Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/204

 I90 ANNUAL REGISTER, ifs^.

materia colhiflarum, the majority be iutiicient, has been referred ad co- initia i»:p£rii^ by the i>i/irumentum, P. W. Art. V. ^52. and is yci un- decided. It ib not by the plu- rality of voices that it can be there deterinined, but only by means of an amicable accommo- dation ; fince otherwlfe that re- ference would have been a very ufelefs courfe ; and it is well known, at the negociaclons for the peace of Wellphrtlia, what was the tendency of the opinion of the ca- tholic Hate?, which formed the majority ; thofc very dates, and all other members of the empire, ought however to confider well, whether it be their e/Tential inte- reft to acknowledge, in the pre- sent cafe, that every flate in the empire is obliged to fubmit to the majority of votes, in matters of confent, as in the prefent cafe ; which the principal cathoJ.c elec- tors have in other cafes denied ; and which will certainly be re- torted upon them in proper time.

But whatever principles fliall be affumed, with regard to this quef- tion, nothing is more evident, than that, confidering circumftances and the fituation of the affair then and now in quellion, his msjelly could never be required to give his troops to comply with thofe re- folutions of the empire. All Ger- many know?, though the decree of the Aulic imperial council fays not a word about it, that at the very time when thofe relolutions were taken, his majrliv'seletflcral domi- nions were mcft unjulUy threat- ened with an invalion by France. In the month of March that year, the court of \'ieniia Cgr.ed a convention with France, by vir-

tue of which the enemy was to p.ifs the Wefer in the month of July, and enter the king's terri- tories. This invafjon was made accordingly. The emprefs queen joined her own troops to thofe of France ; and in return ftipu- lated by folemn treaties, figned beforeh:ind, to hav»i half of the contributions that fhould be exad- ed. The damage which the king's fubjefls fuffered by the firlt inva- fion, exclufive ci the fums which the provinces were to furnilli (and which have been paid out of the royal demefnes) amounted to fe- veral miliiens. And ftill the ua- juft rage of his majefty's enemies was not exhauried. The French army, which entered on the other fide under the command of the Prince de Soubife, in company with the troops of Wirtemberg, which the reigning duke, a thing of which tnere is no example, led himfelf, under a French ge- nera', againil a co-e.late, hath a- gain invaded, for the fecond time, his majelly's dominions and thofe cf his allies ; exa>^ed infupport- able contributions ; carried off the king's officers, entirely foraged the country, and plundered feveral places, and committed the greatelt diforders, whillt the court of Vien- na bcails cf having ordered this in- vafion (the fole end of which was to ravage the king's dominions and thofe of Heffe) as an effetft of its magnanimity, and as a merit with the Germanic body.

If in fuch circumftances his ma- l^^y (hould be required to fufpend the preparations he has begun, and join the trocpf! that he wants for his own defence to thofe, which, from the arbitrary views of the court oi Vienna, are led again fl

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