The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a Letter from the Hague.

Notwithstanding the famous Declaration of his Imperial Majesty against the Conclusion, Contents, and Execution of the Preliminaries agreed upon in the Ottoman Camp, this Monarch has ratified them; and the Exchange of the Ratification has been made in the Tent of the grand Vizir, by the same Count Neuperg whose Conduct has been so much blamed. These are Contradictions which the Publick does not really comprehend. Some People, as well at Vienna and in France as here, give out, that the Marquis de Villeneuve had little or no Share in the Negociation. There are others who give him all the Honour of the Success of it; and add, that he has been presented with a large Sum by the Grand Vizir, and with a Service of Gold by the Emperor, which gave rise to the Satires publish'd at Vienna upon that Ambassador, whereof the Marquis de Mirepoix made heavy Complaints. Whatever Reality there may be in these contradictory Reports, it's certain the Court of France boasts of having obtain'd a much more advantageous Peace for the Emperor, than he could reasonably hope for. On the other Hand, it's positively said by People who pretend to be in the Secret of Affairs, and have seen certain Informations that have been sent to the Imperial Court, that it was demonstrably made appear, that his Imperial Majesty had been treated with great Insincerity by the Court of France, and its Ambassador at the Porte: And this, they say, occasion'd the Emperor to resolve upon concluding a Peace upon the best Terms that cou'd be obtain'd, before the taking Belgrade, in order to save something, and be the better able to take proper Measures for delivering himself from his mischievous Union with the Court of France. People who are in this way of Thinking, insinuate, that the Declaration which has surpriz'd all Europe, was publish'd by the Imperial Court, to excuse as well as it could the Czarina, and from a Shame of having abandon'd the Russians, at a Time that they were making so useful a Diversion on its Behalf upon the Neister.