public would have contented herfelf, when he was convinced that the directory would not liften to the infinuations by which the court of Vienna wished to render her, in the midft even of peace, an accomplice in the most strange fpoliation. The negociators feparated, and foon afterwards the negociator who had been sent to Seltz, by his imperial majefty, to make profufe and vain proteftations of peace, received a miffion to Berlin and Petersburgh, to connect himself with all the incitements of the British government to revive the war. The directory must have been animated with a profound love for peace, not to have yielded from that time to the evidence of the hoftile difpofitions of the houfe of Auftria, and to have avoided anfwering the provocations received. They faw that at Raftadt, from the very opening of the congrefs, both the imperial minifter and the minifter of Auftria had inceffantly fhown themselves adverfe to all the propofitions of the republic, and to all thofe which might lead to a definitive and stable pacification. They knew the difficulties made at Vienna to the acknowledgement of the Cifalpine minifter; a circumftance calculated to bring in queftion points decided by the treaty of Campo Formio. They were informed that the Auftrian cabinet (whatever might be the perfonal opinion of the emperor), yielding more than ever to the impulfes of England, gave to the cabinet of Naples a confidence which led it into the most extravagant mealures; directed, in a more fecret manner, Piedmont, which, a fhort time before, it had devoted to dismemberment; and endeavoured to wrest from its neutrality the Fruffian go vernment, which it wifhed to arm againft France, after having endeayoured to arm France against the Pruffian government. What motives for abjuring a treaty not acknowledged, violated by Auftria, and which ceafed to be binding upon the republic! but the patience and the refolution of the directory were to fhow themselves fuperior even to a provocation more direct. At the moment in which the factious, who had ufurped the power in the Grison league, teftified fome uneafinefs at a French army being near, and at the projects which they fuppofed to be formed againft their independence and neutrality, affecting, at the fanie time, a perfect fecurity with refpect to Auftria, from whom they faid they had received the moft encouraging proteftations, the directory thought proper to make known to the inhabitants, that their territories would be refpected, as long as they were refpected by Auftria. Some months only had elapfed fince that declaration was made, when a corps of Auftrian troops invaded and eftablifhed themselves in the country of the Grifons. Nothing that was hoftile in that invafion, nothing of fecret machination that was included in it, efcaped the executive directory. It was evident that Auftria was thus preparing the means of difturbing Helvetia, of making an irruption into the Cifalpine, and of giving at the decifive moment her aid to the king of Sardinia, in order 'to attempt, in concert with him, to cut off all retreat to the French, who were to be attacked by 100,000 Neapolitans, and whom they dared to fuppofe conquered. The directory were not blind to all these perfidious combinations, but but they avoided feeing in them a formal aggreffion; and it was not till the moment in which the premature attack of the king of the two Sicilies opened a new war, that the directory, having the full proof of the king of Sardinia being an accomplice, and wishing to turn afide the effect of it, feized his ftrong places, thus getting the start by fome days of the Auftrians, who were to have occupied them themfelves; the anterior invasion of the Grifon territories being but the prelude to fuch a step. But at the fame time that the republican armies repelled the aggreffion in Italy, and prevented the perfidy, the directory, though they had intelligence of the treaty between Vienna and Naples, though they faw an Auftrian general at the head of the Neapolitan army, though they knew the movement of troops, which had taken place in the Tyrol and the north of Italy, perfifted ftill in profeffing a defire to remain at peace with the emperor; and the fincerity of their wishes was fufficiently apparent by their conduct to Tufcany for a long time had elapfed fince they had found it impoffible to make a diftinction between the court of Florence and the court of Vienna. The directory had known that the journey of M. Manfredine to Vienna related to the fame object that had brought the prince of Montechiaro from Naples; and had ufefully prepared the fuccefs of his million, by contributing to give the emperor the defire of increafing his influence in Italy, of feeking a new aggrandifement, under the pretence of indemnity, of checking the eftablishment of the Cifalpine republic, and of oppofing, above all, the ex iftence of the Roman republic.The directory knew alfo, that at the epoch in which the king of Naples was making difpofitions to march his army to Rome, the grand duke was himfelf employed in preparations for war; accelerating and extending, in a manner very unusual to the country, and ordering, in addition to the complete armament of the troops, voluntary enrolments in every town and village; establishing a forced loan, demanding from the churches, monks, and nobles, their plate'; and taking, in fhort, all the measures that denoted a fecret participation in the greateft enterprises: yet, notwithstanding the art with which thefe traces of hoftility were fought to be concealed, the directory obtained proofs that the grand duke relied fo much on the defeat of the French, that he fhut up all the paffes by which they might have retreated through his ftates, and fortified them with a numerous artillery, which was to have completed the deftruction of the remnant of the French army, whilft on another fide a troop of Neapolitans, and fome English thips, took poffeffion of Leghorn; an event that would never have taken place, if that prince had only declared that he would not confent to it. Thus the first movement of the French army ought to have been to march to Leghorn and Florence; and if the directory (who only knew fince with certainty to what an extent the grand duke, who is fill arming fecretly, had carried his culpability) fufpended the effect of their refolution, it was becaufe, looking upon the court of Tufcany as lefs immediately connected with the interefis and enterpries of the court of Naples than with thofe of the court court of Vienna, they ftill hefitated in believing that the latter wifhed to revive the war. Soon, however, a fact more decitive than all the former ones, left no doubt of the difpofition of Auftria, and confequently afforded a full infight into that of the grand duke. Twenty-five thoufand Ruffians advanced towards Germany; they were to be followed by feveral corps equally numerous. The Ruffian monarch had proclaimed throughout Europe his hoftile defigns against the republic; and whilft his fleets, obtaining leave to pafs the ftraits, intereft the Mediteranean ftates to attack the poffeffions of France, his troops fought a paffage on the continent to attack the troops of the republic: it was at the moment in which the emperor was ftill in a fiate of peace, in which the empire, neutralized by a fpecial armiftice, was near the period of pacification, that a prince committing an aggreffion, that an ally of London and Conftantinople, wifhing to unite his efforts to theirs, appeared upon the limits of the Aufirian territory; his army was received without any obftacle: it is evident that it was expected. The emperor quits his capital, goes himfelf to meet the Ruffians, accepts their congratulations, and aflociates himself to their projects, by heaping upon them prefents and attention. Struck with the fcandal of fuch a conduct, inftructed that the Ruffians were to pafs from the Auftrian territory to the territory of the empire, the directory, ftill repreffing the firft impulfe of the national pride, contented themselves with demanding explanations from the emperor and empire. The emperor was filent: his plenipotentiary wished to deny that he had re ceived the note of the French minifters. The deputation of the empire referred to the diet, and the diet to the empire. The march of the Ruffians continued: they traversed Moravia and Auftria: they approach Bavaria: and the amicable reprefentations of the republic have not been liftened to more than the intereft of Germany, which is against this foreign invafion. The moment was then arrived, in which the directory could no longer temporife, and hold a language which might compromife the national dignity and the lafety of the ftate. The republic had given peace as foon as it was asked: he had exhaufied herfelf in efforts to maintain what fhe had granted: but it was neceffary, at length, that the fhould know her enemies, and that thofe who wished for war fhould be forced to explain themselves. Such were the fpirit and object of the two notes tranfmitted, on the 12th of laft Nivofe, to the Austrian minifter at Rafladt, and to the deputation. A delay was fixed for his imperial majefty to give a categorical and fatisfactory reply, in failure of which, his filence or his refufal would be regarded as a hoftile act. That delay expired on the 27th Plaviofe, and no reply is yet arrived. Such, citizens reprefentatives, has been the conduct of the court of Vienna. It is by fuch a fucceffion of facts, that the treaty of Campo Formio, not acknowledged from the commencement, unexecuted on the part of. Auftria in feveral of its principal parts, compromifed and invalidated daily by hoftile preparations or actions, is at length facrificed to the rapacity of the Ruf fian monarch, and the perfidious combinations of England. It is thus that that the emperor, carried perhaps beyond his own refolutions, compromifes at the fame time the fate of the empire, deprives himself of the benefits of a peace begun, and gives up Germany anew to all the chances of a war, in which the emperor and the empire are no more than the auxiliaries of Ruffia. It is thus that, the determinations of the court of Vienna carrying with them thofe of the court of Tufcany, it is not permitted to the directory to feparate one from the other. Forced then, in the terms of the declaration made at Raftadt, to confider, the filence of the emperor as a hoftile measure; inftructed befides that the Auftrian troops have already made aggreffive movements in Bavaria towards Suabia, the directory, re. nouncing with regret the hope of maintaining peace in Germany, but ftill difpofed to liften to fuitable propofitions for a new and complete`reconciliation, inform you, citizens reprefentatives, that they have already taken fuch meafures as they have thought neceflary for the defence of the state; and propofe to you to declare war againft the emperor, king of Hungary and Bohemia, and against the grand duke of Tufcany. (Signed) Barras, prefident. Lagarde, fec. general. veffels; and as it is important to put an end to the impediments which have refulted therefrom to the American commerce; after having heard the foreign minifter and the minister of juftice, they declare, that by article 4th of the above decree it was not intended that the navigation of American fhips, relative to the form of their roles d'equipage, fhould be fubject to other conditions than thofe impofed on all neutral bottoms, by the 12th article of the regulation of 1744, and by article 9th of that of the 26th July, 1788. And this is ordered to be inferted in the bulletin of the laws. Message from the French Directory to the Councils of Elders and Five Hundred; October 25th 1799. Citizens reprefentatives, to announce to you, that the HE executive directory haften projects of the Anglo-Ruffians, landed on the territory of the Dutch republic, have failed, and that a capitulation demanded by them was figned at Alkmaar, on the 26th of laft Vendemaire (October 18). By the conditions impofed upon them, they are to re-embark as foon as poffible, and to evacuate entirely, by the 9th Frimaire next (December 1), the Dutch territory, the coafts, ifles, and internal navigation depending on them: the reinforcements which may arrive are not to be landed, all are to return imme diately. The batteries of the Helder are to be reftored, and the damages repaired, and the parts which have been improved are to remain as they are; all the pieces of artillery which were there are to be given up; there is to be no injury, either by making inundations, cutting the dikes, or obftructing the navigation. Finally, 8000 prifoners of war, French and Dutch, taken anterior to the expedition, and detained in England, are to be given up, independently of the cartel of exchange, which thall continue to be executed. Such are to England the refults of this grand expedition, which was in a thort time to invade the Batavian republic, and menace even the territory of the French republic. (Signed) Gohier, prefident. La Garde, fec.-gen. Proclamation of General Buonaparte. Nov. 10, eleven o'clock at night. N my return to Paris, I found a divifion reigning amongst all the conftituted authorities. There was no agreement but on this fingle point-that the conflitution was half deftroyed, and could by no means effect the falvation of our liberties. All the parties came to me, confided to me their defigns, unveiled their fecrets, and demand-, ed my fupport. I refufed to be a man of any party. The council of elders invited me, and I answered to their call. A plan of general reftoration had been concerted by men, in whom the nation is accuftomed to fee the defenders of its freedom and equality, and of property. This plan demanded a calm and Liberal examination, free from every influence and every fear. The council of elders refolved, in confequence, that the fittings of the legiflative body thould be removed to St. Cloud, and charged me with the difpofition of the force neceffary to fecure its independence. Iowed it, my fellow-citizens, to the foldiers who are perifhing in our armies, and to the national glory, acquired at the price of their blood, to accept of this command. The councils being affembled at St. Cloud, the republican troops guaranteed their fafety from without; but within, affaffins had established the reign of terror. Several members of the council of five hundred, armed with poniards and fire-arms, circulated around them nothing but menaces of death. The plans which were about to be develloped were laid afide, the majority was diforganized, the most intrepid orators were dilconcerted, and the inutility of every wife propofition was made evident. I bore my indignation and my grief to the council of elders, I demanded of them to enfure the execution of their generous defigns. I reprefented to them the maladies of their country, from which thofe defigns originated. They joined themfelves with me, by giving new teftimonies of their uniform wishes. I then repaired to the council of five hundred without arms, and my head uncovered, fuch as I had been received and applauded by the elders. I wifhed to recall to the majority their wishes, and to assure them of their power. The poniards, which threatened the deputies, were inftantly raised against their deliverer. Twenty affaffins threw themfelves upon me, and fought my breaft. The grenadiers of the legiflative body, whom I had left at the door of the hall, came up and placed themfelves between me and my allaflins. One of these brave grenadiers, named Thome, had his clothes ftruck through with a dag ger. |