1 the exact interpretation of the appellation of itinerant merchant, in the imperial manifesto, does not see any sufficient reason for the college of commerce having put this question; but combining the circumstances of the times, and judging by that security which the foreign merchants, on their own account, have hitherto enjoyed, concludes that they, being, perhaps, in hopes of some change of the manifesto in their favour, and not having yet obtained their wish, defer fulfilling the object of the measures which have been adopted by the manifesto, and endeavour to lay hold of the appellation of itinerant merchant, for the purpose of remaining six months longer in an undeterminate state. The term of time for foreign merchants is very clearly set down in the manifesto, and the English treaty of commerce can have no place there, which expired on the 25th of March, N. S. With respect to foreigners inscribing themselves as itinerant merchants, the 10th Article of the manifesto again clearly orders, that the term granted to the itinerant merchant is to be reckoned from the day of the arrival of the foreign trader in Russia, consequently, foreigners incribed into guilds who have paid their yearly tax for this year, or such as have houses, (which is not allowed to the class of itinerant merchants) or such as have lived a long while in Russia, for the purposes of trade, cannot become itinerant merchants; but must enter direct, either into the state of subject, or into the class of foreign guests, For these reasons, the minister of commerce, on representing this subject to the senate, has applied for an ukase, in confirmation of the same, as well for foreign merchants resident in Russia, as for those who may hereafter come into this empire; 1 and in order not to impede commercial transactions by too sudden an alteration in the situation of the merchants, by which they would be obliged either to enter into new employments, or entirely to put a stop to them, "would not the senate think proper to allow the following arrangement to be made?" viz. That as soon as any petition is given in for admitting a foreigner as a guest, the duma, or city council, should give the petitioner a certificate, empowering him to carry on business in conformity with his future intended calling, and after that the duma might collect from the information necessary for their introduction into the rights and obligations attached to guests, as ordered by Articles 5 and 12 of the manifesto. It is therefore ordered, that it be made known to the minister of commerce, that the senate, finding the representation which he has made, in consequence of the question of the college of commerce, relative to the term allowed by the manifesto of the 1st of January of this year, to foreign itinerant merchants, and relative to those foreigners who are inscribed in guilds, and have paid the yearly tax, or have houses, or have lived some time in the Russian empire for the purposes of trade, that they cannot become itinerant merchants, but must become subjects, or foreign guests; and finding that representation just, and conformable to the meaning and intent of the imperial manifesto, leaves it to the minister of commerce to ratify and make known the same to those who already reside in Russia, as well as to those who may come hereafter, by publications in the gazettes of Moscow and Petersburgh. And that this ordinance should also be put in due execution, on the part of the administration of provinces, proper instructions are to be made out to them, that they, in conformity with the representation of the minister of commerce, and to avoid impeding the course of commercial affairs, by allowing too short a period, should instruct the city councils to proceed in the following manner, viz. as soon as any petitions for inscription, as foreign guests, are presented by foreigners, the city council receiving from them the necessary documents, as stipulated by Articles 5 and 12 of the manifesto, by which they can be introduced into the rights and obligations attached to guests, are at the same time to give the petitioners certificates, purporting that they are at liberty to prosecute their business as foreign guests, even before all the formalities necessary for their complete inscription are gone through. Whereof proper notice is to be given to all provincial courts, and governors in Petersburgh and Moscow, to the minister of the interior, and to the colleges of commerce and foreign affairs. July, 1807-1st department. Printed and published by G. SIDNEY, No. 1, Northumberland-Street, Strand; Sold by H. T. HODGSON, Wimpole-street; J. BELL, Sweeting's-alley, Cornhill; and by all the News-venders in Town and Country. Vol. III. No. 9. Saturday, August 29, 1807. Price 10d. 161 HISTORICAL DIGEST. The passage from the French journals which was extracted in my last number, as descriptive of the discontent which prevails in Paris, is confirmed by other collateral testimonies; but though it would be the height of folly to consider this temper as a circumstance which ought to inspire us with a glimpse of hope that it will be productive of any change immediately favourable to the cause of European indepen dence, yet it certainly does afford scope for very serious meditation. And if this temper should excite the turbulent passions of the most active and aspiring men in the world, to break out, no one would repine at seeing the blood-stained desolators of Europe engaged in the destruction of each other. Raro antecedentem scelestum It is natural that all these marshals and generals of France should view, with envious eyes, the elevation of Buonaparte's brothers to regal dignities. Neither king Joseph, king Louis, nor king Jerome, have performed any achievement for France which entitles them to the pre-eminent distinctions to which they have been raised. Military exploits being now considered by the French as the only tests of merit; these fresh made kings cannot be regarded in any other light than as interlopers. Joseph has never served in the army; and Napoleon was so fully aware of this blemish in his character, that immediately after he had made himself emperor, he sent him to the camp at Boulogne to be drilled. Jerome was placed in the navy, and sent in the capacity of a lieutenant with the expedition to St. Domingo. In the late campaign, he was appointed to the command of the auxiliaries of France, and became a general by imperial inspiration. Louis was made a colonel of a regiment of cavalry by the great Napoleon, but he has never seen any service. Their pretensions to sway the sceptres of kingdoms are, therefore, merely derivative, and they have nothing to recommend them except their affinity to the man who, by the power of the sword, has assumed the sovereignty of France. Hence, it may be presumed, that as they are totally deficient in the qualities which give a gloss to the usurpation of power, their authority will be ephemeral, and be sustained no longer than while the power of their earthly creator predominates. The generals who have borne the brunt of the revolutionary storm, who have braved death in every shape, may shortly believe themselves entitled to share with Buonaparte himself in the spoils of the vanquished nations, whose freedom, happiness, and independence, they have individually assisted in subverting. They may feel, equally with their master, that they bear commissions. from hell to worry mankind, and that, having successfully executed those commissions, they are entitled, by the laws of conquest, to erect dynasties of their own. Having subverted the thrones of lawful princes, and rendered the continent of Europe one vast and informal blank, they may feel themselves qualified to fill the empty spaces, and, considering the various conquered communities as vacant successions, and themselves as the accomplices and instruments of Buonaparte's ambition, they may cherish the wish to be his companions in royal honours also, and conspire to tear in pieces the empire which they had concurred to form. I affirm that this is a probable event; and if it should happen, we shall then see these fierce ruffians, like ravenous kites, devour each other while contending for their prey, and retaliate, upon France, the miseries she has inflicted upon mankind. Men who have led victorious armies, must feel awkward in serving as the obsequious valets of upstarts, who have never distinguished themselves in the arts of war, or civil policy. Thus, this mighty empire will most probably suffer the same fate as that of Charlemagne;-founded on a sudden, on a sudden it will sink to ruin, after having been rent and divided by intestine wars. While territories remain to be disposed of, these exalted criminals may restrain their ambition; but sooner or later their avarice and selfishness will be prompted to demand VOL. III.NO. 9. the exact interpretation of the appellation of itinerant merchant, in the imperial manifesto, does not see any sufficient reason for the college of commerce having put *this question; but combining the circumstances of the times, and judging by that security which the foreign merchants, on their own account, have hitherto enjoyed, concludes that they, being, perhaps, in hopes of some change of the manifesto in : their favour, and not having yet obtained their wish, defer fulfilling the object of the measures which have been adopted by the manifesto, and endeavour to lay hold of the appellation of itinerant merchant, for the purpose of remaining six months longer in an undeterminate state. The term of time for foreign merchants is very clearly set down in the manifesto, and the English treaty of commerce can have no place there, which expired on the 25th of March, N. S. With respect to foreigners inscribing themselves as itinerant merchants, the 10th Article of the manifesto again clearly orders, that the term granted to the itinerant merchant is to be reckoned from the day of the arrival of the foreign trader in Russia, consequently, foreigners incribed into guilds who have paid their yearly tax for this year, or such as have houses, (which is not allowed to the class of itinerant merchants) or such as have lived a long while in Russia, for the purposes of trade, cannot become itinerant merchants; but must enter direct, either into the state of subject, or into the class of foreign guests. For these reasons, the minister of commerce, on representing this subject to the senate, has applied for an ukase, in confirmation of the same, as well for foreign merchants resident in Russia, as for those who may hereafter come into this empire; 1 and in order not to impede commercial transactions by too sudden an alteration in the situation of the merchants, by which they would be obliged either to enter into new employments, or entirely to put a stop to them, "would not the senate think proper to allow the following arrangement to be made?" viz. That as soon as any petition is given in for admitting a foreigner as a guest, the duma, or city council, should give the petitioner a certificate, empowering him to carry on business in conformity with his future intended calling, and after that the duma might collect from the information necessary for their introduction into the rights and obligations attached to guests, as ordered by Articles 5 and 12 of the manifesto. It is therefore ordered, that it be made known to the minister of commerce, that the senate, finding the representation which he has made, in consequence of the question of the college of commerce, relative to the term allowed by the manifesto of the 1st of January of this year, to foreign itinerant merchants, and relative to those foreigners who are inscribed in guilds, and have paid the yearly tax, or have houses, or have lived some time in the Russian empire for the purposes of trade, that they cannot become itinerant merchants, but must become subjects, or foreign guests; and finding that representation just, and conformable to the meaning and intent of the imperial manifesto, leaves it to the minister of commerce to ratify and make known the same to those who already reside in Russia, as well as to those who may come hereafter, by publications in the gazettes of Moscow and Petersburgh. And that this ordinance should also be put in due execution, on the part of the administration of provinces, proper instructions are to be made out to them, that they, in conformity with the representation of the minister of commerce, and to avoid impeding the course of commercial affairs, by allowing too short a period, should instruct the city councils to proceed in the following manner, viz." as soon as any petitions for inscription, as foreign guests, are presented by foreigners, the city council receiving from them the necessary documents, as stipulated by Articles 5 and 12 of the manifesto, by which they can be introduced into the rights and obligations attached to guests, are at the same time to give the petitioners certificates, purporting that they are at liberty to prosecute their business as foreign guests, even before all the formalities necessary for their complete inscription are gone through. Whereof proper notice is to be given to all provincial courts, and governors in Petersburgh and Moscow, to the minister of the interior, and to the colleges of commerce and foreign affairs. July, 1807-1st department. Printed and published by G. SIDNEY, No. 1, Northumberland-Street, Strand; Sold by H. T. HODGSON, Wimpole-street; J. BELL, Sweeting's-alley, Cornhill; and by all the News-venders in Town and Country. Vol. III. No. 9. Saturday, August 29, 1807. Price 10d. 161 HISTORICAL DIGEST. The passage from the French journals which was extracted in my last number, as descriptive of the discontent which prevails in Paris, is confirmed by other collateral testimonies; but though it would be the height of folly to consider this temper as a circumstance which ought to inspire us with a glimpse of hope that it will be productive of any change immediately favourable to the cause of European indepen dence, yet it certainly does afford scope for very serious meditation. And if this temper should excite the turbulent passions of the most active and aspiring men in the world, to break out, no one would repine at seeing the blood-stained desolators of Europe engaged in the destruction of each other. Raro antecedentem scelestum It is natural that all these marshals and generals of France should view, with envious eyes, the elevation of Buonaparte's brothers to regal dignities. Neither king Joseph, king Louis, nor king Jerome, have performed any achievement for France which entitles them to the pre-eminent distinctions to which they have been raised. Military exploits being now considered by the French as the only tests of merit; these fresh made kings cannot be regarded in any other light than as interlopers. Joseph has never served in the army; and Napoleon was so fully aware of this blemish in his character, that immediately after he had made himself emperor, he sent him to the camp at Boulogne to be drilled. Jerome was placed in the navy, and sent in the capacity of a lieutenant with the expedition to St. Domingo. In the late campaign, he was appointed to the command of the auxiliaries of France, and became a general by imperial inspiration. Louis was made a colonel of a regiment of cavalry by the great Napoleon, but he has never seen any service. Their pretensions to sway the sceptres of kingdoms are, therefore, merely derivative, and they have nothing to recommend them except their affinity to the man who, by the power of the sword, has assumed the sovereignty of France. Hence, it may be presumed, that as they are totally deficient in the qualities which give a gloss to the usurpation of power, their authority will be ephemeral, and be sustained no longer than while the power of their earthly creator predominates. The generals who have borne the brunt of the revolutionary storm, who have braved death in every shape, may shortly believe themselves entitled to share with Buonaparte himself in the spoils of the vanquished nations, whose freedom, happiness, and independence, they have individually assisted in subverting. They may feel, equally with their master, that they bear commissions from hell to worry mankind, and that, having successfully executed those commissions, they are entitled, by the laws of conquest, to erect dynasties of their own. Having subverted the thrones of lawful princes, and rendered the continent of Europe one vast and informal blank, they may feel themselves qualified to fill the empty spaces, and, considering the various conquered communities as vacant successions, and themselves as the accomplices and instruments of Buonaparte's ambition, they may cherish the wish to be his companions in royal honours also, and conspire to tear in pieces the empire which they had concurred to form. I affirm that this is a probable event; and if it should happen, we shall then see these fierce ruffians, like ravenous kites, devour each other while contending for their prey, and retaliate, upon France, the miseries she has inflicted upon mankind. Men who have led victorious armies, must feel awkward in serving as the obsequious valets of upstarts, who have never distinguished themselves in the arts of war, or civil policy. Thus, this mighty empire. will most probably suffer the same fate as that of Charlemagne;-founded on a sudden, on a sudden it will sink to ruin, after having been rent and divided by intestine wars. While territories remain to be disposed of, these exalted criminals may restrain their ambition; but sooner or later their avarice and selfishness will be prompted to demand VOL. III.NO. 9. the exact interpretation of the appellation of itinerant merchant, in the imperial manifesto, does not see any sufficient reason for the college of commerce having put *this question; but combining the circumstances of the times, and judging by that security which the foreign merchants, on their own account, have hitherto enjoyed, concludes that they, being, perhaps, in hopes of some change of the manifesto in their favour, and not having yet obtained their wish, defer fulfilling the object of the measures which have been adopted by the manifesto, and endeavour to lay hold of the appellation of itinerant merchant, for the purpose of remaining six months longer in an undeterminate state. The term of time for foreign merchants is very clearly set down in the manifesto, and the English treaty of commerce can have no place there, which expired on the 25th of March, N. S. With respect to foreigners inscribing themselves as itinerant merchants, the 10th Article of the manifesto again clearly orders, that the term granted to the itinerant merchant is to be reckoned from the day of the arrival of the foreign trader in Russia, consequently, foreigners incribed into guilds who have paid their yearly tax for this year, or such as have houses, (which is not allowed to the class of itinerant merchants) or such as have lived a long while in Russia, for the purposes of trade, cannot become itinerant merchants; but must enter direct, either into the state of subject, or into the class of foreign guests. For these reasons, the minister of commerce, on representing this subject to the senate, has applied for an ukase, in confirmation of the same, as well for foreign merchants resident in Russia, as for those who may hereafter come into this empire; and in order not to impede commercial transactions by too sudden an alteration in the situation of the merchants, by which they would be obliged either to enter into new employments, or entirely to put a stop to them, "would not the senate think proper to allow the following arrangement to be made?" viz. That as soon as any petition is given in for admitting a foreigner as a guest, the duma, or city council, should give the petitioner a certificate, empowering him to carry on business in conformity with his future intended calling, and after that the duma might collect from the information necessary for their introduction into the rights and obligations attached to guests, as ordered by Articles 5 and 12 of the manifesto. It is therefore ordered, that it be made known to the minister of commerce, that the senate, finding the representation which he has made, in consequence of the question of the college of commerce, relative to the term allowed by the manifesto of the 1st of January of this year, to foreign itinerant merchants, and relative to those foreigners who are inscribed in guilds, and have paid the yearly tax, or have houses, or have lived some time in the Russian empire for the purposes of trade, that they cannot become itinerant merchants, but must become subjects, or foreign guests; and finding that representation just, and conformable to the meaning and intent of the imperial manifesto, leaves it to the minister of commerce to ratity and make known the same to those who already reside in Russia, as well as to those who may come hereafter, by publications in the gazettes of Moscow and Petersburgh. And that this ordinance should also be put in due execution, on the part of the administration of provinces, proper instructions are to be made out to them, that -they, in conformity with the representation of the minister of commerce, and to avoid impeding the course of commercial affairs, by allowing too short a period, should instruct the city councils to proceed in the following manner, viz. as soon as any petitions for inscription, as foreign guests, are presented by foreigners, the city council receiving from them the necessary documents, as stipulated by Articles 5 and 12 of the manifesto, by which they can be introduced into the rights and obligations attached to guests, are at the same time to give the petitioners certificates, purporting that they are at liberty to prosecute their business as foreign guests, even before all the formalities necessary for their complete inscription are gone through. Whereof proper notice is to be given to all provincial courts, and governors in Petersburgh and Moscow, to the minister of the interior, and to the colleges of commerce and foreign affairs. July, 1807-1st department. Printed and published by G. SIDNEY, No. 1, Northumberland-Street, Strand; Sold by H. T. HODGSON, Wimpole-street; J. BELL, Sweeting's-alley, Cornhill; and by all the News-venders in Town and Country. |