of France.  Napoleon was well aware of the immense pressure which was brought to bear upon the mind of the Russian tzar to induce him to swerve from his agreement.  Hence the conference at Erfurth.  During the deliberations at Erfurth it appears that Alexander consented that Napoleon should place the crown of Spain upon the brow of his brother Joseph, in consideration of Napoleon consenting that Russia should take possession of the two Turkish provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia.  And again the most strenuous efforts were made by the united emperors to induce inflexible England to sheathe the sword.  All the nations on the continent were at peace.  England alone was prosecuting the war.  But the English aristocracy felt that they could not remain firm in their possessions while principles of democratic freedom were dominant in France.  The fundamental principle of the government of the empire was honor to merit, not to birth.  The two emperors wrote as follows to the King of England, imploring peace: 

“Sire—­The present situation of Europe has brought us together at Erfurth.  Our first wish is to fulfill the desire of all nations, and, by a speedy pacification with your majesty to take the most effectual means of relieving the sufferings of Europe.  The long and bloody war which has convulsed the continent is at an end, and can not be renewed.  Many changes have taken place in Europe; many governments have been destroyed.  The cause is to be found in the uneasiness and the sufferings occasioned by the stagnation of maritime commerce.  Greater changes still may take place, and all will be unfavorable to the politics of England.  Peace, therefore, is at the same time the common cause of the nations of the continent and of Great Britain.  We unite in requesting your majesty to lend an ear to the voice of humanity, to suppress that of the passions, to reconcile contending interests, and to secure the welfare of Europe and of the generations over which Providence has placed us.”

The only notice taken of this letter was in a communication to the ministers of France and Russia, in which it was stated that the “English ministers could not reply to the two sovereigns, since one of them was not recognized by England.”  A new coalition was soon formed, and Austria commenced another march upon France, which led to the campaign of Wagram, in which Austria was humbled as never before.  Austria was now compelled, in conjunction with France and Russia, and most of the other European powers, to take part in the continental blockade.  Alexander, shackled by his nobles, had not been able to render Napoleon the assistance he had promised in this war.  Loud murmurs and threats of assassination were rising around him, and instead of rigorously enforcing the exclusion of English goods, he allowed them to be smuggled into the country.  This was ruinous to Napoleon’s system.  Remonstrances and recriminations ensued.  At length English goods were freely introduced, provided they entered under American colors.  Napoleon, to put a stop to this smuggling, which the local authorities pretended they could not prevent, seized several of the principal ports of northern Germany, and incorporated the possessions of the Duke of Oldenburg, a near relative of Alexander, with France.[30]