city in that part of Europe, it had been reduced almost to beggary, and had seen many of its principal inhabitants in the condition of fugitives or exiles, its finest suburbs demolished, and its population wasted by want and disease. After the battle of Leipsic Marshal Davoust was compelled to retire into the city, and the allies immediately began to invest it on all sides; but the fortifications had been so much strengthened by the French, that the allies gave up the design of besieging it in regular form. They therefore converted it into a rigorous blockade; and Davoust, determined to resist to the last extremity, expelled all the inhabitants that were not able to provide themselves with provisions for six months. Although the garrison of Hamburgh amounted to about 20,000 men, yet no action of any particular notice occurred between the respective forces. On the abdication of Bonaparte, an officer was sent from Paris with the information to Davoust; but for several days he gave no credit to it; nor would he allow any communication with the city, until he had ascertained the correctness of it by an officer which he dispatched to France for that purpose. He was soon afterwards replaced by General Girard, who began to make preparations for the immediate evacuation of the place. The troops departed by columns; and on the 26th of May, the Hamburghers witnessed the resumption of the government by their native constituted authorities with sensations of true patriotic delight. Hamburgh was restored to its ancient independence under the patronage of the allied powers. The senate, on that occasion, published the following address to their fellow-citizens, which is marked by a spirit of wisdom and moderation.

"As the great events which have taken place in Europe within the last months have also gradually produced beneficial effects for our good city, and as both from these events and the will of the high allied powers, the happy freedom and independence of Hamburgh has again commenced; therefore the honorable senate, under existing circumstances,-since the French civil authorities have already left the city, and the generals commanding the French and allied troops are agreed, that it is proper the Hamburgh authorities should resume their functions,-deem it their duty to assume the reins of government without delay, that order and tranquillity may be maintained; and they, at the same time, summon for to-morrow a general meeting of the citizens.

"The honorable senate, convinced that the duties which they owe to their beloved fellow-citizens dictate this mode of proceeding, cannot, at the same time, conceal from themselves, that their measures, which have only in view the welfare of Hamburgh, will not have the desired effect, unless all the citizens unite with one patriotic spirit,

peace, which is one of the weightiest objects at BOOK XII. present.

"To forward this, Hamburgh's citizens must, at the present moment of restoration, forget their late sufferings and injuries; they must in the armed and unarmed foreigners behold only friends of their deliverer,-carefully avoid every occasion. of discord,-abstain from all unauthorised proceedings, and leave the remedy and correction of grievances which they may think they have against individuals, to their own legitimate go

vernment.

"The honorable senate, full of confidence in its beloved fellow-citizens, expects and orders with paternal earnestness, that this be their mode of proceeding. It also recommends the most friendly behaviour to the troops of the high allies about to enter, among whom also are to be found our armed children, who are about to return to the bosom of their families.

"At the happy moment when the honorable senate, after so many misfortunes and calamities which this good city has suffered, again addresses its fellow-citizens for the first time, it takes upon itself the sacred obligation not only to avert with vigour and zeal every thing that might be injarious to the internal happiness of the citizens, but to exert itself with constancy both at home and abroad for the promotion of its welfare: thereto, however, it expects the unanimity and co-operation of its fellow-citizens, together with attachment to our tried constitution, which in its fundamentals must remain unimpaired, although, perhaps, the spirit of the times may, after careful consideration, render necessary some changes in the mode of its administration.

"The senate is convinced, that through these reciprocal endeavours, Providence will bless our labours, heal our wounds, and again cause our prosperity to bud forth.

"Given in our senate-house, at Hamburgh, May 26, 1814."

Though it was not yet thought proper to leave the city without the protection of foreign troops, confidence was sufficiently renewed for the operation of those causes which are found so efficacious in speedily effacing the wounds inflicted on commercial prosperity.

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Every thing (says an account which was soon afterwards received from Hamburgh) here acquires new life, activity, and cheerfulness: the Elbe is again filled with vessels of every description, and several richly laden ships have already entered our port. The road from Altona to Hamburgh is covered with an almost uninterrupted line of waggons laden with the household furniture, &c. of emigrants. Many small huts and sheds have been already built out of the wrecks of the suburbs, and the foundation-walls are laid

CHAP. XI.

1814.

of Sweden was detached from the grand army of the allies, in order to proceed against Denmark. We are not well acquainted with the reasons which induced the King of Denmark to adhere so long to the cause of Bonaparte, unless he was actuated by his hatred to England, on account of the attack on Copenhagen: it is probable, also, that his subjects sympathised in this feeling; otherwise it seems wonderful that men of such pure and simple habits as the Danes, and enjoying a greater portion of liberty than most of the people of the continent, should have so long gone along with their sovereign in his support of Bonaparte. However this may be, it was soon apparent that they must eventually yield to the force which was sent against them under the Crown-prince of Sweden. Of the operations which took place on this occasion, we must refer the reader to our tenth book. The treaty of Kiel, which was signed between Sweden and Norway, on the 14th of January, 1814, consisted of the following articles: Art. 1. "There shall henceforward be peace, friendship, and good understanding between his majesty the King of Sweden and his majesty the King of Denmark; the high contacting parties shall do every thing in their power to maintain perfect harmony between each other, their respective states and subjects, and avoid all measures which might be prejudicial to the peace happily restored between them.

2. As his majesty the King of Sweden has unalterably determined, in no respect to separate the interests of the allies from his own, and as his majesty the King of Denmark is desirous that his subjects may again enjoy all the blessings of peace; and as his majesty has also received, through the instrumentality of his royal highness the Crown-prince of Sweden, positive assurance on the part of the courts of Russia and Prussia of their amicable disposition, to restore their old connections of friendship with the Danish court, such as they existed before the breaking out of hostilities; so they solemnly charge and bind themselves on their side to neglect nothing that may tend to a speedy peace between his majesty the King of Denmark, and their majesties the Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia; his majesty the King of Sweden engages to use his mediation with his high allies, that this salutary object may be as speedily as possible attained.

3." His majesty the King of Denmark, for the purpose of giving a manifest proof of his wish to renew the closest relations with the high allies of his Swedish majesty, and in the full conviction that the most earnest wishes are cherished on their side to restore a speedy peace, as they have solemnly declared before the breaking out of hostilities, engages to take an active part in the common cause against the emperor of the French,

CHAP. I.

to declare war against that power, and in conse- BOOK XIII. quence to join an auxiliary Danish corps to the army of North Germany, under the orders of his royal highness the Crown-prince of Sweden; and all this according to and in pursuance of the convention that has been settled between his majesty the King of Denmark, and his majesty the King of Great Britain and Ireland.

4. His majesty the King of Denmark, for himself and his successors, renounces, for ever and irrevocably, all his rights and claims on the kingdom of Norway, together with possession of the bishoprics and dioceses of Christiansand, Bergenhuus, Aggerhuus, and Drontheim, besides Nordland and Finmark, as far as the frontiers of the Russian empire.

"These bishoprics, dioceses, and provinces, constituting the kingdom of Norway, with their inhabitants, towns, harbours, fortresses, villages, and islands, along the whole coast of that kingdom, together with their dependencies (Greenland, the Ferroe isles, and Iceland, excepted); as well as all privileges, rights, and emoluments thereto belonging, shall belong in full and sovereign property to the King of Sweden, and make one with his united kingdom. For this purpose his majesty the King of Denmark binds himself in the most solemn manner, as well for him as for his successors and the whole kingdom, henceforward to make no claim, direct or indirect, on the kingdom of Norway, or its bishoprics, dioceses, islands, or any other territory thereto belonging. All the inhabitants, in virtue of this renunciation, are released from the oath which they have taken to the king and crown of Norway.

5. " His majesty the King of Sweden binds himself on the other hand, in the most solemn manner, to cause the inhabitants of the kingdom of Norway, and its dependencies, to enjoy, in future, all the laws, franchises, rights, and privileges, such as they have hitherto subsisted.

6." As the whole debt of the Danish monarchy is contracted, as well upon Norway as the other parts of the kingdom, so his majesty the King of Sweden binds himself, as sovereign of Norway, to be responsible for a part of that debt, proportioned to the population and revenue of Norway. By public debt is to be understood that which has been contracted by the Danish government, both at home and abroad. The latter consists of royal and state obligations, bank-bills, and paper money formerly, issued under royal authority, and now circulating in both kingdoms.

"An exact account of this debt, such as it was on the 1st of January, 1814, shall be taken by commissioners appointed to that effect by both crowns, and shall be calculated upon a just division of the population and revenues of the

1814.

CHAP. I. 1814.

BOOK XIII. kingdoms of Norway and Denmark. These commissioners shall meet at Copenhagen, within one month after the exchange of the ratification of this treaty, and shall bring this affair to a conclusion as speedily as possible, and at least before the expiration of the present year; with this understanding, however, that the King of Sweden, as sovereign of Norway, shall be responsible for no other portion of the debt contracted by Denmark, than that for which Norway was liable before its separation.

7. "His majesty the King of Sweden, for himself and his successors, renounces irrevocably and for ever, in behalf of the King of Denmark, all rights and claim to the dukedom of Swedish Pomerania, and the principality of the island of Rugen.

"These provinces, with all their inhabitants, towns, havens, fortresses, villages, islands, and all their dependencies, privileges, rights, and emoluments, shall belong, in full sovereignty, to the crown of Denmark, and be incorporated with that kingdom.

"For this purpose his majesty the King of Sweden engages, in the most solemn manner, both for himself, his successors, and the whole Swedish kingdom, never to make any claim, direct or indirect, on the said provinces, islands, and territory, the inhabitants whereof, in virtue of this renunciation, are released from the oath which they have taken to the king and crown of Denmark.

8. "His majesty the King of Denmark solemn ly engages, in like manner, to secure to the inhabitants of Swedish Pomerania, the islands of Rugen and their dependencies, their laws, rights, franchises, and privileges, such as they now exist, and are contained in the acts of the years 1810 and 1811.

"As the Swedish paper-money has never been current in Swedish Pomerania, so his majesty the King of Denmark engages to make no alteration in this respect, without the knowledge and consent of the states of the province.

9. " As his majesty the King of Sweden, by the 6th article of the treaty of alliance, entered into at Stockholm, the 3d of March, 1813, with his majesty the King of Great Britain and Ireland, bound himself to open, for the period of twenty years, reckoning from the date of the exchange of the ratification of the treaty, the port of Stralsund, as an entrepot for all colonial produce, merchandize, and manufactures, brought from England and her colonies, in English or Swedish vessels, upon payment of one per cent ad valorem on the goods thus introduced, and an equal duty on their removal from thence; so his majesty the King of Denmark engages to fulfil this existing agreement, and to renew the same in his treaty with Great Britain.

10. "The public debt, which is contracted by the royal Pomeranian chamber, remains chargeable on the King of Denmark, as sovereign of the dukedom of Pomerania, who takes upon himself the stipulations agreed upon for the reduction of the said debt.

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11. The King of Denmark recognises the donations which the King of Sweden has given on the domains and revenues in Swedish Pomerania and the isle of Rugen, and which amount to the yearly sum of 48,000 Pomeranian rixdollars; his majesty also binds himself to maintain the donatories in the full and undisturbed possession of their rights and revenues, so that they may receive, sell, or make over the same, and that all may be paid them without any binderance, and without duties and expenses under whatsoever name.

12. "Their majesties the King of Sweden and the King of Denmark mutually engage never to divert from their original destination monies appropriated to objects of beneficence or public utility, in the countries thus reciprocally obtained by the present treaty, namely, the kingdom of Norway, and the dukedom of Swedish Pomerania, with their respective dependencies.

"The King of Sweden, in pursuance of this mutual agreement, engages to support the universities of Norway, and the King of Denmark that of Grieswald.

"The payment of all public offices, both in Norway and Pomerania, is to remain a charge upon the acquiring power, reckoning from the day of taking possession.

"Pensioners are to receive the pensions assigned to them by the preceding government without interruption or change.

13." As the King of Sweden, so far as is practicable, and as depends upon him, wishes that the King of Denmark may receive compensation for the renunciation of the kingdom of Norway, of which his majesty has given satisfactory proof in the cession of Swedish Pomerania and the isle of Rugen, so his majesty will use all his endeavours with the allied powers, to secure, in addition, at a general peace, a full equivalent to Denmark for the cession of Norway.

14. "Immediately upon the signing of the present treaty, an account of the same shall be sent, with all possible speed, to the generals and armies, in order that hostilities may wholly cease on both sides, both by sea and land.

15." The high contracting parties engage, that immediately after the signing of the present treaty, all contributions and requisitions, of whatever kind and denomination, shall immediately cease, so that even those which shall have been already ordered shall not be enforced. It is likewise agreed, that all property which has been

sequestrated by the army of North Germany, shall be restored to the owners. Herefrom are excepted such ships and ship-ladings as belonged to subjects of the King of Sweden and his allies, and have been brought into the harbours of the duchies of Sleswyk and Holstein; these shall remain with their present owners, who shall dispose of them as they think fit.

(This article then arranges the mode in which the places in Holstein and Sleswyk, possessed by the allied troops, are to be evacuated by them.)

"Immediately on the signing of the present treaty, the Swedish troops shall enter into Norway, and take possession of all the strong places there. His majesty the King of Denmark binds himself to give the necessary orders to that effect. "The Swedish troops shall deliver up Swedish Pomerania, and the Isle of Rugen, to the troops of the King of Denmark, as soon as the fortresses of Frederick shall, Konigswinger, Frederickstadt, and Aggerhuus have been taken possession of by the Swedish troops."

In the treaty with Great Britain, which is alluded to in the third article of the above treaty, the articles in substance were, that all conquests were to be restored, with the exception of Heligoland, which was to remain in the possession of England; that the prisoners of war on both sides were to be liberated; that Denmark was to join the allied armies with 10,000 men, on the condition of a subsidy from England of 400,000%; that Pomerania was to be ceded to Denmark in lieu of Norway; that Stralsund was to continue a depôt for British produce; that Denmark was to do all in her power for the abolition of the slave-trade; and that England was to mediate between her and the other allies. Accordingly, on the 17th of January, Denmark declared war against France; and a body of troops was soon afterwards placed under the orders of the Crown-prince of Sweden. These troops, in conjunction with the Swedes, were marched to the Rhine, where they remained inactive during the decisive events that were taking place in France.

The forced cession of Norway was extremely galling to the Danish government, as appears from a proclamation which was issued by his Danish majesty on the 18th of January, of which we shall make the following extract:-" Repeated overtures were made by us to the Crownprince of Sweden, who at the bead of a superior army, composed of the troops of several powerful states, continued to insist on the cession of Norway, which Sweden's allies had guaranteed to him. Hostilities were renewed. Gluckstadt and Fredrick's Ort were taken. Not to hazard every thing, it was requisite to confine our defence chiefly to Fuhnen, whither we ordered all the

also repaired ourself, to be nearer the scene of BOOK XIII. action, and the negociations.

"A renewal of the negociations again averted the attack that approached the frontiers of Jutland. It was not possible to prevent this province from being overrun by a superior force; and if it became, like the Duchies, the seat of war, we were wholly deprived of the means of sending corn to Norway. The important moment was now come to decide respecting peace, or the continuation of the war. Never was a country in a more critical situation than Denmark, cut off from Norway, and opposed alone to so many powerful enemies; and never had a prince a more difficult duty, than to make a choice under these circumstances. Had the matter concerned us alone, or had it been merely necessary to meet an iminent danger, if we could have hoped to obtain a happy issue, even by the most terrible conflict, we should not have hesitated, for we knew the courageous sentiments of our troops and of our people, and knew what the latter, though exhausted by a longwar, were ready to suffer and to sacrifice for us and the country, if we called on them. But under such circumstances we could not risk the dissolution of the whole monarchy, nor require a faithful people to shed its blood in an unequal contest, most probably to promote the reverse of the object in view.

"But the result of the contest was not the only ground of our determination. Norway would be exposed to the most dreadful famine, if Jutland became the seat of war, and Norway were deprived of all supplies from that side. According to the reports, which we had already received from credible and well-informed persons, not a fourth part of the corn necessary to supply Norway till the next autumn had been with extreme danger and loss sent over to that country. Even our means of sending corn thither were no longer sufficient; not a fourth-part of the vessels that might formerly have been employed for that purpose was now in the Danish ports; the rest, with their cargoes, had fallen a prey. The efforts which Denmark had contrived to make were insupportable; they had already cost many millions. A third-part of the cultivated lands in Norway had not been sown last year, for want of seed-corn. The seed time for this year approached, and required a consignment of several hundred thousand tons of corn. All supply from foreign ports in the north or south was impossible, on account of the blockade. To expose Norway again this year to want seed-corn would have been a ruinous measure, the consequences of which would have been incalculable; for if the production of corn in Norway were to be annually lessened or obstructed in such a high degree, and the exportation of the products of this

CHAP. I.

1814.