HISTORICAL AFFAIRS.

POLAN D.

Warsaw, Dec. 28. The Diet held its laft feffion on the 23d inftant, but on account of the Christmas holidays, adjourned till to-morrow. This feffion was very in tereating. The Diet were informed, that Prince Adam Czartorifki, deputy from the King and the republic at the court of Drefden, had on the 12th of this month a conference with Count de Loos and the Privy Counsellor de Gutfchmidt, the Elector's commiffioners, in which the latter declared, "That his Electoral Highness, previous to his entering into any negotiation refpecting the acceptation of the hereditary crown of Poland, willed to have a clear and precife explanation of the interior pofition of the republic and its foreign connections, relative to the treaties in which they had ftipulated the guaranty of the principles of the Polith conftitution, especially the rights which Ruffia might pretend to in that refpect; that he wished, above all, to know what were the prefent fentiments of the court of Petersburg, as to the supporting of thofe principles which they had guaranteed, with others, by the treaty of 1775; and for the better eluci dating of that fubject, he wished and advised the republic to make a formal notification to the faid court, of the new conftitution, and the change made in the ancient principles with regard to the hereditary fucceffion, in the fame manner as that communication had already been made to the two courts of Vienna and Berlin."-Thefe overtures, the news of which was brought by an exprefs from Drefden, occafioned fome nuncios of the oppofition party to move, that fome ecclairciffemens fhould be given touch. ing the answer of the court of Vienna to the notification of the new conftitution, the negotiations relative to the treaty of commerce projected with Pruffia, on those on which they had attempted to conclude a treaty with the Porte, and in general refpe&ting the prefent political fituation of Poland with regard to other powers. The minister for foreign affairs gave them all the intelligence on thefe different fubje&ts which his place authorifed him to do. But the mention of the treaties, which had fubmitted the Polish conflitution to the guaranty of foreign

Sovereigns, inflamed the patriotism of M. Soltyk, nuncio from Cracow. He pointed out the principle which the court of Berlin itself had established, in fpeaking of this guaranty; namely, that fuch a guaranty of the conftitution of a free people is an attack on their independence, and that the guarantees are in reality its Sovereigns. M. Soltyk fpoke with great heat on the occafion, and was with fome difficulty calmed. The Diet, however, at length refolved to make the fame no• tification to the court of Petersburg as they had to thofe of Vienna and Berlin.

The following are the circular letters of the K. of Pruffia and the Emperor, written to all their ministers in the Empire, on the treaty of alliance between them.

King of Pruffia's Letter.

Berlin, Dec. 6. 1791. It is with great concern that I have been informed of the ill-founded reports, propagated in the empire,relative to the fuppofed dangerous influence which the happy alliance, lately entered into between the Emperor and myself, might have over the rights and the free conftitution of the Germanic body. Although the certainty of this monarch's patriotic views as well as mine, might have been fufficient to remove all caufes of alarm among diftruftful people, and might have convinced them that, in an alliance purely defenfive, and conditionally established on our perfonal friendship, it was impoffible that we could have any views hoftile to the laws and the welfare of the empire; yet,in order entirely to remove all kinds of finifter interpretations, and contrary to our

hone fa

honeft views, I charge you exprefsly to make known, wherever it fhall be expedient," that the maintenance of the conftitution and of the rights of the empire, forms one of the bafes of the union fo happily entered into between the Emperor and myself; and that, from the moment of our happy alliance, we have agreed on this guarantee in the moft obligatory and facred manner.

I make no doubt but after this declaration, the alarms which fome evilminded persons may have raised and propagated on this fubject, will make room for that confidence which we deserve on the part of our co-eftates, and that they will be ready to do justice to the candour and fincerity of the fentiment which we cagerly make known on this occafion,

The Emperor's Letter.

His Majefty the Emperor and the King of Pruffia have thought it the intereft of their respective states, to enter into a formal alliance; and the preliminaries of a defenfive treaty, which will foon be concluded, have already been figned here. The Emperor had flattered him felf with the hopes that this harmony and union would be univerfally confidered as a happy event, and very defirable for the maintenance of peace in Europe and the tranquillity of Germany. It is not, therefore, without the greatest aftoninment, that their Majefties have been informed that fome odious and improbable reports, propagated by ill-minded people, relative to fome private views, and probable confequences of this new alliance, have made a difagreeable impreflion on fome minds. His Imperial Majefty wishes for nothing fo earnefly, as to convince his co-eftates of the empire, that his views are invariably directed towards the main tenance of the conftitution of the empire, and the general profperity of Ger

many.

It is therefore with concern, that his Majefty is informed that, on an occafion which was fo unlikely to produce any alarms, doubts fhould notwithstanding have arifen in several states of the empire, relative to the unfavourable influences which this alliance may produce.

Although it be not ufual here to make explanations relative to odious reports propagated by evil-minded or ignorant perfons, but, on the contrary, let every proceeding be always fubmitted to the judgement of impartial men, as the only

mode of finally triumphing over all kinds of mifreprefentation, his Majefty is not. withftanding defirous that you declare to the court at which you are refident, whenever the nature of circumftances, or a favourable opportunity, fhall offer, that the maintenance and the guarantee of the Germanic empire form one of the fundamental and effential bafes of the alliance fo happily entered into between his Majefty the Emperor and his Majefty the King of Pruffia, and that their Majefties are, from the firft, united in the defence and guarantee of the Germanic conftitution.

His Imperial Majefty has, fince his acceffion to the throne, given to the world fo many unequivocal proofs of his juftice, equity, and moderation; and he has fhewn towards his co-eftates of the empire in particular, whenever an opportunity offered, fo much affection for the Germanic body, fo much interest for the general welfare of the Empire and of each eftate in particular, that, even without this facred affurance, there could be no room to doubt the purity of his zeal, of his views, and of his intentions.

It is therefore to be hoped, and for the fake of the eftates of the empire it is much to be wished, that, inftead of vain folici tudes, an unbounded confidence will be renewed, and that justice will every where be done to the integrity and the candid fentiments of the two courts; fuch as, without all doubt, they deserve, by the fincere regard and the indefatigable zeal which they manifest for the em pire.

ITALY.

Venice, Dec. 10. Intelligence has been received here from Zante, that, on the 2d ultimo, an earthquake happened there, which demolified many houses and public buildings; that above fixty perfons had perished in the ruins; and also that every village throughout the island had fuffered much upon that occafion. The fame account mentions, that the plague had again broken out with fury in the Morea. Lond. Gaz.

FRANCE.

On Nov. 16. the minister stated to the Af

fembly the meafures taken by the King with refpect to the countenance given to the emigrants by foreign powers. The Auftrian Netherlands firit attracted his attention; and

en

en application to the Emperor, the most peremptory orders had been given to prevent them from collecting in too great numbers, in any one place, from appearing in military array, or being supplied with any of the implements of war.

The conftitution of the German Empire rendered it impracticable to proceed with equal dispatch in other places; but his Majefty had alfo called upon the Emperor to inter pofe his good offices as the head of it, and required the Electors of Treves and Mayence, &c. &c. to cause the neceffary orders to be given for the exact obfervance of the law of nations, and the difperfing and preventing all aflemblages that indicate hoftility to France. The minifter of justice gave an account of the measures he had taken in execution of the general amnefty.

The Affembly proceeded, Nov. 17. on the decree against the refractory clergy.

The articles paffed are,

1. Within eight days from the publication of the prefent decree, all the ecclefiaftics, exapt those who have conformed to the decree of the 17th November last, shall be bound to prefent themselves before the municipality of the place of their refidence, there take the civic oath in the terms of article 5. of part 2. of the conftitution, and to fign the minute of it, which shall be drawn up for them with cut expence.

2. At the expiration of the above interval, every municipality shall transmit to the directory of the department, by means of the difrict, a lift of the ecclefiaftics refiding in their territory, diftinguishing those who fhall have taken the civic oath, and those who hall have refused it.

3. Thofe of the minifters of the Catholic worship who have set the example of submisfon to the laws, and of attachment to their country, by taking the oath of fidelity pre fcribed by the decree of November 27. 1790, and have not retracted it, are exempted from all new formalities. They are invariably maintained in all the rights which were fecured to them by the former decrees.

4. With refpect to the other ecclefiaftics, Bone of them can in future receive, demand, or obtain penfion, or allowance, from the public treafury, but by reprefenting the proof of their having taken the civic oath, agreeably to the 1ft article of this decree. The treasurers, receivers, or payers, who shall make payments contrary to the tenor of this decree, fhall be condemned to reftitution of the amount and the lofs of their places.

The minifter of the home department produced difpatches, which the commiffioners of the King, employed for the purpose of reftoring the tranquillity of Avignon, had adireffed to him by an extraordinary courier.

They announce, "That their endeavours

had fucceeded to the fatisfaction of the unfortunate inhabitants, whom the ruffians of the army of Monteux, called Petriot, pillaged and maffacred with impunity. The French troops are in poffeffion of Carpentras and Avignon, to the great difpleasure of these ruffians.-Those who had fled from consternation now return to their homes. One Lecuyer had pillaged the inhabitants of Avignon; he was maffacred-His friends took occafion to ravage the town, and, under the pretext of avenging his death, killed, all the perfons of probity."

On Nov. 26. the Affembly decreed a deputation of twenty-four members to the King, the object of which was:

1. "To express the anxious folicitude of the house on the dangers which threaten the country from the combined machinations of the expatriated Frenchmen, affembled in arms upon the Rhine, and the private foes to the fyftem now adopted in France.

2. To intimate how happy the Affembly would feel in learning what efficacious meafures the King has adopted to do away those rebellious meetings; and how he had applied, in order to accomplish that end, to the Electors of Triers and Mentz, and to the Bishop of Spires.

3. To teftify a wifh of feeing a proper military apparatus difplayed, the more forcibly to engage thofe Princes to refpect the law of nations, if they perfifted in protecting the emigrant foes of France.

4. To pray the executive power to negotiate with the German princes, whofe property the prefent law of France confifcated."

On Nov. 29. the Affembly by decree granted 10,370,912 livres required by the King, for affiftance to be afforded to St Domingo, and for the expedition which he has ordered, for the purpofe of re-establishing order; out of which fum, to be furnished by the funds deftined to extraordinary expences, 3,456,970 livres, 13 fous, 4 deniers, fhall be immediately paid to the minister of the marine, to be accounted for by him to the National Assembly.

On Dec. 4. about four in the afternoon, the President read a note from the King, announcing his intention of coming down to the Affembly at fix, at which hour the King entered, furrounded by his minifters, took his place, and delivered the following fpeech: "Gentlemen,

I have taken your meffage of the 26th of last month into deep confideration. In a cafe that involves the honour of the French people, and the fafety of the empire, I thought it my duty to be myself the bearer of my anfwer. The nation cannot but applaud thefe communications between its elected and its hereditary representatives.

You have invited me to take decifive meafures