Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/205

 STATE

his Pruflian majelly by a prince who doth not belong to the ge- nerality of the empire, and on whom the command hath been conferred without a previous con- clufum of the Germanic body ; the right of the ftates of the em- pire to defend themfelves when iuch defence fquares not with the views of the imperial court, ought, at the fame time, to be fettled. It is hoped that things are not yet come to this pafs in Germany. Self-defence is the moft urgent du- ty. The refoluticns of the empire cannot deprive the meaneft man, much lefs a free ftate, and an elec- tor of the empire, of his right: nor require him to join the troops he wants for that end, to thofe which, jointly with the troops of France, have invaded his country, and lliared in the contributions there extorted.

In the fecond place, his iha- jefty doth not deny that he hath entered into an alliance with the king of Prullia, which is entirely conformable to the rules of right ; but as he is accoantable to God alone for what he dcih as king, on the other hand, in the report made of what he has done as cledlor, the times which preceded have been confounded with thofe that followed the French invafion. From the beginning of the laft year his majeliy took every method to (hew, tb'.t the only thing he aimed at, without taking part, other- wife, in the war, was to oppofe the French foreign troop?, know- ing they wtre fent only to in- vade his eledtcrate, as indeed they have employed themfelves almoft wholly in ruining eltates compre- hended under the guaranty of the empire, as well thofe of the Duke of Saxony of the Ernelline line.

PAPERS. igt

of the Duke of BrunfvvickWolfen- battel, the Landgrave of Hefic CajTel, and the count of Lippe Schaumbourg, as thofe of his raa- jefty. This juft intention, founded on the laws, from which his ma- jefly hath been fo far from dero- gating in the fmaUeit matter, that no inilance thereof hath been, or can be brought, did not, never- thelef;, hinder the French troop?, who were furnifhed with the em- peror's letters requifuorial, froni entering Germany in the avowed quality of auxiliary troops to the emprefs queen, in company with thofe of the houfe of Auilria and the elector Palatine. The empire hath already been informed, on the third of December lall year, ef the lirft propofah made, both to the imperial courr, and the court of France, for an amicable deter- mination of differences ; propofais, which could not have been re- jefted, had not an hoUile attack been refolved on. Thefe offers, which from the manner in v/hich. they were received, his majefty hath reafon to regret that he ever made, leave no Ihadow of plaufj- bility to the reproaches that may be made on account of the engage- ment that enfued, in whatever light the king of Pruffia's caufs may be confidered. His majefty is, indeed, fully perfuaded, that he might, at any time, have en- tered into an alliance with tnat prince for their common defence; but no one can doubt, that ia this urgent necefilty, when he was left alone, he had a right to feek alTiftance where it could be got. No fault can poffibly be found with that which the King of Pruflia gave him to deliver th^ eleftoral ftates of Brunfwick, and thofe of Wolfenbuticl, Heffe, and Bucks-