the maintenance of the troops, not to wafte time in fending for difplay proper zeal in a measure fo new ones, but that the necessary reclofely connected with felf-prefer- folutions may be taken, not only vation, and render practicable the for the farther fubftantial regulation farther exécution of the beneficent of the maintenance, but for the defigns of his Majefty. obligatory affent to the fame to the end of the war. With this confidence, the underfigned, by fupreme command, has the honour to make known to you, &c. &c. [Here follow two articles, fpecifying the fupplies to be granted, for three months longer, in flour, oats, hay, and straw, for the Pruffian, Hanoverian, and Brunfwick troops, at two different periods, viz. the 15th inftant, and the Ift of April. In order to fecure the fub. fiftence of the troops in future, the ftates of Northern Germany are to meet in convention at Hidelfheim on the 20th inftant, or to fend Plenipotentiaries to regulate the quotas of fupplies, in necefiaries or in money, for as long as the war may laft.] As thofe deliberatións (in convention at Hidelfheim) will pre'clude all fubjects not effentially and directly relating to the maintenance of the troops, the underfigned will lofe no time to terminate them with the utmost speed, and not to detain the Plenipotentiaries a moment longer than fhall be neceffary from following their other affairs. The flattering confidence with which the underfigned has hitherto been honoured in the late negotiations, makes him equally confident that his zeal and activity will be entirely depended upon in that bufinefs. He has only moft urgently to request that, for the fake of difpatch, the ftates may furnish their Plenipotentiaries with full inftructions for the purpose, which has been thus plainly notified, in order The underfigned has it likewife in command to request, that their Excellencies the Plenipotentiaries may arrange matters in fuch a manner as not to quit the convention till the ftate of affairs fhall permit its fufpenfion or conclufion, fince the gradual departure of many Plenipotentiaries has formerly occafioned a precipitate fufpenfion of the first convention, which has been highly prejudicial to the difpatching of bufinefs. His Majefty will alfo confider the fulfilment of this with, and the infallible meeting of the convention, according as it is expected to meet, as a gratifying proof that his ferene co-ftates with to do juftice to his efforts and facrifices. And the underfigned alfo looks forward for the defired answer refpecting the fourth fending of fupplies, before the expiration of the prefent month; and hopes to have the honour and pleasure to fee again their Excellencies the Plenipotentiaries at the fecond opening of the convention, on February 20. (Signed) DоHм. Halberstadt, Jan. 4, 1797. (Signed) WASSEINEL. SEIDA the Meufe and the Rhine, having we fhall not be forced to have rethe entire adminiitration of thofe courfe to fuch extremities. countries, could not fee without the greateft furprife the order of the Royal Chamber of Warand Domains of Wefel, and of the regency of Emmerick, dated the 29th of December (O. S.), which forbids the cutting down of wood fold, under the penalty of reftitution and reprifal. We should be eflentially wanting in the difcharge of our duties and obedience, if we fuffered other authorities to interfere in the adminiftrative affairs of our cantons, without having previoully received a formal order from our fuperiors. You have feen feveral times ordinances emanating from thofe authorities; you have feen alfo that the French government has not, on that account, difcontinued the direction of Pruflian as well as of other countries. Do not doubt that they will still continue it; you will, perhaps, be convinced of it when you fhall pay attention to the manner in which the ordinances have been communicated. We appeal to the members of those chambers, if a foreign authority were to intimate orders to them, would not they fay, with reafon, "We have a fovereign; it is only to him that we owe obedience ;" and would not they continue their functions without paying any attention to the order? We are therefore, determined, citizens, to maintain with firmness all the operations undertaken, or to be undertaken, in the name of the government which we reprefent, and to punifh exemplarily all thofe who fhall fhew any difobedience in any manner whatever. But you have already given us fufficient marks of your obedience to make us believe that VOL. XXXIX. Declaration published by the Prufian THE Royal Chamber of War. and Domains has learned, with furprife, from feveral quarters on the other fide of the Rhine, that the French agents infift not only upon the payment of the firft inftalment of the contribution of 3,000,000, but that a fixed number of men are alfo to be put in requifition, to cut down the wood deftined to be fold. And whereas an edict, publifhed by the King's fupreme command, in that part of the country, declares fuch a proceeding unlawful, and contrary to the treaty of peace concluded at Bafle; the Magiftrates of Xanten can by no means be farther authorifed to make payments of a fimilar defcription, and to do actions directly in oppofition to his Majesty's Royal intention. There is no doubt but the French agents, upon a maturer inveftigation of the matter, will be of the fame opinion; and the magiftrates of Xanten need to be the lefs afraid of compulfion by military execution, which would render the French agent refponfible, fince we are informed that the orders of the Directory at Paris, purporting that the Royal Pruffian provinces fhall be exempted from all farther requifitions and contributions, are already arrived at Aix la Chapelle.. (Signed) Z SEIMBURGER, Done at Wefel, in the Royal Provifory Regulations for the Pruffian Provinces fituate on the left Bank of the Rhine. Art. I. ON the 1ft Germinal, of the fifth year of the Republic (March 21, 1797) all the French adminiftrations, under what denomination foever they may have been organized, fhall entirely ceafe their functions. In order to replace them, and examine their operations, there fhall be created an intermediate commiffion of five members, one of whom fhall be perpetual prefident. The commif fion fhall refide at Bonn. II. The ancient conftitutions, ufages, cuftoms, laws, and contributions, fhall be re-established at the above mentioned period, for the Pruffian provinces on the left bank of the Rhine. Their magiftracies, chambers of justice, and finances, fhall refume, with full right, their functions. The clergy of all orders fhall remain in the entire poffeffion of their property; and no wood fhall, under any pretence, be felled, without a special and explanatory order from the commander in chief of the French army, called of the Sambre and Meufe; be it however obferved that, until farther orders, the authority of the Republic is the only one that ought to be acknowledged in the conquered countries. III. The intermediate commiffion fhall appoint a commiffioner with the Pruffian administrations, whofe functions fhall be to watch over the execution of the orders given, either by the commander in chief or by the commiffion, to receive and tranfmit to the commiflion the requests, either of the adminiftrations or private individu als; as likewife all the inftruction he may happen to obtain, and to give information to the government refpecting the conduct adopted by fome of its former agents in the conquered countries. IV. Immediately after the inftal lation of the magiftracies, which fhall be certified by an authentic act (proces verbal) the chamber of finances of the Pruflian provinces fhall order the agents of the former administrations to give a detailed account of their operations, which it shall examine and forward to the intermediate commiffion, with fuch remarks as it shall think proper to add thereto. V. The new magiftrates fhall correspond with the intermediate commiflion on fuch matters as relate to their administration; they fhall addrefs to the commiffion all the just requests which they may deem proper to form, and give every month a minute account of their conduct. VI. The produce of the taxes of the faid Pruffian states, of which the mode of collection fhall without delay be fixed, as well as the arrears due on the forced loan, fhall be thrown, without any deduction, into the cheft of the paymaster-general of the army, who will give proper receipts. VII. By virtue of the execution of the preceding article, no requifition in money or provisions fhall be made in the Pruffian provinces. Should, however, the events of the war, or other circumftances, render neceffary a fupply of provifions or cattle; or fhould the want of fpecie oblige the perfons paying contributions to acquit themselves in articles of daily confumption, the provifions fhall be received at the prices hereafter hereafter mentioned, and in defalcation of the taxes, namely, a quintal of wheat, nine livres; a quintal of rye, barley, or fpelt, fix livres; a fack of oats, of fix Parifian bufhels, fix livres; a quintal of hay, two livres five fous; a quintal of ftraw, one livre; a pound of meat, four fous fix deniers. VIII. The members of the magifterial corporations, and the bailiffs, who, for any cause whatever, may have transferred their refidence to, or preferved the fame on the right bank of the Rhine, are authorifed and invited to refume their charges. In cafe of the demife of any member of the chambers, tribunals, or bailiwicks, the intermediate commiffion is authorifed to appoint to the vacant places, perfons recommended as proper objects by the magiftrates, who are to be immediately reinftalled. These prefents, corroborated with the feal of command, and delivered to the deputies of the Pruffian provinces, have been refolved at Cologne, the 22d Ventofe, 5th year of the Republic (March 12, 1797.) The General commanding in chief the army of the Sambre and Meufe, charged by the Executive Directory with the general administration of the conquered countries. (Signed) LAZARUS HOCHE. Promulgated at Wefel, March 18, 1797. Edict published at Berlin. Frederic William, by the Grace of God, King of Pruffia, &c. &c. HAVING understood that the Aulic Council of Vienna have adopted, without ever confulting us, different measures, on the re queft of one party, and wholly to the advantage of the complainants, by which they have attacked us and our rights, and diffuaded our fubjects from performing those obligations which they have contracted on oath with us, and have even formally fummoned those of the Equestrian Order not to regard us as their Sovereign, the measures which they have adopted, by printing and circulating them, to mislead our fubjects, are, Ift. A mandate of the Aulic Council, dated March 17th, 1797, on the fubject of the claims of the fovereignty of Brandenbourg against the bishopric of Etchftadt. 2d. A conclufum of the Aulic Council, of the 23d March, concerning the pretenfions of the fovereignty of Brandenbourg against the Équeftrian Order in Franconia. 3d. Idem, of the 8th of April, and against the imperial town of Welffeinbourg. 4th. Idem, March 5th, &c. against the Elector of Cologne, as Grand Mafter of the Teutonic Order. 5th. Idem, May 9th, &c. against the imperial town of Nuremberg. Confidering what the laws of the empire prescribe, we can by no means regard, nor will regard, thefe measures as legally valid and obligatory, but, on the contrary, we muft confider them as real encroachments on our rights of fovereignty, and peculiarly prejudicial: we, in confequence, therefore, folemnly and ferioufly, by the prefent patent, advise and forewarn all thofe of the Equestrian Order who have hitherto belonged to the canton of the Equestrian Order of the empire, as alfo all other perfons whofe fovereigns belong to the Equestrian Order, or are neighbouring princes, not to fwerve in the leaft degree Z 2 from from their duties as fubjects: we affure them that our intention has never been to interfere with the oath which they have taken to their refpective fovereigns; and we promife to protect them with all our power against every one. At the fame time we would apprife all thofe who fhall attempt to diffuade any fubject from his due allegiance to us, that they will be profecuted in the moft rigorous manner. FREDERIC GUILLAUME. FENKILSTEIN ALVENSIEBEN. HARDENBERG HAUGWITZ. Given at Berlin, June 14, 1797. Proclamation published at Nuremberg on the 4th July, 1797. WHAT has taken place today in the barracks, has induced a great part of the burghers and inhabitants of this city to take an active part in the event, without being invited by the magiftrate; and their conduct upon this occa fion has produced the effect, that the plan formed by a detachment of Prufian troops, to drive the military of the city from their barracks, has completely failed. The fenate is very far from mifurder standing the motives of this action. They are convinced that too animated a zeal for the juft caufe of this city, and too exalted a patriotifm, have been generally the incitement. Although fuch motives deferve the general gratitude, yet the fenate confider it as one of their duties, and think themfelves oblig. ed to forewarn thefe perfons of the dangerous effects to which they are expofed by taking part, without being invited, in the events which did not demand their intervention. The fenate believe the burghers to be fufficiently enlightened, to be convinced themfelves that the fupreme head of the empire will fupport with fuitable energy the juft decree of the 9th May against the The third of July had been fixed upon by the Pruffians as the laft period for the evacuation of the barracks occupied by the Nuremberg troops upon the territory; to the poffeffion of which they form pretenfions. In cafe of refufal, force was to be employed; yet the voluntary evacuation did not take place. The garrison, confifting of eighty-eight men, had received orders to maintain their post, even if the laft extremity were recurred to. On the third of July, a detachment of 310 Prufian huilars, grenadiers, fuzileers, and chaffeurs, commanded by a Major, made their appearance. The gate of the barracks was forced, the garifon defended itfelf: an officer of Pruffian grenadiers and four foldiers were wounded, and the attack failed. A truce of five hours was concluded, and in this interval freih inftructions from the fenate were expected. At nine o'clock a capitulation was agreed upon, ftating that the garrifon should quit the barracks, drunis beating, and with all the honours of war. The capitulation was, in fact, carried into execution; but as foon as it was made public, a violent ferment broke out among the ctizens affembled; a great number armed themselves with all kinds of arms, and appeared determined to make use of them. The prudent conduct of the Prufhan major prevented all diforder in this critical moment: he retired at ten o'clock with his detachment. A troop of armed populace afterwards demanded permiflion from the tenate to drive away the Pruffian garrifon which was stationed under the gates of the two fuburbs, but this demand was refufed, and it was only permitted to the burghers to guard the gates conjointly with the Pruffians. In the afternoon the magiftrates publifhed the above proclamation. Prufian |