re was still among them a strong
loyal imperial party, and this address and the situation of Belgian
affairs revived the spirits of these loyalists, and they soon began to
declare themselves in favour of Leopold, and to wear the old cockade,
instead of the new patriotic ribands. By degrees, great numbers of the
populace, also, embraced their opinions, and the party soon acquired
a very imposing force. Such was the situation of affairs when Leopold
issued a second manifesto, after the meeting at Reichenbach, engaging
himself, under an inaugural oath, and the guarantee of Great Britain,
Prussia, and Holland, to govern the Belgic Netherlands according to
the constitution that was in force under Maria Theresa, and offering
an amnesty to all who should return to their duty before the 1st of
November. The mediating powers notified to the Belgian states the
approval of these terms, but that body, who had exercised sovereign
authority ever since the revolt, were loth to relinquish it; and under
these circumstances, Austrian troops entered their territory. Various
engagements took place, but resistance was vain: the arms of the emperor
were uniformly successful, and the people generally acknowledged the
heir of their ancient rulers. The leading members of opposition now
took refuge in flight, and in a convention, guaranteed by the defensive
alliance and executed on the 10th of December, the constitution of
Maria Theresa was restored to the Belgic provinces, with some additional
rights and privileges.

In the meantime the war between Russia and the Porte went on but slowly.
Early in the year the czarina made some attempts to detach the Greek
subjects of the sultan from their obedience, and a rebellion was
fomented by her means in Albania, and an extensive plan was arranged
by the Greeks for emancipating themselves from the Ottoman yoke. A
memorial, offering the sovereignty of Greece to Constantine her son, was
laid before the czarina, but before the plan could be matured she was
induced to postpone her attempts upon Turkey. It was late in the autumn
before Suvaroff received reinforcements, supplies, and positive orders
to commence operations, and he then invested Ismael, which he
captured; slaying 24,000 Turkish soldiers, and destroying 7,000 of the
inhabitants. The loss of the Russians themselves was estimated at 10,000
men, including a great number of officers, some of whom were of the
highest rank.

The King of Sweden opened