Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Negotiation At Rastadt Between France And The German Empire.
NEGOTIATION AT RASTADT BETWEEN FRANCE AND THE GERMAN EMPIRE .
ON the preliminaries of Peace being signed by his Majesty , the Emperor of Germany , and the French Republic , it wa , s stipulated that a Congress , consisting of a Deputation from the Circle , should meet at Radstadt in order to adjust the future rights of the Princes of the Empire . For this purpose , a decree . of commission was sent ^ . on the ist of Nov . 1797 , to the Diet of Ratisbon , informing that body , that the Emperor had appointed Count Metternich to be his Commissary at the Congress , and exhorting the different States
empowered by the Diet to carry on the Negotiation to send thither their Plenipotentiaries without delay . This decree expressly stated , that the Integrity of the Empire was to form the basis of the Negotiation . ' The Emperor likewise appointed Count Lehrb . ich to be his Arch-ducal Minister at the Congress . The Deputation having met , entered upon business on the third of February , when the French Ministers , Treilhard and Bonnier , declared in a Note ,
that they had never taken , nor had any intention of taking , the integrity of the Empire for the basis of the Peace between the Germanic Body and the French Republic . They declared to the Deputation , that they should be responsible for the consequences of . a refusal to adopt a basis , just , suitable , and advantageous to the two States ; the adoption of which would necesarily ensure to those who had been deprived of their possessions on the I ^ eft Bank of the Rhine an indemnity on the Right Bank .
The Deputation deliberated upon this Note , and returned for answer , that they had not absolutely hitherto refused to accept the basis proposed b y France , but that they wished to know what fate awaited the private posssessions of the Princes on the Left Bank of ihe Rhine ; and thev , besides , wished that the
French would declare openly and wholly , what sacrifices they desired to have from the Empire , that the Deputation mi ght be enabled to deliberate upon all their demands . To this request the French Ministers sent a peremptory refusal . Such a declaration , they contended , would only ' complicate questions , and retard the conclusion of the Negotiation , instead of accelerating it . ' The Deputation of the Empire conceded the point in contest , of the cession of the Left Bank of the Rhine ; the Deputies of the Hans Towns
demanded that the Elbe and the H ' eser might be declared . neuter in all the future wars ofthe Empire , and that it might be also stipulated that these towns might enjoy an entire neutrality of commerce . The French Ministers replied ,-that , 'in the actual state of things , the only way of accelerating the Negotiation was , to consider what indemnification was to be made ; -and in doing so , it mi ght be necessary that the Deputation of the Empire should adopt such general rules for determining the fate of the
titulary Princes , who might be oppressed , as would leave no doubt as to the princip les of justice and wisdom which , were to guide this important operation . The French Ministers informed the Deputation , that the demands of the Republic would be simple , and founded on the reciprocal advantages of the two nations . They contended that the navigation of the Rhine should be common to both nations , but not to other people , unless upon conditions mutually agreed upon ; the towing-paths should be kept in repair by the inhabitants of both sides ; nor should any works be established on one bank , Which might endanger its opposite , '
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Negotiation At Rastadt Between France And The German Empire.
NEGOTIATION AT RASTADT BETWEEN FRANCE AND THE GERMAN EMPIRE .
ON the preliminaries of Peace being signed by his Majesty , the Emperor of Germany , and the French Republic , it wa , s stipulated that a Congress , consisting of a Deputation from the Circle , should meet at Radstadt in order to adjust the future rights of the Princes of the Empire . For this purpose , a decree . of commission was sent ^ . on the ist of Nov . 1797 , to the Diet of Ratisbon , informing that body , that the Emperor had appointed Count Metternich to be his Commissary at the Congress , and exhorting the different States
empowered by the Diet to carry on the Negotiation to send thither their Plenipotentiaries without delay . This decree expressly stated , that the Integrity of the Empire was to form the basis of the Negotiation . ' The Emperor likewise appointed Count Lehrb . ich to be his Arch-ducal Minister at the Congress . The Deputation having met , entered upon business on the third of February , when the French Ministers , Treilhard and Bonnier , declared in a Note ,
that they had never taken , nor had any intention of taking , the integrity of the Empire for the basis of the Peace between the Germanic Body and the French Republic . They declared to the Deputation , that they should be responsible for the consequences of . a refusal to adopt a basis , just , suitable , and advantageous to the two States ; the adoption of which would necesarily ensure to those who had been deprived of their possessions on the I ^ eft Bank of the Rhine an indemnity on the Right Bank .
The Deputation deliberated upon this Note , and returned for answer , that they had not absolutely hitherto refused to accept the basis proposed b y France , but that they wished to know what fate awaited the private posssessions of the Princes on the Left Bank of ihe Rhine ; and thev , besides , wished that the
French would declare openly and wholly , what sacrifices they desired to have from the Empire , that the Deputation mi ght be enabled to deliberate upon all their demands . To this request the French Ministers sent a peremptory refusal . Such a declaration , they contended , would only ' complicate questions , and retard the conclusion of the Negotiation , instead of accelerating it . ' The Deputation of the Empire conceded the point in contest , of the cession of the Left Bank of the Rhine ; the Deputies of the Hans Towns
demanded that the Elbe and the H ' eser might be declared . neuter in all the future wars ofthe Empire , and that it might be also stipulated that these towns might enjoy an entire neutrality of commerce . The French Ministers replied ,-that , 'in the actual state of things , the only way of accelerating the Negotiation was , to consider what indemnification was to be made ; -and in doing so , it mi ght be necessary that the Deputation of the Empire should adopt such general rules for determining the fate of the
titulary Princes , who might be oppressed , as would leave no doubt as to the princip les of justice and wisdom which , were to guide this important operation . The French Ministers informed the Deputation , that the demands of the Republic would be simple , and founded on the reciprocal advantages of the two nations . They contended that the navigation of the Rhine should be common to both nations , but not to other people , unless upon conditions mutually agreed upon ; the towing-paths should be kept in repair by the inhabitants of both sides ; nor should any works be established on one bank , Which might endanger its opposite , '