Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

have lost in the course of ten days, with the king in great haste. On 60,000 men, while the French had the 19th, an armistice was proposed only about 1200 killed, and 5 or to the chiefs of the French army, 6,000 wounded, appears so mon. by the Russian commander-in-chief. strous an exaggeration, that even the In consequence of this proposition, policy of it may reasonably be ques. an armistice was agreed on at Tilsit* tioned. Yet, the losses and disasters on the 22d of June, by which it was of the Russians were admitted by settled that hostilities should not themselves to have been immense. be resumed on either side without General Bennigsen did not attempt a month's previous notice of such to conceal the real situation of affairs an intention. That a similar ar. after the battle of Friedland, as he mistice should be concluded between had done after that of Eylau : and the French and the Prussian armies he did not hesitate to give it as his in the course of five days. That opinion, that any farther contest plenipotentiaries should be instantly with the French in the field of battle, appointed by the different parties, would be, at that time, a hopeless for the salutary work of pacification; project. It was computed by the and that there should be an immemost dispassionate and competent diate exchange of prisoners. The judges, that, the French commenced boundary between the French and this short campaign of ten days with Russian armies, during the armis160,000 men, including all kinds of tice, was the Thalwag,' or middle troops stationed between the Oder of the stream of the Niemen from and the Ala; and that the allies had the Kurisch-haff, where it falls into about 100,000 effective men, infau. the sea to Grodno : and a line try and cavalry, besides Cossacks, from thence to the confines of Bashkins, and other irregular troops. Russia, between the Narew and It was acknowledged by the French the Bug. Such was the formidable officers, that from the 5th to the position of the French, while no. 14th June, the grand army had lost, thing remained to the king of in killed and wounded, at least Prussia but the small town and 20,000 men.

territory of Memel. The first inter. On the 19th at two o'clock P. M. view between Buonaparte, or the Buonaparte with his guards entered emperor Napoleon as he was now Tilsit.' The Russians pursued after called, and the emperor Alexander, the battle of Friedland by the grand took place on the 25th of June, on duke of Berg, at the head of the a raft constructed for the purpose, greater part of the light cavalry, and on the Niemen, where two tents some divisions of dragoons and cuihad been prepared for their receprassiers, crossed the Niemen, burned tion by the French. Alexander the bridge of Tilsit, and continued and Buonaparte landed from their their retreat eastward. The em. boats at the same time and einbraced peror of Russia, who had remained each other. It was settled that three weeks with his Prussian ma. half the town of Tilsit should ho jesty at Tilsit, left that place along considered as neutral ground, and

. The second town in Prussia, after Koningsberg; containing 10,000 inhabitants, and enjoying a brisk commerce.

be

a

be occupied by the emperor of of their own, but wholly to those Russia, with the officers of his of their respective allies, there was household, and his body-guards.- nothing to be adjusted between Great were the mutual courtesies these powers on their own account, and expressions of kindness and re- farther than that there should be spect that, ensued among French, henceforth perfect peace and amity Russians and Prussians of all ranks : between their imperial majesties ; visiting, feasting, and all kinds of that all hostilities between them entertainment and festivity that should immediately cease at all could be thought of. Human na. points by sea and land ; and, that ture gladly relaxed from the mise. for this purpose, couriers should be rable rage of war, and indulged, and dispatched to their respective gene. was eager to ackuowledge, and rals and other commanders. The emphatically to express every sen- great sacrifice to peace, was, of timent of social and generous affec- course, the kingdom of Prussia, tion. A magnificent dinner was which was reduced at once from the given by Napoleon's guards to those rank of a primary to that of a of Alexander and the king of secondary, at best, power of Europe, Prussia. At this entertainment they and all that had been done for the exchanged uniforms, and were to augmentation and aggrandizement be seen in the streets in a motley of the monarchy by the great kind of dress, partly Russian, Frederick in the course of twenty partly Prussian, and partly French. years, undone in one day. The It is much in the same spirit that king of Prussia, by the peace of the chiefs of so many islands in the Tilsit, together with an immense South-seas exchange names for a territory, lost near the half of his time, with persons to whom they yearly revenues, and five millions wish to shew friendship, or pay a

of his subjects. For particulars we compliment. A stranger to the must refer our readers to the ways of Europe, witnessing at treaties between France on the one Tilsit, such ardent love among those part, and Russia and Prussia sepa. different tongues and nations, from rately, on the other*. On the the highest to the lowest, might whole, Prussia was brought back have wondered what could possibly nearly to the state in which it was have impelled such good-natured on the 1st of January 1772, before and tender-hearted people to the the first partition of Poland. The most horrid scenes of war and greater part of those provinces bloodshed.

which, on that day, formed a part A treaty of peace was concluded, of the kingdom of Poland, and had between his majesty, Napoleon, since, at different times, been substyling himself emperor of the jected to Prussia, were annexed to French, and king of Italy, and his his majesty the king of Saxony, majesty the emperor of all the Rus. with power of possession and sosias, at Tilsit, July 7th. As the vereignty, under the title of the

, contest between Russia and France duchy of Warsaw, and was to be related not to any direct interests governed according to a new con.

[blocks in formation]

stitution

stitution or system of fundamental laws, that should secure the liberties and privileges of the people of the said duchy, and be consistent with the security of the neighbouring states. This constitution, framed on the model of that of France, was presented, approved by Napoleon, by the grace of God and the constitution, emperor of the French, king of Italy, and protector of the confederation of the Rhine, and signed by him, and countersigned by his secretary of state, Maret, at Dresden, so early as the 22d of July. The city of Dantzig, with a territory of two leagues around it, was restored to her former independence, under the protection of his majesty the king of Prussia, aud his majesty the king of Saxony, to be governed by the laws by which she was governed at the time when she ceased to be her ●wn mistress. For a communication between the kingdom of Saxony and the duchy of Warsaw, his majesty the king of Saxony was to have the free use of a military road through the states of his majesty the king of Prussia: this road, the number of troops to be allowed to pass at once, and the resting places with magazines, to be fixed by a particular agreement between the two sovereigns, under the mediation of France. Neither his majesty the king of Prussia, his majesty the king of Saxony, nor the city of Dantzig, were to oppose any obstacles whatever to the free naviga. tion of the Vistula, under the name of tolls, rights, or duties. In order, as far as possible, to establish a natural boundary between Russia

and the duchy of Warsaw, a certain
territory, heretofore under the do.
minion of Prussia, to be for ever
united to the empire of Russia.-
This territory added two hundred
subjects to those of the Russian em-
pire.-Their royal highnesses, the
dukes of Saxe Cobourg, Oldenburg,
and Mecklenburgh Schwerin, were
each of them to be restored to the
complete and quiet possession of
their estates: but the ports in the
duchies of Oldenburgh to remain in
the possession of French- garrisons
tilla definitive treaty should be signed
between France and England; for
accomplishing which, the mediation
of Russia was to be accepted, on the
condition that this mediation should
be accepted by England in one month
after the ratification of the present
treaty. Until the ratification of a defi-
nitive treaty of peace between France
and England, all the ports of Prussia
without exception, to be shut against
the English. His majesty the empe
ror of all the Russias, acknowledged
the confederation of the Rhine; his
majesty Joseph Napoleon, king of
Naples; his majesty Lewis Napo.
leon, king of Holland; and his im
perial highness prince Jerome Na
poleon, as king of Westphalia: a
kingdom to consist of the provinces
ceded by the king of Prussia on the
left bank of the Elbe, and other
states then in possession of his ma
jesty the emperor Napoleon. These
were the most generally important
articles in the treaties. There were
others relating to private estates and
other property, more interesting
no doubt, to individuals. The time
and manner in which the different
stipulations in the treaties* were

Meaning always the treaty between France and Russia, and that between France and Prussia: both in substance the same.

to be carried into execution, were degrading conditions on which he fixed by a special convention be. was suffered to retain what remained; tween France and Prussia.

a military road across Silesia, for The Prussian fortresses in Silesia, opening and maintaining a communi. that held out the longest against the cation between the king of Saxony's besieging French, were Glatz and German dominions, and his new Silverberg. They capitulated at last duchy of Warsaw, and the shutting about the end of the campaign, be. up of all the Prussian ports against gun the 5th and ended on the 21st England: those very ports through of June. Graudenz and Colberg, which he had just received arms,

and though vigorously besieged, still held other succours. The more atten. out when a negotiation for peace tively one considers the pacification was entered into at Tilsit. The at Tilsit, the more he will perceive siege of this last place was fatal to the Machiavelian policy and deepthousands of the French. If all the laid designs of Buonaparte : and governors of Prussian fortresses, from farther designs in the formation of the 14th of October 1806,to the 14th that treaty than any yet seen or of June 1807, had been animated with suspected, may, probably, be un. the fidelity, and persevering courage folded by time. The fine duchy of of general Blucher, the issue of the war Silesia would not, it may be pre. might have been very different. It sumed, have been restored to Prus. was at this siege that colonel Schill, sia, if, in the hands of the Prussians, whose heroism, loyalty, and patriot. it had not been calculated to serve ism skone forth so conspicuously in as a constant source of hostility be. the north of Germany in 1809, first tween the courts of Berlin and attracted the attention and admirą. Vienna. The military high-way tion of his countrymen. He was in across Silesia, was in like manner cal. the situation of a Prussian captain culated to fomentjealousy and discord retired from service, when the mis. between the courts of Berlin and fortunes and dangers of his country Dresden ; while it was to be at the called his courage and military skill same time wholly under the median into action. He was extremely suc- tion, that is, the controul of France. cessful, during the siege of Colberg, The confederation of the Rhine in harassing the French at the head strengthened by the creation of the of an irregular levy. It was this new kingdom of Westphalia, was officer that took general Victor pria rendered too powerful to be shaken soner, on his way to Dantzig; when hy any aggression on the part of Aus. he also intercepted a treasure of tria on the one hand, or of Russia 100,000 ducats belonging to the on the other. And this same kingdom enemy. The king of Prussia, as a of Westphalia, which it should seem reward for his services, raised him was intended to be pre-eminent to the rank of colonel, and gave him among the other members of the the command of a regiment. Neither confederation, was to receive fato the loss of so much and so fine ther accessions of territory, by the territory, nor of revenue, nor of annexation of any other states that population, was so severe a wound, might be thought proper by bis at least a wound so severely felt majesty the emperor Napoleon. by the Prussian monarchy, as the And the emperor of all the Russias

N%

engaged

!

engaged to recognize the limits- sally acknowledged throughout the whatever they might be - that should great European republic. A good be determined by his majesty the understanding and a constant regard emperor Napoleon in pursuance of for the individual interests and rights the foregoing article. The combi. of every kingdom and independent nation of this article with a passa e state of Europe was the supportand in Buonaparte's address to the senate security of the whole. But after the about a month thereafter, gave rise to treaty of Westphalia, when the grand very serio's reflection and anticipa. Amphyctyonic league of Europe tion. "Ilz” says he, " the house was broken through by the infamous of Brandenburgh, which was the partition of Poland, the affairs of first to conspire against our inde- the continent of Europe fell into pendence, yet reigns, it owes this confusion and 'ruin ;

one half of to my sincere friendship for the mankind being allured or driven to powerful emperor of the North*. arms for the purpose of subduing A French prince shall reign on the and enslaving the other. One preElbe. lie will know how to con- ponderating power, operating on ciliate the interests of his new sub. the unprincipled and blind cupidity jects, with his first and most sacred of others, had no hesitation in admit. duties." - It was too late, after the ting them to a share of the plunder : battle of Jena, for the elector of but while the preponderancy of that Saxony, to refuse any thing that power was maintained, the tempora. Buonaparte thought it politically ry boon'mightat any time be revoked. wise to offer him. But, it is, if not If the rulers of the French had perhaps, to be greatly wondered at, not taken care to retain the lion's yet deeply to be regretted, that so share for themselves, their overbearmany sovereign princes, after the ing power and influence would first partition of Poland, did not have been maintained by making take the alarm. By the peace of even equal divisions with the dupes Westphalia in 1618, there was a whom they made subservient to their kind of confederation among the boundless views of ambition. It is European powers, established on an axiom mathematically true, that a moral basis ; the laws of reason if equal things be added to unequal and justice which are immutable things, their wholes will be unequal. and eternal; not on private and But, the moral and political power partial interests, which are for ever of a great and preponderating goin a state of fluctuation. The sages vernment is not augmented, merely of antient Greece, which was di. according to the augmentation of its vided into a vast oumber of co-ordi- physical force, but in a much higher nate states, considered politics as proportion. Every addition of ter. intimately connected with moral ritory offered to the sovereigns of science. So also till about forty Prussia, Bavaria, Baden, and other years ago there was a public law, a states, ought to have reminded them law of nature and nations, univer- of the precarious tenure, on which,

* This designation too, was much comment don. It was understood by many to insinuate that the emperor of Russia was not to extend his dominions, any farther to the west, or the south.

« ForrigeFortsett »