any thing to the contrary, nor have I ever been exposed to such an
alternative. Never have I changed my principles. What I desired when I
entered into the covenant with you at Frankfort, was to bring about a
firm alliance between Austria and Prussia, and thereby to transform
Germany into a strong power, interposing the two great empires. For that
purpose I have striven, acted, spoken, and written. My utterances were
not listened to, and the year 1805 destroyed all my hopes. The times
changed, but my principles did not, based as they are on the great truth
of all possible liberty, dignity, and happiness for the nations,
according to their different circumstances and peculiarities. Never,
however, did I permit personal considerations to influence me; I wrote
for Prussia in the good cause of the princes' league, and against
Prussia in the bad one of the separate peace. It is true, I was not
quiet with regard to the blunders committed: I did not encourage the mad
expectations of the war-party, and was opposed to misleading the public
by false rumors and inflammatory appeals. I desired the truth, and
proclaimed it; but the so-called German patriots think I ought to have
kept silence. When the Jews were warned with tearful eyes to submit to
the conqueror, into whose hands Providence had delivered Asia for a
certain time, they deemed it patriotic to persecute the prophet, but
Jerusalem was burned. Why did he not keep silence? Because God commanded
him to speak. That is the servility, the faithlessness, and treachery
with which I am now reproached. Hypocrites! Every crime has its motive.
Did I intend to increase my glory? Certainly not. It was self-interest,
then? Yes!--to give up the beautiful city of Berlin, the title of
councillor of war, and a salary of three thousand dollars, doubtless to
go to Paris and receive a large pension from the French government! No!
but to accept a professorship of two thousand florins in the little town
of Tuebingen, and to have the honor to work hard to pay my debts! That is
the brilliant position which is asserted to have induced me to sacrifice
my nation, my liberty, and my honor. I am tired of sacrificing myself,
of toiling incessantly, and of being exposed to danger, in an ungrateful
age and for a degenerate nation, cowardly in deed, slanderous in word,
and senseless in hope. A supreme intelligence is ruling over us; one era
is past; another is approaching, and of what character it will be,
d