Why did Napoleon declare Karl vom Stein a public enemy in 1808?

Napoleon declared Karl vom Stein a public enemy on December 16, 1808, primarily due to Stein's active efforts to organize resistance against French hegemony.1

In August 1808, French agents intercepted a letter written by Stein in which he indiscreetly discussed the likelihood of a future war against France. This discovery, combined with Stein's broader role in initiating reforms to regenerate the Prussian state and his known nationalist sentiments, made him a significant threat to Napoleon's control over the region. Under intense pressure from the French, King Frederick William III was forced to dismiss Stein from his position as prime minister in November 1808, and Napoleon’s subsequent declaration of him as a public enemy compelled Stein to flee to Austrian territory for safety.12