for the powers, whom Pruffia had engaged in the coalition, induced it to make a previous trial of the opinion that Europe would form of fo unexpected a meafure. Its private emillaries were directed, fo early as the beginning of October, 1794, to circulate a report that France and Pruffa had concluded a fecret peace, which was in a fhort time to be made public. This report produced an effect that perfectly anfwered the views of Pruflia. It was received with almost univerfal fatisfaction, and encouraged the court of Berlin to realife it without delay. A trufty agent was immediately dispatched to open a formal negotiation; and he was fhortly followed by an ambaffador, openly commiffioned to treat with the French minifter, at Bafle, Mr. Barthelemy. The Pruffian ambassador on this occafion was baron Goltz, who had formerly filled that ftation at Paris, where his abilities and moderation had procured him much efteem. The refpect he was held in, by the French, contributed greatly to forward the treaty; when, to the furprife and the regret of the public, he fell ill, and was carried off in a few days, not without fufpicions of poifon; which were, unhappily, not difcountenanced on the opening of his body. As the enemies to France, and the peace projected, were fufpected, it was fome time before any perfon would undertake an cffice feemingly accompanied with fo much danger as that of a pacificator. Another was at length appointed, Mr. Hardenberg, a gentleman lefs unacceptable to the friends of the coalition. The French negotiators, conformably to thofe ideas of acting in the face of the world, which appeared moft con fiftent with the fpirit of republicans, refufed, at first, to admit of fecret articles; and it required an explicit order from the committee of public fafety to alter their determination. This committee had, it feems, either forefeen or experienced the difficulties that would arise by departing from long authorised ufages; and infifted on the dangerous parade of adhering to auflere maxims, that carried with them more haughtiness than integrity. The articles of this treaty were entirely favourable to France, fuch, indeed, was the temper, as well as the fituation, of the French at this time, that no others would have been admitted. The Pruffian territories on the left bank of the Rhine were ceded to France, and those only on the right reftored to Pruffia. The regulations, for the internal fettlement of the countries thus ceded, were referred, for final discusfion, to the period of a general peace between France and Germany. It was agreed that a cellation of hoftilities thould take place, and continue in the north of Germany, which henceforth fhould be confidered as neutral ground, and that thofe princes whole dominions lay on the right fide of the Rhine, fhould be entitled to make proposals to France, and to be favourably treated, in behalf of whom the king of Pruffia fhould interpofe his good offices The conclufion of this treaty, which was presented to the convention, upon the tenth of April, for its approval and ratification, filled the members of this affembly, and the friends to the republic, with the highest exultation. It was the firft acknowledgement of the republic formally made by any of the great powers powers of Europe; and this power was precifely that very one which bad been foremost in the coalition. The French people at large conceired ftrong hopes, from this circumfance, that a general pacification would be effected, though the intervention of the Pruffian miniftry, as the ceflation of fo principal a member of the coalition would neceffarily weaken it; and the influence of that member over the remaining, might prevail upon them to follow its exemple. It was not, in the mean time, without violent debates, that the rigid republicans confented to allow of the intertion of fecret articles in this, or in any, treaty. They pleaded the precedent of the Romans, whole treaties with their enemies had always been open and public to the world. As it would be unworthy of fo great a republic as that of France to condefcend to any meannels, there could be no neceffity for concealment of its tranfactions with foreign powers. Secrecy, in this cafe, would infinuate, that it had either committed or permitted fomething too degrading to its dignity to be divulged. The anfwer to this objection was, that the motive for affenting to fecret articles might proceed from a defire not to bumble and mortify thofe who requefied fecrecy. Moderation, in profperity, could never be better proved than by abftaining from that inlaiting difplay of fuperiority, which expofed to the world the degree of humiliation to which an enemy had been obliged to fubmit. After a long difcuffion it was decreed, that fecret articles might be allowed, provided they did not contradict thofe that were made in public. Having thus fuccefsfully accom plished that object they had fo long a laying fiege to the town, the inundations from rain and melted fnows obliged them to defift. After lying three weeks in a state of inaction, they took poffeffion of a rifing ground near the town; and, erecting a battery of heavy cannon, battered it fo effectually, that a general affault was refolved upon; but the garrifon, apprehending fuch an intention, evacuated the town in the night preceding the day it was to have been affaulted. A fmall party that remained furrendered at difcretion; and the inhabitants were promifed kind ufage, and experien ced it accordingly. This event took place on the fifth of January, 1795. From this time till May the Spaniards remained inactive, not daring to move from the ftrong holds they occupied in the mountainous parts of the province; and the French were taken up in preparations to march into the interior diftricts of the kingdom, and to endeavour to penetrate even to the metropolis. Some of the Spanish commanders, however, ftruck with fhame at the fpiritlefs behaviour of their countrymen, exerted themfelves to revive their drooping courage, and, having assembled a confiderable body, vigorously attacked a corps of French on the fifth of May, near the town of Siftella; but thefe, after a warm difpute, were completely victorious; and the defeat of the Spaniards was fuch, that they gave up all expectations of being able to make an effectual ftand before fo victorious an enemy. The French were fo elated with their continual fucceffes, that one of their generals, in whofe camp fome fpies had been detected, fent them to the Spanish quarters, with a letter, informing the enemy of his ftrength, pofition, and defigns. This was general Moncey, an offi cer of note, who concluded his letter by telling the Spanish commander, that as foon as he had received the reinforcement he expected, he would drive him and his army out of Bifcay and Navarre. So confident were the French, and fo depreffed the Spaniards, that no doubt was entertained by either that he would execute his threats; after which the way would lie open to him as far as Madrid. It was ob vious, that no army, nor fortified city remained to obftruct his march. The peafantry were a wretched and heartless race, worn down by poverty and oppreffion; and the inha bitants of the towns were an idle and indolent generation, debated by fuperftition, and grown incapable of manly exertions. In this extremity, the court of Madrid faw no other expedient to extricate itfelf from unavoidable ruin, than to have recourse to an immediate treaty with the French republic, and to obtain peace, on any terms that might be demanded. All refources had been exhausted; the nobility, the gentry, the clergy, the monaftic orders, had all contributed: the orders of knighthood, which have large poffeflions in Spain, had lately made liberal donations to government, befides a tax, laid on their cftates, of eight per cent. No clafs, in fhort, had been remifs. in pecuniary affiftance to the state: but want of perfonal fpirit, or difcontent at the meafures purfued by the miniftry, feemed to pervade the mass of the nation. Under the conscioufnels of fuch a fituation, the court of Madrid came to a determination to to detach itself from a confederacy the coalition of two fuch members wherein it had been so unfortunate. as Pruffia and Spain, added to that France was no lefs willing to di- ftill greater lofs the feven united inish the coalition, by the fe- provinces, excited in the enemies ceffion of fo powerful a member as to the French republic, the greatest Spain, which, under more kilful alarm for the two remaining memmanagement, might have proved a bers, Auftria and Great Britain. moft dangerous enemy. A treaty of If the former and the latter, when peace was accordingly concluded united and in full ftrength, unimbetween them at Bafle, on the paired by loffes or defection, had twenty-fecond of July, by Mr. failed in their endeavours to bring Barthelemy, on the part of France, France to fubmiffion, it was not ard Don Domingo Dyriante, on the probable that after the repeated part of Spain. The conditions defeats of their armies, and the were, that France fhould reftore to diffolution of the confederacy, those Spain all her conquefts in that king- two powers only should be able to da, and that Spain fhould cede to effect what all the five together France all its part of the island of could not compafs. These reafonHifpaniola, in the Weft Indies, to- ings appeared certainly well-foundgether with all its artillery and ed; but it ought alfo to be conmilitary ftores. Spain agreed to re- fidered, that none of these coalefced cognife the French, and the Batavian, powers agreed fundamentally in or Dutch republic; and France con- their views, and were guided by fented to the interpofition of Spain, feparate interefts in whatever they in favour of Naples, Sardinia, Par- propofed. Had they fucceeded in ma, and Portugal. their first attack of France, it was well understood, that their designs upon that kingdom were of a nature to fet them quickly at variance with each other. Reduced from five to two, the agreement between these feemed to promife the more. permanency, that their refpective arms, by the distance of their objects, could not easily clash together. There were two articles in this treaty highly inimical to Great Britain, the ceffion of the Spanish part of Hifpaniola to France, and the engagement on the part of Spain, to employ every means in its power to detach Portugal from its prefent alliance with Great Britain against the French republic. The lofs to CHAP. 9 CHAP. IV. A Pacification between the Convention and the Infurgents in La Vendee.-On Terms very favourable to the latter.-Yet they again rife in Arms.— Action between the Republicans and Emigrants, with other Loyalists, near Quiber.—Defeat and Difaflers of the Loyalists.-Their Capture or total Excifion.-A British Squadron reduces and fortifies L'Ile Dieu.—New Arrangements in Holland.-Enormous Contributions.-The Convention highly elated with the Successes of their Armies.-Difribution of theje.— Difirefes of the French People.And thofe of the Conquered Countries.Reduction of the Fortress of Luxembourg-And Mentz invefted by the French.-Who cross the Rhine.-Campaign on that River.-Succeffes of the French-And Lofjes.-Tide of Success turned in Favour of the Auftrians.-A Junction between the French Armies, under Jourdan and Pichegru, checks the Victorious Career of the Außrians.-Manheim retaken from the French.—Campaign on the Italian Frontiers of France.— Situation of the Interior of France.—And general Temper of the French Nation. Extreme Animefity and Licentioufnefs of abufice Language.Meajure of Convention for Refraining this.—And fecuring the Liberty of Religious Worship. N event of greater importance the fall of Roberfpierre, conciliation amples had been publicly made of the principal perpetrators of the cruelties in La Vendée, and of the barbaritics exercifed on the unhappy royalifts at Nantes and other places. This, together with that proclamation, which was iffued on the first of December, in the preceeding year, had prepared the minds of the infurgents to receive amicably the various offers of amity and protection which were held out to them by the moderate party, that, happily for France, had now the di a foreign enemy, had, in the mean- The majority of the infurgents had availed themfelves of thefe of fers; but numbers ftill adhered to their chiefs. Accustomed by the predatory |