HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
‘C’H A’ F: 
[37 
Ill. 
Preliminary Articles of Peace between the French and Austrians.—Successes 
of French Armies on the Rhine.— Progress of the Nezociation for Peace.— 
Hatred of the Venetians to the French, and Partiality for the Austrians.— 
The French Army takes Possession of Bergamo.— Resentment, Rage, and 
Attempts of the Venetians at Resistance.—The French Troops ov:r-run 
“and reduce all the Venetian Territories—Feall of the Venetian Republic 
universally deplored.—A Revolution introduced by the French into Vee 
nicex—The Austrian Troops invade Istria.—Treaty of Campo-Lormio. 
HE armistice, granted by Buo- 
; naparte, left the Austrian mi- 
-nisters no longer time, than was ab- 
solutely necessary, to make a speedy 
option, whether to embrace his of- 
’ fers, or to renewhostilities. He was 
so completely prepared for these, 
‘that a renewal of them was too 
much dreaded by the court of Vi- 
enna, te decline any longer, to ac- 
cede to his proposals. 
The preliminary articles of a 
peace, between France and Austria, 
were accordingly agreed to, and 
signed, by both parties, on the 
eighteenth of April. By these pre- 
liminaries the French remained so- 
vereign possessors of the Austrian 
low countries, and the ~establish- 
ment of the republic of Lombardy 
was confirmed. These were the 
_ ostensible articles, but it was uni- 
_-versally conjectured, that the court 
- 
» i 
of Vienna would not ‘so readily have 
assented to concessions so advanta- 
geous to France, and detrimental*to 
itself, without previously obtaining 
the promise of some indemnifica- 
ijons, 
7 
During these transactions, on the 
borders of Austria, and wh le Buo- 
naparte was preparing to march 
into that province, the French ar- 
mies on the Rhine had been put 
into motion, and obtained some sig- 
nal successes. The necessity of 
procuring a new army, to enable 
the archduke to oppose Buonaparte, 
had obliged the court of Vienna, 
to recall a large proportion of its’ 
forces from the defence of that 
river. Little less than thirty thou- 
sand of its best veterans being thus 
withdrawn, the French resolved to 
attempt a passage. On the nine- 
teenth of April, general Moreau 
effected it, after.an obstinate dis 
pute, and proceeded immediately 
to Kehl, of which he took posses 
sion, notwithstanding the resolute 
defence of the Austrian troops that 
occupied this advantageous post, 
The loss, on both sides, was very 
great ; five French generals were 
wounded, and numbers of their 
soldiers fell; but the ‘slain and 
wounded among the Austrians were 
much more numerous, Between 
[D 3] three 
