As an unlimited toleration in religious matters is at prefent one of the leading principles of the court of Peterburgh, and that both policy and juftice required every fecurity and fatisfaction, in that refpect, fhould be granted to the new fubjects in Poland, the Emprefs has accordingly erected a bithopric in the Latin Ritual at Mohilow, to whofe ecclefiaftical jurifdiction all the Roman Catholics in her vaft dominions are to be fubject. The fuffragan bishop of Wilna has been appointed to this new bifhopric, and ten thousand peafants allotted for the fupport of his paftoral dignity. No material alteration has taken place in the affairs of Dantzick. The city is mouldering to ruin, and the diftreffes of the inhabitants heightened by the uncertainty of their extent and termination. However weak and remifs the part taken by thofe powers, who were engaged by treaties or intereft in its prefervation, has been, their reprefentations, or the jealoufy with which it was fuppofed they must have been actuated, though but faintly expreffed for the prefent, has probably hitherto preferved it from that immediate violence, which would at once have decided its fate. The measures which are purfued, though flower, are not lefs certain in the effect. New canals are made, and new channels of trade opened. Clogged by every poftible difcouragement and difficulty in its ancient courfe, it will naturally fly to the new for refuge. The rich will, before it is too late, abandon their old feats, and the multitude, worn down by exaction and oppreflion, and every day thinned by the recruiting officers, who furround them like vultures, dwindle to nothing. Thus, very probably, in a few years, will its name be the only memorial left of this great and free city, which had for so many ages held its rank among the first in Europe; and this deftruction will be accomplished without the aid of war, peftilence, earthquake, or famine. CHA P. III, Germany. Aufirian troops enter the Venetian Dalmatia. Difference between the Court of Vienna and the Regency of Hanover. Pruffia. Helvetic Body. -Sweden. Denmark. Death of the French King. Succeeded by his Grandjon. Happy effects of Inoculation. Changes in the M.niftry. Dukes of Orleans and Chartres in difgrace; but are foon recalled to Court. The ancient Parliament of Paris restored, but under many Restrictions. War in Corfica. GERMANY, though the great and fruitful field of political caufes and effects; has not during the prefent year been productive of any great or novel fub jet for obfervation. The two great powers, whofe wings overthadow that empire, proceed uniformly in the military lyftem, which they have conftantly purfued fince the late late peace. Reviews, encampments, new manœuvres, and propofed improvements in artillery or difcipline, keep the mind awake with all the splendour and apparatus of war, and its image conftantly in view; nothing remains wanting, but chance, caprice, or ill humour, to furnish it with life and efficacy. Whilft the great potentates are occupied by thefe dangerous amufements, the leffer princes are immerfed in diffipation and pleasures. The free cities and towns, which were the nurseries of liberty, arts, and opulence, are, in respect to power and confequence, dwindling to nothing, and their remaining immunities becoming every day more precarious. In this flate of things, a particular combination of circumftances is only requifite, to occafion fuch a revolution in the Germanic fyftem, as would give a new colour to the affairs of Europe. It appears by the mufter roll, delivered at the conclufion of the foregoing year to the council of war at Vienna, that the Auftrian and Imperial armies at that period amounted to 235,000 effective men. Yet the bufineis of recruiting is fill carried on, with as much induftry as ever. Such armies will of courfe difturb the flumbers of their neighbours; and their prefent movements rather thew an indecifion with respect to the objects of employment, than the fmalleft difpofition to ruft in idlenefs. A handful of thefe troops was fufficient, in the courfe of the fummer, to throw the fage republic of Venice into the utmost coufternation and terror. General Whelau, without any previous declaration or notice, marched into the Venetian Dalmatia, at the head of only fix hundred men, where he took potfellion of feveral towns and diftricts, and compelled the inhabitants to take oaths of fidelity and allegiance to their Imperial Majefties. Such violations of the law of nations are now grown fo fashionable, that it is probable that aucient code, the flow aggregate and refult of the wifdom and experience of mankind to letlen the miferies of war, will be totally obliterated. It, however, appears, that through fonie inattention, or unavoidable delay, the limits between the Auftrian and Venetian Dalmatia were not fo precitely defined by former treaties, as to cut off all poflible room for future altercation, and that fome matter of this nature was now brought up, to authorize the prefent invafion. It is indeed a common, though unjust and dangerous policy, for powerful and ambitious ftates, in their intercourfe with the weaker, ftill to referve fome trifling claim or pretention undecided, which is fuffered to lie dormant, until the favourable conjuncture arrives that it can be revived with advantage: when the colour of right derived from a matter of fmall confequence, ferves to hide the enormity of that injuftice, which is extended to objects of the greateft. The republic, according to eftablithed and ancient cuftom, has endeavoured to cover weaknels, indolence and irrefolution, by negociation and intrigue. The lofs of thefe diftricts, however, if attended with no other confequences, would have been confidered by her as a matter of no great importance. But this violence was apprehended to be only a prelude to greater; and the trembled for other claims, [B] 4 or or a new arrangement of dominion, without any, which were of a much more alarming nature. If things proceed in their prefent courfe, it will become no great matter of furprize to fee the common train of an ambaffador fent to difpofe or take poffeffion of a kingdom. The nature of fome difputes and jealoufies which have taken place between the court of Vienna and the regency of Hanover, has not yet been exactly afcertained, nor authentically explained. It appears, however, that the Directorial Envoy of Auftria, at the affembly of the plenipotentiary minifters of the empire, held at Regenfburg, read a refcript from his court, which contained a number of grievous complaints against that of Hanover. Among thefe, that government was charged with feeking every opportunity of framing leagues, and fomenting factions among the states of the empire, in order to thwart and oppofe the views of the Imperial court. That this prejudice and diflike to their Imperial Majefties, and oppofition to their interefts, had manifefted itself in numberlefs inftances, although the houfe of Hanover, upon obtaining the electorate, had folemnly engaged to preferve a good understanding with that of Auftria. That their Imperial Majefties, though fingularly difgufted at the repeated oppofition, and frequent moleftation they had experienced in various tranfa&tions, fought, rotwithstanding, by amicable reprefentations made, even in London, to divert the electoral court from its conduct and principles; but that thefe endeavours having hitherto been fruitlefs, tifey now found themfelves under a neceflity of declaring, that their conduct with refpe&t to that court for the future, fhould be fuited to that which it had practised. To thefe general complaints fome fpecific charges were added, which feemed of little moment, and related to the vifitation of the chamber of the empire, and to fome impofts laid on in Hanover, upon goods belonging to the fubjects of their Imperial Majefties. The Hanoverian Minifters in their reply, delivered both in London and at Regensburgh, declared, that these charges were received with the greateft amazement by his Britannic Majefty, as he had on every occafion endeavoured to preserve the greatest harmony, and to cultivate the strictest friendship with the court of Vienna. That when the Hanoverian minifter opposed the motions made by the Imperial minifters in the affairs of the German diet, he did it only from a truly patriotic principle; that every one who has a vote at the diet, has a right to oppofe any motion which is contrary to his opinion; that differing in opinion is by no means an argument of any breach of harmony; that his Britannic Majefty would not reproach any person who differed from him in opinion, and therefore could expect no reproach on that account; and that it is not at all confiftent with the rights of the empire, that his Imperial Majefty fhould refent any fuch difference of opinion. As to the affair of the impofts in the electoral dominions, it was faid, that the favour fhewn to the Imperial fubjects, by their being at any time free from them, depended merely on the generofity of the Elector; but was by no means to be confidered as an engagement or obligation. Thus the matter feems to reit at prefent. The movements of the Antirian troops troops on the Turkish frontiers during the war, did not excite greater fpeculation than thofe which have taken place fince the peace, on the fide both of Poland and Tranfylvania. It has been even reported that they have seized fome diftricts in Moldavia and Walachia: and it feemed to have been believed for a time, that the Ottomans were by treaty to make a ceffion to the court of Vienna, of fome confiderable territories on this fide of the Danube. As the motives which might have induced fuch a ceffion feem, however, to be entirely extinguished by the peace, the doubtful conduct of that court ftill remains to be explained. The King of Pruffia, exclufive of his military occupations, is principally taken up with an attention to his new dominions, and to the forming every scheme for rendering them of the greateft poffible advantage. For this purpose canals are made, trading companies formed, new fources of commerce fought, and the earth explored for its hidden riches. Among his other eftablishments, one cannot be too much praised, which is the appointment of good fchoolmafters, with fuitable ftipends, in the principal villages, that the pealants may be at no expence for the education of their children. This warlike prince did not neglect the opportunity offered by the peace for remounting his huffars, and accordingly fent a number of their officers to the Danube, 'for the purchase of feveral thoufand Turkish and Tartarian borfes. Suppofed exchanges of territory, between fome of the letler princes and the great, fiill continue to hold a great thare in German converfation, and feem to occupy no fmall part of the attention of their poli ticians. Whether fuch exchange have been really agitated or not. the fubje&t feems induftrioufly to be kept alive; which need not be regarded as a very doubtful indication, that measures of that nature are in view. In the mean time, the rapid progress of defpotifm throughout Europe, and the epidemic rage which feems to have feized the monarchs of the earth, for exterminating all the remains of liberty wherever they are to be found,: feems to have awakened the attention of fome of the remaining republics. It is even said, that the Helvetic body, which, from natural ftrength, and the numbers and. genius of the inhabitants, enjoys the greateft fecurity of any now exifting, has not been without serious alarms, at the defigns of fome of its great neighbours. It is alfo faid, that a league for their mutual defence has been negociated between that body and the Italian republics. A deputation from the Swifs cantons, and the republic of Geneva, has lately arrived at the court of Vienna; and though the particulars of their commiflion are not yet publicly known, it is more than probable that it relates to this fubject. It has pleafed Providence, that the calamities which had long afflicted the people in Germany and the adjoining countries, through a fucceffion of unkind feafons, and the confequent dearth of all kind of provifions, have this year been happily removed by a bountiful harveft. This bleffing, as well as the calamity, has, in a greater or leffer degree, been extended to almoit every part of Europe. The northern kingdoms have not not this year been productive of any incidents which are materially interesting to the public in general. The King of Sweden, as well from his own difpofition, as the example of his neighbours, pays the clofeft attention to military affairs, and has accordingly formed a very powerful army, and established a refpectable marine; both of which he feems determined to carry to the highest degree of improvement. In other matters, he is very attentive to commerce, to the internal improvement of the country, and to prevent its depopulation, by the emigration of his fubjects, for which purpofe the ancient laws upon that fubject have been renewed and enforced. The greatest harmony feems at prefent to prevail between the courts of Stockholm and Petersburg, and a new treaty is faid to have been concluded, which, with some additional articles, confirms and renews all former ones fubfifting between the two ftates. In this ftate of good neighbourhood with Ruffia, and without any apparent object of conqueft in view, or caufe of apprehenfion, in any quarter, it would be difficult to account for thefe military preparations, did we not fee the general alarm, and fufpicion of each others defigns, which late transactions, and prefent appearances, have excited among all the princes in Europe. The marriage between July 7th, the Duke of Sudermania, 1774 the king's next brother, and the Princefs Charlotte of Holftein Eutin, daughter of the Prince Bishop of Lubeck, has been celebrated with great fplendour and magnificence at Stockholm, and feems to have given general fatis faction to the nation. Sweden has partaken fo happily of the benefits of a plentiful harveft, after the long miferies which it has undergone, that the king has permitted a free exportation of corn from all the ports of that kingdom. A circumftance which fufficiently denotes the extent of the blefling, in a country fo generally deficient in its produce of grain. Denmark prefents nothing of confequence in the present year, except the marriage of Prince Frederic, the king's brother, O&. 21. with the Princefs Sophia Frederica, niece to the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin, which was celebrated with great joy and feftivity at Copenhagen.. A grand and magnificent project was formed, which, if capable of being carried into execution, would have been productive of confiderable utility. This was no less than to jin the Baltic with the German Ocean, or North Sea, by a cut carried across the Peninfula, which is compofed of the Duchies of Holftein and Slefwic. Such an attempt has long been thought feasible, and a commiffion was now appointed for carrying it into execution. The defign is, however, laid afide for the prefent, either on account of the great expence, or of fome unforeseen difficulties, which were difcovered on examination. It has been long an obfervation with hif torians, that few of those projects, which were intended in any great degree to counteract the operations, or to change the original defigns of nature, have been crowned with fuccefs. The death of Lewis XV. King of France, concluded a remarkable period of two fuccefliye reigns, |