began now to be confidered and, afterwards, affumed the character of protector of the neutrality of the north of Germany. From the moment it was feen that the courts of Vienna and Berlin could not draw together, and to the fame point, every ftate of the empire followed their example and their

fortunes.

At the opening of the congrefs, the afcendency of France bore down all oppofition: Pruffia had efpoufed its interefts; and Auftria, influenced by private views and engagements, had fometimes hufhed into filence thofe remonftrants against the claims of France, whofe rights of fovereignty were to be made the facrifice of peace. But the fresh pretentions of the French, which have been already mention ed, after the ceffion of the left fide of the Rhine and the admiffion of the principle of fecularization, appeared fo extravagant to both thefe great powers, that they determined to oppofe them: a refolution, in which they were confirmed, or, rather, perhaps, to which they were excited, by that coalition againft France, which quickly followed the naval victory of the Englith at Aboukir. The imperial minifter, who had, at first, fupported the pretenfions of the French to the left bank of the Rhine, on the principle repeatedly ftated, was the first that raised a fiandard of oppofition to their new requifitions, and afterwards determined refilt ance, though the interefts of Pruf fia were in oppofition to thofe of the emperor; though the king had declared that he would oblerve the moft exact neutrality, his minifters thought themfelves equally obliged to proteft against the new preten

fions of the French plenipotenti aries.

The tide was now turned and the tone of the oppofite parties reverfed. The French made one conceffion after another; the deputies of the empire ftood firm; and thofe of the leading powers manifefted a difpofition rather to rife in their demands than fall. The deputation acquiefced, however, in the principal bafes that had been propofed for pacification. They ceded, to the French republic, the conntries on the left bank of the Rhine. They acknowledged the Thalwagg, or middle and navigable ftream of the Rhine, as the boundary of the empire. They admitted the dif tribution that had been propofed of the iflands; the free navigation of that river; the maintenance of the towing paths; the re-establishment of commercial bridges, and the conftruction of new ones, provided their neceffity fhould be acknowledged; and that the confent of the emperor and empire fhould be obtained for erecting them. The deputation renounced all the rights of the empire to the Auftrian Low Countries and to Savoy, as well as to confiderable fiefs of the empire in the Cifalpine republic. It refolved that the fortifications of Ehrenbritftein, fituated on the right bank of the Rhine, fhould be demolished. For the fecurity of Mentz it confented to give up the ifland of St. Pierre, though fituate on the right fide of the Thalwagg. It did not refift the propofition, that the empire fhould not conftruct new fortifications at Kehl and Caffel, within a diftance of three thousand toifes. And, lafily, the deputation of the empire charged itfelf with the particular debts, as well as those contracted

contracted for fupporting the war of the empire, of the ftates on the left bank of the Rhine, which were to be indemnified on the right bank. But, the French plenipotentiaries, though, among other ceffions, they agreed that the laws refpecting emigrants fhould not be applicable either to the countries now ceded to France, or to Mentz, infifted ftill, that they fhould remain in full force, with refpect to the countries which had been already united, and which now formed French departments, and refused to withdraw the troops to the left fide, till a pacification had taken place. They infifted, likewife, on the ceffion of the Frickthal, the toll on the Wezer, and the acquifition of the ifle of Buderich, oppofite Wefel: the continued poffeffion of which ifle, for the fafety of that town, had been refolutely claimed by the minifters of Pruffia; and they declared, in a note of the fixth of December, that if, within feven days, the deputation of the empire fhould not have given and tranfmitted to them a categorical and fatisfactory anfwer, relative to all the points fill in conteftation, their powers would ceafe. A majority of the deputation agreed, without any farther conditions, to the French propofitions. But the minifters of Auftria, Saxony, and Hanover, contending against all farther ceffion, and particularly with regard to the four points of the emigrants, the toll on the Wezer, the ile of Buderich, and the Frickthal, declared that they would never relax from the refolutions they had formed. The two laft, feeing that the majority of the deputies gave way, protested against their vote and left the chamber. The count of Lehr

bach, the Auftrian plenipotentiary, remained, but entered the fanie proteft, and declared, that the contingent of Auftria was ready to march, in order to protect the empire from farther aggreflion. This declaration was a pretty certain proof how the negociation 'would terminate. The approach of the Ruffians had overturned all that had been effected towards peace, in the Auftrian councils and thofe of the other states that adhered to Auftria. On the other hand, the fame circumftance produced an oppofite effect on the cabinet of Berlin, jealous of an alliance between the two empires. It was in confequence, probably, of this difpofition in Pruffia, that the deputation of the empire, on the tenth of December, were compelled, in confequence of the categorical anfwer demanded to the French ultimatum, to fubmit their opinions, and declared that they acceded to al: the articles propofed by the French minilters. But, in making this declaration, they expreffed their hopes that fuch points, as yet wanted more mature examination and farther inveftigation, would be left for definitive regulation, till the formation of the articles of peace. The Pruffian minifters, at the fame time, addreffed a note to the deputation, ftating, that the king, their mafter, unwilling to throw any farther obftacles in the way of peace, by new oppofition in the critical fate in which the empire then flood, and expofe it to new dangers, acceded to the vote of deputation; referving to themselves the power of recommending, likewife, the interefts of Pruffia, at the conclufion of the peace. The conclufum, remitted to the imperial com

miflary,

miffary, was fanctioned; though with expreflions of much diflatisfaction at the impetuofity which they had forced into the negociation. It fays, "The decree of the imperial commiffion, to the deputation of the empire, has fufficient motives to determine it to make ftill farther conceffions, in the prefent circumftances, the commiflioner of his majefty, the emperor, will not oppofe its painful proceeding, fince it believes that thefe will be the means of obtaining peace. But this determination will be entirely mifunderfood, if it fhould be fuppofed to proceed, from any other motives than a defire to avoid any divifion with the deputation of the empire."

As all the eflential parts of the firft bafis of the negociation were now definitively fettled and concluded, nothing remained but to apply the acknowleged principle of indemnity by the means of fecularization, which formed an integral and indivifible part of the future treaty, that the refpective negociators were to conclude. But as this object required mature deliberation, before it came under difcuffion, the French plenipotentiaries declared that they would, in a fhort time, prefent their propofitions on this head to the deputation; which, in the mean time, continued its deliberations on other points, and decreed, on the thirty-first of December, that a note should be prefented to the French minifters, requiring them to realize the promife which they had given of leffening the weight of military contributions on the left fide of the Rhine, of raising the fiege of Ehrenbritftein according to agreement, and that the French republic would take the necellary measures to protect the coun

tries on the right bank, which were ftill occupied, from the arbitrary and vexatious impofitions of French commiffaries. Thefe requifitions, relative to the actual fate of things on the right bank of the Rhine, were almoft immediately anfwered, by a note from the French plenipotentiaries, ftating, that if the diet of the empire confented to admit Ruffian troops into the territory of the empire (above noticed) or if it did not exert all its power to oppofe their entrance, it would be confidered as a violation of the peutrality, on the part of the empire, the negociation at Raftadt would be diffolved, and the republic and the empire would be exactly in the fame pofition, with respect to each other, as they were previous to the fignature of the preliminaries of Leoben, and the conclufion of the armiftice. To this note the minister plenipotentiary of the head of the empire, anfwered, that the French government, instead of giving a fatisfactory anfwer, conformably to the law of nations, to the urgent demands of the empire, relative to the actual pofture of affairs on the right bank of the Rhine, had entered on a new and very different fubject. This object, which was not within the department of the deputation of the empire, count Metternich acquainted the plenipotentiaries, had been fent, agreeably to the conftitution, to be de termined by the empire, united under its head, and that the republic must wait the refult of fuch a determination. That the diet had refolved to take the inftructions of its conftituents, and that it had notified to the deputation of the empire, that no overture, or requifition, had been yet made to the diet to grant a

pailage

paffage to the troops of Ruffia. It was not to be expected that the imperial minifter's anfwer to the remonftrance against the march of the Ruffians into Germany fhould be fatisfactory to the French negociators: to whom it was quite apparent, that the head of the empire was as unwilling as the diet at Ratilbon was unable to bring the point in question to a fpecdy and friendly conclufion.

The Ruffian troops, commanded by the renowned general Suarrow, in number fixty thoufand, and marching in four divifions, of fifteen thousand each, having halted for fome time at Olmutz, and Biltz, in Moravia, arrived at Brunn about the middle of December. The infantry were arranged in the Pruffian uniform, and in fine condition. The Coffacks were accoutred in the Turkish style. They wore long beards, and coats of all colours. Eefides the Turkish lance and fabre, they had piftols and carabines flung to their girdles. The arrival of fo decided and formidable an enemy, to the French republic, was a pleafing and animating fight to the court of Vienna, the Auftrians, and all the partizans of Auftria. The emperor and emprefs, the palatine of Hungary, the duke of Saxe Tefchen, prince Ferdinand of Wirtemberg, prince Efterhazy, the Ruffian amballador count Razamouky, and other perfons of high diftinction, attended by the first regiment of imperial horfe-guards, were prefent at a review, which was welcoming the Ruffians, on the twenty-feventh of December; and admired the quick evolutions and rapid movements of the infantry, and the dexterity and eafe with which the Collacks managed their little, but

hardy and fpirited horfes. The open countenance fhewn to the Ruffians, by the imperial court, was confidered as a declaration of war against the French republic.

The fortrefs of Ehrenbritftein, held in clofe blockade by the French, who made no fcruple of breaking a ftipulation in the armiftice, for the admiffion of a regular fupply of provisions, fo long defended by its natural ftrength, the conftancy of the garrifon, and the military kill of its commander, colonel Faber, at length furrendered, January, 1799. The French found, in Ebrenbritftein, an immenfe quantity of ftores, confifting of 192 pieces of artillery, about 100,000 balls, bombs, and grenades; a million of cartridges; about 450,000 weight of powder; 5,000 mufkets, and other articles in equal profufion. Thofe alone were wanting, which were neceflary for life. The blockade of this place commenced in April, 1797: fo that it was among the longeft in modern hiftory. By the reduction of this place, the French became mafters of the two banks of the Rhine, from Schaff-haufen to Dutleldorf. The poffeffion of thefe places, with that of Mayence, already noticed, opened to them the provinces of Franconia, Hefle, and Weftphalia. At the fame time, the French troops that were ftationed between Cologne and Mayence, along the left of the Rhine, repatling that river, were joined by thote who had formed the blockade of Ebrenbritstein, on the left.

While the note of the French ple nipotentiaries, refpecting the march of the Ruffians, was under the confideration of the diet, at Ratifbon, the French ininifters at Raftadt,

declated

declared to the deputies of the empire, on the thirty-firft of January, that they had orders neither to receive nor remit any note in any of the points of the negociation, till they had received a categorical and fatisfactory anfwer to that which they had remitted, on the fecond of January, relative to the fame fubject. In the mean time the Ruffians continued to advance. The emperor of Germany affembled his troops on the river Lech. And the French army, having, as already obferved, re-crofied the Rhine, penetrated into Suabia, under the command of general Jourdan. Official information of this invafion, was, on the first of March, 1799, communicated to count Metternich, by the French plenipotentiaries, at Raftadt; who remitted to him, by order of the directory, the following proclamation, figned by the prefident, and dated the twentieth of February, 1799: "The troops of his majefty the emperor, king of Hungary and Bohemia, in contempt of the convention concluded at Raftadt, the eleventh of Frimaire, (December the first, 1797), anno. 6, have repaffed the river Inn, and have quitted the hereditary ftates. This movement is connected with the march of the Ruffians, who declare aloud, that they are coming to attack the French republic, and who are already in the dominions of the

which has been granted to them, The emperor, however, has remained filent. The executive di rectory, therefore, finds itself compelled, by the abfolute neceffity of felf-defence, and the obligation im pofed on all governments to provide for their fafety, to command the French armies to take thofe pofitions which the exifting circumftances require. But, at the fame time, it declares, that its wish for peace is unalterable: and, the moment that his majefty the emperor fhall announce, by an amicable declaration, that the Ruffians have evacuated his territories, and that his troops have returned to the pofitions regulated by the convention, at Raftadt, the French armies fhall alfo re-enter their former limits."

This proclamation was accompa nied by an addrefs from general Jourdan, to his army, on their entrance into Germany. It was dated, February the twenty-eighth, and was conceived in the fame fpirit with that of the proclamation, as far as it related to political objects. It alfo enjoined the ftricteft military difcipline under the fevereft penalties. The French minifters, in a note which they remitted at the fame time to count Metternich, fignified, that they were authorized to declare, that the march of the army ought not to be confidered in any other light than that of a precaution neceffitated by circumftances; that the defire of peace, on the part of the French government, continued to be ardent and fincere; and that the directory perfifted in the intention of concluding peace, with the empire, on the fuppofition always, that the empire would declare itfelf against the march of the Ruffans.