George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 10

[105]

Meantime the liberties of Germany, not less than

Chap. III.} 1776.

those of the United States, were endangered; and the political question of the day assumed the largest proportions. In the event of the death of the childless elector of Bavaria, Joseph of Austria was prepared, under the false pretext of a right of inheritance, to appropriate a large part of that electorate. To prevent so fatal a measure, the king of Prussia, in the last months of 1776, began to draw near to France, which was one of the guarantees of the peace of Westphalia.¹

His desire for a ‘good understanding’ with that power² was cordially reciprocated by Vergennes.³ On the advent of the rupture between France and England, he announced that England should receive no aid from Prussia; and Vergennes on his side gave the hint that France, if it should become involved in the conflict, would confine itself to a maritime war.⁴

The year 1777 opened with nearer approaches be-

1777.

tween the courts of Potsdam and Versailles.⁵ Frederic, while ‘he never ceased to be on his guard on every side, and held himself prepared for every event,’⁶ on the seventh of January instructed his minister more definitely: ‘Should France begin war, she may be sure that I will do everything in the world to preserve peace’ on the continent. ‘Convince the ministry at Versailles of this; and ’