Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/220

 2o6 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1758.

to be queftioned, nor confequently the credk of what they contain.

To thefe proofs it cannot but be pertinent to add fome obfervations on the endeavours put in practice for inftigating the Proteftants of Germany againil France, under the falfe pretence that it has defigns pernicious to their religion.

To carry this point, the mod odious devices are daily employed. Liceniioufnefs has, very lately, been carried fo far as to infert in the public news-papers fictitious fafts, and no lefs ridiculous than injurious, in order to impofe on the good faith of the Proteftant ftate?, and arm them againfl: the French troops ; but the motives of thofe who hfive invented fuch fa- bles, and the means they make ufe of for gaining them credit, have evidenced to the whole empire, that the intent of making a religious war of that which has been ftirrcd up merely by ambition, is only to affcciate the Protellants in Ger- many in the bad caufe taken in hand, and by their faccours and at their expence, procure a facility of carrying it through.

The Hates of Saxony are particu- larly a proof and inflance of this truth ; the Pruflians have by the moft flagitious injuftice forcibly made themfelves mailers of Saxony, which has been the nurfery of the Proteftant religion, and where it fubfilts in the greatefl: vigour; yet have they there, againfl: the fovc- reigo of the country, againfl: his family and his fubjtits, committed fuch violences as are fliocking to human nature.

The territories of theDjke of Mecklenburgh have had the fame fate. The Pruflians entered it fword in hand without any reafon, and in contempt of the public peace. The

duke they have obliged to feeic re- fuge at Lubeck ; the fortrcfTes they have taken pofli-fiicn of; and by defpotic orders, without any pay- ment, have made themfelvesbe fup- plied with the corn and forage; the « young men have been forced away from their parents, to inlill them and make them ferve againfl their own fovereign ; in a word, without the flighteft complaint againfl: the ' Diikeof Mecklenburgh, his duchy is treated by the Pruflians like a conquered country. Infine, to per- fuade the Protcflants of Germany that their religion is threatened, martyrs of it have been made; and the ajjthors of all thefe violences would have them be efteemed as preparatory ads of the zeal with which they are animated for the defence of that religion.

One muft be void of common fenfe to be caught by fuch coarfe- fpun artifices ! The three religions of the empire, and particularly the Proteflant, carnot have any more fure guarantees of their rights than thofe of the peace of Weftphalia ; as in thefe are united both the in- tercfl and will to provide for the confervation o^ them.

This piece the ki"ng has taken for the bafls of his treaty with the emprefs queen. He has, jointly with Sweden, declared, that he would maintain the Germanic li- berty, and particularly the rights of the three religions rendered facred by the treaties of Weftphalia ; and his mrjefty here renews the au- thentic declaration, that he never entertained a deflgn of doing the leaft hurt to cither of thofe three religions ; and that he will, with the greatefl pundtuality, fulfil the engagements which, on that head, he has entered into with the crown of Sweden; what greater fccurity

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