Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

CONTENT S.*

HISTORY OF EUROPE.

CHAP. I.

Prepossession of the Turks in favour of their own Military Character. Hassan Ali appointed Grand Vizier. His Character. Situation of the Ottoman Empire. Conduct of Selim. Treaty between the Porte and the King of Prussia. Continued Preparations for War between the Porte on the one Part, and the Russians and Austrians on the other. Death and Character of the Emperor Joseph. Succeeded by his Brother Leopold. Character and Conduct of Leopold on the Commencement of his Reign. His arduous Situation internal and external. Discontents and Disturbances in Hungary, the Milanese, and Tuscany, and Insurrection and Revolt of the Netherlands. Political State of Europe. Sextuple Alliance in opposition to the Confederation between Austria and Russia. Hostility and Animosity between the Courts of Berlin and Vienna ;—yet both these Powers inclined to Peace. A Congress for that Purpose proposed by Leopold. State and position of the Austrian and Prussian Armies. Eagerness of the Divan for a Continuation of the War. Progress of the Austrian Arms, on the Side of Turkey. Cessation of Hostilities and Armistice between the Turks and Austrians. Death and Character of Field Marshal Laudhon. Conferences and Convention at Reichenbach for the Purpose of a Pacification between Austria and Turkey, and for a Restoration of the Netherlands to the Dominion of Austria. Prudent Conduct of Leopold, with regard to the Hungarians. Dissentions, Contests, and State of Parties in Hungary. Leopold elected King of the Romans, and crowned Emperor. Grants, as by free-will, to the Hungarians, what he had refused to their importunate Solicitations. Settlement of his Family, and Intermarriages. Various Acts of his Imperial Majesty's prudent Condescension and Favour. Peace concluded between the Court of Vienna and the Ottoman Porte at Sistovia. Page 1

CHAP. II.

Progress of the Spirit of Freedom. Modified by the different Characters of Nations. Singular Combination of a Spirit of Liberty with Aristocratical Pride and Religious Bigotry. Political Constitution of the Austrian Netherlands. Analogous to that of England. Arbitrary Government of the Emperor. Discontents of the People. Suppression

• The reader is requested to observe, that two distinct series of pages have been followed in the present Volume, which commence respectively at the portions allotted to the "History of Europe," and the "Chronicle."

a

Suppression of Monasteries. Subversion of the Constitution. Imprisonments and Emigrations. Emigrants from Brabant assemble at Breda. Sequestration of all the Abbeys of Brabant. Efforts for the Prevention of Insurrection. Conspiracy against the Austrian Government discovered. Attempt to check Emigration in vain. Declaration of the States of Brabant from Breda. Letter from the Cardinal Archbishop of Malines to the Pope respecting the Conduct of the Emperor, and State of the Country. Insurrections. Valour and Success of the Insurgents. Engagement at Turnhout and at Tirlemont. Action between the Austrians and Patriots in the open Field. The Patriots become Masters of the Town and Citadel of Ghent. Relaxation of Discipline in the Austrian Armies. Advantages arising to the Patriots from the Reduction of Ghent. The Emperor endeavours to reconcile the Provinces to his Government by fair Promises. Daring Attempt of a Band of Patriots in the Capital of Brabant. Succeeds. The Austrians driven out of Brussels. Rejoicings at Brussels. The States assume the Reins of Government. Confederation between the States of Brabunt and those of Flanders. Acceded to by all the other Provinces, except Limbourg. The United Belgic States provide for their Security, by raising an Army. The Austrian Netherlands at this Time the principal Object of Political Attention. Reflections on the usual State of weaker, when united to stronger States. Splendid Hopes from the Emancipation of the Provinces from the Yoke of Austria.

CHAP. III.

25

Miserable Effects of Newfangled and Democratical Principles. Patriotic Assembly instituted at Brussels. Their Reasomings and Claims. Political Constitution of the Provinces of the Netherlands. The Principles and Pretensions of the Patriotic Assembly offensive to the Nobility and Clergy. Means employed by these Orders for quashing the Doctrines of the Democrats. Effects of these. State of Parties. Preponderating Influence of the Clergy. Measures taken by the Nobility for the Recovery of their Popularity. Without any considerable Effect. Popular Discontents rise to a Pitch of Restlessness and Commotion. Troops employed for the Preservation of the Peace. Jealousies between the ruling Powers and the Leaders of the Army. General Vandermersch arrests Deputies sent with Orders to the Army from the Congress. Declared Generalissimo by the Officers of the Army. Other Encroachments in the Power of Congress. Vandermersch suddenly and shamefully abandoned by the Army. Imprisoned in the Citadel of Antwerp. Charges brought against him. Duke of Ursel persecuted by Congress. The Congress becomes unpopular and odious to the Bulk of the People. Imprisonment of Vandermersch resented by his Countrymen the People of Flanders. Declining State of the new Government. Expectations from the Accession of Leopold II. to the Austrian Dominions. Almost, though not entirely disappointed. Memorial of Leopold to the Inhabitants of the Netherlands. Criticisms on that Piece. Conduct of Leopold vindicated. Character of Sovereign Princes in general. The Firmness of Leopold revives a Party in his Favour. Quick Increase of the Loyalists, in both Numbers and Courage. Arguments in Favour of a Reunion with the House of Austria, and of Hereditary Monarchy in general. Letter to Congress from the King of Prussia. Blind Ambition, Obstinacy, and Rashness of Congress. Notification to Congress of the Terms of Reconciliation between his Imperial Majesty and the Belgic Nation. Consented to by the three allied and mediating Powers. Strange Obstinacy of Congress. A Degree of Reunion among the discordant Parties in the Netherlands brought about by a common Hatred of the Austrian Government. Hostilities renewed with great Animosity. Two of the Provinces that remained in Obedience to the Austrians. A great Resource to the Austrians. Rapid Growth of Ambition. Character of the Brabanters. Wild Schemes of Conquest. Repulse of the Brabanters from Limbourg. Various Encounters. A large Austrian Army marches against the Low Countries. Attempts of Congress to rouze the Nation

to

to Perseverance in Arms against the Austrians. Made in vain. Various Proposals for Reconciliation. Rejected by the Austrians. The Austrians, under General Bender, enter Brabant. All the Provinces submit again, on very favourable Conditions, to the House of Austria. Reflections.

СНАР. IV.

4.5

Peace on the Ground of the Status quo, rejected by the Empress of Russia. Ambitious Designs of the Empress, opposed by Prussia and Great Britain. Heroic Courage of the King of Sweden. Means for gaining over the Nation at large to his Views, and raising the necessary Supplies for the War. The King puts himself at the Head of his Forces, and enters Russian Savolax. His Successes. Ten Thousand Russians defeated by Three Thousand Swedes at Carnakoski. Reduction of the Russian Fort Valkiala. Other Advantages. The King of Sweden at the Head of his Galleys, takes or destroys the Russian Galley-Fleet, in the Harbour of Fredericksham. Engagements between the Swedish Fleet, under the Duke of Sudermania, and the Russian Fleet, The Swedes prepare to make an Attack on the Town and Harbour of Wybourg. Perilous Situation of the Swedes. Escape with immense Loss to Sweaborg. Defeat of the Russian Fleet, under the Prince of Nassau, by the Swedish Fleet, under the Command of the King. Inclination to Peace on the Part of Russia and Sweden. Peace between these Powers concluded. The King of Sweden prepares to attack the rulig Powers, and to restore the Monarchy of France. Meeting at Pilnitz. This the Centre of the Affairs of Europe, 1791. Real Object of the Meeting at Pilnitz. Substance of a Circular Letter from the Emperor Leopold to the Sovereign Powers. Russia and Sweden the first Powers that openly declared an Intention to succour the Royal Family of France. Speech of Gustavus to the Swedish Diet. Reflections on the Importance of Hereditary Wealth and Honours in a State. These a Barrier against Monarchical Encroachments, on the one Hand, and the Levity of the People on the other. Plan of the King of Sweden for a Descent on France. Discouraged by the Emperor, but persevered in by the King. Assassination, Illness, Death, and Character of the King of Sweden.

64

CHAP. V.

Rejoicings at Petersburgh on Account of the Peace with Sweden. An Ambition of Conquest the ruling Passion of the Empress. The Pacification of Werelaiaa Countermine to the Convention of Reichenbach. Effects of this on the Minds of the Turks. Resentments against the Swedes. Misplaced. The King of Sweden's Conduct in making Peace with Russia vindicated. The haughty Spirit of the Empress reduced by the Allies within the Bounds of greater Circumspection and Caution. Cessation of Hostilities on the Danube. Vigorous Preparations for War on the part of the Ottomans. Naval Engagements. Heroic Achievements of a Greek Squadron, under the Colours and Auspices of Russia, and of a Body of Greeks at Land. A Concert formed between the Czarina and the Greeks, for emancipating that Nation from the Mahomedan Yoke. Deputies from the People of Greece sent to Petersburgh. How received. Great and extensive Plan of the Greeks, for expelling the Turks from Europe. Approved by the Empress, who gives Earnest of future Succours in Case of certain Events. Russian Plan for a Winter Campaign on the Danube. Turkish Army under Batal Bey, on the Side of Asia, routed and totally ruined. The strong Fortress and Town of Ismailow taken by Storm, after a noble Defence, by General Suvarof. Dreadful and unheard of Massacre there. Various Actions between the Turks and Russians. Treaty of Peace concluded suddenly at Galatz.

85 СНАР.

1

and as they are connected with the affairs of other nations. In themselves, though intended to promote the welfare with the liberty of the nation, they were strongly contrasted by the different means through which the same ends were expected to be accomplished. The French legislators considered mankind under general views, and lost sight not only of individuals, but of particular classes in society. Their general maxims were not without plausibility: but as they related more to a kind of abstract and ideal beings than to mankind as they really are in all their circumstances, and with all their habits, prejudices, and passions, the application of them in practice produced manifold acts of injustice and inhumanity, not only to particular families, but whole orders of men. The Poles did not want talents for abstraction, nor the faculty of perceiving the symmetry and beauty of ideal systems; but they were too generous and good to suffer any general principles to break in upon the happiness of the different ranks of society. Liberty was dear to them, but humanity dearer.

The Polish constitution would have stood on its own basis, if it had not been assailed by foreign violence :the French constitution, or rather constitutions, con

tained in themselves the seeds of dissolution; and have been held together, during the short periods of their existence, chiefly by external compression.

The Polish and the French constitutions called the attention of Kings in some measure, from separate pursuits of aggrandizement, to the general interests and safety of sovereign princes. The Empress of Russia made peace with the Turks, that she might be at leisure to interfere and control the affairs of Poland. She urged the heroic King of Sweden, who needed but little incitement, to undertake a crusade against the French republic: and openly countenanced and promised succours to the emigrant French loyalists. The court of Madrid was easily drawn on this occasion, into a concert with that of St. Petersburg. The sage Leopold, formed a confederation of sovereign princes at Pilnitz,—not for the purpose of dividing, or dismembering France (however ideas of this kind may have been entertained by other princes, or by his own successors afterwards) but for that of establishing a limited monarchy in France, by a gradual amalgamation of the ancient monarchy, with what was reasonable in the principles and claims of the friends of reformation; and also and principally for securing the future tranquillity of

Eu

« AnteriorContinuar »