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armed, and its chiefs either killed or taken.

The revolt in l'Indre and le Cher was extinguished at the very moment when it broke out; and the war against the Chouans is carried on with activity and fuccefs. The armies which were in a complete ftate of diffolution are now re-organized, and are in a condition to cope with the enemy, and to fix victory on the standard of liberty. Severe measures againft the refractory priefts and the emigrants have been called for, and thofe which exifted have been executed with vigour. Adminiftrators, whofe patriotifm was fufpected, have been replaced by energetic republicans; and, finally, fubfiftencies have been procured, and their circulation, which was impeded on all fides, re-established. Thefe emiffaries of foreigners dare to add, that the directory does not cherish the patriots, but abandons them to perfecution. Certainly it does not ceafe to cherish them; it has not defifted, and will not defift to fupport and defend the patriots, and will never fuffer the errors into which they may have been led, by an ardent zeal for liberty, to be confounded with guilt. It has an affectionate regard for thofe pure and fincere patriots, who unite wifdom to the ardour of a burning civism; who, impatient of every yoke but that of the laws, are equally averfe to the establishment of their own nomination. It will always knɔw how to diftinguish these from the difguifed partizans of royalifm, from the brigands who ufurp the glorious title of patriots, merely to difhonour it. The directory is the warmest friend to patriots; and is not the fate of the patriots and VOL. XXXVIII.

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that of the directory intimately connected? Are not their deftinies common? Citizens, and you ge nerous defenders of the country, inftructed by a long experience, you have repulfed, with contempt, thefe daftardly and atrocious mifcreants. You are not ignorant, brave warriors, that if the government is destroyed, the Republic is loft. You will know how to preferve, by the wisdom and energy of your conduct, a liberty fecured by your triumphs. You, citizens, who live by the fruit of your labours, will not forget the magnificent promifes which the tyrants, covered with a cloak of popularity, have fo often made to you, and which have never had any other refult than their own fortune, and the public mifery. You will conftantly perceive that a regular government, folidly established, can alone fecure good order and tranquillity, which on their fide can alone procure the resources neceffary for the fupport of your families. You who are apprehenfive for your property, judge what you have to expect from the fyftem now on foot, if instead of rallying round the republican conftitution, you favour by your neglect the diffolution of the government. As to us, faithful to our duty, we will maintain the republic and the conftitution with an unfhaken firmnefs; we will caufe public order to be refpected; we will keep a watch on those who attempted to disturb it, and will reprefs them with all the force of the laws, the execution of which is confided to us. Incapable of being the accomplices or the inftruments of any faction, we will return with honour to the private life which awaits us, or will T

perish

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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 ima'gine that we are about to demand of them as cowards a peace which we have offered them as generous enemies. Let them conceive thele unworthy expectations: we will not be furprized; 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 fill 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 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 re

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public. If they could have forgotten all this, you will bring it to their recollections by blows. ftill more terrible; you will teach them finally, that nothing can refift the efforts of a great nation which determines to be free.

Brave warriors, you have afforded theexample of a difinterestedness which cannot exift unless among republicans. Oftentimes, in the midft of the greateft fcarcity of provifions, of an almoft abfolute want of the moft indifpenfable objects, you have difplayed that heroical patience, which joined to your impetuous valour, fo eminently diftinguishes 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 efficacioufly 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 againft France, a fincere with to restore at length the repose of exhaufted Europe; it has in vain made to them the most just and moderate propofitions; nothing has been capable of removing their deplorable blindness. Yes, brave warriors, we must still have victories; and it is your energy alone that can put a stop to this devaftating fcourge. Prepare, therefore, for a laft effort, and let it be decifive; let every thing yield to, let every thing be dilipated by your phalanxes; let the new flags

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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 juft in her profperity, the equitable peace you will give to the world will be proclaimed.

And you, generous defenders, who thall 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.

Proclamation iffued by Scepeaux, in

the Western Department.

COMPANIONS in arms- as long as we thought it poflible to attain our defired end, the free exercise of the religion of our fathers, and the establishment of the legitimate heir of the French monarchy, we have not ceased to combat at your head, and to excite that courage and perfeverance which you have difplayed to the eyes of all Europe; but at present, convinced that fresh efforts will only draw new misfortunes on our already devastated country, informed that the moft violent meafures of terror would be exercised against our relations, who would be imprisoned, and their property entirely ravaged, we have not thought we could continue a war which was become the fcourge of the country we had hoped to defend, and did not think ourfelves permitted any longer to risk the lives of thofe brave men who had confided to us the charge of con ducting them to the field of ho

nour. However painful the facrifice may be to our opinion, we invite you to give up, into the hands propofed for that purpose, the arms that we cannot any longer engage you to preferve, without becoming the executioners of your relations and friends. This claufe fulfilled, your perfons and property will be under the fafeguard of the laws you will remain quiet at home: nor will you in any respect be troubled for the paft. This affurance concerning your fate has alone induced us to confent to a conduct contrary to the wifhes of our heart, but dictated by the neceflity of the circumftance.

Decreed 15th May, 1796. (Signed) LE VICOMTE DE SCEPEAUX, general in chief.

COUNT DE CHATILLON,
Lieut. gen. of the army of
St. Scepeaux.

LE CHEVALIER DE TURPIN,
Infpector general.

Meffage to the Council of Five Hun-
dred from the Directory relative to
La Vendée.

28 Meffidor, (16 July.) FOR this long time an inteftine war, foftered by fanaticifm, has defolated one of the fineft regions of the republic; we had even to dread, left it fhould make progrefs, and expofe France to the brink of her ruin; gold and provifions have been furnished by the English. But thanks to the brave army of the ocean and its general, all is returned to good order. The inhabitants have delivered up their arms, and were they even difinclined to preferve the tranquillity which has been reftored to them,

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they would find it impoffible forthwith to excite a commotion. At prefent we may travel in fafety through the feveral departments of the west.

If we have not always fpoken of the heroic feats which have fignalized our gallant foldiers, compofing the army of the coafts of the ocean, it was done in order not to disclose to our enemies, all the inveteracy of the evil, we had to cure; but at prefent, while there is no danger in promulgating their exploits, we are eager to declare, that no army has more well-deferved of its country than that of the ocean. No doubt, citizens legiflators, you will haften to make this declaration in a folemn man

ner.

Decrse published at Modena on the 18th

of October, 1796.

1. EVERY fpecies of feudal jurifdiction is from this moment abolished.

2. The feudal officers of every kind and rank fhall be confirmed until the new order of the committee of government, who fhall preferve them or fupprefs them after information taken upon them.

3. All feudal rights and revenues received under the ancient government, or to be received, hall remain until the new order in the national treasury.

4. With refpect to the odious privileges of hunting and fifhing, the committee will immediately publifh a proclamation to fatisfy the general impatience to fee them fuppreffed.

5. The allodial rights fhall remain to the founders in, abfolute property.

6. Whatever concerns the im

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mediate abolition of fiefs, and: every feudal jurisdiction, fhall extend to infeoffments made under a burthenfome title.

The Congress of Cifpadana to the People of Bologna, Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio.

Reggio, 10 Nivofe, first year of the Republic of Cifpadana, one and indivifible, Dec. 30, 1796, (o'd file)

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THE firft ftone of the foundation of your infant liberty was laid in the congrefs held at Modena last October, thanks to the invincible French nation, which not only was fo generous as to restore to you your natural rights but also enabled you to exercife them in order to fecure your future exiftence; it was with this view you formed the bonds of a friendly confederation, which nothing could untie, you alfo wifhed for the means of drawing those bonds ftill clofer, in order that the ftructure, once begun, might rife great and majeftic. In fine, you called us to the congrefs of Reggio, and we, ftrong in your commands, were proud of being able and authorised to give our concurrence to an enterprize worthy of the honour of Italy, and which will be the ad. miration of future ages.

Citizens, the congrefs is eager to inform you, that your wifhes are fulfilled, and that you are henceforth but one people, or rather one family. The following is the tenor of the resolution :

"A motion having been made in the congrefs to form the four nations into a republic, one and indivifible in every refpect, fo conftructed, that the four nations may

only

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only form one people, one fingle family.

"The congrefs having put this motion to the vote with each nation, they have all accepted it."

The people of Reggio were witneffes of the publication of this decree, in the fame manner as we were witneffes of their joy. Our brave brethren who came from the tranfpadanian regions to fraternize with us, took part in the univerfal joy. May they imitate us, fince we ardently with it, and may they form so close an alliance with our republic, that tyranny may henceforth lofe all hopes of again enflaving Italy.

It feems as if fomething would have been deficient in the general enthusiasm, had not our invincible deliverers been prefent at fo folemp an act.

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Citizen Marmont, fent exprefsly by the commander in chief to watch over the fafety and liberty of our union, affifted at the congrefs, and faw in us, and the whole people affembled, brothers not unworthy of the love of his generous nation. He took it upon him to give an account of this glorious event to the commander in chief. We could have withed you all to have been prefent in that happy moment, certain that your joy would have joined in unifon with that of your brothers; but if diftance of places deprived us of this double joy, we make you amends for it, by imparting to you that glorious event, before your delegates return again to their country. People of the republic of Cifpadana, the great epoch is already marked. Reject far from you all ancient quarrels, and that rivalhip, which was fomented by am.

bition and defpotif. Liberty, equality, virtue, let thefe be your mottos. The powerful republic which has invited you to the great work of liberty will protect you, doubt it not, with all her forces; flavery is flying from these coun tries. The tyrants, to whom you were an object of derifion, fhudder and turn pale. The eyes of the whole world are fixed upon you, and Italy anxioufly expects that you will reftore to her that priftine fplendour which made her once refpected by all nations.

(Signed) C. Facci, prefident. PISTORINI, MACCAIS LAMBERTI, LEONELLI,

Secretaries.

Letter of his Holiness the Pope to all the Catholics faithful in Chrift, baving Communion wh the Apcjtolic See, and living in France, greeting and apoftolic benediction.

Dear Children,

The paftoral care which has been committed to our humility by our Lord Jefus Chrift in the abundance of his mercy, commands us to endeavour to adminifter comfort to all the faithful in Chrift, particularly thofe who are befet by great temptations, left they be miferably feduced by carnal wisdom for he has faid to us, as to the prophet Ifaiah, Cry, and fpare not; exalt thy voice like a trumpet; declare aloud the crimes of my people.' We fhould therefore be unmindful of our duty, if we did not feize every opportunity to exhort you to peace, and to coun fel you to fubmiffion to the conti tuted authorities.

It is a principle indeed of the Catholic religion, that powers are

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