Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/214

 ftoo Annual register, 1758.

author to have no right to be a

negotiator of peace. Never had the Catholic religion lefs to fear than at a time when its arms are tinited, and diflenfion reigns among the Protefiants. It is not the fame with regard to what the latter have to fear from their enemies. The defigns of the court of Vienna to render the Catholic religion predo- minant in Germany, have been plainly exhibited by the reflexions and the advices of a very able mi- nifter, who certainly would not have impofed upon his court, and who had his information from the fountain-head. The jaftice of his difcoveries has been proved by the event, for we fee not one Catholic ftate of the empire, but what have bowed the neck to this new fyftem, out of a zeal for religion, notwith- •ftanding the real difadvantages that muft naturally follow. It is only anfwered to thefe arguments, that the treaty of Verfailies has been founded upon the treaty of Weft- phalia. But are not the courts ■which have contraded thefe new engagements free to change therii at pleafure, and according to cir- cumftances ? Bcfidcs, if the Pro- teftant ftati-s as they pretend, are Dound to adopt the treaty of the peace of Weltphalia, in what fenfe the Catholics pleafe to give it, it is but too clear, that the Proteitants are already divelled of the moll; im- portant privileges, granted to them by that treaty.

All the king's meafures will ever tend to the general fafety of Eu- ropei to the liberty and indepen- dence of the empire, and the main- tenance of the Proteftant religion. Neither the misfortune whicn his eftates of Germany have fuffered, nor the bafe treatment which he hath received from ihe court of

Vienna, nor the conduft of feveral of his co-eftates, which favour the unjufl: defigns of that court, will ever be able to divert him from an end fo worthy of himfelf. pie hopes that the Divine Providence will continue to blefs the arms which he has taken up in his own defence, and that it will make this the means of procuring peace to the empire, and alfo of blailing the wicked defigns of thofe who have brought into it the flame of war, and have opened a fcene of calamities, of which we have not feen an inltance fince the peace of V/eftphalia.

Extraii from the manifejio of the court of France, lately publiped by authority at Paris.

THIS fophiftical andfcurrilous piece confifts of three parts; the firli contains what they call pre. liminary eclairciffements: the fe. conu is called. Parallel of the king's conduft with that of the King of England, Eleftor of Ha- nover : and the third contains the vouchers of the fadls mentioned in the two former.

The firft labours to prove the jufticc of the king's fending his armies into Germany, and attack- ing the Eleftor of Hanover and Landgrave of HelTe CafTel ; and the reafoning in it would have fome foundation, if they had proved, that the king of Pruilia yas the firft aggreflibr, and con- fequeiitly the firlt infradlor of the peace of the empire. But this they take for granted, fo that the whole is founded upon a -petitia principii, or what we call a begging the queftion, therefore deferves no notice.

As to the fecond part, after fome fcurrilous ftii<^ures upon the con.