The Virginia Gazette

They write from the Hague, that a Paper is handed about amongst the Foreign Ministers there, and others, to the following Purpose : That it is a self-evident Truth, that the Union of the Emperor with France must prove fatal to the Liberties of Europe, the Balance of which it absolutely overturns : And it is not less evident, that France reaps all the Benefit of this Union, she having, by Virtue thereof, undertaken and executed, in a Time of absolute Peace, Projects, which would not have succeeded by Dint of Arms, even in the Time of Lewis XIVth; such as the Acquisition of Lorrain ; assuming an extraordinary Authority in the Affair of Corsica; taking upon her the Right of disposing of the Duchies of Juliers and Bergue, in Favour of a Prince that she has deigned to be Son-in-law to the most Christian King; the approaching Acquisition of the Duchy of Luxemburg, and, perhaps, of some other important Place from the Barrier; and above all, the supreme Direction of Affairs in general, which she appropriates to herself, in Quality of universal Mediatrix, exclusive of every other Power, none having of late presumed, or at least chose, to dispute any thing that she has demanded, or undertaken: And these are the real and evident Fruits that France hath already gathered from her Union with the Emperor, or rather from the Disunion subsisting between the Emperor and his ancient and most serviceable Allies.

Now, say they, let us ask what great Advantages accrue to his Imperial Majesty, for having thus deserted his natural Friends, as well as the most essential Interest of Europe? It is well known that France, ever since the Time of Cardinal de Richelieu, has been desirous of ruling the Power of the House of Austria; which, on its Part, has frequently had enough to do to defend itself from the potent Attacks thereof. The Emperor, therefore, in uniting with this Power, threw himself into the Arms of his professed Enemy, and leaves himself entirely at his Mercy; and, in order to preserve the pretended Friendship, he is obliged to give up his real Friends, who could only defend him in Case of Need, against so formidable a Power.

It will be said, perhaps, that the Emperor being willing to make himself quite easy on the Side of France, troubling himself very little either about the Low Countries or even Italy, the keeping of which are chargeable to him, has resolved to repair the Loss of these Dominions at the Expense of the Turk, supposing that any Acquisition which he might make on that Side would be, without Difficulty, kept, provided he continued his Alliance with France and Russia : But if that was his Design, it may be answered, that he is very likely to be convinced of the Difficulty of gaining any thing by this Enterprise, since so far is he from making Conquests in Hungary, that he seems to be in great Danger of losing a Part of his Possessions there.

The Court of Vienna will scarcely be less deceived in her Calculations, if she has thought of maintaining the Pragmatic Sanction by Means of this Union. To put so formidable a Power in such a Situation as to be able to make an Emperor, is to pave the Way for an universal
Monarchy of which there is Room to fear it has not entirely got the Idea. In order to justify the Conduct of the Court of Vienna, it is said, that he was forsaken by her Allies; to prove which, the Case of the late War concerning the Polish Affair, is cited: But why did this Court undertake it without first consulting, and even having the Consent of those who were only able to succour her? It is said, after all, that it will be very easy for the Emperor to renew his Friendship with his ancient Allies, whenever France shall give him Occasion to abandon her; but it would not be improper for him to consider, that in the mean time the Protestant Powers may possibly have formed a League for their common Security; and should that happen to be the Case, they would have but little Occasion to court his Imperial Majesty to enter into it: And if the Misunderstanding, which at present subsists amongst them, should still unhappily prevail, they would in that Case, be but of little Aid to the Emperor; or indeed to one another, since they would most of them, probably, be brought under the Yoke of France.