The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2 - Online Library of ...

Online Library of Liberty: The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2
pensioners of Prussia. In short, he looks darkly at the dark side of things, with more
truth perhaps than might be wished. He tells me that Count Eltz was hurt at the
doubtful manner in which I spoke yesterday to the Elector respecting Mantua, but if
the count knew what I do he ought to thank me for expressing only doubt and
apprehension.”
In accordance with his promise to Lord Grenville, Morris continued to jot down all
his thoughts and suggestions on the state of Europe, with the hope that some safe
means might be found of sending the letters to London. In these notes waiting for
transmission to his lordship under date of the 31st of January, Morris speaks of the
Austrian minister as not being equal to the task he had imposed upon himself, and
recorded that he had been early informed of the danger which threatened Italy, “but
the needful succors were not sent, and we know the consequence. I have made
inquiries about Thugut from persons who knew him intimately before he was
Minister, and am sorry to say that none of them consider him as a statesman but rather
as a man who joins profound dissimulation to the spirit of intrigue. There is one
circumstance in his conduct which is extraordinary. Your lordship knows that from a
dissipated man of pleasure he became all at once a sequestered man of business. He
accepts not invitations and goes nowhere, but dines always at home (generally tête-àtête
with a M. Pellin—once the secretary, faiseur, and confidant of Mirabeau—a sly,
sensible, profligate fellow. Sir Morton Eden, to whom I remarked on this strange
connection and its dangerous consequences, told me Thugut was so discreet that
Pellin could learn nothing from him.
“The French Directory have, it is said, perfect information of what passes in the
Austrian councils, but that may be mere assertion. So far as my inquiries could
extend, there is at Vienna no able man to assist or (in case of need) to replace the
Baron, who, by the by, is much disliked, and who cannot or will not employ some of
the few able officers in the Imperial service, because they have declared themselves
against him. How far it may be in your lordship’s power to remedy this defect in the
Austrian councils is a question I am incompetent to consider.
“It seems demonstrated that Italy must, for some time, be left to its fate, and that the
Emperor must henceforward, in his own defence, keep a body of troops on the
northeastern side of the Adriatic, and another in the gorges of Tyrol, Carinthia, and
Carniola. Under these circumstances it would, I think, be wise to hold out the idea of
an Italian campaign for the next spring, and to have transports collected at Trieste and
Fiume for carrying troops across the Adriatic, under convoy of your fleet. These
appearances would keep the fleet in check; and, in fact, an invasion of that sort seems
now the only practicable mode of recovering Italy. The climate renders it imprudent
to commence a campaign there before the month of September, but early preparations
for it would oblige the French to keep a considerable force in the unhealthy part of
that country, which in its consequences would be equivalent to a victory. A large body
of troops might be assembled at Lintz, declaredly for Italy, but really for the Rhine,
where the great efforts ought to be made. In what way and towards what objects I
shall not permit myself to discuss, for many reasons, and particularly because the plan
of a campaign should be squared to circumstances by the genius of him who conducts
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