War with? What shall be the Pretence? Who is it that insults France? Or, Who desires any thing more of her than her Friendship? Have not the Treaties of Utrecht, and Baden, and all the Treaties made since, during the Regency of the Duke of Orleans, settled the Interests of Europe? Did not England earnestly court the Alliance of France? Has the Emperor seem’d less desirous of it? Nay, Did not Spain itself, forgetting the sending back of the Infanta, enter into her former Engagements with this Crown, as soon as the Cardinal de Fleury was vested with the Ministry? In what respect then, can the French think themselves despis’d by their Neighbours? I will take upon me to prove, on the contrary, that Lewis XV. during the Cardinal de Fleury’s Ministry, instead of being neglected, has been as much courted by the Foreign Powers, as Lewis XIV. was in all that Glory which procured him the Title of Louis le Grand. When the Clamour was for abolishing the Ostend Company, How did England and Holland bestir themselves to make the King a Party in their Quarrel? What did not the Emperor do to engage him in his Interest? Every thing was uncertain, as long as France remained undetermined. The English and the Dutch prepared to attack the Emperor, and the latter made ready for his Defence. The Cardinal having got the King to declare for the Maritime Powers, the Emperor abolish’d the Ostend Company immediately. What more could have been obtained by a War?
When the Talk was, of introducing the Infante Don Carlos into Italy, what Measures, what Solicitations were not employ’d by the Powers concerned, either to bring over Lewis XV. to their Party, or to oblige him to a Neutrality? Count Sinzendorff’s coming from Vienna to Versailles, on purpose to treat for the Tranquillity of Italy, seems
to me a Proof, that the Emperor does not neglect France to such a Degree as the Uneasy and Disaffected would fain have it believed. In good Truth, if France had not threatened to attack the Emperor, in case he did not consent to the Introduction of the Infante into Tuscany, would his Imperial Majesty have been influenced by the bare Menaces of Spain? That Monarch is too well established in Italy, to fear any thing from that Crown; and if Equity and Justice did not always accompany his Actions, it would have been easy for him to have taken Possession of Tuscany; and the Spaniards, who have never been able to retake Gibraltar, and who, perhaps, would never have reduced Barcelona without the Assistance of the French, would have found it a very difficult Matter to have turned them out of it. The Cardinal de Fleury having persuaded the King to declare in Favour of the Infante, he threatens to join the English and Spaniards; and the Emperor seeing all Europe against him, but especially France, which is capable of striking the hardest Blows, yields to the Times, and grants every thing that is desired of him. Can there be any thing more to the Honour of the Cardinal? And, Why should a War be undertaken, if Menaces alone are sufficient to obtain what is desired?
But, say the Disaffected, we purchase Peace of all the World by our Money. The Cardinal is not chargeable with lavishing the King’s Money. I know not that he gives away any, unless it be the Subsidies granted to the Crowns of Denmark and Sweden. If that be purchasing a Peace, Lewis XIV. and the Regent after him, were much more lavish of the Royal Treasure, and perhaps with less Profit; and it would be easy to demonstrate, that in order to dislodge the Spaniards from Sicily, the Regent sent more Money into Germany and
England, in one Month, than the Cardinal gives away in a Year to the Northern Crowns; tho’ one of ’em has for Time out of Mind been used to draw Subsidies from France. Yet all this while, the Regent was not accused of purchasing a Peace of his Neighbours; because, in order to make it necessary to buy a Peace, some Prince or other must have threatened him with a War. But ’tis certain, that no Power did then, or does now, think of attacking France. Let her continue peaceable, and there we will leave her.
But on the other hand, tho’ it were not justifiable for the Cardinal to entertain pacific Sentiments, and tho’ he were to indulge the Passion of the French, I would fain know of those who are so hot for a War, Whether they are well assured it would have a happy Issue? And, Whether, when a War is once begun, it would be in their Power to put an End to it, whenever they thought it consistent with their Affairs? Nay, I will suppose that every thing should happen as they would wish, and that the War should prove a fortunate one; What Acquisition can France make, which would not be more to her Expence than her Advantage? For the farther she extends her Conquests, the more Enemies she will have of Course, and the more Troops she will be oblig’d to maintain. The Frontiers of the Kingdom are secured. Are a few more Towns, nay, an intire Province, a sufficient Temptation for a King of France? And are they an Equivalent for the Blood and Treasure that must be expended to acquire them? No, surely, the Cardinal is perfectly in the right, and I must beg the Frenchmen’s Pardon, when I tell ’em, they know not what they would be at. How desirous were they of the late Peace? And they have scarce tasted the Fruits of it, but they now want a War. If the Cardinal should enter into a War,
and the Consequences of it should prove fatal, Would they not throw the Blame upon him? They would say for the Purpose, that it was inconsistent with a Priest to make War. For my Part, I think the Cardinal de Fleury has substantial Reasons for doing what he does. The French have been so long accustomed to the turbulent Reign of Lewis XIV. which was interspersed throughout with great Events, that they know not how to reconcile themselves to one that is more placid and calm; but ’tis to be hoped, they will ere long. Whatever they do, the Cardinal seems to be very easy, let them say what they will of him. As he knows that he has nothing to reproach himself with, and that he has always preferred the Good of the Public to his own private Interest, he is afraid of no Revolution in his Fortune. He is sensible that Innocence always holds up its Head, and that real Merit is above the Reach of Envy and Malice.
M. Daguesseau the Chancellor of France, is the Chief Magistrate of the Kingdom, and his Office is attended with such great Prerogatives, that the King cannot take it from him. The Person whom he succeeded in this eminent Dignity, was M. Voisin, who being Secretary of War, was made Chancellor by Lewis XIV. upon M. de Pontchartrain’s resigning that Post, to devote the Residue of his Life to God in Retirement. M. Voisin dying suddenly in the Beginning of the Duke of Orlean’s Regency, M. Daguesseau, then Attorney-General, was, by his Royal Highness, appointed Chancellor in his Room. All France applauded this Choice. Every body was so satisfied of this Magistrate’s Candour and Integrity, that nobody doubted he would assert Justice and Equity; and in short, he perfectly answered the Expectations of the Public. But as true Merit,
is always the most envied, a Cabal was soon formed against his Integrity. M. Daguesseau refused to put the Seal to certain Edicts, which he thought contrary to the Welfare of the Government; at which the Duke of Orleans was so incensed, that he banished the Chancellor to Frene, a fine Seat belonging to that Minister near Meaux; and the Seals were given to M. d’Argenson, Lieutenant of the Police, with the Title of Keeper of the Seals, which was formerly no more than a bare Commission; but the Regent was then for erecting it into an Office. The Parliament of Paris exclaimed very much against this Innovation, but the Regent, after all, was obey’d. Upon the Death of M. d’Argenson, the Chancellor was recall’d, and the Seals restor’d to[55]him; but he held them not long; for the Regent, who was resolved to have no Ministers but such as knew how to obey, disgraced the Chancellor a second time for opposing his Will, and gave the Seals to M. d’Armenonville. The latter dying during the Cardinal de Fleury’s Ministry, the Seals were given to M. de Chauvelin, who, besides the Title of Keeper of the Seals, has also the Office of Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The Chancellor, who has been recalled for some time, assists at the Council; but his Office has been depriv’d of its greatest Lustre, since the Seals have been separated from it.
M. Chauvelin, Keeper of the Seals, Minister and Secretary of[56]State for Foreign Affairs, owes