Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/551

 Europe and Napoleon 513 To date from January 1 next, the barriers existing between the provinces shall be suppressed. The custom houses shall be removed to the frontiers and there established. In May, 1809, Napoleon proclaimed that the papal pos- sessions and the city of Rome were " reunited " to the French empire. He attempts in the following decree to justify his conduct upon historical grounds. Napoleon, emperor of the French, king of Italy, protector 444. Open- of the Confederation of the Rhine, etc., in consideration of in S of the decree the fact that when Charlemagne, emperor of the French and « reuniting " our august predecessor, granted several counties to the bish- the papal ops of Rome he ceded these only as fiefs and for the good of states to the his realm, and Rome did not, by reason of this cession, cease empire to form a part of his empire ; further, that since this associa- ( Ma Y 17. tion of spiritual and temporal authority has been, and still * ****' is, a source of dissensions, and has but too often led the pontiffs to employ the influence of the former to maintain the pretensions of the latter, and thus the spiritual concerns and heavenly interests, which are unchanging, have been confused with terrestrial affairs, which by their nature alter according to circumstances and the policy of the time ; and since all our proposals for reconciling the security of our armies, the tranquillity and the welfare of our people, and the dignity and integrity of our empire, with the temporal pretensions of the popes have failed, we have decreed and do decree what follows : Article i. The papal states are reunited to the French empire. 2. The city of Rome, so famous by reason of the great memories which cluster about it and as the first seat of Christianity, is proclaimed a free imperial city. . . . In August, 18 10, when Napoleon was arranging to annex Holland and the Hanseatic towns to France, he ad- dressed the Dutch representatives, who had been induced to lay their troubles before him, in the following words: