Page 2
moderate and conciliatory disposition which alone can render the French nation agreeable to its neighbours. I salute you.
[Signed]. BONAPARTE.
The Minister at War to General Bonaparte, First Conful of the
Republic. Citizen Consul,
July 27th. THE General of Brigade, Grigney, commanding in the depart
ment of the Lower Loire, has given me a very satisfactory account of the political fituation of that country. He announces, that the government unites the affections of all in that district ; that union and internal peace resume, from day to day, a more Itable empire ; in fine, that the enemies of order in vain attempt to foment new disturbances.
He has given me, at the same time, Tome details respecting the last appearance of the English upon the coasts of La Vendée. Ha observes that the inhabitants of Noirmoutier, and those of Barbatre and Beauvois, who formerly distinguished themselves under the standard of revolt, have given on this occasion a striking proof of attachment to the republic, by braving the fire of the enemy's batteries, and by making gi prisoners, even before the arrival of the troops of the line.
General Grigney thinks that a letter of satisfaction on your part, Citizen Consul, on the courageous conduct of these citizens, would produce a very salutary effect upon the minds of The inhabitants of the West.
I of consequence subjoin the following sketch of a letter for your approbation
Health and respect.
CARNOT.
The Prefect of La Vendée to the Minister at War, dated Fontenaye le
Peuple, July 3. Citizen Minifter, Í HAVE this inftant received news that 12 English gun-boats
have effected a new debarkation on the side of Fromentin.
The inhabitants of Cresniere, Barbatre, and Beauvois, the persons employed in the custom houses, and the gendarmerie, marched towards the place attacked. Eight gun-boats had not time to get but again to sea : they remained on the Gona, and our troops having attacked them, made 195 men prisoners, of whom 45 are at Beauvois, and 1 go at Barbatre.
I have not yet received any full details. When I receive them, I shall have the honour to communicate them.
Health and respect.
LEFAUCHEUX. VOL. X.
K
Decree
Page 3
Prorlamation addressed by Toufaint Louverture, General in Chief aff the Army of Saint Domingo, to all the Citizens of the Department of the South of Saint Domingo.
Citizens, THE humanity and sensibility which have always been the basis
of my conduct and of all my actions, oblige me again to apprize you of the evils which threaten you, although you have been always deaf to my proclamations and addrelles, by which I invited you to resume your duty; tò range yourselves under the standard of the republic; finally, to abjure your error, and to swear obedience and submission to the laws of the republic, and to your chiefs.
I have received orders from the French government, which prescribe to me to re-establish peace and tranquillity in this unhappy country, to put a stop to the civil war which desolates it, and to employ for ihat purpose all the powers with which I am invested. 'In consequence, wishing to prove how desirous I am of being useful to you, in spite of your perseverance in your rebellion, I grant to all of you, even to those of the North and Welt, who have abandoned your families and property, because you were deceived, the pardon of your errors and an amnesty, if, immediately on the publication of this proclamation, you lay down your arms.
Avail yourselves, citizens, of this laft offer held forth to you ; it will only be necessary for you to facrifice a little of that pride which now keeps you back. Have not your friends, your relations, your mothers, and your fathers, influence enough to prevail over the deception which actuates you! Have your poilela fions, your property, no yalue in your eltimation ? Is not your mother country, outraged as it is, fill to be regarded as your benefactress, which itretches out its protecting arms to succour you? Look with horror, my friends, at the mischiefs whịch you are about to effect, Open, at length, your eyes : behold, I con. jure you, the abyss before you, and surrender without delay--rely
on my loyalty. As soon as you shall have made this laudable effort, the department of the South Mall remain unmolested, and the people who inhabit it shall enjoy perfe& tranquillity after sa violent a storm.
And you, mad and unnatural chiefs, do you feel no remorse at having armed the father against the son, the son against the father, and both against the republic: Will you continue sanguinary spec, tators of the annihilation of the department of the South Will not conscience suggest to you, Let us take advantage of the indul, gence offered to us, abjure our aggressions, and think only of cauling thep to rest in oblivion, by adopting a conduct worthy of
ths
Page 4
5. To the council, thus constituted, shall be added eight meme bers, who shall be taken from the generality of the citizens, and shall proceed to the filling up the places that may become vacant by refusal or dismislion.
6. The Legislative Council [hall choose seven members, from its own body, who shall form a new executive council.
7. The Legislative Council shall reunite the authority and the functions which the fifth chapter of the Constituțion gives to the two sections of the legiNature. It shall exercise those functions with the same rights, and under the fame obligations.
8. The Legislative Council fhall exercise the same power which the sixth chapter of the Constitution gives to the Directory, with the same rights, and under the same obligations.
9. The Legislative Council, as soon as a project of the law shall have been adopted by a majority of its members, shall communicate it to the Executive Council, that it may give its advice on such project.
10. The Executive Council is bound to communicate its advice in the space of two days, if the project of the decree be accompanied with a declaration of urgency; and in the space of fix days, without such declaration.
ri. After having heard the advice of the Executive Council, the Legislative Council shall have power, according to circumItances, to open a new discussion on the subject; but in all cases the project must be put to the vote again, and not pass into a law till after the second vote.
12. The two authorities established by the present law shall continue their functions until the new constitution thall be projected, then accepted by the Helvetic nation, and put in execution.
After the reading of these pieces in the Grand Council, a discnsion took place, in which all the speakers appeared convinced of the necessity of adopting the proposed measure. Ą member went so far as to say that he would not adopt it, but on the full conviction that it would equally take place, though it should be rejected. It passed the Grand Council without the least oppolition. A miller of Zurich, named Relftap, was the only opposer.
It was not so in the Senate, where a strong repugnance has been shown to accept the proposition of the Government, and it has referred it to the examination of a committee, charged to make a report this morning. But the Executive Committee, little satisfied with this delay, which would be of the most serious consequence to the public tranquillity, summoned the president to convoke the Senate yesterday, that he might proceed immediately to accept or reject ile resolution of the Grand Council. The
Senate,
Page 5
Senate, not agreeing to this summons, passed to the order of the day, refusing to occupy itself on it till 10-day.
In the mean time 21 members of the Senate retired, and declared to the Government that they gave their consent to the law, such as it was.
According to the constitution, the Senate did not consist of a fufficient number to deliberate; in the mean time, a number, nearly equal to those who opposed it, joined on the 20th Thesmidor, in the morning; and, after a very animated discussion, in a secret committee, declared they could not adopt it, and separated peaceably.
The Executive Committee, supported by all the Grand Council, a great part of the Senate, and the whole nation, did not stop at this partial opposition. It chose 35 legislators, who are to remain, among whom are some who opposed the inealure.
They proceeded in the evening of the 20th [August 8] to the nomination of eight members, who are to be taken from every part of Helvetia: they are the Citizens Schmidd, national prefeet of the canton of Balle; Ruttiman, national prefeet of the canton of Lucerne; Fulli, ancient magistrate of the canton of Zurich; Schuler, ancient magistrate of the canton of Schwitz; Wittenbach, a man of letters of Berne, and ancient magistrate; Lang [clu Valais], of the administrative chamber; Sacei [de Belinzona], ci-devant chancellor; Berrenschwand, president of the administrative chamber of Fribourg.
To-morrow it will be occupied in the nomination of a new executive council.
The public tranquillity has not been disturbed for a moment. Not a single act of violence has taken place. Some patroles Have been ordered, by way of precaution; but there are no disorders to repress; and the ordinary course of affairs has experienced no interruption.
August 9. All the troops in garrison in this commune are on foot. Numerous detachments passed through this place yesterday and last night. Good order has constantly prevailed. We observed that the strongest of the detachments kept themselves, during the 'whole sitting, near the Councils. The hall of the Council was shut yesterday afternoon: we are affured it was by order of the Executive Committee.
The seven members of the new Executive Council have been named; they are the Citizens Frisching, Savary, and Dolder, ex-members of the Executive Committee, and Zimmerman, of the Grand Council; Glayre,, of the Executive Commission; Schmidd, national prefect of the canton of Bille; and Ruttiman, prefect of Lucerne.
Page 6
that purpose on board the merchantmen ; but Captain Krabbe assured bim, as he did before, that this proceeding was diametrically opposite to his instructions, and that the boats would be fired at.
The English commodore, persisting in his demand, ordered his boat to proceed to the ship of the convoy which lay nearest. Captain Krabbe ordered accordingly the boat to be fired at ; but the gun flashed, and the shot had no effect.
The English commodore, whose ship lay nearly abreast of the Freya, at the diítance of about the fourth part of a cable’s length, gave her a full broadside, which was instantaneously returned; three of the other English frigates lay at the time rather ahead of the Freya, on her larboard quarter, about two cables length distant, and one was aftern of the Danish frigate, which was now engaged with them. Captain Krabbe having sustained the unequal combat for an hour, and being deprived of all hopes to come off victorious, on account of the decided superiority of his opponents, struck his colours. The English commodore made thereupon for the Downs, with the frigate as well as the convoy ; but Captain Krabbe was brought on board the English commodore's thip, where he remained until the 26th, when, by order of the English admiral who commands in the Downs, he was sent back on board the Freya, to draw up the reports of what had happened. The Freya is lying in the Downs, alongside of the English admiral's thip, and has, by order of the English admiral, the Danish flag and pendant hoisted. She has on board two English officers and 13 men, who are not armed.
Captain Krabbe has demanded, that either these Englishmen should be withdrawn from on board the Freya, or his frigate taken poffeffion of by the English ; but on the 28th he had not received any answer. Captain Krabbe has been constantly allowed a free intercourse with the thore, but the ships of the con. voy do not experience the same indulgence.
The Freya has two men killed, and five wounded, two of them badly, and thirty Thots in the hull. The foremast and mizenmart are much damaged, and great part of the rigging is destroyed.
By the account of the English officers, the above English frigates are the Nemesis, of 28 guns; Prevoyante, of 36 guns; Terpsichore, of 32 guns ; and Arrow, of 20 guns, including carronades, with which the English at the beginning of the engageinent did considerable damage to the rigging of the Freya, and prevented her from making any rapid manoeuvres.
The damage received by the English frigates is, in the opinion of Captain Krabbe, as considerable as that sustained by the Freya. They are said to have five men killed and several wounded, among whom is an officer of marines.
Page 7
Ten thousand men effected a landing without the least oppofition, for the fire from the thips forced the men to abandon the small fort which detends the entrance of the bay. As soon as this event was known at Ferrol, the General of Marine, Don Juan Moreno, proceeded to Monte Ventoso, to observe the movements of the enemy; he returned immediately, and went on board his squadron, from which he landed the rest of the soldiers of the marine, and the regiment of Asturias, which having been joined by 200 soldiers of the marine, 6oo militia, part of the king's battalion, and of a battalion of Guadalaxara, formed a corps of 1800 men, who marched immediately against the enemy, already masters of the heights. This handful of men attacked the British, who were 10,000 in number, with the greatest intrepidity. After a very warm contest, in which the ground was difputed foot to foot for an hour, the Spaniards succeeded in making them beatą retreat, and took post in their place; an action which will render the names of those who took part in it' eternal, for it saved the place, by affording time to make some preparations for defence. The British asked fome prisoners whom they took, whether there were not some Frenchmen
among
them. On the 26th, at daybreak, the enemy, finding the small force they had to encounter, attacked with ardour ; but their audacity was checked by the bravery of the company of grenadiers of Alturias, and the King's, who bore for a long time, the terrible fire of the British, who had two howitzers ; in the end, the Spaniards,' overwhelmed with fatigue, after the most vigorous resistance, fell back upon the town in good order.
Not meeting with any more opposition, the British took Grana, where the magazines of provisions for the navy are ; they kept them till two P. M. and did no injury to them, because they relied upon taking possession of Ferrol. The arrival at Covas of the grenadiers and chasseurs of the flying camp of Juia, who, forming upon two of the heights, seemed to be triple in number to their real amount, made the enemy alter their intention. They regained the heights, and endeavoured to get Fort St. Philip, which defends the entrance of Goutel; thrice they attacked it with impetuosity, thrice they were driven back by the forts Palmo and St. Martin, situated on the opposite bank, which, seconded by four gun-boats, kept up so warm and well directed a fire, that they forced the enemy io retreat to their intrenched camp of Briom. It was three o'clock when they began their re-embarkation ; and on the 27th, at one in the morning, it was entirely completed. N 2
The,
Page 8
The squadron and the convoy failed the same day at three in the afternoon, and steered to the N. N. W.
The loss of the British is estimated at 1200 men killed and wounded Among the former is a general.
The Spaniards Jolt 240.
The Spaniards, both officers and soldiers, have covered themselves with glory, and the British with shame.
Among the traits of bravery which distinguish this day, the following is remarked :
Sixteen of enemy's soldiers had taken post behind a rock, from whence the Spaniards, inferior in number, could not dislodge them ; a foldier of the regiment of Asturias advanced alone, twenty paces from the enemy, seized his musket with both hands, and using the butt end, forced them to quit their post.
General Moreno has made known this action to the King, who, without doubt, will recompense the gallant soldier.
If the King of Spain has yet the department of Ferrol, he owes it to the brave Generals Moreno and Donadieu, as well as to the intrepidity of the soldiers who fought under their crders. He owes them that gratitude which they have so well deserved.
[Signed] PANART, Lieutenant. Conforınable to the original, J. CAFFARELLI,
Maritime Prefect of Brest.
Head-quarters at Soden, near Frankfort, 10 Fructidor [Aug. 28],
Order of the Day in the Batavian Army. THE army is informed, that the Emperor having refused to
subscribe to the conditions of the preliminaries of peace which had been signed by his plenipotentiary at Paris, the government is under the neceflity of continuing the war. The armistice is in consequence broken off, and it will cease to have effect the 20th instant [September 7], at one in the afternoon.
The general officers and chiefs of corps will profit by this interval to pass the troops in review, and to dispose every thing in such a manner that they may be able to march and fight as soon as they shall receive orders.
Proclamation of the Prince Bishop of Wurtzburg, published on the 30th
August, previous to his quitting his Residence on the 4th of Sept. THE approach of a French army forces us for some time to
quit our residence, to prevent our faithful subjects, in cafe we thould be taken prisoner, from being obliged to purchafe our liberty with heavy expenses. By publishing this resolution, fo
oppressive oppressive to our fatherly heart, we add, for their confolation, that our vicegerent, the government of the country, and the magistrates of our residence, will watch over their welfare. As for the rest, we trust to the loyal citizens of our residence, that they will behave as faithful, noble, and good, as they did on a similar occasion in 1796, and that they will equally deserve the general applause of their own and other countries, and gain the approbation of their sovereign.
Page 9
Proclamation to the Inhabitants of the Countries occupied by the left
Wing of the Army of the Rhine, Auguft. MULTIPLIED affaffinations are daily committed in your
country. Several French inhabitants and soldiers have fallen under the blows of some wretches who ramble in the forests. The authors of these crimes are a set of vagabonds, joined by some ill-disposed inhabitants, who are every day guilty of fresh offences. Înhabitants of the countries, you are chiefly interested in purging your country of the ruffians that infeft it. Your own existence, that of the persons most dear to you, and the preservation of your property, ought ail to induce you to second effectually the energetic measures which the general officers and military commanders will take for their utter extermination. Let etery one of you denounce them to the commanders of cantonmentsam point out their retreats, guide the troops that are to seize them, so that they may find no where an asylum, and that, every where pursued, they may be taken and punished to jhe utmost rigour of the laws.
Lieutenant-general Grenier, wishing to prevent new crimes, and desirous of taking the necessary measures, orders :-
Art. 1. Immediately after the receipt of the present order the general officers of the left wing shall give the necessary orders, that in their respective cantonments there shall be made a general survey of all the portable arms to be found in them.
The commandant of each cantonment thall appoint an officer, who shall accompany the burgomaster to all the houses, and inake out a statement of the quantity of arms, their kind, their quality, and the persons to whom they belong. That statement shall be sent to the general of brigade commanding the district.
2. Every inhabitant who thall not, within twenty-four hours after the publication of this decree, make known to the commandart of the cantonment, the prisoners of war, deferters, or persons unacknowledged, whom he should have residing with him, or continue to afford them an asylum, shall be considered an accomplice in the affaslination, and profecuted as such.
3. Every inhabitant is expressly forbid to carry any kind of arms, unless he should be authorized to do so in writing by the general officer commanding the district. The forelt guards and bailiffs shall be allowed to carry theirs, but they must be provided with a permission which will be given them by the nearest general officer. Every inhabitant, acting in violation of the present deciee, shall be arrested, carried before a military coinmillion, and punished as an accomplice of an assassin.
4. The communes, on the territory of which an assassination fhall have been commited, thall be placed under military execu
Page 10
Journal of the Proceedings of Vice-admiral Dickson's Squadron in support of Lord I bitworth's Demands from the Danish Govern
ment, extracted from a private Letter, dated September 14. THE return of the squadron under the command of Vice-admi
ral Dickson to Yarmouth Roads, enables me to furnith you, for the information of the public, with an account of its opera, tions, from the time it quitted England to this period. Such a detail will doubtless gratify a discerning peopic, and will not fail to call forth their gratitude, so eminently due to its commander, to whose efforts and vigorous co-operation with Lord Whitworth may be afcribed the happy and honourable result of the negotiation, which has relieved the country froin the great additional expense of blood and treasure, that inust necessarily have been the confequence of a war with the northern powers: his firmness, and the decisive movements of the squadron, have been the cause of Denmark's yielding satisfaction for the last, and fecurity for her future conduct : in a word, the vigorous measures taken by Lori Whitworth as negotiator, and by Vice-admiral Dickson as posfelling the ultima ratio regum, have nipped in the bud the nearlyconsolidated power of an armed neutrality, which, if it had ripened to maturity, would have stripped England of every advan, tage arising from her superior navy.
I Thall begin by informing you, that we failed from Yarmouth with the ships and vessels, viz. Monarch, Glatton, Polyphemus, Ardent, Veteran, Romney, Ilis, Waakzamheid, and Martin; Volcano, Hecla, Sulphur, and Zebra, bombs; Boxer, Furious, Griper, Swinger, and Haughty, gun-vessels, on the oth day of Auguit, at seves in the morning. We had a fair wind, though but little of it, during our passage ; nevertheless, by ordering the faft-failing ships to tow the flow-failing ones, we reached the Skaw on the 15th following, having previously dispatched Sir Home Poplam, in the Romney, to advance as high as to the entrance of the Sound, for the purpose of procuring intelligence of the ftrength and position of the Danes, and for forwarding such difpatches as he might meet with from Lord Whitworth.
On the 14th we had received information, that three fail of Danish 74-gun fhips were moored, with fprings on their cables, across the narrowelt part of the Sound, extending from Cronberg castle to the Swedish Thore; and that the guard-thip [a frigate of 40 guns] was moored so as to defend that flank of their line next the cattle.
On the 16th, at four o'clock in the morning, the whole of the squadron had advanced as high as the Knolt; it blew hard at N.W. which wind is directly through the Sound, and it would appear the Admiral's orders were not to enter it. On Saturday the 17th, a Danish 74-gun ship passed through the
fquadron, squadron, and proceeded to Elfineur, where Me took her station in the line : for two days, during a 'hard gale of wind at N. W. did the squadron continue to beat against it, and by great exertions nearly held its ground; but it continuing to blow with equal violence on the third day, and the Ardent and Glatton [two bad failing lips] being in a very dangerous and critical lituation, and the masters, pilots, and others in the fleet, having already declared that the Sound afforded no anchorage for the squadron, the Admiral dispatched a letter to Sir Home Popham in the Romney [who on account of the gale had entered the Sound], defiring him to apprise Lord Whitworth and the Danish Commodore, of his intentions to proceed to Ellineur ; a situation the Admiral chose for three reasons [I apprehend]; First, to afford security ind protection to the British trade in the Baltic ;-Secondly, for Jafety to the squadron ; and, lastly, by his actual presence, to sive weight to the negotiation Lord Whitworth was charged with. With these views, the Admiral caused the squadron to bear up on the 19th for Ellineur : it proceeded accordingly to the Sound, in which it anchored at three P. M. and rode in safety, not with standing the pilots had asserted it to be impossible. The Admiral stopped here for the purpose of making his arrangements for palling the castle and the Danish squadron, in the event of hostile proceedings on their part; but he had scarcely anchored before he had received a very polite letter from Commodore Leikin, commanding the Danish ships, inviting him, in the name of his King, to come to Ellineur Roads.
Page 11
commerce, so long as the real intention of the English court shall be unknown, there shall be laid a sequestration upon all property belonging to the English; and that it be observed, in the strictest manner, that none thereof be transported out of Russia without permiffion of his Majesty ; that, however, no part of the property be taken away from them, nor themselves be disturbed in their business ; according to all which, every one is to govern himselt in the most particular manner.
[Signed] SCHWART, Secretary Giver at Riga Senate-house,
ihe 29th August 1800.
Decree of the 14 September. THE Consuls of the republic, on the report of the Minister of
Marine and the Colonies, having heard the Council of State, decree,
Art. 1. All foreign seafaring men, resident in the territory of the republic, who have married French women, and failed on board merchant-vessels, are liable to serve in the vessels belonging to the state.
2. The said seafaring men are bound to present themselves to the Committee of Maritime Inscription, of the quarter where they reside, and to inscribe themselves there.
3. After their inscription, they shall be considered as French failors, and thall enjoy as such, promotions, increase of pay, share of prizes, and pensions, granted by the laws to the failors of the republic.
4. The prefects shall make known, by the sub-prefects, mayors, and all other depositaries of the registers of the civil estate, the account of marriages contracted with French women since 1792, by foreign failors, actually resident in the territory of the republic. They shall send these statements, in the month subsequent to the publication of the present arreté, to the officers of the adminit. tration, and cause them to be placed on the maritime inscription of each quarter.
5. In future the aforesaid mayors, and their colleagues, fhell cause to be transınitted, at the cominencement of each month, to the administrators charged with the maritime inferiprion, a like statement of marriages contracted in the preceding month.
6. The said administrators shall produce, on the registers of the maritime inscription of their quarter, the names of the aforefaid foreign sailors, whofe establishment in France thall be verified by the conditions above expreffed, and they thall likewise contain the number of months service fixed by the law of the 20th of October, year 4, concerning maritime inscription.
Page 12
Army of Italy. General Orders. Head-quarters at Milan, Sept. t. A REGARD to the security of the military stores and provi
fions; the safety of individuals belonging to the army when travelling on the roads; and the tranquillity of the country,'endangered by the numerous outrages committed in the territory occupied by the French army, impose it as a duty on the General in Chief to destroy those bands of robbers and allaflins, or emissaries of the enemy, who inake violence and crimes of every
fort accompany the progress of the army. The General in Chief, therefore, ordains, that the following articles Phall be carried into execution in the Cisalpine, Ligurian, and Piedinontese republics :
Art. I. Within twenty-four hours after the publication of the present arret, all the citizens belonging to any corps or batialion of militia [with particular exceptions], thall deposit thcir muskets in the chief places of the distriets or cantons.
2. The national guards shall deposit theirs in the places pointed out in their respective communes. These arms shall be ricketed, and kept ready for the service appointed to be performed by the said militia corps or national guards.
3. Every individual, not belonging to the service, found in the daytime armed with a musket, ihall be punished, for the first offence, with one month's imprisonment, and the confiscation of his musket; and, in case of its being repeated, with imprisonment for one year.
4. Every individual, not belonging to the service, taken with a muiker in his poffeflion during the night, shall be condemned to one year's confinement in irons; and for the second offence shall be punished with death, as one accused and convicted of endangering the safety of the army.
5. Every individual on whom shall be found a stiletto or po. niard, shall be punished with death.
6. Those who shall apprehend any individual contravening the present regulation, thall receive a recompense in proportion to the service performed.
7. There Thall be appointed three extraordinary courts martial, each confisting of seven members, who shall exclusively have the power of trying all persons accnfed of robbery and affailination on the highways, and of disobeying the present regulation. The Sentence shall be pronounced, in twenıy-four hours after the prisoner thall have been brought before them. The existing laws shall continue to be executed in every thing which is not inconsistent with the present arret.
8. These extraordinary courts martial shall meet at Milan, Turin, and Genoa. 9. The present arret Mall be inserted in the general orders of
Page 13
with fword in hand that we must obtain peace. Peaceable inha. bitants, it will not be without the greatest concern that the French foldi, rs, and those of the republies in alliance with France, will water your country with your tears. Return to your ha. bitations, cultivate your fields, and repose in peace under your paternal roois. Get rid of those inítruments of death which are iatal to yourselves alone; resist those who would drive you upon the precipices which open before the enemies of the republic; and do not listen to the falsehoods and calumnies of its enemies. Humanity has for fome time affixed the seal of reprobation upon them. They accuse us of all crimes, because all crimes are familiar to them. France is fighting for her liberty, for her independence, and for her glory: her cause is just before God and man, and she will triumph. It is the will of the republic that her armies respect the laws, the culioms, and the re, ligion of the people with whom the carries on war. Those who tell you the contrary, lie in their own confcience, and endeavour to deceive you. Come into our ranks, and you will see with what care we prevent those disorders which render war so destructive, so oppreslive, and so terrible.
It is ordered, ift, That all the levies of the inhabitants of the electorate of Mentz, of Wurtzburg, and of Fulda, shall be invited to lay down their arms, and return to their habitations.
2d, They shall be specially protected by the French armies, and their tranquillity shall not be troubled under any pretext.
3d, All those inhabitants who shall deposit their arms with the French army, shall receive a receipt for the same, on the production of which they shall receive twelve livres for every musket and bayonet in good condition, and five livres for every fabre—the horses Thall be paid for according to a valuation.
4th, In order to carry the preceding article into execution, the chief officers of the staff thall appoint persons to value the arms and the horses, and the treasurer of the extraordinary funds of
shall
pay the money upon the production of the receipt. 5th, All the generals of the army shall preserve the most exact discipline. Religious worship, property, and personal safety, shall be inviolably respected.
6th, The present proclamation shall be translated into Ger, man, printed in both languages, and ituck up wherever it may be necessary.
[Signed]
AUGEREAU.
Сорт Copy of a Letter from the Duke of Portland to the Town-clerk of
Page 14
ing the most evident proofs of its immutable attachment to its hereditary king, and its purest patriotism, contributed consider. ably to the treaty of peace concluded at Campo Formio. But when the French nation overthrew these conditions of peace, and again imposed on us the melancholy necessity of opposing our brave warriors in defence of the nations intrulled to us by Heaven, to the enemy penetrating into our provinces, the distinguished courage and valour of all our troops, among whom the meritorious Hungarian inilitia must be included, di[played its well-known heroic valour and undaunted courage before the eyes of all the world, and retook the Italian provinces that had been wrested from us, The enemy, thus expelled from those countries, could, nevertheless, not be brought either to moderate their fury, or to equitable terms of peace, compatible with our high royal dignity, the preservation and lasting tranquillity of our hereditary dominions, intrusted to us by Providence. At last, when, after various successes, they obtained a vi&tory, they became so 'arrogant, that they would neither propose nor accept, in any manner whatever, such conditions of peace as would have been conducive to permanent tranquillity ; but, on the contrary, supported by a numerous army, composed of people from different countries, threatened all our German hereditary dominions, and our much-beloved kingdom of Hungary, from day to day, with greater and nearer dangers, which to avert, and to restore to our people their former prosperity, we are firmly and irrevocably determined to haften in person to the army. All these great dangers may be obviated by spirited, undaunted conduct, and particularly by your faithful efforts, opposed to the enemy, under divine allistance. It is still the same ruinous war, the same furious e: my; the dangers are now greater than before; necessity so presling, that, in the full spirit of the law, a general insurrection of the nobility, and of all thofe who are as such comprised in the measure, of whatever rank or dignity they may be, becomes urgent. We, who at all times have placed a particular confidence in the ancient bravery and fidelity which has been handed down by your ancestors, order, therefore, in virtue of our high royal prerogative, by this present rescript, a general infurre&tion of the country, and doubt not, in the least, that to effect it in considerable numbers, and as soon as possible, you will also, on this occasion, exert a laudable diligence, according to the duties imposed on you.
Since, however, the present manner of carrying on war requires a proportionate and greater number of infantry, and as, agreeably to the present circumstances, the defence of the coun. try must be effected speedily and effectually, we call upon you, by virtue of these prefents, that in organizing your insurrediorral
Page 15
The call made on the 27th of July had hitherto produced but small contributions of arms, by no means proportionate to the public wants. The government is inclined to believe that ihcfc contributions have been trifling, merely because the danger appeared at that period more distant, and every owner of fire-arms thought himself convinced that he had still time enough to contider what of his arms he could spare. But now the period is actually at hand, when the inhabitants should prepare, with redoubled exertion, for a powerful resistance; and to evince their loyalty, his Majesty, our most gracious monarch, has hastened to the army in person, and has placed himself at the head of his forces. The importance of the moment, the urgency of the aid, are, therefore, no longer to be doubted: a devastating enemy approaches our peaceful frontiers.
Citizens, it is for your altars, for your firefides, you have to combat! And, if you do not feel yourselves lively penetrated by the thought, look to the banks of the Danube ; behold there, amid the din of arms, your great Prince, who, inspired by the love of a father for the nations intrusted to him by Heaven, Spares not his own sacred person, and by his own splendid example marks out to every one of his fellow-citizens the way which his civic duties ought to lead him. He, also, our elevated monarch, is a kind husband and a tender father-and yet he has turn himself from the embrace of his most serene confort, and the bofom of his beloved family, to save his coun. try, menaced by the enemy.
What Bohemian could remain unmoved at this view? Who wishes not, with 'reanimated patriotism, to stand by the side of the best of monarchs, to share with him danger and victory? And should not every one, whose civil relations deny to him that happiness, strenuouily endeavour, by arming the warriors, rallying around their monarch, and by similar contributions, at least indirectly to partake in the triumph? The government ex. pects, with confidence, that this reflection will inflame the breast of every Bohemian, and they will vie with one another to distinguish themselves by proofs of their fidelity and patriotism at this decisive moment.
As a decisive proof of these sentiments, we fall consider speedy and considerable contributions of fire-arms, and shall not omit, when tranquillity shall be restored, to acquaint our molt gracious monarch with the name of every one of his faith. ful Bohemian subjects, who, in the hour of danger, hastened to give his assistance, that, having repelled all sorrows and dangers, his fatherly heart may rejoice over a numerous list of his faithful subjects.
Page 16
and the General of Brigade of the French army of the Rhine, Victor Fanicąu Lahorie, on the other, respectively charged with full powers necessary to conclude and sign a convention relative to a prolongation of the suspension of arms, have agreed to the following articles :
Art. 1. His Imperial Majesty and King, in consequence of the demand of the First Conful of the French republic, and with a view of giving a proof of his desire to check the calamities of war, consents that the places of Philipsburgh, Ulm, and the for: tresses which depend upon it, with the place of Ingolstadt, which are comprehended within the line of demarkation, fixed by the convention of the 15th July last [the 26th Meffidor], shall be given up to the dispolition of the French army, as a pledge of his intentions.
2. The garrisons in the places Thall freely depart with every thing belonging to them, and join the Imperial army in Germany.
3. The evacuation of the above places, both with respect to the troops and military stores of all kinds, is to take place within the space of ten days at fartheft. For that purpose, there shall be furnished by the French army all the conveniencies and facilities in their power to transport the articles of every kind, which shall be defrayed at the expense of his Majesty the Emperor and King.– With respect to the possession of the places, there shall be delivered to the disposition of the French army, in the course of five days, one of the posts on the grand communications. The choice ihall be determined by delegates, who shall be immediately sent with the utmost dispatch, to ascertain the state of it.
4. The military stores, provisions, and the military waggons, shall be equally evacuated, as shall the artillery, with the exception of that of the Empire. The latter shall be ascertained and certified by deputies named to that effect.
5. The mode of the conveyance and evacuation of these places hall be determined with the shortest deláy, by a particular conyention, as well as the evacuation of the sick, who cannot be sent off with the garrison.
6. In order to carry into effect the above-mentioned regulations, there shall be a prolongation of the armistice, and suspension of hostilities between the army of his Imperial Majelty and King, and his allies, and the army of the French republic on the Rhine, of forty-five days, to commence from to-morrow, in which are to be comprehended fifteen days, to serve as notice for the resumption of hoftilities, thould they take place.
7. The Commander in Chief of the army of the Rhine engages to procure the immediate cessation of hoftilities, with respect to he army of the French republic in Italy, should the renewal of them have taken place. 8. The line of demarkation fixed by the convention of the 15th
of
Page 17
them: The motive of this refusal was stated to be that of a note from the King of England, demanding to have his envoys ad'mitted to the congress of Luneville, conjointly with the plenipotentiaries of the Emperor.
From that moment the government was obliged to break the armistice, that the remainder of the autumn might not be lost in idle conferences.
General Moreau was ordered to acquaint the general of the enemy with the preliminaries, the same that appeared in the official journal; and to inform him, that if they were not ratified within twenty-four hours, or if the Emperor wanted further explanations, the three garrisons of Ulm, Ingolstadt, and Philipsburg, should be given up to the French army, otherwise hostilities should be recommenced.
The government has also informed the King of England, that it sees no inconvenience in admitting his envoys to the congress of
eville, if he thould consent to a maritine truce, which prefents to France the fame advantages which the Emperor enjoys by the continuation of the continental truce..
The government has received by the telegraph the news, thas his Majesty the Emperor has consented to deliver up Ulm, Ingoistadt, and Philipsburg, which places are now occupied by the troops of the republic; and that Count Lehrbach, furnished with the neceflary powers from his Majesty the Emperor, is at the headquarters of Altaffings with orders to repair to Luneville,
The difficulties naturally arising from the conditions of a maritime truce, must necessarily caule fome delay ; but if the two governments should not agree to the conditions of this truce, in that case France and his Imperial Majesty will treat separately. for a peace, on the basis of the preliminaries. And if the Engliih party [which there is no reason to suppose] should again be able to influence the ministers of Vienna, neither the snow, nor the rigour of the seasons, shall then retard the progress of the troops of the republic ; but they will prosecute'the war to the utinolt extremity, during the whole of the winter, without giving the enemy time to form new armies.
These are the principles of the government; extreme moderation in its conditions ; but a determined resolution speedily to pacify the continent.
The most vigorous measures are taken to second the will of the French people in this eflential object.
These are all the secret politics of their government.
Page 18
The 9th of November Thcne! Divisions disappeared! All that was factious hid itfelt, and all that was French made its appearance; all which looks y party interest was driven away or restrained : all that loved glory and the country was cherished and protected. Order was established in the interior; the freedom of worship was no longer a vain word, and Victory, for a moment unfaithful, was brought back by Genius to the feet of Liberty.
There is a pleasure in dwelling upon this for a moment. The first ornament of national foltivais for a great people is the spectacle of their still increasing prosperity. If, however, the picture of our own progress for ten months prit be not sufficient for you, retrace, citizens, the state of other empires, and compare it with the actual fituation of France, which false reports incessantly painted as exhausted.
Look to Germany-one of its finest provinces become an integral part of our empire ; its princes fugitives, its generals divided, its circles invaded, and supporting our victorious armies.
Italy has five times changed the government of its malters. Behold every vengeance, and all the scourges of despotism and anarchy, descend from the height of the re-established thrones, upon thefe most charming regions.
Shall the situation of England be opposed to you? Yes, Enge land alone, in the midst of universal ruin, boalts of being defended by the ocean and the winds; but often has the voice of the people carried their wishes for peace to the doors of the cabi, nét. The cabinet is proud of its gold, and the people want bread; and already is developed in their heart the germ of that civil dis, cord which has been stifled amongst us.
Such is for the last ten months the state of France, and such that of Europe. Is it for us to feel any alarms ?
Unhappy is it for those who, after having viewed these pi&tures, can yet feel any uneasiness on the subject of our new existence.
The throes of Liberty are grievous and terrible, but its productions, "like itself, merit the admiration of all ages.
The people who can enjoy them are truly happy : happy is the generation which can see the revolution begun during a monarchy, terminate in a republic.
*********** [Here follows a blasphemous allusion, to which we do not think proper to give place.] The same dangers have threatened us, the same advantages
Page 19
charged with the responsibility of his operations], and the men who, serving in the armies of the North and West, have betrayed confidence, honour, and the republic. These four persons are, Bellegarde, who, by reason of his quality of a foreigner, shall be fent back from the colony ; Millet, Dupons, and Petion, who Mall be punished for their treachery by suffering arrest for some time, after which they shall be restored to their families.
The part which General Rigaud has resolved on, viz. that of leaving the department of the South to go and give an account of his conduct to the French government, is one which honour prescribes, but the situation of affairs requires that he should do it forth with : first, Because the General of Division Michel being on the eve of departure for France, it is necessary that he should carry to France certain intelligence of the pacification of St. Domingo ; and secondly, because the least delay might throw obstacles in the way of the said pacification.
The departure of General Rigand having for its object to give an account of his conduct to government, he should not consider himself as banishing himself from St. Domingo. Why should he with to tear his family from their country, their propertie's, and their homes? He may leave them safe at St. Domingo, where they shall find security and protection. He might, besides, charge them with the direction of his affairs, the care of his effects, and he may be assured that every thing belonging to him shall be respected. For this, I give him my word of honour, and he may depend upon it. In such event s'fhall do for them all I could with another would do for me in a similar situation. This allur. ance, on my part, ought to determine him, for his own interest, to depart alone. He need make no longer delay than is necessary for his preparation. If he should not find in the South a vessel ready to sail, offer to bring him with you to the Cape, to the agent, either by land or sea : I shall furnish you with every thing necessary for your safe and speedy conveyance. If, on his arrival at the Cape, he should persist in his with to go to France, he may set out with General Michel, who is going there by the way of the United States, on board the frigate of that nation, the Boston, in which the Commodore has offered him a passage: if, on the contrary, he should prefer giving to the agent the accounts required from him by government, he may do 1o; and be assured, after his fubmiffion, he shall fee me agree with pleasure to his return to the South in quality of General of Brigade, commanding under me the army of the faid department. He will then have answered the with of the First Consul, who will not fail to faction every thing which his agent shall have done, in concert with me, for the pacification of the colony. In the interval until his departure, it is necessary that he should
employ employ himself without delay in endeavours to bring back to their respective quarters, and the bosom of their families, all the inhabitants, proprietors, cultirators, and other inhabitants of the North and West who have taken refuge in the South ; that he should send back to Jacmcl the legion of the Welt, as well officers as foldiers, and into their garrisons their respective troops which he may have withdrawn from thein. And as, according to advices which I have received from General Delalines, I am informed that advantage has been taken of the fufpenfion of arms which I have ordained, to fortify St. Louis, in such a manner, as induces me to think that it is not in conformity with my sentiments, with an intention to submit it to the national will, and that it is not intended to make any facrifice to fave the department of the South, and secure the happiness of its inhabitants, I require that the garrison shall be no greater than is neceílary for the guard of that city, and should be composed, one half of the troops of the South, and the other half of the troops under the command of General Deffalines, who thall send them in as foon as General Rigaud fhall have withdrawn the surplus number, hoping that the faune good faith which governs me, ihall be used in ihe means employed to put an end to the war.
Page 20
V. The necessary number of waggons and floops shall be providad, in order to transport and to remove on board ship the private property of the generals, their aid-de-camps, the ordinaries and commissaries, chiefs of corps, officers civil and military, &c. Their property and their papers shall not be subject to any search or inspection, upon the promise of the generals stipulating that there shall be no public property among them.
Answ. Granted.
VI. Some vessels belonging to the republic, able to keep the sea, fhall depart at the same time with the division, to go to a part of France, after being provided with the necessary provifions.
Answ. Refused.
VII. The fick who are able to be transported shall be embarked with the division, and provided with provisions, medicines, surgeons' chests, and officers of health, necessary for their care during the passage. Those who are not able to be transported fhall be treated with the necessary care; the general in chief leaving at Malta a physician and a surgeon in the service of France, who shall attend to them. They hall be furnished with lodgings gratis, if they come out of the hospital, and they shall be sent to France as soon as their situation will permit, with all that belongs to them; and in the same manner as the garrison. The generals in chief of the sea and land forces evacuating Malta, intruft them to the honqur and humanity of the English general:
Answ. Granted.
VIII. Every individual, of whatever nation, inhabiting the iland of Malta, or the others, shall neither be troubled, nor disturbed, nor inolested, on account of their political opinions, nor for any part of their conduct during the time that Malta has been in the power of the French government. This article applies principally, and in its full extent, to those who have taken arms, or have filled civil, administrative, or military employ. ments. They shall not be called to an account for any thing, much less prosecuted for acts of their commission.
Answ. This article does not appear capable of being made the object of a military capitulation, but all the inhabitants who Thall desire to remain may be assured of being treated with justice and humanity, and 'hall enjoy the full protection of the laws.
IX. The French who inhabit Malta, and all the Maltese, of whatever state they may be, who with 10 follow the French army, and to go into France with their property, shall be at li. berty to do so. Those who have moveables or immoveables, which cannot be immediately sold, and who may have the intention of going to reside in France, shall be allowed six months from the date of the signing of the present capitulation, to sell
their
Page 21
The English, after gaining battles on the French territory, as the Carthaginians did on that of Italy, have been obliged to employ, as the means of their safety by flight,' the ships which were armed for their triumphs.
And did the powers of Europe, not satisfied with a common league for the defence of the continent, agree to form a navy equal to contend with that of England, then certainly the miseries of humanity would be more cruel and affecting, but the authors of them would be more rigorously punished.
How many ships already at fea, or ready for sea, might be collected against England ! how many might be built and equipped against the new Carthage !
The Persians were vanquished by the ships of Athens, constructed in a hurry by Themistocles.
Rome was not mistress of a single vessel, when a galley was hipwrecked on the coast of Italy, and served as a model.
Philip the Second lorded it on the ocean by the allistance of the gold of Mexico, as George the Third rules the two seas by the means of the riches of India. Philip attacked England ; a few weak ships were aided by refiftless storms, and the Spanish Armada was destroyed.
Louis the Fourteenth wished to have a navy, and he created one,
The Czar Peter learned the art of thip-building in the ports of Europe, and Russia maintains a rank among the maritime powers.
The formation of a navy is a measure more expensive than difficult.
It abounds more in danger than obstacles. Le: England then dread, left the should behold a confederacy of the powers of Europe, not only to banish her from their thores, but even repulse or destroy her fleets by more numerous squadrons !
Indignation and interest are powerful motives ; and if the cabinet of St. James's do not adopt another system of conduct, wil. dom and humanity itself may convert into irreconcilable enemies, its allies, convinced of their former follies.
Proclamation of Toussaint Louverture, General in Chief of the Army
of St. Domingo, to all the Citizens of the Department of the South.
Citizens, Brothers, and Friends, TRUTH has at length pierced ihe clouds of falsehood which
have so long bedimmed your eyes, and notwithttanding the efforts of the enemies of your happinefs, the cause of justice at length prevails over that of iniquity. Were there any among you fill fo incredulous and blind as to doubt the criminality of Rigaud and the purity of my intentions, it would be sufficient for me to Temind them of the past, in order to banith their incredulity, and VOL. X.
Y
Page 22
Rot cease to prosecute the design which I had conceived of gaining over the remainder of the department of the South by the means of persuasion, I wrote to Rigaud, and assured him, by the return of his' envoy Bonard, that I should forget the past, and that I required of him nothing more but to submit to the French government, and to acknowledge his legitimate chief. But seeing that, far from answering my expectation, he only strengthened himself the more, I ordered General Deflalines, to whom Saint Louis had opened its gates, to advance up to Cayes. His approach made Ri. gaud resolve upon a flight too precipitate to allow him time to mark the city of Cayes with the revenge which he meditated. He abandoned the place; and that day was the day of your deliverance. The army of the republic entered it ; and its conduct in taking pofseflion ought to convince you, that, if it has known how to conquer when you took up arms against justice and reason, it has known how to see in you only a people of friends and brothers, the moment you abjured your error.
With respect to myself, invariable in my promises, you may reckon so much the mure on those contained in my amneity of the ist Meilidor, as my principles of humanity, religion, and love of my brethren, render them inviolable. But when I swear to you to throw the veil of oblivion over the past, I must apprize you that I shall be inexorable, in the case of future faults, because, having turned away from your heads the sword, of the law, which was ready to strike you for having taken up arms against the republic, I become responsible to it, by the general pardon which I grant you, for your fidelity to the new oath which you are going to take from my hands, never to betray it more, and to be wholly obedient to the national authority. Let this happy æra, which, in restoring you to your families and to society, gives peace to St. Domingo, be to us a cause of gratitude to the Supreme Being! I have not the vanity to attribute to myself the glory of the happy iffue of this war, which the ambition of Rigaud lighted up: it belongs only to God. Without his support the work of ınan is perishable, and his designs more fluctuating than the waves of the Sea when agitated. Thus you have feen all the plans of Rigaud turn to his ihame and confusion, while Heaven has crowned my enterprises with the most complete success. Join yourselves then with me, citizens, brethren, and friends, in returning thanks to the Supreme Being; and if your return be truly fincere, swear in his presence, fidelity to the republic, attachment to your country, and obedience to your chiefs. Done at head-quarters of Cayes, the 18th Thermidor, in the
Sth year of the French republic, one and indivisible [7th August 1800].
The General in Chief, TOUSSAINT LOUVERTURE.
Page 23
tions adopted in the German armistice with respect to blockaded towns, can be applied to the naval ports and arsenals of France, so as to carry bona fide into execution, as to the respective maritime forces, the objects which those stipulations have in view with respect to the military pofitions occupied by the two armies.
[No. 7.] My Lord,
Park Place, Aug. 29, 1800. IN obedience to his Majesty's commands communicated to me by your Lordship in your letter of yesterday's date, I called upon M. Otto, and had a particular conversation with him on the fubject of the papers delivered to me by your Lordship. I made a proper acknowledgment to him for the readiness which he showed to comply with your Lordship's wish of communicating the paper you wifhed to fee, which he conceived to be the one I had the honour to deliver to your Lordship, and he appears fully fenfible of the attention shown him on that occafion. I declared to him,
ift, That the note presented at Vienna by Lord Minto contains the expression of his Majesty's sentiments, and that the King is ready to act in conformity to it.
2d, I inquired whether any anfwer had been returned by the French government to the proposal cóntained in M. Thugut's letter to M. Talleyrand respecting a place for the meeting of plenipotentiaries to carry on joint negotiations, and was informed by him that the place of meeting 'was fixed at Luneville.
3d, I informed M. Otto that either of the places named by M. Thugut would be agreed to by his Majesty, and a proper person Tent thither on his Majesty's part to meet the plenipotentiaries of Austria and France, provided that the French government is willing to enter into fufficient engagements for the freedom of direct communication by couriers with such place of negotiation ; which die promises to communicate immediately to the French government by courier.
4th, I also informed M. Otto of the very substantial reafons that will prevent his Majesty from agreeing to a general armistice previous to the signing of preliminaries, as detailed in the minute which I had the honour to receive from your Lordship'; and was answered by him, that he has every reason to think, and is perfonally convinced, that the continuation of the German armistice will depend upon the conclufion of the English artistice, the advantages of the latter being considered by France as an equivalent for the very obvious disadvantages of the German one. He obferved, that the regulations contained in the German armiftice do not extend to such, places as were not actually blockaded or at tacked by the French; judging therefore from analogy, such
Page 24
[No. 10.]
NOTE. M, OTTO having apprized his Majesty's government, through Captain George, that the proposal made by the court of Vienna for fixing Luneville as the place for carrying on the proposed negotiation for a general peace has been acceded to by the French government, it only remains on that head to express his Majesty's agreement to the same proposal; and to declare, that in confequence thereof a proper person fhill be sent to Luneville, on his Majesty's part, io meei the plenipotentiaries of Austria and France, as soon as the passports for such minister and his suite fhall be received: provided that the French government is willing to enter into the necessary engagements, that his Majesty's plenipotentiary Mall be at liberty to communicate freely, and in the usual manner, by courier with this country, and with the dominions of his Majesty's allies.
With respect to the proposal for a general armistice by sea and land between Great Britain and France, the King would see with great satisfaction the moment when he could with propriety adopt any measure, the immediate effect of which would be to put a stop, at least for a time, to the calamities of war; but an armistice, as applying to naval operations, has at no period ever been agreed on between Great Britain and France, during the course of their negoriations for peace, or until the preliminaries have been actually signed ; such a step cannot therefore be considered as necessary to negotiation, and from the disputes to which its execution must unavoidably be expected to give rise, ihere is just reason 10 appreheed that it might more probably tend to obstruct than to facilitate the success of those endeavours which the two parties might employ for the restoration of peace. Besides this it is to be considered, that the circumstances of a naval war are obviously not such as to admit of such equal arrangements as are easily established with regard to military operations, when suspended by such an agreement.
It appears therefore, at all events, preinature to enter even into the discullion of this question, until, from the course of the negotiations, it shall more clearly appear how far they are likely to lead to a satisfactory issue. But in any case no decision could be taken here on such a subject, unless the French governinent had previously explained, in what manner it is conceived that the principles of the regulations adopted in the German armulice with respect to blockaded towns can be applied to the naval ports and arsenals of France and her allies now blockaded by his Majesty's facets, so as to carry bona fide into execution, as to the respective maritime forces, the same objects which those ftipulations have in view with respect to the military positions occupied by the armies in Germany and Italy.
Page 25
[No. 14.]
Translation. My Lord, Hereford Street, 4th Sept. [17 Fruct.]. MR. George not being yet returned from Margate, whither he has conveyed his family, I hope that your Excellency will not disapprove of my transmiiting to you directly the very important communications which I received this morning by an extraordinary courier. I shculd add, that, if his Majesty consent to the proposed armistice, I am directed to deliver the passport, and to give all the assurances demanded for the plenipotentiary who shall be appointed. I have the honour to be, with the highest consideration, &c.
[Signed] OTTO.
LE fouffigné ayant communiqué à son gouvernement la note en date du 29 Août, que son Excellence Milord Grenville lui a fait remettre, se trouve chargé de lui presenter les observations suivantes.
Des preliminaires de paix avoient été conclus et signés entre fa Majesté Imperiale et la republique Françoise, l'intervention de Lord Minto, qui a demandé que l'Angleterre fût admise dans les négociations, a empeché la ratification de fa Majesté Imperiale.
La suspension d'armes, qui n'avoit eu lieu sur le continent, que dans l'espoir d'une prompte paix entre l'Empereur et la republique, devra donc ceffer et cellera en effet au 24 Fructidor [11 Sept.], puisque la France n'avoit sacrifié qu'à cette esperance les immenfes avantages que lui avoit allurés la victoire.
L'intervention de l'Angleterre complique tellement la question de la paix, qu'il est impollible au gouvernement François de prolonger plus long tems l'armistice sur le continent, à moins que sa Majesté Britannique ne le rende commun entre les trois puissances,
Si donc le cabinet de St. James veut continuer de faire cause commune avec l'Autriche, et si son defir d'intervenir dans les negocia.' tions est sincère, sa Majesté Britannique n'hesitera point à adopter l'armistice proposé.
Mais fi cet armistice n'est point conclû avant le 24 Fructidor [11 Sept.], les hoftilités auront été récommencées avec l'Autriche; et le Premier Consul ne pourra plus consentir à l'egard de cette puissance qu'à une paix separée et complette.
Pour satisfaire aux explications demandées relativement à l'arVol. X.
mistice,
mistice, le souligné est chargé de faire connoitre à son Excellence Milord Grenville, que les places qu'il s'agit d'assimiler à celles d'Allemagne sont Malthe et les villes maritimes de l’Egypte.
S'il est vrai, qu'une longue suspension d'armes entre la France et l'Angleterre pourroit paroitre defavorable à la Majesté Britan. nique, il ne l'est pas moins qu'un armistice prolongé sur le continent est essentiellement desavantageux à la republique Françoise ; de sorte qu'en même tems que l'armistice maritime seroit pour le gouvernement François une garantie du zèle que mettroit l'Angleterre à concourir au retablissement de la paix, l'armistice continental en seroit une pour le gouvernement Britannique de la fincerité des efforts de la France ; et comme la position de l'Autriche ne lui permettroit plus alors de ne pas rechercher une prompte conclusion, les trois puisances auroient dans leurs intérêts propres des raisons determinantes pour consentir fans delai aux sacrifices, qui peuvent être reciproquement nécessaires pour operer la prochaine conclusion d'une paix générale et solide, telle qu'elle est le væu et l'espoir du monde entier. Hereford Street, 17 Fruct, An 8 [Signé] Orto.
[4 Sept. 1800].
[No. 15.] Translation.
NOTL. THE undersigned having communicated to his government the note dated the 29th of August, forwarded to him by his Excellency Lord Grenville, is directed to submit to him the following observations :
Preliminaries of peace had been concluded and signed between his Imperial Majesty and the French republic. The intervention of Lord Minto, who demanded that England should be admitted to take part in the negotiations, prevented their ratification by his Imperial Majesty.
The suspension of arms, which had taken place solely in the hope of a speedy peace between the Emperor and the republic, ought then to cease, and will in fact cease on the 24 Fructidor [11th Sept.], fince France had facrificed to that hope alone the immense advantages which victory had secured to her.
The intervention of England renders the question of peace so complicated, that it is impoflible for the French government to prolong farther the armistice upon the continent, unless his Britannic Majetty will consent to render it common to the three powers. If then the cabinet of St. James's defires to continue to make a 22
common cause with Austria, and if its desire to take part in the negotiations be sincere, his Britannic Majesty will not hesitate to adopt the proposed armistice.
But if this armistice be not concluded before the 24 Fructidor [uth Sept.], hoftilities will have been renewed with Austria, and the First Consul will no longer be able to consent, with regard to that power, to any but a separate and complete peace.
In order to satisfy the explanations demanded relative to the armistice, the undersigned is directed to acquaint Lord Grenville, that the places which it is proposed to assimilate to those of Germany, are Malta and the maritime towns of Egypt.
If it be true that a long suspension of arms between France and England would appear unfavourable to his Britannic Majesty ; it is not less so, that an armistice prolonged upon the continent would be effentially disadvantagcous to the French republic; so that at the same time that the naval armistice would be to the French government a pledge of the zcal which would be employed by England in promoting the re-establishment of peace, the continental armistice would be one also to the British government of the sincerity of the efforts of France; and as the position of Austria would no longer admit of her not diligently seeking for a conclusion, the three powers would have, in their own private interests, decisive reasons for consenting, without delay, to the facrifices which may be reciprocally necessary in order to bring about an early conclusion of a general and folid pace, such as may answer the wish and the hope of the whole world. Hereford Street, 17 Fruct. Year 8 [Signed] Отто. .
[41h Sept. 1800],
[No. 16.] Sir,
Downing Street, Sept. 4, 18oa. IT appearing by a note received this day from M. Oito, that the French government has determined to make the continuance of the armistice between Austria and France, and the commencement of the negotiations for peace, dependant on the conclusion of an armistice with this country; it is judged proper, in order that the ultimate decision on so important and extenlive a question may be taken with the fullest knowledge of all the confiderations by which it ought to be governed, that you thould fee M. Otto, and inquire of hin, Whether [as his note of the 30th ultimo appears to intimate] he is furnished with a projet of a treaty of naval truce and in that case, Whether he is willing to communicate it to you for the information of his Majesty's government?
You will further inquire, Whether he is empowered and inftructed to include in such treaty his Majesty's allies? Аа 2
Anda And, lastly, if his projet should contain no article applicable to the question of moving the French and Spanish ships now in Brest to any other station in or out of Europe, you will inquire, Whether M. Otto is authorized to enter into negotiation for the purpose of including proper ftipulations on that subject in any treaty of the nature which his government has proposed ?
I am, &c. Evan Nepean, Fja.
[Signed] GRENVILLE
[No. 17.] My Lord,
London, Sept. 4, 1800. SINCE I had the honour of communicating to your Lordship the conversation that had pa led between me and M. Otto on the subject of the propo al for a naval armistice, and the readiness he had expressed of furnishing me with a copy of the projet, I have received from him the enclosed note and the projet therein Teferred to. I have the honour to be, &c. Lord Grenville.
[Signed] EVAN NEPEAN.
IL y aura suspension d'hostilités entre les flottes et armées de la république Françoise et celles de la Grande Bretagne.
II. Les batimens de guerre et de commerce de l'une et de l'autre nation pourront librement naviguer sans être soumis à aucune viste et en suivant l'usage établi avant la guerre.
A dater du, Fructidor, tous les batimens de l'une et de l'au. tre nation, qui seroient pris, seront rendus.
IV. Les places de Malthe, Alexandrie, Belleifle, feront affimilées aux places d'Ulm, de Philipsbourg, et d'Ingolstadt, c'est à dire que tous les batimens neutres ou François pourront y entrer librement pour y porter des vivreş.
V. Les escadres qui bloquent Brest, Cadiz, Toulon, Fleflingue, retourncront dans leurs ports, ou du moins se tiendront hors de vue de la terre.
Trois officiers Anglois seront expédiés, l'un directement à l'amiral qui commande dans la Mediterranée, l'autre au com
mandant de l'escadre devant Malthe, le troisième au commandant du blocus d'Alexandrie, pour leur donner connoissance du present armistice, et leur porter l'ordre de s'y conformer. Les dits officiers traverseront la France pour arriver plutôt à leur destination.
Sa Majesté Catholique et la république Batave sont comprises dans le present armistice,
THERE shall be a suspension of hoftilities between the fleets and armies of the French republic and those of Great Britain.
The ships of war and merchant-vessels of each nation shall enjoy a free navigation without being subje& to any search, and hall observe the usage established previous to the war.
III. All vessels, of either nation, captured after the of Fructidor, shall be restored.
IV. The places of Malta, Alexandria, Belleille, shall be assimilated to the places of Ulm, of Philipsburgh, and of Ingolstadt ; that is to say, all neutral or French veisels shall have permiflion freely to enter them in order to furnish them with provisions.
The squadrons which blockade Brest, Cadiz, Toulon, Flushing, shall return into their own harbours, or at least shall keep out of sight of the coast.
Three English officers shall be dispatched, one directly to the admiral commanding in the Mediterranean, another to the commander of the squadron before Malta, the third to the commander of the blockade of Alexandria, to notify to them the present armistice, and to convey to thein orders to conform themselves thereunto. The said officers shall pass through France, in order the more expeditiously to arrive at their destination.
His Catholic Majesty and the Batavian republic are included in the present armistice.
Page 26
from M. Otto on the 4th instant; and also the projet of an armistice communicated on the same day.
The spirit of that answer is unhappily, but little consonant with those appearances of a conciliatory disposition which had before been manifested. If it be really practicable in the present moment to restore permanent tranquillity to Europe, this object must be effected by very different means than those of such a controversy as that paper is calculated to produce.
Some reply is, however, indispensably necessary to the assertions there advanced, which if now passed over might hereafter be conlidered as admitted.
The articles which an Austrian officer, charged with no such commission, was persuaded to sign at Paris, do indeed appear to his Majesty little calculated to terminate the calamities of Europe.
But whatever be the tendency of the conditions which the French government has there specified, there can be no pretence for representing them as preliminaries concluded by Austria or annulled by the intervention of his Majesty.
The engagements by which the courts of London and Vienna have agreed not to treat except in concert with each other, were concluded before there was any question of these pretended preliminaries of peace. And the firit intimations which his Majesty received of their signature were accompanied by the express declarations of his ally, that they were wholly unauthorized, and must be considered as absolutely null.
The French government could indeed expect no other determination to be taken by his Imperial Majesty. The want of all powers or instructions for such a treaty, on the part of the Austrian officer, was at the time diftinctly notified by him to those who treated with him, and is declared even on the very face of the paper which he signed.
With respect, therefore, to the supposed demand of his Majesty to be admitted to thofe negotiations, nothing more is necessary to be said. The note delivered to M. de Thugut by Lord Minto, sufficiently explains the part which his Majesty is really disposed to take in any negotiation which may be regularly set on foot for ge
The King has always been persuaded that the result of such a negotiation can alone effe&tually re-establish the tranquillity of Europe.
Experience has confirmed this opinion ; and it is only from the conviction of its truth that his Majesty has now been induced to wave his strong objections to the first proposal of a naval armiftice, and to enter into the discussion of the conditions on which it may be established,
His Majesty, judging from the experience of so many former negotiations, conliders such an armistice as in no degree likely VOL, X. Bb