S FAL BoPsA PER. 
rations to the wifdom and good 
fenfe of the Executive Directory, 
affuring the Direétory, at the fame 
time, that the Government of 
Berne, in concert with the co- 
ftates, will lofe no time in coming 
to a refolution fuitable to the mag- 
nitude of the fubje&, fhould the 
Executive Directory deem it expe- 
dient to addrefs itfelf to this effect 
to the laudable Helvetic Body. 
(Signed) Moruor, Chancellor. 
Berne, O&. 11th, 1797. 
Note of Mr. Wickham, delivered to the 
Helvetic Body on his Recall. 
Frankfort, Nov. 22, 1797. 
Magnificent and powerful Lords, 
ALTHOUGH your Lordthips 
have not communicated to me the 
demand which the Executive 
Direétory of France lately made to 
you concerning my miffion, I could 
not, however, be ignorant of what 
was notorious to all Switzerland, 
and I in confequence deemed it my 
duty to communicate it to my court, 
not omitting, at the fame time, to 
point out the infulting manner in 
which it was tranfmitted to your 
Lordfhips. In the whole of this 
tranfaétion, which attacks alike the 
law of nations and your ancient 
dignity and independence, the 
King has not failed to obferve the 
perfidious intention of diffolving 
the ties of friendfhip which have at 
all times attached his Majefty 1o 
your ftates, and the premeditated 
plan of undermining the very foun- 
dations of your confederacy. Per- 
fuaded of this truth, his Majefty 
(who, in fending his Minifter into ~ 
Switzerland, wifhed to give a 
proof of his good-will and friend- 
264 
fhip towards you) will not allow 
his refidence there to ferve as a 
pretext to the hoftile projects of a 
neighbour, whofe ambition ref{pects 
neither juftice nor the laws of fo- 
vereignty, and who is actuated with 
no other defire than to introduce 
into your happy countries. that de- 
ftructive fyftem, from which, by 
the help of Divine Providence, you 
have been hitherto enabled to pro- 
tet them. The King has in confe- 
quence fignified his commands, 
that his whole miffion fhould with- 
draw from your territories without 
lofs of time. — In communicating 
this refolution to your Lordfhips, 
I have the King’s exprefs commands 
to aflure.you, that it is dictated by 
no other motive than his anxious 
folicitude for the prefervation of 
your tranquillity; and that your 
Lordfhips may fully rely on a con- 
tinuance of that good-will and 
friendfhip which have ever formed 
the bafis of his Majefty’s conduct 
in all his tranfactions with your 
States.—I eagerly embrace this op- 
portunity to exprefs to you indivi- 
dually, my acknowledgements for 
the manner in which your Lord~- 
fhips have been pleafed to receive 
me during my miffion, and my re- 
gret at being no longer the organ 
of the benevolent fentiments of my 
Sovereign towards you.—In offer- 
ing up my fincereft prayers for the 
profperity and tranquillity of your 
States, I have the honour to be, 
with the higheft confideration, 
Magnificent and powerful Lords, 
(Signed) W. Wickuam. 
Anfwer of the Helvetic Body to the 
Note which Mr. Wickham, the Eng- 
lik Minifier, prefented at his De- 
farture. 
Berié, 
