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cial remonstrance made to it by the Directory through its diplomatic agent, had already ordered a levy of militia to march against the French troops affembled in fome places of the department of Mont-Terrible, and had even caused to be arrested the deputies of those communes who had refufed to take up arms against the republic. The government of Berne had even proceeded farther. It had publicly enrolled emigrants, and given fhelter to French requifitionaries and deferters; and it did not diffemble its defign of employing them to fupprefs by force the claims of the inhabitants of the Pays de Vaud, and to direct them against the republic. These hoftile difpofitions were a fufficient warning to the Directory to take proper precautions. Orders were given for a divifion of the army of Italy, which had acquired fo many laurels under General Maffena, to march on its way to France through Carouge, in order that it might proceed thence to the departments of l'Ain, Jura, and Doubs, for the purpose of watching the motions of the troops of Berne and Fribourg, and to be always prepared to repel every aggreffion. The event juftified this precaution: on the 28th Nivose laft, the general commanding at Carouge, was informed by an official difpatch from the committee of Nyon, invested with full powers by the council of that town, that fourteen battalions, with the neceffary artillery, were about to fet out from Berne, against the country of the Pays de Vaud; and that, over and above, levies of troops were privately ordered in all the villages on the frontiers of that country, contrary to the pofitive promife which had been made to that committee. Immediately after this notice, the divifion under General Maffena arrived. Menard, general of brigade, who commanded in the absence of the general of divifion, informed the Executive Directory, by a dispatch of the 8th Pluviofe, that there could be no doubt respecting the movements made by the cantons of Berne and Fribourg to filence the claims of the Pays de Vaud; and that General de Weifs, invefted with full powers from these cantons, under the title of commander in chief of the troops of Berne and Fribourg in the Pays de Vaud, had established his head-quarters at Yverdun, and was on the point of committing hoftilities. The fame day General Menard, agreeably to the inftructions which he had received from the Executive Directory, fent a fummons to General Weifs to draw off his troops, and to leave to the inhabitants of the Pays de Vaud the free exercise of their rights, claims, and applications, declaring, at the fame time, that, in cafe of a refufal, he fhould be obliged to repel force by force, to put an end to refiftance, and to pursue the authors of it. General Menard charged his aid-de-camp, Citizen Autier, to carry this fummons to General Weifs, at Yverdun, and the aidde-camp was accompanied by two huffars, whom the patriots of

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Moudon

Moudon thought proper, when they paffed through that town, to reinforce with an efcort of two Vaudois dragoons. At the dif tance of two leagues from Yverdun, this officer being in a carriage, and confequently not in a ftate-of aggreffion or even of defence, was fuddenly attacked by a poft of troops belonging to Berne. The two huffars who attended him immediately fell, bored through with balls; one of the Vaudois was wounded, his horfe was killed under him, and Citizen Autier himself was faved merely by a kind of prodigy. On his return to Moudon, Aid-de-camp Autier found all the militia called out, and under arms. Being informed of the attempt made against him, they flew to his affiftance, and, with flambeaux in their hands, fwore that they would fet fire to the village which had been the theatre of this horrid attack. Citizen Autier ufed his utmoft endeavours to check, their vengeance, which might have involved the innocent with the guilty; and fortunately the conflagration, at first announced as already effected, was not carried into execution. The militia of Moudon and Laufanne united themselves to drive from the village of Thieran the troops which had been guilty of the affaffination. General Menard, when informed of thefe horrid crimes which had been committed, could not be ignorant of the real caufe. The troops of Berne did not challenge the efcort of his aid-de-camp; they had not come out for the purpofe. of reconnoitring; they knew befides that he was to pass, becaufe the horfes had been ordered eight hours before. The open intention of affaffinating an envoy of the French republic could not then be doubted. General Menard thought himfelf therefore obliged to caufe his divifion to march, and next morning it entered the Pays de Vaud, preceded by a proclamation to the inhabitants, a copy of which is hereto annexed. The troops of Berne and Fribourg have on their part entirely evacuated the Pays de Vaud. The Vaudois militia, already very numerous, well organized, and commanded by able officers, are preparing to purfue them, and it appears that at this moment they threaten even Berne itself. The French troops have remained in the Pays de Vaud.

Such, citizens reprefentatives, was the ftate of things when the laft difpatches were fent off for the Executive Directory; but we are affured that events have fince taken place which may render unneceffary thofe hoftile meafures which national honour and the rights of nations fo atrocionfly violated, might, without doubt, require, on the part of the French republic, against the governments of Berne and Fribourg. The Executive Directory confiders it therefore to be its duty to confine itfelf at prefent to a fimple relation of the above facts.

(Signed)

BARRAS, Prefident.
LAGARDE, Sec. Gen.

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The Minifter of the French Republic to the People of Switzerland. 30 Pluviofe (Feb. 18).

THE patriots of the canton of Lucerne and of all Switzerland will fee, by the note of the French minister to the state of Berne, a copy of which is hereunto fubjoined, the moderation of the demands, and the benevolent intentions of the French republic. They will be convinced of the neceflity of cauling the meafures therein pointed out to be adopted in their refpective' cantons. Thefe bafes once eftablished, without which the promifes of governments are nothing but empty and perfidious words, it becomes neceffary immediately to enlighten the inhabitants, and to give them the most convincing proofs that the military difpofitions of France are only intended to act hoftilely against the fenators who oppose the emancipation of the people, and particularly against thofe of the fenate of Berne who have been purchased by the gold of England-Declare that it is false, that when the government fhall be established on the principles of the French revolution, the latter power will interfere in the affairs of Switzerland-It will not, un'efs ufurpers of the fovereignty of the people endeavour to rivet their prefent chains, or to forge new ones. Finally, state that all enlightened patriots are well perfuaded of this; in order that honeft and fimple men may be more readily convinced,

ift. That France, as is guaranteed by my correfpondence with the Helvetic ftates, entertains no plan of difmembering the country,

2d. That the prefent proceedings have no other object than/ to overthrow a vicious and corrupt government, and to substitute in its ftead, one more conformable to that of the French and Cifalpine republics, whofe exiftence, fafety, and tranquillity, will always be expofed fo long as Switzerland fhall remain under the defpotifm of a handful of avaricious magiftrates, without fpirit and without honour, and always ready to fell themselves to the enemies of France, as has evidently appeared ever fince the commencement of the French revolution.

After these affurances, it would be ridiculous to refute the ftupid affertions of the bailiffs, and other agents, interested in the tyranny which oppreffes and degrades Switzerland, either with regard to the pretended plan for overthrowing religion, or the. intention of putting the inhabitants in requifition to march against England. As to what concerns the particular crimes of which the aristocracy accufe the French beforehand, fuch as affaffination, burning and pillage, it may be replied,

ift. That the French army has not yet taken vengeance for the affaffinations committed by the orders of Colonel Weifs, general of the troops of Berne, upon the attendants of Citizen

Autier,

Autier, adjutant and envoy from General Menard-two of his huffars being killed by his fide.

2d. That the agents of the government of Berne set fire to a houfe at Arau, under the eyes of the minifter of France, in order, by that means, to facilitate, by furprife, the entry of their fatellites into the town, where, under the pretext of extinguifhing the fire, they wished to occafion a disturbance, during which the French minifter and the patriots of Arau might have been murdered.

3d. That the fame magnificent lords of Berne animate the courage of their feeble militia only by the thirft of pillage, as may be easily difcovered by the robberies they commit upon the property of the citizens of Arau; and farther, by the difpofitions of the people of the country, whom they excite to fury by the hope of booty.

I invite all the friends of liberty and equality to open the eyes of their fellow-citizens, by giving the greateft publicity to this note, and alfo to that inclofing the propofitions addressed by me to the state of Berne.

J. MENGAUD. "

Note addreffed to the State of Berne, through the Channel of its Deputation at Bafle, February 13, 1798.

THE minister of the French republic, to prove the good difpofition and integrity of his government, tranfmits to the state of Berne a note, pointing out the measures neceffary to be taken for its own fafety and that of Switzerland. The French government will be the lefs willing to fecede from these propofitions, as they agree with thofe brought forward by the ftate of Berne itself on the 3d February.

If the state of Berne be difpofed to prove effectually that it is defirous of an order of things founded on principles of liberty and equality, it is neceffary,

1. That it fhould difmifs its ancient magiftrates, and fupprefs its fecret council and council of war.

2. Until a new form of government fhall be organized, a pro vifional one, founded on democratic principles, and in which none of the members of the ancient government fhall be admitted, fhall be eftablished.

3. The liberty of the prefs fhall be immediately established.

4. All perfons, Swifs or others, profecuted on account of their political opinions, or of their refufal to march against the French, fhall be indemnified; and, befides this, particular fatiffaction fhall be made to the citizens of the town of Arau, for the vexations they have experienced.

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The French government, by this explanation, prove how little difpofed they are to hoftility and aggrandifement. The ftate of Berne, on its part, will, doubtlefs, haften to return a Speedy and pofitive answer.

(Signed)

MENGAUD.

Declaration of the Canton of Lucerne to Citizen Mengaud.
Feb. 22.

LUCERNE, as well as the reft of Switzerland, has ever been
anxious for peace, and at prefent entertains the fame fenti-
ments. If the Directory had any caufe of complaint against the
ancient governments of Switzerland, that reafon no longer exifts
to authorize hoftilities. If then any one canton were to be at-
tacked, the attack would be made on all Switzerland, and all Swit-
zerland would rife in arms, and would wage a national war; for
now every inhabitant would fight for his country, for his perfonal
fafety and property, which they confider as threatened with a
hoftile attack. France, by fuch a conduct, would alienate from
her the whole of Europe. In this conteft fhe might reap a mili-
tary glory which the does not want, but she would gain no honour.
She would have to dread a coalition of public opinion, which
might become more dangerous to her than the coalition of the
cabinets of Europe which fhe has overcome, because then the
had public opinion in her favour. France might render Switzer-
land miferable for generations, and the would ultimately gain
nothing but shame, danger, and difafter, both in her own inte-
rior, and in the Cifalpine and Batavian republics.

Subftance of the Declaration of the French General Menard to Colonel de Weifs*.

THAT if he does not difband his troops, and inftantly difcontinue his. levies, which have no other object but to restrain the wishes of the people, he will regard their continuance as an act of hoftility; and that in default of a categorical and fatisfactory anfwer, he will enter, without delay, into the Pays de Vaud, to rescue it from the civil war which the enemies of humanity would endeavour to foment there.

The colonel, with a view of refifting the French, had retired with the force under his command, to Yverdun, and attempted to raife levies on account of the fenate of Berne.

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