STATE PAPERS,
199
not deny but the quarters of the troops were extended ; but that we were obliged to do it through unavoidable neceffi.y, the quarters deftined to receive only the Hano- verian troop.', h'-t being, at the
guage: nor will we retort it, bat pals over the above, as well as many other reproaches equally odious and triHing. The French miniftry cannot be fo ignorant of the judgment, which their own
fame time, fufficient for thofe of nation forms of their principles.
Heffe and Brunfv^ick alfo, v/hich by a natural confequence of the pro- ceedings of France, could not be feparated from the body of the army. Neither of the two French detachments were furprifed ; the two armies were aflembled when the fcene of operations was again opened, and in this refpecl they were in the fame fituation as at Clofter-feven. Nor was it in the year 1757, but the year following, that the French army was driven out of his maiefty's German domi- nions. The victory gained at Rof- bach, the bad feafon, the difeafes, and decreafe of the French army, events which never followed from the king's refo'utions, co-uld not oblige his majeily to maintain a convention, which in itfelf was not binding, and which France would not acknowledge as fuch, when it was a proper time.
We flatter ourfelves we have fully anfwered the reproaches of the court of Verfailles ; at leaft none of the objedions that relate to the decifion of the fubjeft, have been wilfully forgot. We do not pretend to anticipate the judgment of the public; we leave it to pro- nounce, after having feen a true reprefentaticn of his Britannic raa- jefty's conduft, whether the mi- niftry of Verfailles ar-e in the right, when they fay, * That fuch odious
- principles and proceedings can
- only be owing to the artifices and
- evil counfels of fome corrupt mi -
- nillers.' We will not trouble our-
Jslves .to anfwei this abufive hn
to doubt that we might, if we had a mind, reproach them with their evil counfels a: :^. meafures, equally ruinous to France and Germany, in a manner which, even in France itfelf, would not fail to make an imprefiion. It is, however, ne- ceffary to add two remarks oa what has been faid. Our cays have pro. duced a phaenomenon, of which hiilory does not furnilh us with an example; we have leen the houfes of A'jftria and Bourbon, uniting their forces to give chains to Eu- rope, and e:'pecia!ly to Germany, Providence does not want means to prevent this misfortune. This do- minion fo eagerly fought for could not be exerciicd in conct r' , it they fhould make therafelves mafiers of it. That alliance, the iirlt years of which have flov. ed with rivers of blood, will occafion no lef? blocd- fhed, when it comes one day to be broken; but the violent tumults, and the imminent dangers, with, which the politic fyftem of Eu- rope, and fo many kingdoms and ftates are threatened during this crifis, merit the moil ferious atten- tion of thofe who are at the helm of government. Efpecially it is manifeft that the Proteftant reli- gion is in inevitable danger, not- withftanding the faife proteftations given to the profefTors of it. The pretended fchemes ef fecularization afcribed to his Britannic majefty and the King of Pruffia, are fo ill- founded, that they are taken upon the authority of an obfcure work, every page of which {hews the O 4 author
