170 PERILS AND RECOVERY. land's electorate of Hanover. Duplicity always brings distress, hypocrisy seldom escapes punishment; so it was here: Napoleon felt the utmost contempt for his new ally, and did not care to hide it. When "the Confederation of the Rhine" was arranged, which was the virtual dissolution of the German empire, the king of Prussia was not informed of the plan till it was completed: this was no small insult. In addition to this, the territories of some of Frederic's relatives were seized and occupied by the French; these things and other affronts so aroused the indignation of the people, that they clamoured for a war with France. The queen also, whose character was far more decided than that of her husband, joined in the demand, and war was declared; but the battle of Jena, in which the military power of the once invincible Prussia was utterly destroyed, put the victorious Napoleon in the occupation of Berlin. The duplicity of Frederic had received a previous punishment from the naval power of England; who had seized hundreds of his ships in return for his occupation of Hanover. After sundry engagements, the emperors of Austria and France and the king of Prussia met; and the result of their negociations were embodied in the treaty of Tilsit. At these conferences Napoleon conducted himself in a very insulting manner towards the king and his accomplished queen Louise. The terms of the peace were of the most humiliating kind. Napoleon at this time issued his absurd Berlin decrees, prohibiting the nations of Europe from trading with the English, and commanding that all British goods should be seized. Frederic William profited by his misfortunes; he laboured wisely to restore his kingdom to prosperity, and succeeded to a great extent. After the retreat from Moscow, when Napoleon's power was evidently on the decline, Frederic in alliance with Alexander declared war against him; and in subsequent engagements the credit of the Prussian arms was completely revived by the brave Blucher. After the battle of Montmartre, Frederic and Alexander entered Paris, and Napoleon abdicated the throne. In the war occasioned by the re-appearance of the emperor, Prussia afforded material help to Wellington; and her troops under Blucher, aided in completing the victory of Waterloo. In the after arrangements, most of the Prussian dominions were restored, and the country regained its original prosperity. SAXONY. Frederic Augustus, the son of the elector Frederic Christian, was a prince of eminent virtues and great intelligence. When he assumed the active duties of government, in 1768, after five years' regency, he formed the resolution that he would make the happiness and welfare of his people the great object of his life, and he faithfully carried out his purpose. During the long course of his rule he did not in any instance forget his design, and yield to selfishness and despotism. His measures were as much marked by wise adaptation, as benevolent design; and hence he not only advanced the real prosperity of his dominions, but secured a character which was held in the highest estimation by foreign potentates, as well as by his own people. Though averse to war, he was, by the conflicting state of affairs produced by the French revolution and the restless ambition of Napoleon, compelled to supply contingents of men and money to the belligerent parties. After the battle of Jena, in 1806, his country was entirely at the mercy of Napoleon, who did not fail to use his power. Upon making peace with the victorious emperor, Frederic assumed the title of king, as had been done by other German princes on the dissolution of the empire; he then joined "the Confederation of the Rhine." By the treaty of Tilsit, he obtained the grand duchy of Warsaw, but was subsequently despoiled of this and a large portion of his kingdom, which was given to Prussia, under the title of the grand-duchy of Saxony. In 1815 he returned to his capital, devoted himself to the good of his subjects, and died in the seventy-seventh year of his age, and the sixtyfourth of his reign, loved and honoured as a sovereign and as a man. CHAPTER XIII. Decaying Republics.—A. D. 1751-1815. POLAND, HOLLAND, SWITZERLAND. REFORMS. IN POLAND.-FACTIONS IN THE COUNTRY.-RELIGIOUS DIS- SWITZERLAND.-DISTURBING INFLUENCE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.-INSURRECTION AT GENEVA.-ATTEMPTED REVOLT AT BERNE.-FRENCH ARMY SENT то SUBDUE THE PEOPLE.-FRENCH AND AUSTRIAN DISPUTES. THE CANTONS UNDER THE POWER OF CONDITION OF POLAND. 173 NAPOLEON.-"THE ACT OF MEDIATION."- AUSTRIAN INTERFERENCE.-CIVIL WARS. POLAND (1763-1815). AFTER the death of Frederic Augustus, in 1763, Poland was subjected to all the inconveniences of an interregnum. The various factions which agitated the country prevented any steady and effective mode of procedure, and at the same time enabled the ambitious empress of Russia to mature her plans. Some of these factions were patriotic in their aims, but, wanting sufficient intelligence, often opposed measures which, if adopted, would have tended to the benefit of their country. Their obstinate determination, for example, to maintain the absurd law, by which the veto of one individual could neutralize the unanimous decision of the other members of the government, and by dissolving the diet, stop the whole progress of legislation, produced continual confusion, and helped on most materially the ruin of the republic. Again, the religious disputes which so frequently arose, and the harsh treatment of the dissidents, were with Poland, as they must be every where, a powerful obstacle in the way of national prosperity. But the great and most effective cause of the final overthrow of this ancient state, was the treachery of Russia. Catherine had resolved to raise one of her discarded lovers to the throne, and to accomplish her end, intrigue and violence were unscrupulously resorted to. Russian and Prussian troops were planted in the neighbourhood of the place of meeting, to overawe the deliberations of the diet, when about to choose a successor to Augustus. Two Polish noblemen, whom Catherine could neither corrupt with her gold, nor alarm with her threats, took the lead in the opposition which was excited by foreign interference, and the diet was of the most tumultuous character The aged count Malachowski, who was marshal or president on the occasion, refused to give the usual signal for commencing deliberations by raising his staff. Mokronowski, a firm advocate of liberty, besought him to keep it down so long as free discussion was prevented by the presence of Russian troops; the opposite party shouted, "Raise your staff." The soldiers were now approaching to seize the two patriots, and 174 FRUITLESS PATRIOTISM. Mokronowski was warned that he was endangering his life by persisting in his veto on the proceeding. "Be it so," he cried, "I will die free," and folding his arms, quietly awaited the result. The marshal still refusing to elevate his staff, he was called on at once to resign it. "Never," said he; "you may cut off my hand, or you may take my life; but as I am a marshal elected by a free people, so by a free people only can I be deposed. I wish to leave the place.' The bold count, who was upwards of eighty years of age, was now exposed to the greatest peril, and his death seemed certain, when his companion, Mokronowski, cried out, "Gentlemen, if a victim is wanted, behold me, but respect age and virtue." Overawed by the intrepidity of the gallant pair, the crowd allowed them to depart, and the diet was dissolved. After several instances of patriotic resistance, however, Russian influence prevailed, and Stanislas Augustus Poniatowski was elected king of Poland. Though weak and irresolute in his character, Stanislas was evidently desirous of using his new powers for the good of his people, and several important reforms were adopted, the veto was abolished, and many political and commercial changes effected; but Catherine was too shrewd not to see that if these improvements went on, her influence would diminish, and her ambitious plans be disappointed: her ambassador was therefore instructed to protest against them in the diet, and the Poles felt that they were in bondage. Various efforts were made to resist the arbitrary course of the empress; some of the bishops and nobles had united for the purpose of withstanding her despotic interference; the Turks were persuaded to declare war against Russia, and several of the Polish noblemen joined them with their retainers, but it was all in vain; the victorious Russians carried every thing before them, and the entire subjugation of the republic was resolved on. But the method of partitioning off a portion, and dividing it among the assailants, was as novel as it was iniquitous. The plan had evidently been under consideration for some years, but in 1772 the three powers, Russia, Prussia, and Austria, resolved to carry it into execution: the partition treaty was then signed at St. Petersburg, and the distribution of a considerablę |