Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Foreign News
June 28, 1799
Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
What is this article about?
Proclamation by French General Bernadotte to the German people, calling them to join France against Austria and its allies, emphasizing shared liberty and defense against tyranny. Translated from Journal de Paris, April 23, reported from Constantinople, February 22.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
CONSTANTINOPLE, February 22.
French Army of Observation.
Bernadotte, General in Chief, to the people of Germany.
Germans!
If in the destinies of the world the French government has a right to choose in the commencement of the Grand Movement which crowns the termination of the 18th century, gratitude reminds us that the honor of the Light by which the end of the 16th was illuminated, belongs to you!!!
Germans! Freemen! we are your brethren; we wear it by our arms, we do not come to derange this holy brotherhood, but on the contrary to confirm our connections, and cement their existence by the defeat of their common foe, the House of Austria!!!
Since the time of Rodolphe of Hapsburg, worthy head of this detestable family, rebel-slave to Ottocare his master, what numerous attempts have been made to render the Empire hereditary!!!
Germans! can you doubt the existence of this Austrian party, so fertile in reasons to prove the advantage of uniting all Germany under the Austrian yoke!!!
Such however, is the fate that menaces your existence. The cause for which we are ready to contend on your soil is common to us both, but more interesting still to Europe.
It is undoubtedly horrid to be the continual prey of war, and your country is still the theatre of the misfortunes it occasions; but Germans! whenever the blood of man is about to be shed on your territories, the house of Austria is invariably the cause of it!!!
When victory had placed in our hands the means of annihilating this treacherous family, we generously renounced the glory of establishing the true equilibrium of Europe, and had the magnanimity to believe its insatiable ambition would be gratified by concession. Yet so many sacrifices have not yet restored peace to the world!!!
Tyrants and their counsellors have mistaken our patience for sleep; but people who have acquired liberty never sleep nor never die!
Germany! the hostilities this day recommenced are purely defensive! You will no longer misconstrue the odious machiavelism of Austria. Dextrous to involve you in her broils, she wishes to turn a war interesting only to herself, into a war involving the whole Empire in order to raise herself on your ruins.
You will perceive how she directs the monstrous alliance she has formed with England to your prejudice -that England which sees but does not feel the disturbances of the continent and, which with Russia, is labouring to reduce civilized Europe to Asiatic Barbarism.
Germans! The support of religion, your preservation, your liberty the independence of your individual governments, which are our friends, necessarily lead you to unite with us, to drive this abominable horde of conspirators from their lurking holes.
Your property shall sacredly be respected. The laws of the Republic unite with the weapons of death whoever violates the asylum of the peaceable inhabitant. These laws shall be religiously executed.
Rise then Germans! rise with us! War to Austria! war to the barbarians of the north who wish to inundate your territory with blood!!!!!!!!!
BERNADOTTE.
The above wonderful production is translated from the Journal de Paris of the 23 April.
French Army of Observation.
Bernadotte, General in Chief, to the people of Germany.
Germans!
If in the destinies of the world the French government has a right to choose in the commencement of the Grand Movement which crowns the termination of the 18th century, gratitude reminds us that the honor of the Light by which the end of the 16th was illuminated, belongs to you!!!
Germans! Freemen! we are your brethren; we wear it by our arms, we do not come to derange this holy brotherhood, but on the contrary to confirm our connections, and cement their existence by the defeat of their common foe, the House of Austria!!!
Since the time of Rodolphe of Hapsburg, worthy head of this detestable family, rebel-slave to Ottocare his master, what numerous attempts have been made to render the Empire hereditary!!!
Germans! can you doubt the existence of this Austrian party, so fertile in reasons to prove the advantage of uniting all Germany under the Austrian yoke!!!
Such however, is the fate that menaces your existence. The cause for which we are ready to contend on your soil is common to us both, but more interesting still to Europe.
It is undoubtedly horrid to be the continual prey of war, and your country is still the theatre of the misfortunes it occasions; but Germans! whenever the blood of man is about to be shed on your territories, the house of Austria is invariably the cause of it!!!
When victory had placed in our hands the means of annihilating this treacherous family, we generously renounced the glory of establishing the true equilibrium of Europe, and had the magnanimity to believe its insatiable ambition would be gratified by concession. Yet so many sacrifices have not yet restored peace to the world!!!
Tyrants and their counsellors have mistaken our patience for sleep; but people who have acquired liberty never sleep nor never die!
Germany! the hostilities this day recommenced are purely defensive! You will no longer misconstrue the odious machiavelism of Austria. Dextrous to involve you in her broils, she wishes to turn a war interesting only to herself, into a war involving the whole Empire in order to raise herself on your ruins.
You will perceive how she directs the monstrous alliance she has formed with England to your prejudice -that England which sees but does not feel the disturbances of the continent and, which with Russia, is labouring to reduce civilized Europe to Asiatic Barbarism.
Germans! The support of religion, your preservation, your liberty the independence of your individual governments, which are our friends, necessarily lead you to unite with us, to drive this abominable horde of conspirators from their lurking holes.
Your property shall sacredly be respected. The laws of the Republic unite with the weapons of death whoever violates the asylum of the peaceable inhabitant. These laws shall be religiously executed.
Rise then Germans! rise with us! War to Austria! war to the barbarians of the north who wish to inundate your territory with blood!!!!!!!!!
BERNADOTTE.
The above wonderful production is translated from the Journal de Paris of the 23 April.
What sub-type of article is it?
War Report
Military Campaign
What keywords are associated?
Bernadotte Proclamation
French Army Observation
War Against Austria
German Alliance
House Of Austria
What entities or persons were involved?
Bernadotte
Where did it happen?
Germany
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Germany
Event Date
23 April
Key Persons
Bernadotte
Event Details
French General Bernadotte issues a proclamation to the German people, portraying France as their brethren fighting a common foe in the House of Austria, urging them to rise against Austrian machinations and alliances with England and Russia, promising respect for property and liberty.