226 
if we do not put our army and 
navy on a respectable footing, and 
whereas this cannot be done with- 
out some considerable sums of mo- 
ney, &c. &c, 
Every inhabitant is therefore or- 
dered to furnish, in the space of 
one month, all the uncoined gold 
and silver. or plate which he 
possesses. Spoons and forks are 
excepted, as well as medals and 
personal ornaments, provided these 
last do not exceed: in value 300 
fiorins. The receipts shall be de- 
duG&ted from the sums which each 
individual will be bound to fur- 
nish for the grand Operation of 
finance which is in meditation. 
Proclamation from the Committee of 
Public Safety of the French Conven- 
tion, to the Inhabitants of the Pro- 
wince of Guipustoay in Spain. 
THE French people, forced to 
- wage war by the coalition of the 
powers of Europe against their li- 
berty and independence, after hav- 
ing driven them out of their terri. 
tories, were obliged to follow them 
into their’s, for their own security, 
aid in order to obtain indemnities 
from: them, to which the French 
people are‘entitled. But in con- 
queriné a territory formerly inha- 
hited by their enemies, they have 
not forgot the -principles’ of ‘huma-- 
nity and justice; which a generous 
and free people ought to bring with. 
them where they come. This was 
the reason ‘of the national. conven. 
tion having hastened to disown the 
herrors* committed by the armies 
of the republic in the conquered’ 
countrics in Spain, and particularly’ 
in thé “province of Guipuscoa. 
The agents of the tyranny which 
ANNUAL REGISTER; 1795. 
has almost destroyed France, have 
been the cause that the name of 
the French has been tarnished in 
some places, These were blood- 
thirsty men, who carried desolation 
into foreign countries, after they 
had done the same in their own 
country. 
The revolutions of the gth.Ther- 
midor, and the 12th Germinal, have 
annihilated the guilty hopes. of 
those perfidious men, and. justice 
to all will, in future, be the con. 
stant order of the day. The com- 
mittee of public safety is anxious 
to let the inhabitants of Guipuscoa 
know the decree of the national 
convention, with respeét to the in- 
. justice done by our former govern- 
ments. They think it their duty 
to proclaim, in the most solemn 
manner, the principles which guide 
the operations of the present go- 
vernment of France. 
All the treaties, capitulations, 
and conventions, concluded be- 
tween the agents of that govern- 
ment and those of the conquered 
countries, ought to be most religi- 
ously observed. All private pro- 
perty is sacred : he who violates it 
isa robber, and must be punished 
as such. ‘Lhe inhabitants of the 
conquered, country must be govérn- 
ed according to their own laws and 
customs, and no innovation is per. 
mitted to be introduced. 
The French people having: pro- 
claimed public worship,-do not dis- 
turb that established in the con- 
~quered countries; the French peo- 
ple wish that public and religious 
opinions be respected. The French’ 
people revere old age, protect in- 
fancy, respe@ conjugal fidelity and 
modesty, and punish ‘with severity: 
those who. violate: them, If these’ 
principles have been violated ina 
~\ conquered 
