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individuals, apprehended on the fulpicion of labouring under the dangerous and dreadful malady in question, amenable to fummary justice, and thereby more effectually to provide for the public fecurity. It was propofed by the claufe, to prevent fuch individuals from being bailed, in any circumftances, without the concurrence of one of thofe magiftrates who committed him, except by the judges, or at the quarter feffions of the peace.

The fecond claufe proceeded on a principle fimilar to the firft, namely, fecurity; but more efpecially with a reference to the perfonal fafety of the fovereign. It was well known that perfons labouring under this deplorable calamity had an unaccountable propenfity to intrude themselves into the refidence of his majefty. No lefs than four inftances of this kind, more or lefs alarming, had occurred fince the affair of Hadfield. As much as was poffible to remedy this evil, the claufe propofed by the chancellor would authorize the fecretary, or fome other high officer of ftate, to apprehend and detain perfous of that defcription, found in fuch fufpicious circumftances, and to caufe a committee of inquiry to take place: and, in cafe the individual fhould be found really infane, to take the moft effectual fteps for fecuring them. Both thefe claufes, after fome oppofition by the earl of Stanhope, who complained of the new regulations as oppreffive, the claufes were agreed to, and inferted: and the bill, through the ufual ftages, palled into a law. This was a

ftriking infiance of the origin of laws in particular and accidental circumftances.

On the twenty-ninth, the parlia ment was prorogued to the feventh day of October. The king, in his fpeech from the throne on this occafion, expreffed his peculiar fatisfaction at the fuccefs of the steps which had been taken for effecting an entire union between his kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. a measure which he fhould ever confider as the happieft event of his reign. He expreffed great concern at the fevere preffure on his people from the continued fcarcity" of the feafon, but trufted that the approaching harveft would afford a' fpeedy and effectual relief. With regard to our foreign war, he faid, that the courfe of the campaign on the continent had, by a fudden re- • verfe, difappointed the fanguine hopes which the fituation of affairs, at its commencement, appeared fully to juftify, and had unhappily again expofed a confiderable part of Europe to thofe calamities and dangers from which it had recently been refcued, by the brilliant fuccefs of his allies. But notwithstanding the viciffitudes of war he trufted, that, through the conftancy and firmnels of his parliament, he fhould be enabled, in conjunction with his allies, to promote the general interefts, and to provide, under every circumftance, for the honour of his crown, the happinefs of his fubjects, and the fecurity and welfare of the BriThe viciffitudes of tifh empire. war alluded to by his majelty, we now proceed to relate.

CHAP.

CHA P. IX.

The Ceffation of Arms in the discontented Provinces of France not Universal. -Correfpondence between Loyalift Chiefs and the English Fleet.—Supplies received by the Chouaus from England.—Conciliatory Measures perfecered in by Buonaparte.-Determination to Ufe force where thefe fail.-Part of the Royalifts agree to Terms of Peace-Part remains in Arms and Hoftility to the Republic.-Laws of the Royalifts among themfelves.-Proclamations of General Brune, Commander-in-Chief of the French Army of England. Various Skirmishes.-The Chiefs of the Royalifts, one after the other, lay down their Arms.-General Pacification between the Republicans and the Inhabitants of the Wejern Departments.-Caption and Death of the heroic Count Lewis de Frotté..

NOTWITHSTANDING the Fourmont, and de Chatillon, that

anxious endeavours of Buonaparte to imprefs the whole French nation with a conviction of his moderation, humanity, and love of juftice and peace, and all that had been proclaimed by the new government, in order to reflore peace in the weft, it was only d'Autichamp,

agreed to a ceffation of arms. The other infurgent chiefs perfevered in hoftile acts and defigns, and kept up a correfpondence with the Englih fleet on the coaft of Britanny.Three English frigates had fucceeded in landing four field-pieces, a large quantity of ammunition, and

* Great numbers of the loyalifts, on the faith of government, had returned, and were daily returning to France: among which fome of these were not only restored to their country, but were again put in poffeffion of their eftates, or as much of them as it was at all practicable by any means to restore, without violating the new tenures of Landed property. Among this number was the marquis de la Fayette, and the companions of his flight and exile; Alexander la Meth, the marquis de Puzey, the chevalier de Grave, minifter at-war, during the first year of 1791. La Fayette, with his family, returned in December to his caftle of Fontenoy, near Chaume, in the department of Seine and Marne. The duchefs of Arenberg too, and other Flemish emigrants returned to France and the enjoyment of their property there. All thofe who quitted France in 1792, at the fime time that they did, alfo returned; nor was there any doubt entertained but all the emigrants, known by the name of Conftitutionalists, would be permitted to return. A number of those who had been exiled by the directory, without any previous trial, being alfo recalled, as above obferved, returned to France, in which number was Carnot, Barrere, Barthelemy, Boiffy d'Anglas, and Dumolard. Pichegrue was not permitted to return. Even the perfons juft mentioned were reftricted to certain limits, on the pain of being held as emigrants. Sir Robert Barclay, an English gentleman, who had been clofely confined, in the tower of the Temple, for more than a year, by orders of the directory, was fent for by Buonaparte, who, after a civil converfation, fet him at complete liberty, without any condition or restriction.

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provifions, and fome chefts of filver; all which fupplies were received near Muzillac, by a body of ten thousand Chouans, who were provided with fixty or eighty waggons. The waggons when filled with the ftores and provifions were immediately buried in the earth.The troops, employed afterwards in efcorting thele ftores, were attacked by a body of republican troops, infantry and cavalry, amounting to two thousand. This body fet out from Vannes, and came up with the loyalifts about a mile and a half from St. Nelt. The engagement which enfùed continaed from the morning to four o'clock in the afternoon. The loyalifts fuffered the lofs of two hundred men, in dead and wounded, all of whom, however, they carried off, with the convoy, to Plendrem. The clofe of the day, and the want of provifions, obliged the republicans to fall back to Vannes. In the mean time, while the royalifts in their proclamations infifted on two principles, the reftoration of their lawful king, and the defence of the country against the foldiers of Buonaparte. The chief conful, perfevering in meafures of conciliation, abolished the oath of hatred to kings and monarchical government, and fubftituted in its place a fimple declaration of fidelity to the conftitution. But the chief conful, perceiving the inefficacy of his conciliatory measures, in which he had perfevered for two months, for the reftoration of tranquillity and order in the weft, began to change that tone of moderation, which had hitherto characterized his government. On the eleventh of January, 1800, the confuls addreffed the inhabitants of the deVOL. XLII.

partments of the weft as follows:

Every thing that reafon could' fuggeft, the government has done to restore peace and tranquillity to your dwellings. After long forbearance, ftill farther time has been granted for repentance. A great number of citizens have been brought to a fense of their errors, and have rallied round the government, which, without hatred or revenge, without fear or fufpicion, protects all citizens alike, and punifhes thofe who defpife their duty. There no longer remain any in arms against France, except fome men without faith, as without country, fome perfidious inftruments of a foreign foe, or brigands, black with guilt, whom indulgence itfelf knows not how to pardon. The fafety of the ftate, and the fecurity of citizens require that fuch men fhould perifh by the fword, and fall under the axe of national juftice. A longer forbearance would be a triumph. to the enemies of the republic.A valiant force only waits the fignal to difperfe and deftroy thele brigands, if that fignal must be given. National guards join the force of your arms to that of the troops of the line. If you know among you any partizans of the brigands arreft them. Let them no where find an afylum against the foldier who purfues them. And if there be any traitors who fhould dare to receive and defend them. let them perish along with them! Inhabitants of the departments of the weft, on this laft effort depends the tranquillity of your country, the fafety of your families, the fecurity of your properties. By the fame blow you will deftroy those wretches who ftrip you, and the enemy who purchafe and pay for their crimes" [M]

On

On the fame day the confuls decreed,

Ift. That no general, or public functionary fhould correfpond, in any fhape or under any pretext whatever with the leaders of the rebels.

2d. That the national guards of all the communes fhould take up arms and expel the brigands from their territories.

3d. That the communes, whofe population exceeded five thoufand inhabitants fhould furnish moveable columns, in order to affift other communes of a lefs numerous population.

4th. That whatever commune fhould afford an afylum, or protection to the brigands, fhould be treated as rebels; and that fuch in habitants as fhould be taken with arms in their hands, fhould be inftantly put to the fword.

5th. That every individual, who inftigated rebellion and armed refiftance, fhould inftantly be fhot.

6th. That the general who commanded the army of the weft fhould put in force all the neceffary regulations for organizing the national guards, as well as for prefcribing the diftricts which these communes were to watch over and protect: and, that he should issue orders for all the troops, the free companies, and the moveable columns in the pay of the republic, to be exclufively employed in clearing the country, and in purfuing the rebels. Buonaparte, on the day after that in which he fent the proclamation to the inhabitants, fent one alfo to the army of the weft; in which he told then that the mafs of the welldifpofed inhabitants had laid down their arms, and that there now remained only robbers, emigrants,

and hirelings of Britain, “ French men hired by Britain! This could not be done but by men without forefight, without heart, and without honour. March against them, you will not be called on to fhew any great exertion of valour. The army is compofed of more than fixty thousand brave men. Let me learn fhortly that the chiefs of the rebels have lived. Let the generals fhew the example of their activity. Glory is to be required only by fatigues. If it could be acquired by a refidence in great towns, or in good quarters, every man would be in poffeffion of it. You must brave the intemperance of the feafons, the froft, the frow, the exceffive cold. of the nights: you muft furprize your enemy at the break of day, and exterminate thofe wretches who are a dishonour to the French name. Make a brief but brilliant campaign. Be inexorable to brigands, but obferve a severe discipline."

The expiration of the armiftice, between the Chouans and general Hedoville, was fixed at the feventh of January, 1800, but it was afterwards prolonged. A short time before the period just mentioned, the divifion of the royalifts, under Chatillon, accepted and figned the conditions of peace.— And as other divifions were confidently expected in like manner to do the fame, it was decreed by general Brune, who had been appointed to the chief command of the army in the difcontented provinces, that it should no longer be called by the name of the army of the weft, but by that of the army of England; an infinuation that all Frenchmen were foon to be united, and to fall on England. When general

general Brune was appointed to the chief command of the western army, in the council of ftate, being a member of that body, he rofe up and faid, In the two-fold character of a general officer, and a counfellor of state, I am flattered with the choice which, on the prefent occafions, has been made of me, by the first conful. The talk impofed on me is a painful one, but I will undertake to unite the French whatever may be their opinions. Those who are not to be influenced by reafon, I will reduce by force of aims. Those who have been led into error, I will pardon. These fhall be the principles of my con duct; but, I will never forget that weakness is not lefs an enemy to moderation than to firmnefs. It is that which is the ruin of the republics: may the deluded inhabitants of the weft return into the bofom of their country; but, may they return as penitent children."

The conciliatory measures purfued by the French government, and particularly the fecond proclamation of Buonaparte,, on the eleventh of January; produced the defired effect on part of the loy, alifts, while others continued fill in the refolution to maintain their General Autichamp, who had accepted the armistice at the fame time with Chatillon, employed his influence among the Chouans, in the department of Deux Levres, in favour of peace, with fuccefs. The armiftice he told them was prolonged, and he conjured them to do nothing in violation of its conditions. They liftened to his advice, and remained peaceably at their respective homes. The example of d'Autichamp was fuccefsfully imitated by Bourmont and

other chiefs Few parties of Chouans were to be feen in departments where they had lately appeared in great force. The courier between Nantz and l'Orient reported, as fomething extraordinary, on the fif teenth of January, that he had not feen a fingle Chouan all the way between thefe cities.

General Brune, on arriving at his head-quarters, at Angers, in a letter to the minifter-at-war, dated the twenty-firft of January, faid, "I enter this day on my command of the army. General Hedoville has been pleased to act as my lieutenant; he commands the left wing of my army. The ineftimable general Hedoville has united the inhabitants of La Vendée in peace; I fhall henceforth find the Chouans tractable." Thus every thing, in fome quarters, wore a peaceful afpect. This was by no means the cafe in every diftrict and depart ment. A body of fix hundred Chouans was cantoned at Soublans, with the defign of roufing the inhabitants to arms: this party was difperfed by general Nevot, with the lofs of one hundred mufkets, and fome prifoners. Confiderable parties of Chouans, in the depart ment of the Eure and Loire, were difperfed, by the arrival of a moveable columu at Noyent le Ration; but, in other parts, the war on the part of the royal:fts allumed a more ferious afpect. In the principal towns and villages of the department of Dinan, in Britanny, the following injunctions were publifhed, in placards or hand-bills, fuck up on the high walls, and in all the places of general refort:

1t. All public officers, not being priefts, who fhall receive any act of marriage, at the hands of men, [ M 2]

under,

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