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32] ANNUAL REGISTER For the YEAR 1772. [33

Poland, to be his heir, and to succeed to all his territories; that having communicated this disposition to the states of the country, they agreed to it, and were in his lifetime sworn to Premislaus, who accordingly succeeded him, upon his death, in the year 1295. It also appears, that neither the dukes of Stettin, nor those of Wolgast, who were the possessors of what is properly called Pomerania, ever pleaded their rights, if they had such, or laid any claim to those territories, though they frequently shifted their masters, and were more than a century and a half in the possession of the Teutonic knights. It might not be unworthy of observation, that Premislaus succeeded to the territory of Pomerellia, 122 years before Frederic, the burgrave of Nurenburgh, and ancestor to the present royal family of Prussia, had purchased the marquisate of Brandenburgh, from the emperor Sigismund.
 It is also a question of much doubt, whether Pomerellia was ever considered as a part of Germany, much less as a fief of the dutchy of Pomerania; the empire has always been excessively tenacious of its paramount rights, and its neglect of them in this instance, would be as extraordinary, as the silent acquiescence of the dukes of Stettin in the loss of a fief, which was guaranteed to them by its laws and constitution.  Perhaps it may be needless to observe, that in the volumes of treaties, to which in the course of several ages, the kings of Poland and the electors of Brandenburgh have been parties, no notice was ever taken of those claims now made by the latter; that if any such claims had really existed, they must have been long since cut off, by repeated and exact specifications of limits and territories, or renounced, in common with all others, in return for those valuable grants and considerations, which the electoral house had the address to obtain in its concerns with the republic; and that some of these treaties took in, either as parties or guaranties, almost, all the great powers in Europe.  Or if it should be supposed, that those claims might arise from the king's possession of Ducal Prussia, it should be remembered that his right to that province is founded upon no better title, than what proceeded from the perfidy and treachery of Albert of Brandenburgh, who having in breach of his trust and oath, as grand master of the Teutonic order, betrayed the possessions, which they had so dearly earned with the sword, into the hands of the king of Poland, received that province from him as a fief in reward of his conduct, and as his share of the spoil.
The king of Prussia was well aware, that the objections we have mentioned, as well as many others, might be made to the nature and justice of his claims; he has accordingly, in the letters patent, taken the trouble to obviate one of those which we have stated, b shrewdly observing, that the dukes of Stettin, had never made any renunciation of their rights to Pomerellia; a fact which must be as readily admitted, as that they never claimed or pretended any such rights. As to all others, he refers the public, as well as the parties concerned, to a work, which he says was then in the press, (but which has not yet been published) in which he has given to all Europe incontestible proofs of his rights, confirmed by authentic records, and the strongest arguments drawn from history and law.
We shall enter into no particular discussion of the claims of this prince, upon that part of Great Poland, which lies between the Draga, and the Nottée, which he pretends to have been originally a part of the New March of Brandenburgh; the rights here seem to be founded upon similar principles, and liable to many of the objections, which we have already mentioned. From this state, however, of proofs and deductions, his Prussian majesty concludes, "that the rights of Poland to these provinces, having been thus in its origin unjust and vicious, cannot, according to the unanimous opinion of all civilized nations, be corrected or amended by a long prescription; but rather that the rights of the house of Brandenburgh, not only to those provinces, but also to the other great and important claims, set forth in the manifesto, remain in full force and integrity."
Having thus established the clearness of his titles, and the equity of his claims, this prince declares, that as neither his inclinations lead, nor any law compels him, to suffer any longer such great and various acts of injustice, he will make use of the means in his hands, not only to recover the provinces thus torn by Poland from his Dutchy of Pomerania, and the New March of Brandenburgh; but that he will also indemnify himself for the fruits and revenues of those extensive provinces during this long detention of them.
 To this end he therefore seizes, all that part of Great Poland situated on this side of the Nottée; and also, all the territories of Prussia and Pomerania, on this, and on the other side of the Vistula, which the kings of Poland have hitherto possessed under the name of Polish Prussia; excepting only Dantzick and thorn. As the king is fully persuaded, that the republic of Poland having well weighted his demands, as well as the circumstances attending them, will yield to his rights, finish all differences between them by amicable treaties; and be ready and disposed to make equitable conventions therein; he therefore exhorts and commands the people, to submit themselves voluntarily to his dominion, to acknowledge him for their lawful king and master, demean themselves as faithful and obedient subjects, and abstain from all communication with the kingdom of Poland.  As a farther and immediate pledge of their submission, they are commanded to do homage, and to take the oaths of allegiance and fidelity, in such manner as shall be specified to them, at so short a date as the 27th of September, though the letters patent were only signed on the 13th of the same month.
 Upon a strict and immediate compliance with these conditions, the inhabitants of those provinces are promised to be maintained in their possessions and rights, whether ecclesiastical or civil, and especially those of the church of Rome, in the free exercise of their religion; and that in general they shall be so governed, that every sensible inhabitant shall find reason to be content and happy, and have no cause to regret this change.  But if, on the contrary, any person should presume

VOL. XV. [C]

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