esent
existed; that, in case the imperial crown should devolve to a minor,
many mischiefs and disorders must ensue, as the constitutions of the
empire have established no regulations nor regency in that event; that
an election of this nature, carried on under the power, influence, and
authority of the head of the empire, would strike at the fundamental
privileges of the princes and states; consequently, in time overturn
the constitution of the empire, which, from being an elective dignity,
conferred by the free and independent suffrages of the electoral college
and states of Germany, under certain capitulations, obliging the prince
thus chosen to govern according to law, would become an hereditary
succession, perpetuated in one family, which of course must be
aggrandized to the prejudice of its co-estates, and the ruin of the
Germanic liberties. In a word, all Germany in general, and Ratisbon in
particular, was filled with writings published on both sides: by the
emperor and his adherents, to demonstrate that the election of a king of
the Romans, during the life of the emperor, had often happened, and
at this present time was necessary, and would be advantageous to the
empire; while the king of Prussia and his friends laboured to prove
that such an election, at the present juncture, would be ill-timed,
irregular, and of dangerous consequence. Perhaps, if the truth was
known, this enterprising prince had projected some great scheme,
with the execution of which this proposed establishment would have
interfered. Certain it is, he exerted himself with that spirit and
perseverance which were peculiar to his character, to frustrate the
intention of the courts of Vienna and London in this particular, and
was assisted with all the intrigue of the French ministry. Their joint
endeavours were so effectual, that the elector of Cologn renounced his
subsidiary treaty with the maritime powers, and once more threw himself
into the arms of France. The elector palatine being solicited by the
empress-queen and his Britannic majesty to co-operate with their views,
insisted, as a preliminary article, upon being indemnified by the court
of Vienna for the ravages committed in his territories by the Austrian
troops, during the course of the last war: the king of Poland, elector
of Saxony, made the same demand of the like indemnification, which was
granted by the mediation of king George; and then he subscribed to a
subsidiary treaty, obliging