had engaged to maintain according to our convention of the 25th May, 1793. Since I have made peace with the French Republic, not only have I had stronger motives for fuppofing an intention on the part of England to attack my poffeffions in America, but I have alfo received direct infults which perfuade me that the English minifter wishes to oblige me to adopt a part contrary, to the interefts of humanity, torn by the bloody war which ravages Europe, for the termination of which I have not ceafed to offer my good offices, and to testify my conftant folicitude, In fact, England has developed her intentions, has clearly evinced her project of getting poffeffion of my territories, by fending to the Antilles a confiderable force, and particularly deftined against St. Domingo, as the proclamations of her general in that ifland clearly demonftrate. She has alfo made known her intentions by the establishments which her commercial companies have formed upon the banks of the Miffouri, in South America, with the defign of penetrating through thofe countries to the South Sea. Finally, by the conqueft which she has made of the colony of Demerary, belonging to the Dutch, and whose advantageous pofition puts her in a condition to get poffeffion of posts still more important. But there can no longer remain any doubt of the hoftile nature of these projects, when I confider the frequent infults to my flag, the acts of violence committed in the Mediterranean by her frigates, which have carried away foldiers coming from Genoa to Barcelona, on board Spanifh fhips, to complete my armies; the piracies and vexations which the Corfican and Anglo-Corfican corfairs, protected by the English government of that island, exercise against the Spanish trade in the Mediterranean, and even upon the coafts of Catalonia, and the detention of different Spanish fhips, laden with Spanish property, and carried to England, under the moft frivolous pretences, and especially the rich cargo of the Spanish ship the Minerva, on which an embargo was laid in the moft infulting manner to my flag, and the removal of which could not be obtained, though it was demonftrated before the competent tribunals that this rich cargo was Spanish property. The attack committed upon my ambaffador, Don Simon de las Cafas, by a tribunal of London, which decreed his arreft, founded upon the demand of a very small fum, which was claimed by the undertaker of an embarkation. Finally, the Spanish territory has been violated in an intolerable manner upon the coafts of Galicia and Alicant by the English fhips the Cameleon and the Kanguroo. Moreover, Captain George Vaughan, commodore of the Alarm, behaved in a manner equally infolent and fcandalous in the island of Trinity, where he landed with drums beating and flags flying, to attack the French, and to avenge the injuries which he pre tended tended to have received, disturbing, by the violation of the rights of my fovereignty, the tranquillity of the inhabitants of the island. By all thefe infults, equally deep and unparalleled, that nation has proved to the univerfe, that the recognizes no other laws than the aggrandifement of her commerce; and by their defpotifm, which has exhaufted my patience and moderation, fhe has forced me, as well to fupport the honour of my crown, as to protect my people against her attacks, to declare war against the King of England, his kingdom and vaffals, and to give orders and take the necellary measures for the defence of my domains and my fubjects, and to repulfe the enemy. Done at the Palace of St. Laurenzo, Oct. 5, 1796. Signed by the King, and the Secretary of the Council of War. On Saturday, the 8th of October, war was proclaimed at Madrid. in the ufual form. Circular Letter from General O'Hara to the Captains of Merchantmen at Gibraltar. Gibraltar, Oct. 15, Secretary's Office. A'S the continuance of a number of merchant vessels in this port would be attended with the moft ferious evils, at a time when they cannot be fupplied from the garrifon with provifion, water, or firing, and when there is a greater probability of their being fet on fire by the enemy than efcaping, and as the prefent favourable opportunity of their being protected through the Streights by Admiral Mann's fquadron, who will poffibly give them fome convoy to Lisbon, is an advantage not likely to happen again in a reasonable. time, and as thefe veffels, being either fet on fire or drove on fhore, (a cafualty to which they would be very liable where they now anchor) might be prejudicial to the fafety of the place: under thefe circumstances, I think it neceffary to give directions to every British veffel, now in the place, to hold themselves in readiness to fail on the fignal from Admiral Mann. In confequence of difobedience or neglect of this order, they will be anfwerable for the confequences. This will be publicly read by the fecretary, and recorded in hist office. (Signed) CHAS. O'HARA, EVACUA EVACUATION OF CORSICA. General Buonaparte to the Executive Directory. Head Quarters at Modena, 26 Vendemiaire, (Oct. 17.) You will find fubjoined, Citizens Directors, the letter I have received from General Gentili. According to it, the Mediterranean is now free. Corfica, reftored to the Republic, will afford refources for our marine, and even the means of recruiting our light infantry. The commiffioner Salicetti departs this night for Leghorn, to fail from thence to Corfica. General Gentili is to command provifionally the troops. I have provifionally authorized him to put in requifition feveral columns, in order to enable the government commiffioner to occupy the fortreffes till the arrival of French troops. I fhall fend thither an officer of artillery, and one of engineers, for organizing affairs. The expulfion of the English from the Mediterranean will have great influence on the fuccefs of our military operations in Italy. (Signed) BUONAPARTE, Leghorn, 24th Vendemiaire, (Oct. 15.) A. Gentili, General of Divifion, commanding the Expedition, to General Buonaparte. Long live the Republic!our country is rendered free! The Viceroy having announced that he was going to evacuate Corfica, the commune of Baftia formed in confequence a committee, which fet at liberty all the republican prifoners, and has formed a deputation, which has arrived with that of Corfica, and other cantons, to renew, in the name of all the citizens, the oath of fidelity to the Republic. I only wait a favourable wind to put to fea, and fecure to the Republic the most important pofts in the island. Baftia, its forts, and St. Fiorenzo, are already guarded by their inhabitants, conjointly with the English, who depart in three days. I hope we shall find artillery and magazines. (Signed) GENTILI. Gentili to the French Commiffioners. Leghorn, 24 Vendemiaire, (Oct. 15.) THE plan long ago fettled by our compatriots to deliver Corfica from the tyranny of the English, the movements of the interior 4 prepared prepared by the republicans, the difpofitions taken here by the patriots for fupporting them, the debarkation already effected on the island of a great many of our fellow citizens, and the numbers preparing here to follow them, have struck terror into the hearts of the English. They were fenfible that they could not long maintain themselves in a country conquered by treafon: Elliot is therefore evacuating Corfica, and re-embarking all the English troops. At this moment, when we are about to put to sea, a numerous deputation of the communes of Baftia, and other places, have arrived, and to give to us this happy news, which we are defirous of communicating to you. The town of Bastia, faithful to its vows and attachment to France, has formed a provifional committee, which has named a deputation to come and offer the oath of fidelity to the French Republic. Baftia, and its forts, as well as St. Fiorenzo, are guarded by the citizens. We are affured that in three days there will be no more English in the country. Haften to give the orders to go and occupy it, and render it back to the mother country! (Signed) ENGLISH MERCHANDISE. GENTILI. Meffage of the Council of Five Hundred, Vendemiaire 25, (04. 16,) Fifth Year. ΤΗ Citizens Reprefentatives, 'HE British cabinet, for the purpose of inducing the Parliament to grant the neceffary fupplies for the enfuing campaign, has adopted two measures:-the one has for its object to open the way for an immediate and direct negotiation with the Republic; and the other, to restore the course of exchange between Holland and London, and to authorize the exportation of English merchandize to the ports of the United Provinces, and the country which it ftill affects to defcribe as Auftrian Flanders. The Batavian government, fenfible of its real interefts, has already feen the latter mcafure in its true light. It has rejected the pretended favour, and by an energetic proclamation has taken the neceffary precautions to prevent the introduction of English merchandize, and to look upon those who fhall purchase or use them as enemies to the country, a circumftance which has spread consternation over the English commerce and manufactories. The Executive Directory, on its part, has published in the nine united departments, the 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6th articles of the law of the 18th day of the 2d year, and has roufed, by particular orders, the attention of the officers of the customs in every part of the Republic, who have already made many feizures and confifcations. But it is in vain that every effort is made to hinder the introduction of of English merchandize, if no fteps are taken to prevent their consumption in the interior of the Republic. The fourth article of the above-mentioned law fpecified, that every person who introduced or fold fuch merchandize, fhould be deemed fufpected perfons, and punifhed accordingly, purfuant to the decree of the 17th of September. This law can no longer be in force; it is for your wisdom, citizen representatives, to substitute fome others in its ftead. In England, the public execute fevere juftice on those who affect to prefer the produce of foreign to their own national manufactories. Can there be found in France, men, who are so far the enemies of their own country, as to oppose a measure so effentially neceffary to the induftry and profperity of the nation, and which tends to leffen those refources we furnish our enemies for prolonging the war they have excited against us? You have still, citizens reprefentatives, legiflative acts to form against those, who, in defpite of the law, have, by their fpeculations of mercantile avidity, obtained ftores of English merchandize. If you do not think it proper they fhould incur the penalty of confifcation, and the other punifhmeuts prefcribed by the law, you may at least appoint a fhort period for their re-exporting those goods, which they ought not to have introduced, and that under fuch penalties as you may dictate. Yes, citizens representatives, the fafety of the Republic, perhaps, depends on the rigour and promptitude of the measures you fhall take on this occafion. Do you defire to re-animate your commerce, to relieve your manufactories, and to re-establish your trade? Would you deprive our enemies of their great refources for carrying on the war against us? Would you force the British government to treat fincerely for peace, and would you have it brought to a conclufion? One of the most powerful means of promoting this great end of public profperity, would be to take the most efficacious measures for prohibiting, until the return of peace, the fale or confumption of English merchandize in every part of the Republic. The Executive Directory invites you to take this object into immediate confideration. (Signed) REVELLIERE LEPEAUX, prefident. The above Meffage was referred to a Commission, which on the 20th of October prefented a Report, of which the following is the Subftance. IT is not, the report faid, by victories alone that we will compel our enemy to make peace: a check is reparable-the fevereft |