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tinguished as whites, and people of colour, without poffeffions, we would fay to them, that in a free ftate, all hands ought to be employed; that every one ought to make a choice of a kind of labour which, in concurring to the general welfare, would procure to the labourer not only exiftence, but the conveniencies of life; that the colonial fyftem being altered, they muft no more eftablish their hopes of fortune on SLAVERY, for it is FOR EVER ABOLISHED on the whole territory of France, Let every one, therefore, make the beft of his induftry, devote himfelf to agriculture. Let not any ill founded fhame keep him in inactivity, which is as dangerous to himself, as it is ruinous to the common weal. Let him be convinced, that no occupation debafes man; let him know, that with the wifeft people of antiquity, agriculture was confidered as the firft of all occupations. Let them, therefore, renounce that ftate of vagrancy which the laws of the republic will punish.

In fine, we would repeat to them, that as all the inhabitants of the colony from this inftant will form but one clafs, every citizen will have the fame rights, and enjoy the fame advantages; and that the republic ettablishes no other diftinction among them, than thofe of virtue and vice, of talents and ignorance.

In the name of the republic, in the name of humanity, in the name of the facred love of our country, we invite all citizens to concur with us in the reftoration of order and agriculture; we invite them to forget their refpe&tive wrongs and quarrels, to make it now their fole

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Proclamation of the Executive Directory to the Armies of the Sambre and Meufe.

NEW cries of war are heard on the banks of the Rhine. What rage is it thus goads on our cruel enemy, who, amidft his difafters and our triumphs, has the temerity of breaking an armiftice which he himfelf demanded, and you granted him, in hopes of a fpeedy peace?

Guided by the ferocious English, he receives their gold and contempt as the price of his fubmission, and of the blood of his braveft warriors. Let then the republican bayonet reach the tottering thrones of the monsters coalefced against the human race, and frike terror into their bofoms! let your irrefiftible valour within a few days put a period to that struggle of the liberty of the people againft tyranny, which has lafted but too long; and let the haughty defpots, who fill dare to fight againft that liberty, at laft bow fubmiflive at the afpe&t of the republican banners!

May 29.

Proclamation by General Buonaparte and Commiffary Salicetti, dated the 30th of Floreal (19th May). THE

THE French republic, while it has fworn hatred to tyrants, has fworn fraternity to nations.

This principle, fanctioned by the conftitution of the republic, is as much a principle of the army. The defpotifm which for fo long a time has held Lombardy. nder its yoke, has been the cause of great calamities to France; but the French know that the caufe of kings is not the caufe of the people. The victorious army of a monarch are infolent, and spread terror among the nations where they carry their victories; but a republican army, though forced to carry on a deadly war againft the kings with whom it contends, promifes friendship to the people whom its victories deliver from tyranny. Refpect for the perfons and property, and refpe&t for the religion of the people, are the fentiments which actuate the government of the French republic, and their victorious army in Italy. Of this the good order which they have obferved from the firft moment of their entry into Lombardy, is no unequivocal proof.

If the victorious French confider the inhabitants of Lombardy as brethern, the latter ought to entertain a reciprocity of affection. The army muft purfue its victories, and drive entirely out of Italy that defpotifm which has held Lombardy in chains. The independence of this country, and its good fortune, depend upon the fuccefs of the French enterprizes. Lombardy then ought to fecond them by all the means in its power. To affure the march of the troops provifions are neceffary, which they cannot receive from France,

from which they are feparated; they ought to find then thefe in Lombardy, where they are making their conquefts. The rights of war give them fecurity for obtaining them, and friendship ought to be eager to offer them.

Twenty millions of French money are impofed as a contribution for this purpofe; the divifion will be made among the different provinces of Auftrian Lombardy. The terms of payment, which admit of the leaft poffible delay, will be fixed by particular inftructions. It is certainly a moderate contribution for fo fertile a country, particularly when we reflect upon the advantages which must refult from it. The divifion might have been fettled by agents of the French government, and this mode would certainly have been reasonable; but the French republic, not wishing to referve to itself this right, has left it to the local authorities, and to the affembly of the ftate. It only points out to you, as the bafis upon which you ought to levy this contribution, that it ought to be proportionably divided among thofe provinces which formerly paid impofts to the tyrant of Auftria, and that it ought to fall upon the rich and the ecclefiaftical bodies, who too long thought themfelves privileged, and with food all taxation; do not opprefs the poorer clafs. If fome requifitions be made in kind, the general in chief, and the commiffary of the government, declare, that there thall be no furcharge upon the contribution. They will afterwards fettle the price of the articles required, which they will pay to the venders with the produce of the contri

bution fixed as above, or with the receipts which they will give, inftead of ready money.

Proclamation of Commiffary Salicetti.

ART. I. THE council eftablished on the 9th May laft by the archduke, at the moment of his flight, on which he devolved, by an edict, the exercife of the fupreme power, is fuppreffed. The prefident, of the fupreme tribunal, the two prefidents of appeal and of the first inftance, and the prefident of the magiftracy, who were appointed by the archduke to compofe this council, are prohibited from continuing their functions.

2. The general council of decurions, concentrated into privileged claffes, whofe functions were referved for extraordinary occafions, having become ufelefs by prefent circumftances, is alfo fuppreffed and the fame prohibition is extended to the nobles and patricians who compofe it.

3. The magifiracy, known by the name of magiftrat politique de la chambre, whofe complicated functions having also become useless, tend only to throw obstacles in the way of the fimple courfe of government, is likewife fuppreffed; and those who exercifed the office are forbidden to affemble, except it be to replace, after receiving other inftructions, the members of this body, when their functions fhall be rendered fubfervient to the happiness of the people.

4. The authorities thus fupprefsed fhall be provifionally replaced by a military agency, compofed of citizens Maurin, Reboul, and Patrain.

5. The affembly of the flate,

2

compofed of thirteen members, to whom the government of all Lombardy is committed, is provifionally retained in the functions allotted to it by its inftitution. It fhall

exercife thefe functions in the name of the republic of France, under the infpection and controul of the military agents to whom it fhall be accountable.

6. The municipal adminiftrations are alfo retained in all the communes of Lombardy,

7. The municipal affembly exifting at Milan, compofed of thirteen members and a fyndic, is also provifionally retained under the name of the municipality of the town of

Milan.

8. The commandant of the fort of Milan fhall be prefident of the municipal council, and fhall exercife in it a military police, and alfo all the functions delegated by the French laws to the commandants of forts in a state of fiege.

9. The members compofing the municipality of Milan are Francois. Vifcanti, Antoine Caccianini, Galeas Serbelloni, Felix Laticada, Charles Bignami, Antoine Corbetta, Fidele Sopranfi, Gatean Porro, Pierre Verri, Jofeph Violtini, Jean Baptifte Sommarina, Paul Sangiorgio, Antoine Crespi, Cæfar Pelagata, Charles Ciani, Charles Parea.

10. The acts and deliberations of all the authorities created or preferved by the prefent decree, shall be in the name of the French republic.

Proclamation by Buonaparte, Commander in Chief of the Army of Italy, to his Brothers in Arms, dated HeadQuarters at Milan, Prairial 1, (May 20.)

SOLDIERS,

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SOLDIERS, you have precipitated yourselves like a torrent from the heights of the Appenines; you have routed and difperfed all who have oppofed your progrefs: Piedmont, delivered from Auftrian tyranny, difplays its natural fentiments of peace and friendship for France. Milan is our's, and the republican flag flies over all Lombardy. The dukes of Parma and Modena owe their political exiftence to your generofity. The army that with fo much pride threatened you, has no barrier of protection against your courage the Po, the Teffin, the Adda, have been unable to ftop you a fingle day; those boafted bulwarks of Italy have been infufficient to deJay your progrefs; you have furmounted them as rapidly as you paffed the Appenines. So much fuccefs has carried joy to the bofom of our country; your reprefentatives have ordained a fête, dedicated to your victories, which will be celebrated in all the communes of the republic. Your fathers, your mothers, your wives, your fifters, your lovers, will enjoy your fuccefs, and boaft with pride that they belong to you. Yes, foldiers, you have done much; but does there remain nothing more to be done? Though we have known how to vanquish, we have not known how to profit of our victo. ries. Pofterity will reproach us with having terminated our courfe in Lombardy; but already I fee you run to arms; a flothful repose fatigues you. Let us depart! We have yet forced marches to make, enemies to fubdue, laurels to gather, injuries to revenge. Let thofe tremble who have whetted the poniards of civil war in France, VOL. XXXVIII.

who have bafely affaffinated our minifters, and burnt our thips at Toulon: the hour of vengeance and retribution is near at hand. But let the people remain tranquil; we are friends to all the people, and more particularly the defcendants of Brutus, of Scipio, and the great men we have taken for our models. Re-eftablish the capitol, and place there, with honour, the ftatues of the heroes that rendered it celebrated; awaken the Roman people, debased by many centuries of flavery: fuch will be the fruit of your victories; they will form an epoch for pofterity; you will have the immortal glory of changing the face of the finest country in Europe. The free French people, refpected by the whole world, will give to Europe a glorious peace, which will indemnify them for the facrifices they have made during fix years; you will then return to your homes, and your fellow-citizens will fay, fhewing you, this man was of the army of Italy.

(Signed)

BUONAPARTE,

The Deputies of the People of Albe, to Citizen Buonaparte, General in Chief of the French Army, to procure Liberty to Italy.

Citizen General, LIKE Frenchmen we wish to be free.

To live under no king or tyrant of any title. We with for civil equality, and that the feudal monfter fhould be thrown to the ground.

For this purpose we have taken np arms at the approach of your victorious troops, and we come to implore your afliftance, to break the chains which have for a long time retained us in bondage. R

Worn

Worn down by the yoke of iron which preffes on our heads, we never fhould have been able to fucceed in relieving ourselves. Always courageous, and yet always debafed, we have lived in expectation of the happy moment of your arrival.

Oh! mot delightful moment! The time is at length arrived. Here are Frenchmen, our brothers and our friends: in our arms, in our houses, they are willing cordially to partake of our joy, to ratify our vows, and to fly with us to the deftruction of the infamous. throne of our tyrant.

The proclamation to the people and clergy of Piedmont and Lonbardy, and to the Neapolitan and Piedmontefe troops, prove to you our republican fpirit, and the right which we have to a well-founded reliance on your generous protection.

Citizen general, behold all Italy extending forth its arms to your embrace, and calling you its deliverer. In giving it the bleflings of liberty, you grant to this beautiful part of Europe its greatest luftre; your name will be rendered glorious and immortal in its hiftory.

Our fons, and our latest pofterity, will have it engraved in their hearts; and they will not have in their mouths a name more dear than that of general Buonaparte.

Refpect, health, and fraternity, (Signed) IGNACE BONAFOUX,

Albe,

JEAN ANTOINE, Ramea of Verfeil, Deputed commiffaries.

Buonaparte to the Republic of Venice. Brefcia, 10 Prairial, (May 29.) IT is to deliver the finest coun

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try in Europe from the iron yoke of the proud houfe of Auftria, that the French army has braved obftacles the moft difficult to furmount. Victory, in union with juftice, has crowned its efforts. The wreck of the enemy's army has retired beyond the Mincio. The French army, in order to follow them, paffes over the territory of the republic of Venice; but it will never forget, that antient friendship unites the two republics. Religion, government, cu oms, and property, fhall be refpected. That the people may be without apprehenfion the moft fevere dif cipline fhall be maintained. All that may be provided for the army fhall be faithfully paid for in money. The general in chief engages the officers of the republic of Venice, the magiftrates, and the priests, to make known these fentiments to the people, in order that confidence may cement that friendship which has fo long united the two nations faithful in the path of honour, as in that of victory. The French foldier is terrible only to the enemies of his liberty and his government.

(Signed) BUONAPARTE,
The general of divifion,
chief of the etat-major
of the army of Italy.
(Signed) ALEX. BERTHIER

Proclamation by General Buonaparte, Commander in Chief of the Army of Italy, to the People of the Mi lanef.

THE nobles, the priefts, and the agents of Auftria have mifled the people of thefe fine countries; the French army, as generous as it is powerful, will treat with fra

ternity

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