by the blackest of affaffinations, deprived us of a man whofe me mory fhould be dear to all good Frenchmen. Soldiers! Kleber has difperfed, marching at your head, that cloud of barbarians which Europe and Afia has juft poured out upon Egypt. Kleber, directing your invincible cohorts, has reconquered all Egypt in the fpace of ten days; Kleber had foreftored the finances of the army, that all the arrears were paid up, and the pay put in a regular courfe of payment: by the wifeft regulations, he reformed the greatest part of the abufes, which were almoft inevitable in great governments. The best homage you can pay to the memory of the brave Kleber, is to preferve that bold and imposing attitude which makes your enemies tremble wherever you direct your courfe; it is to conftrain yourselves to that ftrict difcipline which conftitutes the strength of armies; it is to call to your recollection that you are republicans, and that you ought to thow an example of good conduct and of fubordination to your chiefs, as you have every where difplayed of courage and boldness in battle. Soldiers! the feniority of rank has conferred on me, for the prefent, the command of the army. I have nothing to offer you but an unbounded attachment to the republic, to liberty, and to the profperity of France. I invoke the manes of Kleber, I invoke the genius of Bonaparte, and marching in the midft of you, we will labour together for the good of the republic. The army fhall be immediately informed of the details of the horrible affaffination, as well as the proceedings that have taken place for the punishment of the affaffin, and the investigation of his accomplices.

Sentence paffed by the military Commiffion, held by Order of General Menou, on the Affaffin of the Commander in Chief Kleber, and his Accomplices.

In the name of the French republic.

IN the 8th year of the French republic, and on the 10th of June, in the houfe occupied by Reynier, General of Divifion, the following officers, affembled by order of General Menou, Commander in Chief of the army of the Eaft, &c. &c. proceeded to a definitive fentence on the affaffination committed the 14th init. on the perfon of the General in Chief, Kleber. After reading the order, authorizing the commiffion to proceed in its inquiries, the reporter read the charge, and the different pieces both for and against the accused Soleyman el Alepi, Seid Abdoul Kadir el Gazi, Mohhammed el Gazi, Abdallah el Gazi, Achmed el Quali, and Mohhammed Effendi."

The prifoners were then brought before the court, without irons, and accompanied by thofe who had undertaken their de

fence.

nc e. The doors of the commiffion were thrown open, and the fitting made public.

The prifoners being interrogated by the Prefident, through the medium of Citizen Brachwich, the interpreter, perfifted in the fame avowal of their guilt which they had made in the course of preceding examinations. They were then conducted back to prifon; and the hall being cleared, the opinions of the members of the commiffion were taken respectively, beginning with those of an inferior rank. They were all unanimously declared guilty, and the commiffion unanimously decided on inflicting on them the kind of punishment adopted in the country for the greatest crimes. Soleyman el Alepi was condemned to have his right hand burnt off, to be afterwards impaled, and to fuffer his body to remain in that state to be devoured by the birds of prey. Seid Abdoul Kadir el Gazi was fentenced to capital punishment, and his goods to be confiscated to the use of the French republic. The others were condemned to have their heads cut off, and expofed at the place of execution.

[The proceedings of the commiffion are figned by the members.]

The General in Chief, Menou, to the French Army of the Eaft. Head-quarters at Cairo, 3 Meffidor, June 22. GENERALS, officers, fub-officers, and foldiers, the whole truth ought to be known to you.---It follows: The French government having learned, in the year 6, that the enemies of the republic formed projects for taking poffeffion of the island of Malta and of Egypt, refolved to anticipate them. The interefts of the commerce of the Levant, the profits of which amounted annually to near 50,000,000, imperiously required this measure. The expedition to Malta was ordered. Its direction was intrusted to Bonaparte. It was arranged, that, at the fame moment the army failed, a French ambaffador fhould proceed to Conftantinople, to inform the Grand Seignior of the motives for the invafion of Egypt. By a fatality, the cause of which cannot be conjectured, the ambaffador was not fent to Conftantinople, and the Grand Seignior was not informed of the motives of the government. Our enemies, the Ruffians and the English, took advantage, with addrefs, of this circumftance, and forced the Grand Seignior to enter into the coalition, which, for feveral years, has combated against our revolution and our liberty. Turkish armies, directed by the English, landed at Aboukir and Damietta. You -drove them into the fea; another army, commanded by the Grand Vizier in perfon, advanced through Syria. Negotiations were commenced; a capitulation, upon which I do not permit myself to make any reflection, was concluded. You know with what

perfidy

perfidy it was broken; you recollect with what indignation you learned that they wifhed to make you prifoners of war, as if you had loft two or three battles, while, on the contrary, you were every where triumphant. The Ottoman army advanced. You attacked it at Matharich and Heliopolis; it was difperfed in a moment. Some remains of that horde threw themselves into Cairo; you were obliged to lay fiege to that town, and it capitulated after a month's blockade. You know by what a horrible crime a chief, whofe memory you all refpect, was torn from you. They could not overcome you in battle; your enemies, therefore, had recourfe to the dagger, believing that by this black tranfaction they would diforganize the army of the republic. They knew not that the affaffination of Kleber would only ferve to redouble your enterprise and courage. Should all the hofts of the Eaft be collected against you, you will avenge in their blood that of your general. But what fhall henceforth direct our conduct? What is to dictate to us what we are to do? That only which has the right to do fo, the government of the French republic. It is to it only that belongs the right to ratify or to reject what has already been concluded, and all that can take place between the French army and the powers at war with us. All thofe (and I am certain that is all of you), all thofe, I fay, that would only hear the voice of honour and attachment to the national intereft, are fenfible that there can exist no other way, legally and honourably, to conclude a treaty with. our enemies. If I only confulted my private intereft; if I forgot for an inftant that I am a Frenchman; if I preferred for an inftant my private intereft to the good of the public, I would inftantly return to my country. But no, brave republicans! neither you nor I are fuch perfons: the intereft only of the republic directs us; we have only to fight and to conquer. If negotiation fhould be propofed, we fhall hear the propofitions that are to be made; but no treaty can be executed that is not ratified by our government. You all know Bonaparte; he who fo many times conducted you to victory! It is he, in the quality of the First Conful, who ought to direct your conduct; he knows all, and placed in the centre, he will inform us of the national will. I fpeak to you the language of truth; I never knew any other. In following the examples of Bonaparte and of Kleber, I endeavour to merit your esteem. I do not pafs an inftant without being occupied about you, without feeking to do fomething useful for you. Kleber had commenced to re-eftablifh the finances; I fhall endeavour to finish his work. Henceforth the foldier fhall be duly provided for; the arrears fhall be paid. I fhall endeavour to destroy every abufe; but recollect, that an inftant may occafion an evil which a long time is neceffary to repair. Obedience to the chiefs of every rank, exact difcipline, and moral conduct, are what I demand of

the

the army, and what I have a right to require from it. This I fhall uncealingly repeat to you: but we are republicans, and we ought to have the virtues of republicans. One day, when we shall have returned to our country, we thall glory in having belonged to an expedition which now poffelles fo great a weight in the political balance of the universe.

ABDALLAH J. MENOU.

Letter fent by the French General to the Senate of Franckfort, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL Brunneteau St. Suzanne orders Adjutant-general Lacroix to proceed to Franckfort, to demand of the magiftrates the fum of 80,000 livres, as an indemnification granted to the troops of Mentz, who effected their retreat through that city. Thefe 800,000 livres must be paid within six hours, viz. 400,0co livres in cafh, and 400,000 livres in cloth, linen, leather, fhoes, and lead. The city of Franckfort fhall likewife be obliged, within the fame period, to furnish all the implements neceflary for two bridges of boats. Thefe orders fhall be carried into execution with the utmost rigour.

Done in the head-quarters under the walls of Franckfort, 18 Meffidor (July 7), the 8th year of the French republic, one and indivifible.

Our fenate has firmly refufed to comply with the demands of the French, as alfo to the propofal for renewing the neutrality. Nothing has been granted them but the neceffaries wanted imme diately by their troops, which already has caufed an expense of between 39 and 40,000 florins. In ready money they have not received any thing, not even the prefent ufually given on thofe occafions.

The Minifler at War to the Prefects and Generals. Citizens,

Paris, July 7. THE Firf Conful, in the name of peace, requested your ut, molt folicitude with regard to the departure of the confcripts, who have not obeyed the voice of honour.

When, before the opening of the campaign, the First Conful propofed peace to feveral powers, thofe powers, then elated by Jome advantages they had gained, wifhed doublefs to make a Jaft effort in order to profit by their momentary fuccefs, or at leaft to try what a new government could effect.

Now that this governinent has received, in fo fhort an interval, that conformation which other governments have required ages to obtains

obtain; now while Europe beholds the pledges of its force and its wisdom; while victory and fortune crown its efforts; while victorious armies defend it, and repeated declarations of affent from the whole nation had confecrated it, thefe fame powers will furely not reject a peace which is offered to them anew, on conditions which their reverfes have not rendered more fevere. Should, however, the obftinacy of the vanquished difregard the moderation of the victors; fhould, notwithstanding the cries of their people, thefe deluded governments not yet be tired of remaining in the pay of a power which traffics in the blood of men and the miferies of all nations, for the purpofe of her own aggrandizement; fhould they venture to prolong hoftilities from which fhe alone profits, a laft effort muft be made, and we must command that peace which we now offer.

It is neceffary that the enemy fhould know that this blow is about to be ftruck; it is neceffary that they should choose either peace, or a terrible and decifive irruption. A fecond army of referve is organizing at the fame place whence the firft took its departure. Old corps are affembling there, tried warriors command them, and young confcripts crowd to join them from all parts of France, where honour, a love of national independence, and a defire of peace, are not empty words. They glow with the wifh of joining their brethren, whom glorious achievements have already placed on a level with the ancient favourites of victory. They are eager to contribute to the termination of the war, to fee fervice, and to affift in fome grand exploit, that they may not one day have occafion to blush in the company of thofe heroes. who will people our communes.

Generals and Prefects! cite this example to thofe youths whom a fhameful indolence and unpardonable indifference, more. than a dread of arms, ftill retain in their habitations. The French youth is entirely warlike; to arouse them, it is fufficient merely to talk of dangers and glory. In the army, every confcript foon becomes a veteran. The regret of quitting his family is the fole fentiment which ftops him. Infpire a more powerful fentiment, the love of country, and thefe fame young men will no longer think but of returning victorious.

They will return, and peace will accompany their steps; it is already more than half conquered. One effort more, if it be necellary; it will be fhort and eafy, if it be but general; it will be rendered unneceffary, if we are feen in an attitude to make it; and the hands which ftill wield the fword will drop it, in order to fign a treaty of friendship. I falute you.

(Signed)

CARNOT,

VOL. X.

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