130] ANNUAL REGISTER, 
stained from direét hostilities; but 
the uninterrupted career of success, 
that attended every where the arms 
of the republic, inclined the most 
prudent among the Swiss to a@ 
with more caution than they had 
hitherto done. The first of the 
cantons that acquiesced in the re- 
cognition of the republic, was that 
of Basle; nor was this canton pre- 
vated upon to take that step, till 
the treaty between France and Pras- 
sia had been concluded; the lofty 
conduct of the French on that oc- 
casion had made a profound im. 
pression upon their netghbours, 
Their minister refused to sign his | 
mame in any instrument of nego- 
tiation, subsequently to the signa- 
ture of any foreign minister: the 
consequence of which was, that 
each party signed separate papers, 
to be delivered by each other, As 
this determined spirit shewed how 
they were disposed to act, it was 
judged advisable not to exasperate 
them by delays, which must end at 
last by yielding to the necessity of 
coming to terms with them. ‘The 
Protestant cantons followed the ex- 
ample of Basle, in acknowledging 
the French republic; but the Romish 
cantons, instigated by their clergy 
and by the French emigrants, szill 
continued averse to any accommo- 
dation; and, by the inveteracy of 
their conduct, laid the foundation 
of an enmity to them, of which the 
consequence proved fatal, at last, to 
all their countrymen. 
Among the preceding treaties, 
that between France and Prussia 
was peculiarly beneficial, by fixing 
a line of neutrality, beyond which 
the belligerent powers were not 
to extend their operation, and by 
producing two other pacific treaties ; 
(1795. 
the one’was with the landgrave of 
Hesse Cassel, by which he agreed 
to furnish no more troops to serve 
against the republic ; and the other 
with the king of Great Britain, as 
elector of Hanover, and by which 
he acceded to make the same con- 
ditions. ‘(hese two treaties, which 
took place about the close of Au- 
gust, left the French at liberty to 
pursue their plans in other parts, 
without fear of molestation on their 
frontiers to the North, 
Lower Rhine. This was an ad- 
vantage of the greatest importance, 
as they proposed to direct their 
chief exertions against thé coun- 
trics situated on the Upper Rhine, 
and to open the next campaign by 
an invasion of the Austrian domi. 
nions in Italy. ~ 
In addition to the foregoing 
treaties, one of alHance, cffensive 
and defenstve, was framed, in the 
course of the year, between France 
and the Seven United Provinces, 
now styled the Batavian republic, 
As these provinces were wholly in 
the hands of the French, their go- 
vernment was entirely at their dis. 
posal ; and whatever they demanded 
was immediately complied with, as 
resistance or compiaint would be 
vain, ‘They now drew up a treaty, 
the articles of which were manifestly . 
diétated by their own convenience) 
and completely calculated to render 
their Dutch allies subservient, in 
every respect, 
France, which were alone and ex. 
clusively consulted throughout the 
whole tenour of this treaty. All 
the strong towns, that guarded the 
frontiers of the provinces, were 
without exception, retained by the 
French, together with Dutch Flan- 
dere, and the chief islands in Zea. 
land. 
and on the — 
to the interests of 
