32] 
tervention of the British ministry. 
Was there then, he said, no hope 
of accommodation? Must blood 
still be shed to promote the interests, 
or to gratify the passions, of a peo- 
ple far remote from the theatre of 
war? Are not you, addressing him- 
self to the archduke, who are so 
neatly allied to the throne, and 
above the mean passions that usually 
influence ministers, desirous to merit 
the appellations of benefactor of 
the human race, and saviour of the 
German empire? I do not mean, 
added he, that your country can- 
not be preserved by your sword, 
but that however the chance of 
war may alter in your favour, Ger- 
many must still be a sufferer. He 
concluded by assuring the archduke, 
that as to himself, were his present 
application to him to be the means 
of saving the life of a single man, 
he should be prouder of the civic 
crown, to which he would thereby 
become entitled, than of the melan- 
choly glory resulting from the most 
brilliant exploits in war. 
This letter of Buonaparte will de- 
seend to posterity, a nobler monu- 
mentofhis fame than any of hisvicto- 
ries. It breathes the sentiments of a 
gallant military chief; and, at the 
same time, the sublimest sentiments 
of morality. ‘When time shall have 
settled the present disputes, (as 
sooner or later it must,) and even 
extinguished the resentment of na- 
tions ;’’* nay, and when the whole 
series of his victories shall pass 
through the mind as a dream that 
has past, such sentiments, recorded 
in the page of every historian, will 
touch and engage every heart. 
To this letter from Buonaparte, 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1797. 
which was dated the seventh Ger- 
minal (March thirty-first) the arch- 
duke replied, that he was equally 
desirous of peace with the French 
commancer, but that his station not 
authorizing him to scrutinize, nor 
to terminate the differences between 
the belligerent powers, and not be- 
ing invested with any commission 
for that purpose, he could not un- 
dertake a negociation till he had re- 
ceived special orders, 
On receiving this answer, the 
French troops were immediately put- 
in motion, Their march was di- 
rected towards Murau, where ge- 
neral Spork was posted. ‘The arch- 
duke, upon this intelligence, re- 
quested a suspension of aris for the 
space of only four hours: but as 
this would have enabled him to’ 
secure the junction of that officer’s 
division with his own forces, Buona- 
parte sent him a denial, and pro- 
ceeded on his marcb, resolved to 
carry his designs into speedy execu-~ 
tion, unless they were prevented by 
complying with his offers to enter 
into a treaty. 
He had advanced to Judenburgh, 
in Stiria, where he fixed his head- _ 
quarters, intending, by a rapid 
march, to transfer them into Austria 
itself, when he received a notifica- 
tion from the emperor, that he was 
ready to embrace the opportunity 
given him by the French general, of 
entering into negociations for peace. 
This message was brought him by 
generals Bellegarde and Murveldt, 
deputed by the Imperial court to 
confer with him on that subject, 
and to obtain an armistice, the more 
effectually to bring matters to a 
peaceable conclusion, 
® Expressions in his letter to the archduke. 
A suspension 
