overturn the basis of public deli. berations, and on the ruins of Poland erect trophies of glory to foreign nations, whose interest it may be to foment and keep up these divisions. "Zeal for the public good alone, the motive that has always influenced our actions hitherto, will direct and animate all our deliberations at the approaching dyet. And without insisting now upon any particular propositions, we are ready even to go contrary to natural subordination, in conforming ourselves, though we are the father of the country, to the desires of its dear children, pro. vided that, laying aside every other sentiment, the three estates of the republic will unanimously concur in every thing that shall be found for the good of the country." Memorial concerning the destroy. ing of the suburb of Dresden. "Marshal Daun having taken advantage of the King's absence, who was gone to fight the Russians, to fall upon Saxony with all his forces, in the month of July last, the army of the empire having entered it on another side by Peterswalde, Count Schmettau, governor of Dresden, thought that place in such imminent danger, that he found himself indispen. sibly obliged to take every possible measure to guard against a surprize, and to hinder the Aus trians from carrying the place by a coup de main. An enterprize of this nature would have been the more easy, as most of the houses of the suburbs, from the gate of Pirna to that of Wilsdorff, absoJutely command the body of the town, both by their prodigious height, being six or seven stories high, and by their proximity to the rampart. From this consideration, Count Schmettau caused it to be declared to the court by M. de Bose, chief cup-bearer, that as soon as the enemy should make a shew of attacking Dresden, he should find himself under the disagreeable necessity of burning the suburbs; and that, for that end, he had just put combustible matters in the highest houses, and those next to the rampart, that his orders for that purpose might be speedily executed, whenever the reasons of war obliged him to issue them in his own defence. The same de claration was made to the magis strates, the governor having sent for the burgo-master to come to him. The court and the city earnestly implored that this misfortune might be averted from the inhabitants; but the governor insisted that it would be indispen sibly necessary to come to that ex. tremity, if the enemy themselves would pay no respect to the royal residence; and caused every thing to be got ready for the execution of his threats. "Meanwhile the city, as well as the states of Saxony, who were then assembled at Dresden, sent a deputation to M. de Borcke, the King's minister, to entreat him to intercede with the governor in their behalf. M. de Borcke, after conferring with Count Schmettan, answered them, that it depended on the court and the city them selves to prevent the attacking of Dresden; but that, if the Austrians should attack it, it would be impossible to spare the suburbs, the houses of which commanded the M 4 sam * rampart, the governor having express orders to defend himself till the fast extremity. The minister at the same time pointed out to them the imminent danger to which the city and the castle, and even the royal family, would be exposed, if he should be forced to come to that extremity; as the fire of the suburbs could not fail, without a miracle, to reach the Pown, and make terrible havock: he, at the same time, conjured the deputies of the states to use their utmost endeavours to divert the storm, and not to consider the governor's declaration as a vain threat; for he could assure them, upon his honour, that, upon the firing of the first cannon against the town, they would see the suburbs on fire or 1 Marshal Daun happily changed his resolution upon the King's ap. proach, who was returning vic. torious from Zorndorff; and the governor of Dresden, yielding to the entreaties of the inhabitants, ordered the combustible, matters with which he had filled the houses to be removed. But marshal Daun returning a second time into Saxony, appeared again, namely, on the 6th of November, within sight saf Dresden, with a formidable army, This army having made a mo. tion on the 7th, and taken a camp on this side Lockowitz, the gover mor, who could no longer doubt that his views were against the capital, caused the combustible matters to be quickly replaced in ther houses of the suburbs which surrounded the town ditch, and dommanded the rampart. The court was immediately informed of it by M. de Bose, the chief cup. bearer, whom Count Schmettan charged to represent again to his "The same day (Nov. 8) at noon, the enemy's advanced troops attacked the hussars and indepen dent battalions which were posted at Streissen and Gruene-Weise. This skirmish continued till night came on, and made the governor judge that it might have consequences, as the enemy might easily repulse those advanced posts, and enter, pell-mell, with them into the suburb. He therefore detached next day (the 9th) in the morning colonel Itzenplitz with 700 men and some pieces of cannon, and posted them himself in the redoubts that surrounded the suburb, that, in case of need, they might support the hussars and the independent battalions. About noon, he sent for the magistrates of the town, put them in mind of what he had said to them in the month of July last, and told them that, the enemy having evidently a real design against Dresden, he gave them notice, for the last time, that on the first appearance of an Austrian in the suburbs, they would be set on fire. The magistrates answered by only shrugging their shoulders, and deploring the mis. fortune of their fellow-citizens. The governor told them, that they had nothing to do but to apply to the court, who alone could avert the calamity. "About noon, the Austrian van, guard attacked the advanced-posts, rea repelled the hussars, whose number was too small to make resistance, and even forced them, as well as Monjou's independent battalion, to quit the great garden and gain the suburbs. The enemy immediately attacked the small redoubts where 700 men of the garrison had been posted, forced three of them, and penetrated to Zinzendorf-house; and even made such progress, that an Austrian soldier was killed on the draw-bridge of Pirna-gate; and some cannon were obliged to be fired on Zinzendorf-house, to drive out the Austrians. During this attack, the enemy's cannon played into the town; and several six-pounders fell in the arsenal, in the Prince's hotel, and in the houses of Loos, Mnisceck, and counsellor Fritsch. One ball éven fell before the house of marshal Count Rutowsky. "Notwithstanding this declared attack against the town and suburbs, no house was yet on fire; a plain proof that there was little inclination to proceed to that extremity. The cannon, of the rampart forced the enemy to retire ; and before night, even all the redoubts of which they had got possession, were retaken. "Meanwhile the army of general Itzenplitz marched through the town, passed the Elbe, and encampéd under the cannon of the new town; and general Meyer was ordered to defend the suburbs with his independent battalions, and four others, and to set fire to them after giving notice to the inhabitants. One of this general's officers told the governor, about midnight, that he heard men at work, and that the enemy seemed to be erecting batteries, and planting cannon: ac. cordingly, all who were sent out beyond the barriers to reconnoitre, had a smart fire to sustain. These preparations, added to the preceding affair, giving room to think that at day-break the enemy would make a vigorous attack, and make themselves masters of the suburbs, into which the cannon of the town could not dispute their entrance, by reason of the height of the houses, the governor had no other measures to take but those which the interest of his master, reasons of war, and his own honour dictated. The signal was given by general Meyer; and immediately, at three in the morning of the 10th, the greatest part of the suburbs of Pirna, the houses adjoining to the ditch, and two in the suburb of Wilsdorff, were in flames. The six battalions, with the 700 men, entered the town by the three gates, which were immediately barricaded; and after six in the morning, there was not a Prussian in the suburbs, as the inhabitants of the town can testify. The story of the frequent sallies of the Prussians to light up what was not yet consumed, is void of all foundation. It is likewise absolutely false, that the inhabitants had not timely notice given them. These atrocious calumnies are sufficiently confuted by the annexed certificates of the chief cup.. bearer de Bose, and of the magistrates. As to the red-hot bullets fired upon the inhabitants, the lighted waggon, the children thrown into the fire; these are so many horrible lies, which will fall of themselves, when the aforesaid certificates of the court, the magistrates, and the judges of the suburbs are seen. The order given to the burghers to remain quiet in their houses, was intimated only to the magistrates of the city, in the month of of July, and not to those of the suburbs; and there was nothing in this but what is usual. What hath been said to the contrary, is, in short, so false, that the court of Dresden was pleased to thank the governor for the good order he caused to be observed during those troubles; as will appear by the annexed letter of de Bose, the chief cup-bearer. vernor would defend himself from house to house, and from street to street; and that the whole infantry of the army was ready to defend the city. "On the 11th, the governor hav. ing learnt from several burghers of the suburbs, who, at their own request, had been brought into the town with their effects by water, that the enemy had thrown into the flames, or massacred without pity, some defenceless people be longing to the Prussian army, who had remained behind, particularly a surgeon, sent, at noon, captain Collas with a trumpet to the mar "It only remains that we should say something of the messages that passed between marshal Daun and count Schmettau, by the intervention of colonel Sawoisky. After the first compliments, M. de Sawoisky told the governor, that marshal, with orders to tell him, that shal Daun was extremely surprized at the burning of the suburbs; that he (Sawoisky) was desired to inquire whether it was by order that this was done in a royal residence, which was a thing unheard of among christians; and that he hoped the city of Dresden would not be treated in the same manner. The marshal then made his compliments to the court; and added, that the governor should be responsible in his person for what had been done, or for what might be done against this royal residence. "The colonel received for answer, in presence of lieutenant-general Itzenplitz, that the governor had the honour to be known to the marshal; that he had orders to defend the town to the last man; that his excellency was too well acquainted with war, to be ignorant that the destruction of the suburbs, which the marshal had attacked, was according to rule; that as to what concerned the town, it depended upon his excellency; since, if he attacked it, the go. his excellency's well known character did not permit it to be believed that such cruelties were com mitted by his order; and therefore to demand to whom they were to be ascribed that as to the destruction of the suburbs, colonel Sawoisky had already carried an answer on that head to the marshal; but that this opportunity was taken to declare to his excellency, that if he desired to save the rest of the suburbs, he must hinder his troops from appearing in them; that no body had the preservation of the town and suburbs more at heart than the governor, as far as was consistent with his duty and his honour; that the houses would not have been set on fire, had not the troops of his army forced their way into the suburbs, and even fired several cannon into the town (which M. Daun pretended not to know; saying, that it had been done without his orders); and that the combustible matters were ready to con, sume what was left of the suburb, in case his troops should again enter it. The court took advantage of of this message, to ask a passport from M. Daun for bringing some sheep and fire-wood into the town. "His excellency answered to these three heads, that he had no irregular troops with him; and that he had forbid any person of his army to approach the suburbs: that he did not apprehend any excesses had been committed; but in case there had, he desired to know the number of the persons massacred: that he was the more astonished at those complaints, as he never suffered such disorders: that he abhorred them; and that, perhaps, the burgh. ers had no foundation for what they had said. As to the suburbs, M. Daun answered, that he would not suffer rules to be scribed to him: that it depended upon him to send troops into the suburbs, as he should judge proper; and the governor might do as he pleased; but that he hoped that, in the mean while, no more families would be made wretched; and that he had forbid his troops, on severe penalties, to enter the suburbs to pillage. As to the demand made by the court, he answered, that he would particularly attend to it; and assured them of his profound respects. the enemy's army retired, passed in amazing tranquillity. "C. Count de Schmettau. "Dresden, Dec. 5, 1758." No. I. Letter from M. de Bose, chief cup-bearer, to Count Schmettau. "I have the honour to acquaint your excellency, in answer to what you wrote me this day, I must own that ever since you had the govern ment of Dresden, I informed you of all that his Royal Highness charged me to tell you in his name; and I have likewise reported to his highness your excellency's answers. member pre "On the 12th, his excellency sent an officer with a permit to deliver the sheep and fire-wood for the court, which were to be brought into the town by Prussians; and captain Collas was sent to regulate this affair. The captain, in passing through the suburbs, shewed the lieutenant sent by M. Daun the maroders of his troops, both foot and hussars, who exceeded 200; and the officer promised to make a report of it to the marshal. The rest of the time, to the 26th, that "As to the first point, I also revery well, that your excellency charged me, in the month of July, to represent in your name to his Royal Highness, that if mar shal Daun should attack the city, you must set fire to the suburbs, particularly the houses that adjoined to the ditch; into which houses your excellency immediately ordered combustibles to be put. I also remember, that upon the solicitations which his Royal Highness made, by me, to your excellency, you ordered them to be removed when marshal Daun retired; and of this also I made an humble report. "It is also true, that when mar. shal Daun was at Lockowitz, on the 8th of November last, your excellency charged me to acquaint his Royal Highness in your name, that if the marshal should approach nearer the town and attack it, you should be obliged to burn the suburbs, and the houses adjoining to the town ditch. Although I made several remonstrances to your excellency from the court, you de clared |