Napoleon arrived at Dantzick on the 7th of June; and during the fortnight which ensued, it was known that the final communications between him and Alexander were taking place.  The attention of mankind was never more entirely fixed on one spot than it was, during these fourteen days, upon Dantzick.  On the 22nd, Buonaparte broke silence in a bulletin.  “Soldiers,” said he, “Russia is dragged on by her fate:  her destiny must be accomplished.  Let us march! let us cross the Niemen:  let us carry war into her territories.  Our second campaign of Poland will be as glorious as our first:  but our second peace shall carry with it its own guarantee:  it shall put an end for ever to that haughty influence which Russia has exercised for fifty years on the affairs of Europe.”  The address, in which the Czar announced the termination of his negotiations, was in a far different tone.  After stating the innumerable efforts he had made to preserve peace, without losing for Russia the character of an independent state, he invoked the aid of Almighty Providence as “the witness and the defender of the true cause;” and concluded in these words—­“Soldiers, you fight for your religion, your liberty, and your native land.  Your Emperor is amongst you; and God is the enemy of the aggressor.”

Buonaparte reviewed the greater part of his troops on the field of Friedland; and having assured them of still more splendid victories over the same enemy, issued his final orders to the chief officers of his vast army.  Hitherto the Poles had had no certain intelligence of the object which Napoleon proposed to himself.  As soon as no doubt remained on that score, the Diet at Warsaw sent both to him and to the King of Saxony, to announce their resolution to seize this opportunity of re-establishing the ancient national independence of their dismembered country.  We have already mentioned the circumstance which compelled the Emperor to receive this message with coldness.  He was forced to acknowledge that he had guaranteed to Austria the whole of her Polish provinces.  It was therefore impossible for him to take part in the re-establishment of Old Poland:—­“Nevertheless,” added he, with audacious craft, “I admire your efforts; I even authorise them.  Persist; and it is to be hoped your wishes will be crowned with success.”

This answer effectually damped the ardour of the Poles; and thenceforth, with a few exceptions, the eminent and influential men of the nation were mere observers of the war.  If any doubt as to Napoleon’s treachery could have remained after his answer to the Diet, it must have been wholly removed when the plan of his campaign transpired, and the Austrian auxiliaries were known to be stationed on the right of his whole line.  On them, as it seemed, the march through Volhynia was thus devolved, and no clearer proof could have been afforded that it was Napoleon’s desire to repress every symptom of a national insurrection in Lithuania.  The inhabitants, had French soldiers come amongst them, might have been expected to rise in enthusiasm; the white uniform of Austria was known to be hateful in their eyes, in the same degree, and for precisely the same reason, as the Russian green.