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Genoa and France; the proximity alone, but also to extend them to

of the two contries, the induftrious activity of the inhabitants, the antiquity of their commercial and political connection, and, in fine, the remarkable fituation of the Genoefe territory, bordering on two nations who have long meditated to divide it between them, and France who could reap no advantage in aggrandizement at her

expence.

The Genoefe nation, and its moft ferene government, may rely on a conftant fucceflion of good offices on the part of the French nation, and reciprocally the French nation has a right to expect a loyal and fincere return on the part of the most feréne government of Genoa. They have a right to think the latter will never give protection to thofe perfidious French, who are the contempt of the whole univerfe, to thofe emigrants who cowardly fled 'their country to confpire against it. The executive directory feel the full extent of the duty impofed on them by the confidence of a great nation, from a free, a generous, and magnanimous people.

The executive directory are about to cruth the remains of thofe enemies who disturb the tranquillity of France, while their energetic measures have already guaranteed to Europe their immovable ftability, and announce to all that the national power confided to them, ought and will be faithful and fincere in respect to foreign nations.

Truth and justice are the only bafis of their diplomatica. In fine, they truft they are worthy of that greatnefs and national generofity, not merely to limit their cares to the intereft of France

the happinefs of thofe nations which have thewn themfelves the fincere friends of the French. They may henceforward regard their equity and power, as forming the tutelary guide of their prefervation.

I have the honour to prefent my credentials to the moft Serene Doge, and to affure him, that in the exercife of my function, I thall ever be animated with an ardent defire to be perfonally agreeable to the ferene government of Genoa, and to obtain the confidence and the efteem of the Genoefe nation.

Copy of the Note of the Envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic, dated 22 Miffidor (July 10,) fourth year, to the Secretary of State.

FOR feveral days paft movements have manifefted themselves among the inhabitants of Genoa and its environs, the caufe of which could not efcape the underfigned, because it is injurious to the French Republic. It is falfely infinuated to the people, that the French with to take away their property, their arms, their churches.

Under the eyes of the most ferene government the priests deviate from the fpirit of peace, which fhould be peculiarly characteristic of their fpeeches and actions; they inflame the imaginations of the people by religious ceremonies, grounded on the danger which the Genoefe nation is fuppofed to run. The women collect in great numbers, and repair in crowds to the churches, praying Heaven to protect them against the banditti who are come from the mountains. Thefe movements have been di

rected

rected against the French, in fuch a manner, that laft Wednesday, July 6, a band of women affailed, on the bridge of Lavignano, two Frenchmen, who were peaceably taking a sketch of the bridge.

The undersigned cannot believe that the moft ferene government is provoking by any particular meature this alarm, which has no foundation, fince the French Republic is the friend of nations that are at peace with her; fince The refpects their liberty, their commerce, and their property. These truths must be demonftrated to the fenate of Genoa; and it cannot but be by fome base perfidy that the inftigators of the present ferment fpeak to the people of the jutt fate of Arquata, and divers places which the infurrection in Lombardy had changed into dens of affaffins and robbers.

As it is important to ftop in its growth an evil which might prove fatal in its confequences, the underfigned requests the moft ferene government to take the measures in its power to undeceive the people, respecting the falfe impreffions endeavoured to be made on them. The men who mislead them are known; the Genoefe government can no longer fuffer their plots and infolent declamations against the French, without offending the French Republic, and becoming refponfible for the misfortunes which might attend upon a reciprocal irritation of minds. It ought to deprive the impoftors of the faculty of deceiving, by all the exaggerations which they do not ceafe to devife and to circulate, by informing the people of the demands which General Buonaparte and the undersigned have really ad

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Letter from the Commiffary Director
Sucy, to the Commandant of Fort La
Lauterne.

St. Pierre d'Arena, 25 Fructidor.
SIR,

THE agents of the government here have guaranteed our landing goods in the harbour of St. Pierre d'Arena, neverthelefs two English floops have gone out of port, and paffed before your poft, in order to carry off our veffel, and it was not till the floops were at a distance with their prize that you commenced firing, which you did not keep up, and which you difcontinued when the English fhips were within reach. Yet you cannot be ignorant of the fact, because we fired more than thirty times before you were difpofed to oppose this violation of neutrality.

You will, Sir, acknowledge the receipt of the prefent. (Signed)

REPLY.

S. Sucy.

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bour would be guilty of a violation of neutrality, and the rather, as they had given their wo d of honour not to make reprifa's for 24 hours after their departure; and even then not within cannon fhot of the garrison.

For thefe reafons I could not interdict the departure of the floop alluded to from this harbour.

As foon as I received the accounts of the violence committed on the French tartan, I gave directions for my batteries to prevent the accomplishment of the attempt began on the faid tartan, and at the fame time to maintain our neutrality.

If the effect of these directions has not answered my expectation, the mifcarriage is not to be af cribed to any neglect of mine.

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I have the honour to be,
With the moft fincere efteem,
fir,

Your obedient humble fervant, BEDIANI, lieutenant-colonel. Fort Lauterne, 12th Sept. 1796.

Letter from his Excellency M. Barthelemy, Ambaffador of the French Republic, to the Burgomafters, Chief Magiftrates, Landamman, and Council of the Twelve Swiss Can

tons.

Magnificent lords,

THE executive directory having thought proper to renew the credentials of feveral of the envoys of the French republic to foreign powers, has juft tranfmitted to me thefe by which it has been pleafed to accredit me to the very refpectable Helvetic body, in quality of ambaffador of the French republic. I enclofe them in this.

I flatter myself, magnificent lords, that the knowledge you already

have of my fentiments for all the members of the illuftrious Helve tic confederation, will leave you no doubt of my zeal to cultivate the confidence of which you have already given me fuch fatisfactory proofs; and I also hope, magnificent lords, that you will be per fuaded beforehand, that, as the faithful interpreter of the conftantly amicable difpofitions of the French government to your country, I thall not cease to exert myfelf zealously in concurring to the fuccefs of its views, in whatever may be the beft calculated to ftrengthen the indiffoluble ties which conftitute the happiness of the two nations, and to fecure the tranquillity and profperity of the Helvetic body.

BARTHELEMY.

I pray God, &c. (Signed) Bafle, March 2, 1796.

Letter of the Executive Directory to the Highly Respectable Helvetic Body. Very dear, great friends, allies, and confederates,

THE wish we entertain to keep up and cultivate a friendship and good understanding with you, induces us to appoint citizen Barthelemy to refide in Switzerland in quality of ambaffador of the French republic.

The knowledge we have of the principles and fentiments of citizen Barthelemy, authorifes us to think that the choice we have made of him to fill this important poft, cannot but be agreeable to you. It is with this perfuafion that we pray you, very dear great friends, allies, and confederates, to grant hir a full confidence in whatever he may be charged to fay to you from us, and more particu

larly

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Declaration of the Executive Directory, dated Paris the 16th Germina! (5 April) to the Senate of Bafle.

THE executive directory is credibly informed, that last year a plan was formed to attack the French frontiers, by marching the corps of emigrants commanded by the prince of Conde, first into the Frickthal, and from thence through the territory from Bafle, againft the department of the Upper Rhine, the Mont-Terrible, Doubs, and Jura; that this plan, fo far from being laid afide, is again refumed; and that preparations are actually making to carry it into effect. This plan is fupported by feveral inhabitants of Switzerland, who employ all their intereft and influence to facilitate its execution. The known fentiments of feveral magiftrates of Bafle, and other inhabitants of note, are by no means qualified to appease the folicitude of the directory on this head, it being notorious that they treat with as much averfion the friends of the French republic, as they fhew predilection for what

ever concerns the Imperial armies, and the intereft of the emperor.

Thus it must be fuppofed, that if, in the execution of that plan, the enemy violated the territory of the cantou of Bafle, the magiftrates who compofe the government of this city, would endeavour, by pleading the impoffibility of refifiance, to ward off the confequences of the violated neutrality of the canton; of course, there does not exift at prefent, fufficient fecurity that its neutrality will be refpected. Under thefe circumftances, the directory finds itfelf obliged to declare to the magiftrates of the city and canton of Bafle, that, unlefs they adopt vigorous, fufficient, and unfufpicious measures for the defence of their own territory, and the maintenance of the respect due to their neutrality, it is refolved to take every ftep that shall be requifite for the protection of the frontier departments against every kind of infult; and the directory renders them answerable for all the unhappy confequences that may refult from the military operations which circumftances may require.

Letter from the Sovereign Council of

Bafle to his Excellency M. Barthelemy, Ambafador from the French Republic in Switzerland.

WE have received, with your excellency's letter of the 16th germinal, (5 April) a paper, coming from the executive directory, and as it appears extracted from their regifters-we pafs over this unufual form, because it is to be fuppofed that it was through mistake that the paper was fo tranfmitted to us, and that without doubt the

intention

intention of the directory was folely to tranfmit to us, though the medium of the minifter for foreign affairs, the refult of their deliberations. But if the form furprised us, the contents of the paper excited our furprife in a much greater degree; of this our reply will convince your excellency.

The executive directory announce to us, that the corps of emigrants meditates an invafion of our territory. It does not belong to us to call in question the proofs which the directory fay they have received; we fhall confine ourfelves to obferve, that at the opening of each campaign mention has always been made of a project of this kind, and that nevertheless it has never been carried into execution; fo that we are still to know, whether the reports that are spread are merely a trick of war, or whether fuch a defign has been renounced either from the uncertainty of decifive fuccefs, or the want of accordance with other events that were to concur with it; or finally, whether, and much more probably, it be, because the emperor, faithful to his engagement to refpect our neutrality, has forbidden the peace of an independent people to be difturbed, who for feveral ages, contented with their limits, have taken no part in the diffenfious of the great powers of Europe. In fhort, we can affure you that at prefent the danger, if danger does exift, does not appear to be imminent. The corps of emigrants is at too great a diftance from our frontiers; it does not form a fufficient force to dare to attempt an invafion, and we do not perceive yet preparations which are the forerunners of hoftilities,

and indifpenfable to the execution of hoftilities.

The fecond point of the note of the executive directory concerns the defence of our territorry and the demand of a fufficient guarantee. No people can give fuch a guarantee. If belligerent powers, with their fortreffes, their arms, their efforts in every fenfe, `cannot procure the guarantee, that their territory fhall not be violated, much lefs can a neutral ftate procure and affemble forces, whofe mafs would perhaps afford more umbrage than it would infpire fecurity. Befides the expence of fuch a force, and the provifions that it would require, are above our means, which the circumftances of the times weaken more and more. But there is another kind of guarantee, which we deem more fure than a great affemblage of troops; it is the firm refolution of all the governments of Switzerland, not to depart from the principles of neutrality which they have inherited from their ancestors, and of which all our neighbours have a pofitive conviction; it is the facred word, which the members of the Helvetic body, either feparately or united, in folemn diet, have given. It is the local difficulties that would attend a paffage through our territory, without being expofed to a certain lofs from the measures of prudence, which the attacked canton might take, and without renouncing every hope of retreat, by the arrival of contingents from our confederates as zealous to avenge the outrages offered to neutrality, as religious in the obfervance of the duties of neutrality. It is the difpofitions taken to be

warned

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