Note 164 — BOOK THE THIRD 1812-1815
Reading edition
Sir Robert Wilson* was sent from the army to Alexander, to inform him that they were resolved to consider any truce or pacification that he should sign as extorted from him by force or treachery; as the act of Romanzow,† not of their Sovereign; and they authorised Sir Robert to convey his opinion to His Imperial Majesty, as that of a foreign observer, that the army would not obey any orders founded on a pacification. The result of this and other intimations of the sort was the dismissal of Romanzow and the adoption of firmer councils. The Empress Dowager, as well as the Empress, took an opportunity of assuring Sir Robert Wilson that the Emperor was now determined to abandon all notion of temporising or yielding, and that he might be depended upon.
(From conversation with Sir R. Wilson, 1825).—V.H.
[* Sir Robert Wilson had just satisfactorily concluded a mission to Constantinople and St. Petersburg dealing with the negotiations for the re-establishment of peace between Turkey and Russia. He was at that time attached to the Russian army, with instructions to communicate all information to Lord Cathcart, the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg.]
[† Count Nicholas Romanzow (1753-1826) the Russian Chancellor.]