May, 1795, between the two free Republics of France and Holland. That treaty of mutual defence by which the independent Batavian nation, fupported by a powerful neighbour, and unfhaken by the influence of a foreign minifter, will be put in a condition to employ for the future its forces against its aggreffors, and of paying them in their own coin, has also been cemented. His Majefty, the King of Great Britain, after fo many hoftilities have been exercifed, was at length pleafed to proclaim, on the 19th of September, 1795, by his council of ftate, a manifefto of war against this Republic, but in which no ground of complaint was alledged. His Majefty, it is true, fays in this manifefto," that for fome time divers acts of outrage, contrary to the honour of his Majesty's crown, and of the legitimate rights of his fubjects, had been committed in the United Provinces, and that the thips of war which failed from the ports of the United Provinces, had received orders to take and fink all British veffels." The acts contrary to the honour of his Majefty's crown which have been committed in the Netherlands, are the acts of his Majesty's own troops, and the English nation will, undoubtedly, fooner or later, punish their authors; and with refpect to the orders given to the fhips of war of the Republic, to repel violence by violence, has not the independent Republic, fo cruelly treated, a right of resistance? his Majefty had forgotten that the Netherlands were no longer under the Stadtholderian yoke, and that his Majefty's minifters had loft for ever, as we truft, for the fafety of the country, all influence over the independent Batavian Republic. It is therefore with a perfect confidence in that love of the country, in that energy, and in that courage with which liberty alone can infpire a nation, for a long time infulted and oppreffed, that the independent Batavian nation folemnly declares in the face of Europe, through the organ of its legitimate reprefentatives, that, obliged to defend itself against the acts of perfidy and violence of the neighbouring kingdom of Great Britain, it will repel every act of aggreffion on its liberty, its independence, its rights, and its legitimate poffeffions; and that it will put in execution all poffible means to receive fatisfaction and indemnity for the incalculable loffes it has fuftained through a perfidious ally in the firm hope that Divine Providence, who has fo miraculously preferved this country from a total ruin, will blefs its arms, and will not allow violence and oppreffion ever to fix their fatal abode on its free territory. Done at the Hague, May 2, 1796, fecond year of Batavian freedom. VOL. III.-PART ii. Ff Addrefs Addrefs of the Executive Directory to the French Armies, April 1796. DEFENDERS of the country, the moment approaches when you are again to take up your victorious arms; the moment approaches, when you are to quit a repofe to which you confented, in the hope alone that it would lead to an honourable peace; but the feas of blood which have flowed have not yet fatiated the rage of your enemies. They unquestionably imagine, that we are about to abandon the fruits of our victories, at the very moment when fuccefs is ready to crown them. They imagine that we are about to demand of them as cowards a peace which we have offered them as generous enemies. Let them conceive these unworthy expectations: we will not be furprised; they have never combated for liberty-but what they cannot be ignorant of, is, that the brave armies with which they with again to try their ftrength, are the fame by which they have been fo often fubdued. No; they have not forgotten the prodigies of French valour; they still recollect with terror, both the redoubts of Gemappe, and the plains of Fleurus, and the frozen rivers of Holland; they recollect that the Alps and the Pyrenees have opposed to you but feeble barriers, and that the peninfula of Quiberon became the tomb of all the parricidal flaves, who, in the hope of fubjecting you to the yoke of a mafter, dared to fet their feet on the foil of the Republic. If they could have forgotten all this, you will bring it to their recollections by blows ftill more terrible; you will learn them finally, that nothing can refift the efforts of a great nation which determines to be free. Brave warriors, you have afforded the example of a difinterestedness which cannot exift unless among republicans. Oftentimes, in the midft of the greatest scarcity of provifions, of an almost abfolute want of the moft indifpenfable objects, you have difplayed that heroical patience, which, joined to your impetuous valour, fo eminently diftinguithes you, and will fignalize you to all nations, and to the eyes of pofterity. Republican foldiers, you will preferve this great character; and at the moment when your fituation has been ameliorated, when with an unanimous voice the reprefentatives of the nation have taken measures to provide efficaciously for your wants, you will redouble alfo your vigour and courage, to put an end to a war which can be terminated by new victories alone, In vain has the French government manifefted to all the powers which wage war against France, a fincere with to reftore at length the repofe of exhaufted Europe; it has in vain made to them the most juft and moderate propofitions; nothing has been capable of removing their deplorable blindness. Yes, brave warriors, we muft ftill have victories; and it is your energy alone. that that can put a stop to this devastating scourge. Prepare, therefore, for a laft effort, and let it be decifive; let every thing yield to, let every thing be diffipated by your phalanxes; let the new flags of your enemies, carried off by your triumphant hands, form, with the preceding ones, the trophy with which, in the name of France, always great in her misfortunes, always just in her profperity, the equitable peace you will give to the world will be proclaimed. And you, generous defenders, who fhall have cemented that peace with your blood, you will foon return to the bofom of your families among your fellow citizens, to enjoy your glory-terrible ftill, in your repofe, to all the enemies of the Republic. LETOURNEUR, Prefident. CORRESPONDENCE. Copy of a Letter from his Excellency the Right Honourable Sir Gilbert Elliot, Bart. Viceroy of Corfica, to Admiral Lord Hood. I My Lord, Buftia, 25th of April, 1795. HAVE the honour to tranfmit to your Excellency a letter from the prefident of the chamber of Parliament, inclosing the thanks of the chamber for the diftinguished part which your Excellency has taken in the deliverance of Corfica, and the invaluable fervices which have been rendered to this country, by the uniform zeal, application, courage, and ability displayed by your Excellency, and by the officers and men under your orders, during every period of your command. The chamber has ftill farther evinced the grateful fense and attachment of Corfica towards your Excellency, by requesting you to fit for your picture, which they propofe to place in the chamber of Parliament. It is with unfeigned fatisfaction, that I avail myself of the prefent occafion, to affure your Excellency of my hearty concurrence in every fentiment expreffed by the chamber, and to bear cordial teftimony to thofe eminent exertions, which I was myself fo fortunate as to witnefs, and to which the successful issue of this important enterprize muft in fo great a measure be afcribed. I have the honour to be, with every fentiment of respect and esteem, My Lord, Your Excellency's moft obedient, and His Excellency, the Right Hon. GILBERT ELLIOT. Letter SIR, Letter from Monfieur to Mr. Mounier. WHEN you expreffed fome hesitation to inform me in a free and open manner, what, in your opinion, would be most conducive to restore order in France, you apparently did not recollect the claims you poffefs to my confidence and efteem. In " this refpect, my memory is more fortunate than your's; I fhall never forget your conduct with the King, my brother, on the 5th of October, 1789. Although charged by the affembly over which you prefided at that time, with a commiffion contrary to the duties of a faithful fubject; I fhall never forget, that if traitorous counfels had not prevailed over the advice you repeatedly gave the King, he would have left Verfailles, and by fo doing might perhaps have prevented the crimes and misfortunes which have fince deluged France. The remembrance of a day fo difaftrous in itfelf, but fo honourable for you, has determined me to give you a particular proof of my efteem by acquainting you with my fentiments without the leaft reftraint. My letter may also be of public utility. As you fincerely defire the reftoration of monarchy, what I am going to obferve may direct your perfonal efforts for that purpofe. You are perfectly right in the diftinction you make between crine and error. Whilft the former loudly demands the hatred of all juft men, and the fevereft animadverfion of the laws, the latter deferves rather pity than indignation. This was always my opinion, and I fhall readily rife and embrace him who, unftained by any crime, but led aftray either by ignorance, weakness, or even by falle ideas, will acknowledge and adjure his errors. These fentiments animate not only myfelf, but alfo my brother and my whole family. The moniters, who have mifled the people of France by deceitful promises of happiness, in order to tyrannize over them, and enrich themselves with their fpoils, are well ac quainted with our fentiments. But as they alfo know, that the very moment when these fentiments fhould be publicly known, the edifice of their grandeur would crumble into duft, they endeavour, by all kind of artifices and calumnies to fupprefs them. But this obitacle fhall be overcome by dint of perfeverance and courage and, in fpite of them, the French people fhall know that we love them, and we wish for nothing but their happiness and that this has been the constant aim of all our exertions. They will all perceive that the emigrants, who have been fo much calumniated, have left their country lefs from an intention of not fubmitting to laws contrary to their duty and honour, than to feek against thofe laws which France now abhors as well as they do, a fupport they cannot find in their own country, where criminals |