RUSSIA A FOE TO ALL EUROPE.
Prince Kaunitz remained silent for a time, as though he were turning
over in his mind what he should say to the king. Then slowly raising his
head, he met the scrutinizing glance of Frederick with perfect
composure, and spoke as follows:
"At the conclusion of the unhappy war which desolated both Austria and
Prussia, I had to consider what course for the future was likely to
recuperate the prostrate energies of Austria. I resolved in my mind
various schemes, and laid them before her imperial majesty. The one
which I advocated and which was adopted by the empress, had mainly for
its object the pacification of all European broils, and the restoration
of the various Austrian dependencies to order and prosperity. For some
time I waited to see whether your majesty would not seek to conciliate
France, and renew your old league of friendship with her king. But the
policy pursued by your majesty at the court of Russia convinced me that
you were thinking exclusively of securing your provinces in the east.
This once understood, it became the interest of Austria to rivet the
links which bound her to France; for an alliance with her offered the
same advantages to us as that of Russia did to Prussia. Moreover, it was
Austria's opinion that Prussia was now too closely bound to Russia for
her ever to seek an alliance with France. It therefore appeared that our
good understanding with the latter would conduce to preserve the balance
of power among European nations, and that it would meet with the favor
of all those potentates who were anxious for peace. It follows thence
that the court of Vienna is perfectly content with her relations toward
France; and I expressly and distinctly declare to your majesty that we
never will seek to alienate Russia from Prussia, that we never will
encourage any advances from Russia, and that your majesty may rest
assured that we never will deviate from our present line of policy. This
was what I desired to explain, and I thank your majesty for the courtesy
with which You have listened to me." [Footnote: This discourse of Kannitz is
historical. It is found in Ferrand's "Histoire des Trois Demembrements
de la Pologue," vol. i., p. 112.]
The face of the king, which at first had looked distrustful, was now
entirely free from suspicion. He rose from his chair, and giving his
hand to Kaunitz, said with a cordial smile
"This is what I call noble and candid statesmanship. You have not spoken
as a diplomatist, but as a great minister, who, feeling his strength,
has no reason to conceal his actions. I will answer in the same spirit.
Sit down again and hear me. You fear Russia, and think that if she gains
too great an ascendency among nations, she will use it to the detriment
of all Europe. I agree with you, and I myself would view the
aggrandizement of Russia under Catharine with disapprobation and
distrust. You are right, and I feel the embarrassment of my present
political condition. At the commencement of this Turkish war, I would
have used my honest endeavors to check the usurping advances of Russia,
not only in Turkey but also in Poland. But I myself was in a critical
position. You, who had been represented to me as the most rapacious of
diplomatists, you had prejudiced all Europe against me, so that for
seven long years my only allies were my rights and my good sword. The
only hand reached out to me was that of Russia; policy constrained me to
grasp and retain it. It is both to my honor and my interest that I keep
faith with Russia,, and eschew all shifts and tergiversations in my
dealings with her. Her alliance is advantageous to Prussia, and
therefore I pay her large subsidies, give her advice, allow my officers
to enlist in her armies, and finally I have promised the empress that
should Austria interfere in behalf of the Turks, I will use all my
influence to mediate between you." [Footnote: Dolan. "Memoirs of My
Times," vol. i., p. 458.]
"Does that mean that if Russia and Austria should go to war, your
majesty will stand by the former?"
"It means that I will make every effort to prevent a war between Russia
and Austria. If, in spite of all that I could do, there should be war
between you, it would not be possible for Prussia to remain neutral.
Were she to do so, she would deserve the contempt both of friend and
foe. I would fulfil my obligations to Russia, that I might secure the
duration of our alliance. But I sincerely hope that it may be my good
fortune to mediate with such results as will spare me the espousal of
either party's quarrel."
"If so, Russia must abandon her ambitious projects in Turkey, and she
must speedily consent to secure peace to Poland," replied Kaunitz
warmly.
The king smiled, and taking from the table a sealed packet, he presented
it to Kaunitz.
"A letter for me!" exclaimed the minister, surprised.
"Yes, your highness. A few moments before you came hither, a courier
arrived from Constantinople with dispatches for you and for me."
"Does your majesty allow me to open them?"
"I request you to read them while I read mine, Which are, as yet,
unopened. I have only read the report of my ambassador at
Constantinople. Let us see what news we have."
The king, with a smiling inclination of the head, settled himself in his
arm-chair, and began to read.
A long pause ensued. Both tried to seem absorbed in the dispatches from
Turkey, yet each one gave now and then a hasty, furtive glance at the
other. If their eyes met, they were quickly cast, down again, and so
they continued to watch and read; until there was no more excuse for
silence.
"Bad news from Turkey," said Frederick, speaking first, and putting down
his letters.
"The Porte has been unfortunate," said Kaunitz, shrugging his shoulders
and looking perfectly indifferent. "Russia has not only gained a great
victory on land, but has defeated him at sea, and has burnt his fleet."
"The consequence of all this is, that Turkey now turns to Austria and
Prussia for help, "replied the king." Upon our intervention now, hangs
the peace of all Europe. We have a most important mission to perform."
"Your majesty intends to undertake it?" asked Kaunitz carelessly.
"I am resolved to do all that I can to prevent war. It is such a
terrible scourge, that no nation has a right to fold her hands and see
its horrors, if by any step of hers it can be averted or stopped. Turkey
asks for intervention, that she may be restored to the blessings of
peace. Shall we refuse her?"
"Austria cannot mediate in this affair unless Russia first proposes it,"
said Kaunitz, in a listless tone. "The court of Vienna cannot make
propositions to Russia. It therefore rests with your majesty to induce
the Empress Catharine to make the same request of Austria, as Turkey has
made of us both."
"I will propose it to the empress," said the king eagerly; "and I feel
sure that she will agree to do so."
Kaunitz bowed loftily. "Then," replied he, "Austria will mediate; but
let it be understood that the peace is to be an honorable one for
Turkey, and that Russia ceases any further aggression in that quarter."
"The Porte will be under the necessity of making some concessions," said
the king, "since he it is whose arms have sustained reverses. But Turkey
may still remain a second-rate power, for I think that Russia will be
satisfied with the Crimea and the Black Sea for herself and a guaranty
of independent sovereigns for Wallachia and Moldavia."
"Independent princes appointed by Russia!" cried Kaunitz.
"My imperial sovereign will never consent to have a Russian province
contiguous to Austria; and should Moldavia and Wallachia be governed by
hospodars and petty despots, their pretended independence would soon
melt away into a Russian dependency. Austria, too, would esteem it a
great misfortune if Russia should come into possession of the Crimea and
the Black Sea. Her dominion over the Black Sea would be more dangerous
to Europe than an extension of her territory. Nothing, in short, would
be so fatal to that independence which is dear to all nations, as the
cession of this important outlet to Russia." [Footnote: The prince's
own words. Ferrand, i., p. 112.
"Your highness may be right," said the king; "and Austria has more to
fear from this dominion than Prussia; for the Danube is a finger of the
Black Sea, which might be used to seize some of your fairest provinces.
We will keep this in view when we enter upon our negotiations with
Russia."
"Before we begin them at all, we must exact of Russia to restore peace
to Poland."
"Ali, you wish to draw Poland info the circle of intervention?" said
Frederick, laughing.
"The court of Vienna cannot suffer Russia to oppress this unfortunate
people as she has hitherto done. Not only has she forced Stan islaus
Augustus upon them, but she has also compelled them to alter their
constitution, and, in the face of all justice, her armies occupy Poland,
devastating the country, and oppressing both royalists and
republicans."
"You are resolved to speak of Poland," said Frederick, again taking so
large a pinch of snuff that it bedaubed not only his face, but his white
Austrian uniform. He brushed it off with his fingers, and shaking his
head, said: "I am not neat enough to wear this elegant dress. I am not
worthy of wearing the Austrian livery." He then resumed: "You interest
yourself in Poland. I thought that Polish independence had been thrown
to the winds. I thought, also, that your highness was of the same
opinion on this question as the Empress Catharine, who says that she
neither knows where Polish territory begins nor where it ends. Now I am
equally at a loss to know what is and what is not Poland, for in Warsaw
a Russian army seems to be perfectly at home, and in the south of Poland
an Austrian regiment affirms that they occupy Polish ground by command
of the Austrian government."
"Your majesty is pleased to speak of the county of Zips. Zips has always
belonged to Hungary. It was mortgaged by the Emperor Sigismund to his
brother-in-law ZVladislaw Jagello for a sum of money. Hungary has never
parted with her right to this country; and, as we have been compelled to
send troops to our frontier to watch Russia, the opportunity presents
itself for us to demonstrate to Poland that Austria can never consent to
regard a mortgaged province as one either given or sold. Zips belongs to
Austria, and we will pay back to the King of Poland the sum for which it
was mortgaged. That is all."
"Yes, but it will be difficult not only for Poland, but for all Europe,
which is accustomed to consider Zips as Polish territory, to remember
your highness's new boundaries. I, for my part, do not understand it,
and I will be much obliged to you if, according to your new order of
things, you will show the where Hungary ends and Poland begins."
[Footnote: The kng's own words. Ferrand, P. 112.]
"Where the county of Zips ends, and where the boundaries of Hungary
began in olden times, there the line that separates Austria from Poland
should be drawn."
"Ah!" sighed the king, "you speak of the olden time. But we must settle
all these things now with regard to the present. I happen, by chance, to
have a rnah of Poland on my table. Oblige me now by showing me Poland as
your highness understands its boundaries."
The king stood up, and unfolding a map, laid it on the table. Kaunitz
also rose, and stood on the opposite side. "Now," said Frederick, "let
me see the county of Zips."