"There's absolutely no need to waste funds on this." Joseph smiled and waved a hand. "Have Baron Bodley send those two Basel councilors home as soon as possible."
Talleyrand said in surprise, "Your Highness, but..."
Joseph cut him off. "Send someone to publish a newspaper commentary under the name of an 'anonymous Ministry of Foreign Affairs official,' stating that our country is unwilling to waste effort on the German-speaking Protestant regions of Switzerland.
"Make sure the article gets quoted by Vienna's newspapers. Oh, better yet, make a public statement praising Austria's diplomatic efforts in northern Switzerland—something along the lines of, 'This has ensured that our overland trade routes toward the Alps remain open.'"
Talleyrand grew somewhat anxious. "Your Highness, do you mean to abandon northeastern Switzerland?"
Joseph did not answer, but continued:
"Afterward, the newspapers will run a series of reports on 'Vienna's Diplomatic Achievements in Switzerland,' gradually listing Austria's various investments in bringing about the Swiss Federation.
"Meanwhile, secretly contact Württemberg and Augsburg, and have them jointly invite Canton of Basel to join the Stuttgart Trade Agreement."
Basel was an important transshipment port on the upper Rhine River, while Württemberg, Augsburg, and Baden had all traditionally been its trading partners.
However, since the Stuttgart Trade Agreement had been signed, trade between those places and Switzerland had fallen sharply because of tariffs.
Thus, Württemberg and the others had every reason to want Basel brought into the trade agreement.
Talleyrand instinctively wanted to ask why, but as an accomplished diplomat, he suddenly noticed a crucial point:
Wait. What His Highness had just said was to invite Canton of Basel into the trade agreement, not Switzerland.
For the people of Basel, this would undoubtedly multiply their trade severalfold. But they should also understand that a Swiss Federation aligned with Vienna could never