60] 
for the powers, whom Prussia had 
engaged in the coalition, induced 
it to make a previous trial of the 
opinion that Europe would form of 
so unexpected a measure. Its pri- 
vate emissaries were directed, so 
early as the beginning of Ottober, 
1794, to cireulate a report thar 
France and Prussia had concluded a 
secret peace, which was in a short 
time to be made public. This re- 
port produced ‘an effect that per- 
fectly answered the views of Prussia. 
It was received withalmost univer- 
sal satisfaction, and encouraged the 
court of Berlin to realise it without 
delay. A trusty agent was imme- 
diately. dispatched to open a formal 
negotiation ;\ and he was shartly 
followed by an ambassador, openly 
commissioned to treat with the 
French minister, at Basle, M. Bar- 
thelemy. The Prussianambassador on 
this occasion was baron Goltz, who 
had formerly filled that station at Pa. 
tis, where his abilities and modera- 
tion had procured him much esteem, 
The respe&t he was held in, by the 
French, contributed greatly to for- 
ward the treaty; when, to the sur- 
prise and the regret of the public, 
he fell 111, and was carried off in a 
few days, not without suspicions of 
poison; which were, unhappily, 
not discountenanced on the opening 
of his body. As the enemies to 
France, and the peace projected, 
were suspetted, it was some time 
before any person would undertake 
‘an office seemingly accompanied 
withso much danger as that ef apa- 
cificator. Another was at length 
appointed, M. Hardenberg, a 
‘gentleman less unacceptable to the 
friends of the coalition. The French 
negotiators, conformably to those 
ideas of aéting in the face of the 
world, which appeared most con- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
sistent with the spirit of republi- 
cans, refused, at first to admit of 
secret articles; and it required an_ 
explicit order from the committee 
of public safety to alter their deter- 
mination. This committee had, it’ 
seems, cither foreseen or experienced 
the difficulties that would arise by 
departing from long authorized 
usages; and insisted on the danger- 
ous parade of adhering to austere 
maxims, that carried with them 
more haughtiness than integrity. 
The articles of this treaty were 
entirely favourable to France, such, 
indeed, was the temper, as well as 
the situation, of the French at this 
time, that no others would have 
been admitted. The Prussian terri- 
tories on the left bank of the Rhine 
were ceded to France, and those 
only on the right restored to Prussia. 
The regulations for the internal 
settlement of the countries thus ced- 
ed, were referred, for final discus- 
sion, to the period of a general 
peace between France and Germa- 
ny. It was agreed that a cessation 
of hostilities should take place, and 
continue in the north of Germany, 
which henceforth should be consi- 
dered as neutral ground, and that 
those princes whose dominions lay 
on the right side of the Rhine. 
should be entitled to make proposals 
to France, and to be favourably 
treated, in behalf of whom the king 
of Prussia should interpose his good 
offices. bs 
The conclusion of this treaty, 
which was presented to the conven. 
tion, upon the tenth of April, for its 
approval and ratification, filled the 
members of this assembly, and the 
friends to the republic, with the 
highest exultation, It was the first 
acknowledgment of the republic 
formally made-by any of the great 
powers 
