teen for a long time burthenfome to all the powers engaged in it, far from tending now to a conclufion, are, on the contrary, gathering fresh ftrength, to the great misfortune of the feveral nations; and that mankind has fo much the more to fuffer from this fcourge, as the fortune of arms, which has hitherto been fubject to fo many viciffitudes, is equally expofed to them for the future.

Wherefore his imperial majefty, compaffionating, through his humane difpofition, the effufion of innocent blood, and being defirous, on his part, of putting a ftop to fo great an evil, has judged it neceffary to declare to the courts in alliance with Ruffia, that, preferring to every other confideration the first law which God prefcribes to fovereigns, which is the prefervation of the people intrufted to them, he wishes to procure peace to his empire, to which it is so necessary, and of fo great value; and, at the same time, to contribute, as much as may be in his power, to the re-establishment of it throughout all Europe.

It is in order to this, that his imperial majefty is ready to make a facrifice of the conquests made by the arms of Russia in this war, in hopes that the allied courts will, on their part, equally prefer the restoration of peace and tranquillity to the advantages which they might expect from the war, and which they cannot obtain but by the continuance of the effufion of human blood. And to this end his imperial majefty, with the beft intention, advifes them to employ, on their fide, all their power towards the accomplishment of fo great and fo falutary a work.

St. Petersburg, Feb. 2, 1762.

The ANSWER of the EMPRESS QUEEN to the foregoing DECLARATION.

THAT animated with the fame zeal, and being of the fame opinion, as his imperial majefty, with regard to the falutary work of peace, and to the putting an end to the troubles and ravages that defolate Germany, fhe was ready

to

to concur with him therein; but that, for that end, the defired his imperial majesty to furnish her with the means of beginning the negotiation, by imparting to her the proposed terms of peace, which she would, without lofs of time, communicate to her high allies, who, as well as herself, would be always ready to co-operate in a matter fo much defired, provided the terms were not inadmiffible, and contained nothing injurious either to their honour, or her own.

The ANSWER given by the FRENCH COURT to the aforefaid DECLARATION.

THE king maintaining with regret, thefe fix years past, a twofold war for his own defence and that of his allies, has fufficiently manifefted, on every occafion, how much he abhors the effufion of human blood, and his constant defire to put an end to fo crud a fcourge. His perfonal difinterestedness, the fteps which he thought could be taken. confiftent with his dignity, and the facrifices which he did offer, in order to procure to Europe the defirable bleffing of peace, are fure pledges of the humane fentiments with which his heart abounds. But, at the fame time, his paternal tendernefs, which makes the happincfs and preferv. ation of his fubjects a duty to him, cannot make him forget the first law that God preferibes to fovereigns, even that which conftitutes the public fafety, and fixes the condition of nations and empires, fidelity in executing treaties, and punctuality in performing engagements to their full extent, preferably to every other confideration.

It is with this view, that after having given fo great examples of conftancy and generofity, his majefty declares that he is ready to liften favourably to propofitions for a folid and honourable peace, but will always act in the most perfect concert with his allies; that he will receive no counfels but fuch as fhall be dictated to him by honour and probity; that he should think himfelf guilty of a defection, in lending a hand to fecret negotiations; that he will not tar

nish

with his glory, and that of his kingdom, by abandoning his allies; and that he refts assured each of them will, on their part, faithfully adhere to the fame principle.

ANSWER given by the KING of POLAND, ELECTOR of SAXONY, to the fame DECLARATION.

ALL my allies wish as much as myself, that the public tranquillity may be reftored upon folid foundations. It is well known to all Europe, that I did not feek the war; but, on the contrary, employed every means to keep the calamities of it at a distance from my dominions. My love to mankind in general, and to my own fubjects in particular, ought to engage me to facilitate, as much as in me lies, the refloration of peace, and to exercise all moderation as to my equitable pretenfions. I am of opinion, that a juft and folid peace cannot be agreed on but by the congress propofed and accepted by all the powers at war.

I place a full confidence in the friendship of your imperial majefty, to whom the houfe of Saxony is bound by facred ties. It is not unknown to your majefty, that Saxony hath been attacked merely on account of its connections with the ruffian empire; and that the king of Pruffia has taken occafion to charge us with entering into defenfive treaties with that empire against him. We therefore flatter ourselves with the hope, that fo ancient and fo equitable an ally of Saxony will not fuffer our dominions, which are already reduced to the utmost distress, as well by exorbitant contributions, as by the alienation of our revenues, and of the funds which were allotted for the payment of debts, to be completely ruined.

The whole world agrees, that we are entitled to an equitable reftitution and reparation of the damage fustained. But notwithstanding all thefe confiderations, and though all the powers at war fhew themselves inclined to contribute to the general pacification, yet Saxony remains threatened with irretrievable ruin.

We therefore hope that your majesty's philanthropy and magnanimity will prevail with your majesty to take care that,

before

before all things, the electorate of Saxony be fpeedily evacuated, in order thereby to put an end to the calamities which overwhelm it; this being the means of facilitating and accelerating the conclufion of a general peace.

No. IV.

was

MANIFESTO of the EMPRESS CATHARINE II. which was caufed to be printed and diflributed about the city.

By the grace of God, Catharine II. emprefs and autocratrix of all the Ruffias, &c.

ALL true fons of Ruffia have clearly feen the great danger to which the whole ruffian empire has actually been expofed. First, the foundations of our orthodox greek religion have been fhaken, aud its traditions expofed to total destruction; fo that there was abfolutely reafon to fear, that the faith which has been established in Ruffia from the earliest times, would be entirely changed, and a foreign religion introduced. In the fecond place, the glory which Ruffia has acquired at the expence of fo much blood, and which was carried to the highest pitch by her victorious arms, has been trampled under foot by the peace lately concluded with its most dangerous enemy. And lastly, the domeftic regulations, which are the bafis of the country's welfare, have been entirely overturned.

For these causes, overcome by the imminent perils with which our faithful subjects were threatened, and feeing how fincere and exprefs their defires on this matter were; we, putting our trust in the Almighty and his divine juftice, have afcended the fovereign imperial throne of all the Ruffias, and have received a folemu oath of fidelity from all our loving fubjects.

St. Petersburg, June 28, 1762.

No. V.

MANIFESTO of the EMPRESS CATHARINE II. giving an account of her motives for taking the reins of government inte her hands.

By the grace of God, we Catharine II. emprefs and fovereign of all the Ruffias, make known thefe prefents to all our loving fubjects, ecclefiaftical, military, and civil.

OUR acceffion to the imperial throne of all the Ruffias, is a manifeft proof of this truth, that when fincere hearts endeavour for good, the hand of God directs them. We never had either defign or defire to arrive at empire, through the means by which it hath pleafed the Almighty, according to the infcrutable views of his providence, to place us upon the throne of Ruffia, our dear country.

On the death of our moft auguft and dear aunt, the em prefs Elizabeth Petrovna, of glorious memory, all true patriots (now our most faithful subjects) groaning for the lofs of fo tender a mother, placed their only confolation in obeying her nephew, whom fhe had named for her fucceffor, that they might fhew thereby, in fome degree, their ac knowledgments to their deceased fovereign. And although they foon found out the weakness of his mind, unfit to rule fo vaft an empire, they imagined he would have known his own infufficiency, Whereupon they fought our maternal affiftance in the affairs of government.

But when abfolute power falls to the lot of a monarch, who has not fufficient virtue and humanity to place juft bounds to it, it degenerates into a fruitful fource of the most pernicious evils. This is the fum, in fhort, of what our native country has fuffered. She struggled to be delivered from a fovereign who, being blindly given up to the moft dangerous paffions, thought of nothing but indulging them, without employing himself in the welfare of the empire committed to his care,

During