Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/217

 STATE PAPERS.

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>«g the defign of injuring the rights of the princes of tiie em- pire, and of exalting the Roman Caholic religion on the ruin of the Proceftant, are mere chimeras, forged by the vexation of not having been able to arm the courts of France and Vienna a- gainlt each other as formerly, and by a ilrong impatience to remedy that difappointment, by ftirring up the Proteftant princes againfl thole courts, under the maUc of reli- gion.

The difference of the conduft of the king from that of the kings of England and Pruffia, need but be confiiered, to know the difference of their intentions, and to be convinced of the truth of what is here alledged. His majefty, as it is before noticed, and as all the world has perceived, has omitted nothing that the American difturbances might not reach the continent of Europe; and whilii their Britannic and Pruflian majefties left no Itone un- turned for drawing the war into the empire, and fubverting its laws, his majefty was intent on keeping off the conflagration, and prelerv- ing thofe laws from utter deftruc- tion.

It is with this motive, that by means of the convention of neu- trality which the king has con- cluded with the emprefs queen for the Low Countries, and of the declaration given him by the States General of the United Pro- vinces, he h?s fecured peace in that part of Europe, which had hitherto been mcft expofed to the flame of war ; which had gene- rally, if not always, communicated it to Germany, and which by their Britannic and PrufTian majeilies

had been left to the difcretion of France.

It is likewife with the fame motive, that the king and the emprefs have made known to all Europe, that the principal object of their union was the mainte- nance of the laws and conftitution of Germany ; that in confequence thereof the two courts have taken fur the bafis of the treaty of Ver- failles the peace of Weftphalia, which is the fureft barrier of the Germanic liberty : and that his majefly, together with Sweden, joint g'j.'irantee of this peace, has declared to all the empire, that he v/ould ufe his utmoft efForts for maintaining the rights of the ftates, and particularly of the three religions eitablifhed in Ger- many.

Had the kings of England and PrulBa been pofTeffed with the fame zeal for the peace of Europe as his majefty, the treaty of Ver- failles, the neutrality of the Low Countries, and that of Holland, could not have raifed in them that paffionate refentment which they have fhewn at it, and the empire would ftill enjoy the moil profound calm, fecured from the Itorms which have broke out in America; but the projects of thofe princes were not compatible either with the quiet of Europe, or that of the empire ; they could not do without a continental war.

The ill fuccefs of the unjuft and violent enterprlzes of the King of England againft France, both in America and Europe, hav- ing changed the brilliant expec- tations with which that prince's minifters had flattered the Britifii nation into real loiTes for the pre-

fent.