obligations of mutual guarantee and mediation, the French government shall promise immediately to evacuate and withdraw its troops from the north of Germany, and enter into an engagement to respect, in the strictest manner, the neutrality of the Germanic body. The undersigned has to add, that he has received orders from his government, to demand a categorical answer to these four points.

The following Note, delivered by the Minister of Russia, Mr. Kleppell, to the Diet of Ratisbon, the 6th of May 1804, I think, deserves also to be noticed here.

The event which has taken place in the States of his Highness the Elector of Baden, the conclusion of which has been so melancholy, has occasioned the most poignant grief to the Emperor of all the Russias. He cannot but view, with the greatest concern, the violation which has been committed on the tranquillity and integrity of the German territory. His Imperial Majesty is the more affected by this event, as he never could have expected that a power, which had undertaken in common with himself the office of a mediator; and was consequently bound to exert its care for the welfare and tranquillity of Germany, could have departed in such a manner from the sacred principles of the laws of nations, and the duties it had so lately taken upon itself. It would be unnecessary to call the attention of the Diet to the serious consequences to which the German Empire must be exposed, if acts of violence, of which the first example has just been seen, should be passed over in silence: it will, with its accustomed foresight, easily

perceive how much the future tranquillity and security of the whole Empire, and each of its members, must be endangered, if such violent proceedings should be deemed allowable, and suffered to take place without observation or opposition.

No. 9.

Note from Count Wintzingerode, Minister of State and Conferences to his Serene Highness the Elector of Wirtemberg, to his Excellency Mr. Didelot, the French Minister, dated 30th September, 1805.

The undersigned is under the necessity of giving to Mr. Didelot, official communication of an event the most unexpected, and of an outrage the most unheard of against the capital of his Highness the Elector, by Marshal Ney.

Having appeared before the gates of Stutgard, not only with he intention of passing through it, but of taking up his quarters there, General Hirzel, the commandant, went himself to the gates, and endeavoured by the strongest representations, shewing at the same time the positive orders to that effect of his Highness the Elector, to prevail on him to follow the conducting officers posted on all the roads, made to preserve the communications round the town, and to facilitate the march of the French troops to all quarters to which they were destined. But Marshal Ney, rejecting all proposals of the kind, and refusing to accept of any compromise, ordered his guns to be pointed against the gate leading to Louisburg, compelled it be opened by those means, entered the capital of his Highness the Elector in an hostile manner, with a force so considerable that the town was not capable of containing it. He ordered the magistracy to assemble, for the purpose of communicating to them, that two regiments of hussars, and five battalions of infantry would

arrive there the same night, for which he made an immediate and peremptory demand of 100,000 rations of bread.

The undersigned is at a loss for expressions to convey the deep regret of his Highness the Elector, as well as the just indignation which he must necessarily feel, at the grievous and unheard of insult which has been offered to him in his capital, at a moment that the Emperor Napoleon makes professions of friendship to him, and assures him of respecting the neutrality of his Highness's dominions.

The Elector places too much reliance on the justice and candour of the Emperor of the French, to entertain for a moment, the least doubt that he will not give to his Highness the Elector, satisfaction complete and adequate to the enormity of the insult which has been offered to him.

His Highness the Elector has ordered the undersigned to require of his Excellency, Mr. Didelot, by this official note, to make a direct report of these transactions.

At a moment that his Highness the Elector sees his capital in the possession of a foreign army, his chief and greatest anxiety is for the persons of the envoys of the different powers of Europe accredited to his court, and who have only consented to remain there, under the assurance that his Highness would cause them to be respected equally with himself.

His Highness the Elector firmly expects that his Excellency will prevail on the commandant at Stutgard, to cause the sacred character of public Ministers, in which the envoys accredited to his court are clothed, to be secured against all insult, and that they may continue to enjoy all the rights assured to them. by the laws of nations. The undersigned, &c. &c.

P. S. At this instant the undersigned has received official information from Baron de Taubenheim, first equerry to his Highness the Elector, that some hussars, acting as body guards to General Dupont, have forced open the doors of the palace and of the principal stables of the Elector, and carried off a great many valuable effects, and all the horses belonging to his