Herald Of The United States

Prussian Court to prevent the breaking out of the Continental war, which was so near at hand, will be entitled to the gratitude of posterity. The public is not yet acquainted by far with all the difficulties of this glorious undertaking. When, in January 1805, England communicated the French overtures for peace to the Russian Court, the latter, that it might be enabled to come to a decisive conclusion on the subject, thought it necessary to assure itself of the disposition of the Courts of Vienna and Berlin, and to ascertain whether there was any well-grounded expectations of their acting in concert. Gen. Winzingerode was therefore sent on the 13th of February to Berlin. As he convinced himself that the good understanding between Prussia and France was not likely to be interrupted and that Austria was not disposed to hostilities, the Russian Court agreed to the overtures of Peace transmitted by the Cabinet of Berlin. From Berlin reasonable proposals were now to be submitted to the French Emperor; Baron Winzingerode had his audience to leave, and had fixed on the 20th of March for his departure. In the mean time Napoleon assumed the crown of Italy; this circumstance produced a new alteration in the state of affairs: On this occasion Prussia conducted herself with great dignity and conciliatory firmness. The answer to be returned to France was for some time delayed, and M. De Winzingerode received directions to await further orders at Berlin, to observe whether the occurrences in Italy, combined with other internal relations at Vienna, would produce any alteration of the Austrian system. Should this have been the case, he was to have gone from Berlin to Vienna. But as the Court of Petersburg was convinced that Austria would not change its pacific system, that Envoy was directed to return from Berlin to Petersburg, conciliatory measures with regard to France was adopted. In England itself, M. De Novoziltzoff had long been considered the most proper person for arranging preliminaries of peace with France. The Russian Court, therefore, requested that of Berlin to procure passports for him, that he might repair either to Italy or Paris. For this purpose, a Courier was dispatched on the 7th of May, from Berlin to Milan, who returned on the 22d of the same month, with six passports. May the united efforts of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg and Berlin be crowned with success. A year of warfare is now more pregnant of events than a whole century in former ages.