- 
We require the above procla- 
mation to be printed, read, and 
published, though all the parishes 
composing the distriéts of Anjou 
and Upper Poitou. 
(Signed) Bexnirr, Curé de St. 
Lo d’ Angers, commissary - 
general. 
Printed at the royal printing-of- 
fice at Maulevriere, by Chambon, 
printer. 
The Declrratisn of the Chirfs of La 
Vendee in the Armies of the Centre 
and Pay Bas. 
UNPRECEDENTED attempts 
against our liberty, the most cruel 
itolerance, despotism, | injustice, 
and horrid vexations which we 
“have experienced, have assembled 
us with arms in our hands. We 
have seen with horror our unfor- 
tunate country .delivered over to 
the ambitious, who, under the ap- 
pearances of the purest patriotism, 
and the seductive mask of popu-_ 
larity, aspired to a perpetual dic- 
tatorship. Discerning their pro- 
jeéts through the veil in which 
they enveloped themselves—could 
we do otherwise than try our Jast 
efforts to replace the authority in 
hands which our principles made 
legitimate? 
_ Whilst an oppressive government 
deprived our fellow -citizens of their 
most precious rights, we have de.-_ 
fended our’s with constancy and 
firmness, We have had recourse 
in our misfortunes to new powers. 
Despair even lent us its frightful 
succour, and rendering us insensi- 
ble to those considerations which 
soften the most ferocious hearts, 
engraved on our’s the resolution 
STATE PAPERS. 
197 
rather to’ die than to live under 
such tyranny.+ 
But now the government of blood 
has disappeared. The leaders of 
that impious faction which covered 
France with cypress and mourning, 
have paid with their heads the for. 
feit of their criminal designs. The 
representative Ruelle, the friend of 
the laws and of humanity, is come 
to bear among us the words of peace. 
That confidence which had- been 
so lowered by the a¢ts of barbarity, 
which have preceded his mission, 
begins now to revive. On his ap- 
pearance we feel no disinclination 
to such approa aches as may tend to 
remove the calamitous effects of 
the divisions that afflict us. New 
representatives, worthy of our es- 
teem and our praise, have been 
joined to the first; we have jn- 
formed them of our intentions, and 
our desire of a sincere pacification, 
guaranteed by honour. In our 
conferences we have made them 
understand what interested the hap- 
iness of our country, and what it’ 
slansed to their prudence and 
wisdom to grant, for the purpose 
of obtaining the desirable end -of ° 
peace. United -in the ‘same tent - 
with the representatives of the peo. 
ple, we felt more strongly, if pos~ 
sible, that we were still Frenchmen, 
and should be animated only by 
the general good of our country. 
It is with these sentiments tha¢ 
we declare to the national conver. 
tion and to France, our submission 
to the French republic, one and 
indivisible, and our acknowledg. 
ment of its laws; and that we 
make a formal engagement not to 
make any attempt against them. 
We promise to surrender, as soon 
as possible, all the artillery and 
O 3 houses 
