CHA P. IV. Principle or Spirit of the Treaty of Campo-Formio.-Strictures thereon.-Exultation of the French.-Parties in France.-Their mutual Abhorrence of each other.-Their Reciprocal Animofity, influenced by new Jealoufies and Apprehenfions.--Confpiracy of Loyalifts difcovered. Addrefs of Lewis, called by the Royalifts the XVIII.-And refolute Exertions of his Party throughout France. Decree, obliging the Public Functionaries to fwear Hatred to Royalty. Return of new Members to the French Republican Legifature. -French Troops fent to St. Domingo.-Excessive Profufion of the French Executive Government.-Frauds and Collufions, detrimental to the Public Revenue. Enormous encrease of the Public Debt.Various Mifmanagements.—Strictures of many Members of both Councils, and others on the Continuance of War, and Extenfion of ConqueЛis-The Lenity and Moderation of this Party, in Favour of Peace, encourages Attempts in Favour of Peaceable Loyalifs.—Severe Decrees against this Clafs of Loyalifs, newmodelled and mitigated. THE HE fecrecy with which the contents of this treaty were concealed from the public, fufficiently proved how confcious the contracting powers were of the diffatisfaction they would excite when they came to be known. The difrefpectful, and it may be faid, the arbitrary manner in which they difpofed of the interefts and deftiny of fo many princes, who, though inferior to them in power, ftill were independent fovereigns, plainly fhewed their total difregard for all that were not able to command it. Their confiderations feemed wholly confined to themselves. Equity and decorum were entirely laid afide in this clandeftine arrangement of their reciprocal concerns, or at beft not farther con fulted than fuited their conveniency. Of all the facrifices that were made to that felfifh and ambitious fpirit, which dictated this private convention, the deftruction of Venice gave moft offence, as well as furprize, to all the people in Europe. So hard a destiny was expected neither by the Venetians nor others. They had been organized, conformably to the democratical fyftem, and the majority of the inhabitants, throughout the dominions of Venice, were firmly attached to republican principles. The French plan of government having, at the period of their fubmiffion, been fettled and acquiefced in with the evident fatisfaction of all claffes, but that of the the nobles, many of whom were Lot averfe to it, the public imagined that the only change in the fate of Venice, would be from an aristocratic to a democratical republic. This alteration had alfo been introduced as a punifliment on the nobles, who alone were reprefented as inimical to the French, the commonalty being reputed warmly devoted to them. By the terms of the treaty between Venice and the French, and which thefe agreed punctually to fulfil, though all its poffeffions were ceded to the French, yet part of them were to be restored on the final fettlement of affairs in Italy. A large fum of money, no less than eighty millions of livres, had at the fame time been paid to them, by way of atonement and compenfation, Thefe various circumftances induced the public to expect, that content with the transforming of Venice from a lordship, as it was ftyled, to a popular state, the French would have left it in that condition, which would have placed it on the fame footing as the Cifalpine and Ligurian republics. This too was confidered, by fome very fhrewd politicians, as the fureft method of preferving Italy from the yoke of Auftria, as thole three republics would in all liklihood unite for their common defence against the attempts of that dangerous neighbour to recover his former domains. But all these expectations were at once fruftrated, by the ceffion not only of feveral of the provinces of Venice, but of the very capital of that ancient ftate, to the houfe of Aufiria. This, in fact, was to annihilate all hopes that Venice would ever again refume its station in the political fyftem of Europe: VOL. XXXIX. experience having long proved, that every country, that fell into the polfeffion of that family, had never recovered its primitive fituation, but through the most violent ftruggles, and the most extraordinary and unexpected events. The friends to liberty had beheld, with marked fatisfaction, the abolition of the Venetian fenate, and efpecially of the council of ten, and of the inquifition of ftate. The election of fifty individuals, by the fuffrages of the community, with fix commiffarios nominated by Buonaparte, had been greatly approved of, as a very fair and equitble government. As it had continued feveral months, and been exercifed with moderation, an idea had naturally prevailed, that it would have remained unaltered, and the inhabitants enjoyed their new acquired freedom. It was therefore with deep regret and indignation, that thefe found, that they were to be stripped of what they began to confider as their conftitutional rights, and delivered over to the dominion of Auftria: a power of which they well knew the def potic maxims, and dreaded to become the fubjects more than ever; fince the introduction among them of French principles and regula tions. The commonalty, which felt a particular partiality to thefe, bitterly complained, that they fhould have experienced them to no other purpose, than to grieve for their lofs, when fubjected to the severity of the Auflrian government. Thus ended, for the prefent, the conteft between France and Auftria, to the great fatisfaction of the people of both countries. In France, the exultation was boundless. imitation of the precedents of for[E] In mer mer times, the reign of Lewis the XIV. particularly, calculations of the number of victories and trophies won by the French armies were pompously diftributed to all the members and departments of government, and published with much fplendour and folemnity in all parts of the republic. In thefe it was ftated, that the French had been victorious in two hundred and fixty engagements, thirty of them pitched battles. Of their enemies upwards of one hundred and fifty thoufand had been flain, and near two hundred thoufand made prifoners. About eight thoufand pieces of Cannon had been taken, and one hundred and eighty thoufand mufkets. Thefe atchievements had taken place within the space of three years and a half, commencing with September, 1793, and ending with February, 1797. Since which, upwards of twenty thoufand more of the Auftrians had either been killed or taken during the hoftilities that preceded the armiftice, and preliminary pacification, concluded in April following, between France and the emperor. While the arms of France were obtaining fo many fucceffes abroad, the internal peace of that country was continually fhaken, by the irreconcileable difpofition of thofe who oppofed the prefent conftitution. Stung with refentment at the many dilappointments they had experienced in their efforts to overturn it, thefe, inflead of relaxing, had rather enereafed their refolution to perfevere, and fell in the attempt, fhould fuch a fate attend them, than defift from what they looked upon as equally a point of honour and of duty. Such ftill continued to be the character of that refolute party which oppofed the republic, and was determined, at all hazards, to labour for its deftruction, and the restoration of monarchy. These two objects were inceffantly in their contemplation. The blood that had been fo profufely and vainly fhed for their accomplishment was confidered only a just and neceflary tribute, which every loyal fubject fhould hold himself under the most confcientious obligation to pay, when fummoned to do it by those who bore the lawful commiffion of the fovereign, and whenever any profpect appeared of acting to advantage in his fervice. Thefe principles were ftrongly current among large numbers in every part of France. The perfecution and fufferings which thofe, who profeffed them, were liable to undergo, did not seem to make much impreffion upon them: undeterred by the vigilance, with which their motions were watched, they acted together with a concert and boldnefs that expofed thein to perpetual detection. But fuch was their courage and firmness, that they took little or no care to conceal their principles. Their conduct, in fact, bordered on temerity, their zeal being fuch as to overleap all the bounds of difcretion, and to fet their oppreffors at defiance. Among men of this defcription it was not difficult to find agents, as well as adherents, by thofe ftrenuous friends to royalty, who ftill abounded in France: the ftaunch republicans dreading the effects of this unconquerable antipathy to their caufe, and alarmed by the frequent intelligence of threatened infurrections, contracting on their OF fide a rancour against the royalifts, of the principal confpirators had and a thirst of revenge that induced been arrested. them to pry into all their actions, with a fufpicion that fell upon the moft innocent, and that fought for plots and machinations against the eftablifhed order of things, in the commoneft intercourfe between thofe individuals, who were either known or fufpected to incline to what was termed royalifm. This being the relative fituation of the partizans of the commonwealth and the monarchy, it was natural that they fhould hold each other in abhorrence. Thofe of the republican party, who favoured moderate measures, and who, though true to their own fide, were difpofed to treat their antagonists with lenity, incurred, on many occafions, the imputation of being unfteady in their principles: and yet, the only charge that could be brought against them was, that of endeavouring to mitigate the fpirit of enmity that prompted men to unneceflary acts of feverity, and to perfuade them to reft contented with thofe precautions that deprived their adverfaries of the means of executing their inimical intentions, without punishing them merely for entertaining fentiments contrary to their own. The nation was deeply involved in this conflict of repugnant ideas and interefts, when new jealoufies and apprehenfions arofe, to add fresh fuel to the flame of reciprocal animofity. On the twelfth of Pluviole, (January the thirty-firft, 1797), the directory informed the council of five hundred, that a confpiracy had been carried on against the republic, by the emiflaries of the late king's brother, ftyling himfelf king of France, and that four or According to the report of the minifter of police, there had been for a confiderable time, perfons in Paris, commiffioned by that prince, to correfpond with his partifans in all the departments, and to ganize the plan of an infurrection. After preparing their own people, they next ventured to make application to fome officers in the republican army, in hope of bringing them over to their party. Ramel, commander of the guards, attending the directory, was tampered with, as was also Malo, the commanding officer of a regiment of dragoons. They both feigned an approbation of the propofals made to them; but informed the minifter of the police of the bufinefs in agitation. A place was appointed where he might over-hear the difcourfe between thefe officers and the royal commiflioners. Thither he repaired, and they difclofed, in his hearing, the whole plan of the confpiracy, producing, at the fame time, their powers, and the papers relating to it. They were immediately feized, by his orders. Their names were Duverne, Duprale, known alfo by the name of Dunant, and who acknowledged, upon examination, that he had aflumed feveral others; Laville Harnois, formerly belonging to the court of the laic king; Brothier, who appeared, by papers found upon him, to be in the confidence of Lewis XVIII; and a perfon called baron Poly. They were accufed of having endeavoured to fe duce the above-mentioned officers into a confpiracy against the republic, in which they were to be affifted by England. Had their defign fucceeded, and a counter revo[E2] lution lution been effected in favour of relating to France. He detailed, Lewis, deeds of a moft atrocious in the minutest manner, the multinature were to have enfued. That prince was, at his refioration, to have affumed the mafk of clemency, and to have iffued an act of oblivion: but this was to have been declared null and void by the parliament, after his power had been firmly fettled, and the ancient courts of judicature re-established: other acts of perfidy were to have accompanied this one. The leading members of the prefent legislature were to have been taken into favour, and promoted: but condemned to punishment on the first opportunity. Other frauds and barbarities were mentioned, fuch as expofing La Fayette in an iron cage, and fentencing to the gallies the inferior actors in the revolution. If the ftrength of the royalifts proved infufficient for their purpofes, the jacobins and terrorifts were to have been reforted to for aid, en plaufible pretexts. Such were the principal charges againft the four perfons arrefted. As their answers did not invalidate them, they were ordered, by the directory, to be tried before a military tribunal, as falling under the accufation of having levied forces to be employed against the ftate. The chief agent among them appeared to be Dunant. He gave in a declaration of the proceedings relating to this confpiracy, that reprefented it, as well as his agency therein, in fo remarkable, and, at the fame time, in fo firange and perplexed a light, that it excited great doubt of his veracity. He affumed the character of a man refolved to communicate all the tranfactions to which he was privy, and in which he had bean concerned, plicity of intrigues carried on, at home and abroad, againft the republic, fpecifying facts and perfons with the moft circumstantial accuracy. His object, by making these difcoveries, was, he faid, to fruftrate the attempts of the enemies to the commonwealth, and to enable it the more readily to crufh them, by being forewarned in time. The part that England acted in thefe tranfac tions was very particularly defcribed. According to his report, the British miniftry was at the bottom of every defign meditated against France, and fpared no expence to forward their execution. Nothing, in fhort, was omitted, on the part of this ancient rival, to overturn its prefent, and to reflore its former, government. But notwithstanding the utility, which the royal caufe expected to derive from England, the king, he faid, meaning Lewis XVIII. and his council, had always been of opinion, that the fervices of England were perfidious, and tending to no other end than the ruin of France. This declaration made much noife at the time, and gave occafion to a variety of fpeculations. The detection of this confpiracy coinciding with the period immedi ately preceding the annual change of one-third of the legiflature, awakened the fufpicions of government, and induced them to imagine, that their opponents would exercise all their influence throughout the nation, to render the enfuing election of members, to replace those that vacated their feats, unfavourable to the views of the prefent rulers. Herein they were not deceived. Every fpecies of oppofition, vio lence |