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in the new arrangements , and as these two were known for their attachment to republicanism , it seemed as if a compromise had taken p iace between the Emperor and this party , and that the restoration of the former to power , was acoompanied with such restraints as should rescue France from the disgrace of being- subjected to an absolute monarchy .
The nature of this compromise will not be fully known 3 till the great assembly of the nation takes place at Paris in this month . Then is to be laid before them a new constitution , and this is to be the basis , aslongf as it lasts , of their future government . From the persons employed upon it , there cannot be a doubt of every endeavour being * used to bring the supreme
power under proper restraints ; and , as far as words will go , this will be done : but inter arma silent leg-es , and the necessity of employing a large military force to rescue France from its invaders , must throw such power into the hands of the commander , as to render , useless all restraints of
civil government . They will all swear to the new constitution , as they have done to so many before it : but whether they will have a country for this constitution , and what is to be the destiny of France , time only can discover .
The news of the invasion of France by Buonaparte , produced no small ferment at Vienna , and the representatives of the allied Sovereigns assembled upon the occasion , and issued a paper , in which they
declared Buonaparte to be placed out of the pale of civil society . This declaration of their ' s , which was interpreted by the French , ( and indeed it is difficult to give ¦ t any other interpretation , ) to
encourage assassination , was widely circulated throug h France by the government itself , and the principles of it were controverted w 'tn great skill . The declaration was cons'd « red as as an impudent forgery of some
% who wished to throw a ridicule upon ^ collecti ve wisdom of the Congress : W its principles were shewn to be such , * were abhorrent to all the hitherto esta""sned laws of nations . With whatever
ley u may have been issued , it is certain »» this weak and futile declaration was ^ en advantage of by the person against nom itwas issued , and tended both to in-* asethe attachment of the French to him , ** to weaken the confidence of all thinkg men m Europe , in the councils of the
Napoleon in his turn addressed the Soto tK ffn ? ' mformin < hera of his re-ascension of i rone ; with the unanimous consent self / ench aation > a »« l declaring- himtreatv f i > acced « to the terms of the to A r n 8 > and to c ° » fine * "s territory the 2 * they had a ^ g-ned to it . At ^ ttoTtV ^ declared t he determinate French to resist every aggres-
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sion on their independence ; and held out to the Sovereigns the hope , that by their united efforts , the peace of Europe might be preserved . He was not iu the mean time idle , but employed himself in the organizing of his regular troops , and the preparation of the whole country to resist
invasion . This was done by th e * re-establishment of the national guard , in that vigour in which it was first formed , and the nation seems to be alive to the impulse ; for every where the ranks were filled with eagerness , and every thing indicated a determination to defend the country tp the last extremity .
This letter made no impression on the Sovereigns . On the contrary , they entered into a treaty , which was immediately published in the French papers , by which they bind themselves not to acknowledge Buonaparte as the Sovereign of France , and to
punish his adherents ; reserving * , however , their invasion of France , in some manner , as dependent on the call made on them by the fugitive king , who was also to inform them of the means he enjoyed for the support of his pretensions . They agreed to keep on foot an armed force of one hundred and
fifty thousand men each , for the principal parties in this alliance , namely , England , Russia , Prussia , and Austria , and this force was to be increased by the contingents of the inferior powers ,, Their forces were put in motion in every direction , and all Europe is in suspense at this . moment , on the result of these great operations . Hitherto no attack has been made on the
French territory , and the French have kept themselves within their own bounds . It seems as if the allies would not enter France , till they can march with such a force as should , humanly speaking , seem such , as must overpower all' resistance 5 and after the bloody scenes that have passed , we are brought back again U > an early stage of the
war , when the French rose in mass , and destroyed the measures of all their opponents . The allied Sovereigns are however now in much greater force , and better organized than they were at the beginning of the dreadful conflict : and if both parties adhere to their declared sentiments , the ensuing campaign will be the most dreadful , that has been known in the annals of
mankind . It will be seen whether a people determined to be free can be conquered - and , if they are conquered , it cannot be expected that the conquerors will easily agree in the division of the spoil , and no hopes can be entertained of the tranquility of Europe being of long" duration . The
French nation cannot be restrained , but by an immense military force - and the Bourbon throne so maintained , will give but little comfort to its possessor . Ou the 3 ide of the allies there is great power , but if we judge of the parties by thejrskill shewn in their respective mauiferto * , them can be
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State of Public Affairs . # ( JS
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1815, page 263, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1759/page/63/
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