but that, in making this declaration, they expressed their hopes that such articles as yet wanted more mature examination, and further investigation, would be left for definitive regulation, till the formation of the articles of peace These conces sions were prefaced by expressions of concern at the imputations thrown on the deputation by the last note of the French ministers, charging them with the difficulties and deJays which had hitherto attended the negotiation; protesting, on the contrary, that they had made the most strenuous exertions to accelerate the pacification, which was evidently proved by the sacrifices which they now confirmed. The Prussian ministers at the same time addressed a note to the deputation, stating that the king, their master, unwilling to throw any further obstacles in the way of peace, by new opposition in the critical state in which the empire then stood, and expose it to new dangers, acceded to the vote of the deputation, satisfying themselves with proper reserves to recommend likewise the interests of Prussia at the conclusion of the peace. The conclusum which was remitted to the imperial commissary was sanctioned immediately, unwilling, as he declared on his part, to make any opposition to the progress of the negotiations. Peace with the empire was now a measure to all appearance arranged and determined. The French ministers, on receiving the adherence of the deputation to their ultimatum, expressed the pleasing sentiments which they felt in seeing their confidence in the prudence and humanity of the deputation had not been deceived. As the essential basis of the negotiation was their formal and entire adhesion to the ultimatum, nothing more remained than the application of the acknowledged principle of indemnities by way of secularisation: but as this object deserved mature consideration before it came under discussion, they declared that they would in a short time present their propositions on this head to the deputation, trusting that the same disposition for union and dispatch would attend the settlement of this part of the negotiation as they had lately shown with regard to the basis. The plan of indemnity by way of secularisation, as it awakened every private interest, required long and minute examination. The deputation meanwhile continued its deliberations on other points, and decreed, on the 31st December, that a note should be presented to the French ministers, requiring them to realise the promise which they had given of the lessening the weight of military contributions on the left side of the Rhine, and of raising the siege of Ehrenbreitstein, according to the agreement existing. A speedy and satisfactory answer was demanded to these propositions, in default of which a note should be given to the imperial commissary, praying his imperial majesty to intervene, in order to arrive at the desired end. At the end of this note they thanked the French ministers for the relief which they had given the country on the right side of the Rhine, by the retreat of a part of the troops; but this article of the resolution was opposed by the Austrian minister, who contended that no thanks were due for an act of justice which was only then begun, and which was only the redress of an injury, as, in conformity to conventions passed since the armistice, every thing which the French government had done or exacted in the countries of the the Lower Rhine, occupied by the troops, was a violation of those conventions. This opinion was not acceded to, and the French pr positions on the second basis of the peace, and the list of indemnities, were expected to be put under discussion, when auother series of propositions and remonstances, respecting the march of Russian troops, from the French ministers, divided the attention of the deputation. CHA P. VIII. Negotiation at Radstadt. Note of the French Ministers on the March of the Russians. Vote of the Deputation of the Empire. Dissatisfaction of the French Ministers. Declaration of the French Ministers to the Commissary of the Emperor. Vote of the Diet of Ratisbon. Passage of the Rhine by the French Troops. Remonstrances of the Empire. Surrender of Ehrenbreitstein. Answer of the Court of Vienna respecting the March of the Russian Troops. Decision of the Diet. Threats of Hostilities by the French Ministers. Campaign of Naples. Refusal by Championet of the Armistice offered by the Neapolitan Government. Surrender of the Port of Gaeta on the Mediterranean. Progress of the Left Wing of the French Army on the Adriatic. Defeat of the Right Wing of Neapolitans. Insurrections of the Neapolitans. Surrender of Pescara. Defeat of the Centre of the Neapolitan Army at Popoli. Engagement between the French and Neapolitans before Capua. Defeat of the French Troops by the Insurgents in the Garigliano. General Insurrection against the French. New Propositions for the Surrender of Capua refused by Championet. Distressed Situation of the French Army. Massacre of the French. Fresh Proposals for the Surrender of Capua accepted. Conditions of the Surrender. Flight of the King from Naples to Sicily. Representation by Championet to the Directory of the Advantages of the Armistice. Insulting Letter of the French Directory to Championet respecting the Armistice. Stated Causes of the Conduct of the Directory. Junction of the Left Wing of the French Army at Caserta. State of Parties at Naples. Desertion of the Neapolitan Army to the French. Escape of General Mack from Naples to the French Camp. Arrest of Mack, by Order of the French Directory, at Milan. Lazzaroni in Possession of Naples. Attack of the Lazzaroni on the French Camp. Horrors committed by the Lazzaroni at Naples. Rupture of the Armistice. Invitation from the Inbabitants to the French to enter Naples. Advance of the French to Naples. Desperate Resistance of the Lazzaroni. Surrender of the Lazzaroni. Proclamation of Championet. Provisionary Government of the Neapolitan Republic. Ill Reception by the Directory of the Embassadors from the Neapolitan Republic. Disobedience of Championet to the Decrees of the Directory. Arrest of Championat. Revolution of Lucca. Constitution of the new Republic of Lucca. State of Finances in France. Tax on Salt. Message of the Directory to the Council of Five Hundred. Opposition of the Council of Elders to the Directory. Observations on the Conduct of the Directory. Instances of the Despotism and Corruption of the Directory. First Symptoms of the approaching Fall of the Directory. Pamphlets by Boulay Boulay de la Meurtbe. Effect of the Pamphlet on the Public Mind. Appre hensions of the Directory. Proclamations of the Directory previous to the Annual Elections. Coalition of Parties against the Directory. TH a HE French ministers had wasted a year in diplomatic deliberations at Radstadt, the latter part of which time had been chiefly spent in adjusting the measurement of towing paths and tolls, and in disputes respecting the property of the willow-beds that obstruct the course of the Rhine; when the march of the Russians, which had been known to all Europe six months before, and which had been the topic of ridicule and of epigrams at the directory, began to engage their serious attention. In a note remitted to the imperial minister on the first of January 1799, the French plenipotentiaries made a formal declaration, that if the diet of Ratisbon consented to the entrance of the -Russian troops on the territory of the empire, or did not, by every means in their power, give it their strenuous opposition, that such entrance would be considered by France as a violation of the neutraJity on the part of the empire; that the negotiations which were then carrying on a Radstadt should be broken off; and that the republic and the empire should be placed on the same footing as they were previous to the signature of the preliminaries at Leoben, and the conclusion of the armistice. The preparations and march of the Russians, which in the same note they style an incident which had been little foreseen, were represented by the French ministers as an object which might become fatal to the domestic tranquillity of Germany, and eventually destroy the solid hopes which had been formed of a perfect reconciliation and a general peace between the two nations. No person, they added, could be deceived with respect to the motives or the ultimate designs of the cabinet of Petersburgh, since the deputation of the empire were too well instructed in the affairs of Europe, not to see clearly that Russia, after having encouraged the war during six years without taking any active part, had thus openly entered the field against France, with no other intention than that of preventing a continental peace from taking place; and with designs no less evident, of facilitating the plan of general usurpation, which that cabinet had so long meditated. The declaration of the French ministers caused much perplexity amongst the members of the depu tation. Those who were anxious for peace, as the only means of safe. ty for Germany, and such as expected to receive indemnities from the particular protection of the French government, were alarmed; while others who had lost every thing, and who could only be benefited by the chances of war, did not dissemble their satisfaction at the prospect of the recommencement of hostilities. The deputation, without debating the principle, voted that the note of the French ministers should be sent to Vienna as well as to the diet of Ratisbon. The vote of the deputation did not satisfy the French ministers, who had hoped that the majority of the members would have declared that the empire had not sufficient means of opposing the march of the Russians. The declaration which had been made to the em pire was communicated on the tenth of January to count Lehrbach in particular, to which the French ministers added, that they thought it their duty to make this commiunication to a friendly power; but at the same time they had orders to declare to the minister of his majesty the emperor, as king of Hungary and Bohemia, and archduke of Austria, that in leaving a free passage to an army of a power which had declared war against France, and by permitting such an army to cross his state in order to reach the French troops, the emperor put the republic under the necessity of considering this act as a rupture of the ties which bound both states, and that his majesty was invited to give a precise and satisfactory explanation on this subject. The conduct of the emperor had long since discovered that no precise or satisfactory explanation would be given to such a requisition, when he had personally attended a review of the Russian troops, and when, at the moment that the French declaration was presented, these troops were marching from Brunn, where they had been thus reviewed, towards the frontiers of Bavaria. The diet of Ratisbon was as unable as the emperor was unwilling to clear up the doubts of the French ministers, since in the assembly which took place on the reception of the French declaration, they simply resolved that the members should procure, as speedily as possible, instructions from their constituents, that the emperor's commissary should be requested to make his report to his imperial majesty, and that this resolution should be sent to the deputation at Radstadt with the formal notice that as yet no requisition had been made to the empire con cerning the entrance of the Prussian troops on its territory. Meanwhile the French troops which had evacuated the right side of the Rhine, according to certain conditions contained in the negotiation, repassed the river, and took up their quarters on the German side, notwithstanding the remonstrances of the count of Metternich, who presented fresh memorials to the French ministers on that point, as well as on the everlasting theme of raising the blockade of Ehrenbreitstein. But as the state of the negotiation between the French republic and the emperor portended that the negotiation at Radstadt could not be of long continuance, the French no doubt thought themselves justified in making such provisions against the rupture as would indemnify them for the time they had lost in not following up more active operations. The French troops that were stationed along the left of the Rhine, between Cologn and Mentz, were joined on the right side by those which had formed the blockade of Ehrenbreitstein. This fortress had been compelled at length to surrender from famine after a resistance of eighteen months. The French found in the place an immense quantity of stores, consisting of 192 pieces of artillery, about 100,000 balls, bombs, and grenadoes, a million of cartridges, near 450 000 weight of powder, 5,000 muskets, and other articles in equal profusion. The answer of the cabinet of Vi-. enna to the note which the French ministers had presented to the deputation respecting the march of the Russian troops was as little satisfactory as that of the diet of Ratisbon. The imperial court was a tonished that the French should have conceived the idea of addressing the deputation deputation of the empire on a subject which had no relation with their mission, expressing its satisfaction that the deputation had referred this business, which was beyond its competence, to those whom it concerned, and declaring that it would wait the report which should be made of it by the diet of Ratisbon. The deputation, a few days after the reception of this note, coincided with the opinion of the Austrian cabinet, and declared that the march of the Russian troops was an affair beyond its competence. The French ministers were not of the same opinion with the deputation; since in answer to their vote that the march of the Russians was a matter which no way concerned them, they declared by a note (31st of January) that they had orders neither to receive nor remit any note on any of the points of the negotiation till that which they had remitted on the first of January, respecting the march of the Russians, had received a categorical and satisfactory answer. On the same day a message was likewise delivered to the Austrian minister, count Lehrbach, in which the French ministers declared, that, if in fifteen days from the date of their letter, the emperor had not compelled the Russian troops to evacuate the Austrian territory, and such of his other states as made part of the German empire, hostilities should forthwith begin between him and the French republic. In the history of the military operations of the French republic for the past year, we left general Championet at his camp of Santo Germano, the spot from whence, but a few weeks previous, the king of Naples had issued his proclamations, promising the deliverance of the Romans from the French yoke, and refusing the armistice offered him from Capua by general Mack, on any other condition than the surrender of Naples. M. Pignatelli seeing the discontent of the Neapolitans, and knowing that a pow erful party had conceived the hope of overturning the government, as well as the favourable disposition of a considerable part of the Neapolitan officers towards the French, withdrew, deeply affected by the refusal of the French general. Championet, in pursuance of his plan, transferred his head quarters from Santo Germano to Tora. Here he was made acquainted with the success of general Rey on the post of Gaeta, where this general had found immense magazines and stores of every kind, together with a vast train of artillery, which was of infinite service in the deplorable state of the French army. The possession of this post was likewise of great importance, as it supported the right of the army, and secured the rear from any surprise by the landing of the enemy. It was here also that Championet first received news of the left and centre of his army. Duhesme, equally ignorant of the fate of the right, forced his march along the coast of the Adriatic, through a country intersected with rivers, the passages to which were guarded by troops who disputed every step. He had crossed the Salinello and the Trentino with great difficulty, but with little loss; and, on his arrival near the Vomano, found that the Neapolitans had crossed it to prevent his further progress. He succeeded in repulsing them; and, perceiving that they were making preparations for a regular attack, on the following day he pressed forward |