approved of, and inviolably observed; and the deputies of the Empire fhall, at all times, as is fit in fimilar cafes, be supported and indemnified in regard of whatever they have done on this head. Signed Ratisbon, the 8th of January 1798, The circular Letter of the Court of the Elector Palatine, to all the Ecclefiaftical States and Principalities of the Empire, dated Munich, January 27, 1798. THE views of France relative to the union of the Germanic territory on the left bank of the Rhine, with its republic, and the obtaining poffeffion of it by force, hitherto principally known only by rumours, have, fince the exchange of the full powers between the deputation of the Empire and French plenipotentiaries at Raftadt, been unfolded with more certainty, and give reafon to fear that a very important blow to the Germanic conftitution, and the poffeffions of the ftates of the Empire on the left bank of the Rhine, is approaching, an explicit declaration of the claims of the French republic having been made by the French plenipotentiaries at the congrefs now affembled for negotiating the peace of the Empire at Raftadt. The innumerable important confequences of such a demand to all Germany cannot escape your penetration. You are well aware of the value of those territories, and that the feparation of them muft prepare the way for the entire deftruction of the Germanic conftitution, and occafion the greatest confufion among the ftates of the Empire, fince indemnification for the loss that must be sustained, can only be effected by the fecularization or alienation of confiderable ftates on the right bank of the Rhine, which muft produce the greatest confufion in the Germanic conftitution. To prevent an evil of fuch magnitude, which results from the prefent feeble state of the Empire, compared to France, it appears to us that only one method remains, which is, for the Germanic states to form a close union among themselves, and request the fupport of his Imperial Ma jelty, as head and protector of the Empire, together with that of other powerful princes of the Empire, in this time of preffing neceffity. We have ourselves therefore had recourse to the means now recommended, and made application to his Imperial Majesty, to the Emperor of Ruffia, and to their Pruffian and Britannic Majefties; and we do hereby make the fame communication to the Electors and Princes of the Empire, and invite them to take fimilar fteps, from which we may expect a favourable refult, Subfiance Subfiance of the Answer of the Deputation of the Empire to the first Note of the French Plenipotentiaries, demanding the Boundary of the Rhine, &c. 1. THAT they had expected from the juftice and magnanimity of the French government, that they would have propofed, as the bafis of the treaty, the ftipulations in favour of the Empire which were made in the preliminaries figned at Leoben. 2. That by these preliminaries an armiftice had been stipulated till the period of a definitive peace; and they had reafon to expect that all hoftilities were to ceafe, and that all contributions and requifitions were to be difcontinued. 3. That in the territories of the Empire occupied by the French troops, property ftill continued to be feized and fequeftrated under pretence of emigration, although the laws of nations forbid the application of French laws to the cafes of the individuals concerned, and that they have reafon to expect from the justice of the French government that thefe oppreffions would be prohibited. 4. That they should likewife with that the French government would difavow the project of republicanizing and changing the forms of government in certain ftates of the Empire occupied or not occupied by the French troops. 5. That the indemnification proposed for the powers who have poffeffions on the left bank of the Rhine, and the fecularization of the electorates or bishoprics, is impracticable. Anfwer of the French Plenipotentiaries. THE underfigned have received the answer of the deputation of the Empire to the propofition of the Rhine being the boundary of the French republic. In tranfmitting it to their government, they cannot avoid obferving, that it was founded on a bafis effentially wrong. All Europe knows that the Empire declared war against the republic at a time when it had the fincereft defire and the strongest interest in preferving peace. They cannot here avail themselves of the declaration, that the republic would never wage war for the purpose of aggrandizing itfelf by conqueft, a declaration which does not in any manner exclude lawful indemnity, particularly in the cafe of an unjust aggreffion, and which does by no means take away the right of providing for its fecurity in giving to it a fixed boundary. On the other fide it is evident, that the conftitution of the Empire cannot be in the leaft degree altered by the diminution of its territory. In short, the preliminaries of a treaty in which the German Empire is not even a party, cannot, with any fhadow of reafon ing, ing, be brought forward, particularly when thefe conditions have been replaced by thofe of a definitive peace fince concluded. Nevertheless, it is upon that bafis that the anfwer of the deputation of the Empire has refted: the motives therefore upon which the demands of the French republic have been founded, exist in their full force. The indemnity exacted by the republic is lawful; its fecurity requires the Rhine for its boundary: the tranquillity of the Empire ftill more loudly calls for thefe limits. The deputation of the Empire has been compelled to acknowJedge, in the most formal manner, that the republic will not gain any confiderable increafe of power or of territory by the acquifition of the Trans-Rhenane provinces, whether they are conffdered in the light of magnitude or extent, or in that of language, manners, or modes of thinking. From this obfervation it unqueflionably refults, that it cannot be from a defire of aggrandizement that the French republic wifhes the Rhine to be its boundary, and that its demands reft upon a motive much more imperious, a motive common to the two powers, that of providing, by an unalterable boundary, for their future tranquillity. This, then, is the matter now to be confidered, and not that feries of queftions which the deputation of the Empire should appear to wifh to fubftitute for the real and true object of difcuf fon. The underfigned will only make one more obfervation, which is, that a fpeedy acquiefcence in the demands of the French republic, the fubfequent examination of collateral queftions, and the conclufion of a folid peace, will deftroy all pretext for reciprocal complaints; it is the only mean of proving that they wish, not only in appearance, but in reality, to put an end to the calamities of war. The minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic, Rafiadt, Jan. 27. (Signed) TREILHARD. Subflance of the Answer of the Deputation of the Empire to the above, THE deputation learn with much pleasure that their first declaration relative to the demand of the boundary of the Rhine has been fent to the French government, as the latter will undoubtedly feel all its importance. The French minifters could not at the first glance difcover that importance, because the deputation at first only ftate their principle fuccinctly, referving their explanation and developement for future difcuffion. They ftated, for inftance, without adducing the proofs, that the Germanic Empire did not begin hoftilities-that, on the contrary, it was first attacked. They fhall here give a proof of this affertion, that, as early as 1792, the territory of the Empire was treated in a hoftile manner, without any previous declaration of war, by the army of Cuftine, who feized upon several circles. The declaration of war on the part of the Empire afterwards took place only as a just measure of defence, in confequence of the decifion of the Diet on the 22d of March 1793. The deputation then conceive that they have no reason to apprehend that the boundary of the Rhine will be infifted upon, which would difmember almost entirely from the Empire feveral circles, befides that of Bourgogne-would ftrip of their poffeffions half the Electoral college, as well as a great number of princes and states of the Empire-and would completely annihilate the Germanic conftitution. It is certain alfo, that France, already fufficiently powerful of herfelf, would gain lefs by the acquifition of the provinces fituated on the left bank of the Rhine, than by the glory which would accrue from her political moderation, and from fixing a line of military demarkation, They likewife can with difficulty believe that the Rhine, which in feveral places has finuofities, or changes its bed, and which is full of islands, can be an infurmountable boundary. They can fill lefs believe that Germany even defires this boundary. The deputation likewife feel themfelves here called upon to repeat, that the preliminaries of peace at Leoben ought to avail the Empire, as the Emperor concluded thefe preliminaries in fo far as they regard the integrity of the Empire, in virtue of the decifion of the Diet, who directed him to make the firft overtures of peace, and as they were folemnly accepted by the latter; and instead of changing thefe preliminaries in any refpect, the treaty of Campo Formio confirmed them in the moft formal manner. In a word, the deputation are defirous to concur in accelerating peace, in putting an end to the complaints occafioned by the requifitions, contributions, and other burdens which continue to be impofed on the territories of the Empire. But as it is of great importance that thefe practices fhould fpeedily ceafe, and that the preliminaries fhould in this matter be the rule, the deputation fuggeft that the French minifters fhould, as foon as poffible, make a report to their government upon this fubject, as well as the oblerva, tions relative to the boundary of the Rhine. February 3. Subftance of the Note of the French Deputies, in Afwer to the Reply of the Deputation of the Empire. THAT the reply of the deputation, far from affording the plenipotentiaries motives for modifying their first proposition, is, on the contrary, calculated to make them fenfible of the propriety and the neceffity of it. The open protection given to the united emigrants who threatened the frontiers, notwithstanding the frongest remonftrances, was a first act of hoftility against France, which certainly wished for peace, and had an indifputable interest in maintaining it. The conftant refusal to disperse the affemblage of thofe implacable enemies, compelled France to have recourse to meafures of felf-prefervation; but the Empire, far from seeking to fufpend them by granting an equitable fatisfaction, concluded with declaring the existence of hoftilities. It has never been affumed, nor wished to be affumed, that the integrity of the Empire thould form the basis of peace between the Germanic body and the French republic. To think otherwife, would be an excefs of credulity. Thus, the 20th article of the treaty of Campo Formio, the only paffage where mention is made of a pacification between both thefe powers, merely ftates, that a congrefs fhall be held at Raftadt. With refpect to the other objects mentioned in the note prefented by the deputation, the minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic do not think themfelves juftified to enter into the difcuffion of those collateral confiderations, confidering that it could only tend to poftpone the termination of the war. They conclude with declaring to the deputation of the Empire, "that it fhall be refponfible for the confequence that may refult from its refusing to adhere to a bafis, juft, fuitable, beneficial to both ftates, and the adoption of which goes to prepare an indemnity for thofe princes on the right bank of the Rhine who have fuffered in their poffeffions on the left." 15th Pluviofe, 4th February. Subftance of the Note of the Deputation of the Empire, in Anfwer to the Note delivered by the French Plenipotentiaries on the 4th of February. THAT, in order to fhorten the negotiation, the deputation declare that they wish to know, without delay, the whole extent of the facrifices required of the Empire after the termination of this unfortunate war; that, in acquainting them with all the extent of these facrifices, it is particularly neceffary to ftate the modifica tions, and the fate which is referved for private domains and property in the countries required to be ceded; that the fimple provifional conclufion of a bafis of peace would not haften the definitive conclufion, as at any time previous to the ratification on the part of the Emperor and the Empire, the principal queftion may be recurred to; that, on the contrary, if France will now make a clear, just, and equitable propofition, the deputation may : then declare themfelves in fuch a manner as fhall contribute to the fpeedy conclufion of a peace: that, meanwhile, the depu tation would regard as a firft proof of the pacific fentiments of France, |