346 ANNUAL 
26th Vendemiaire) in the 
fixth year of the French Re- 
- public, one and indivifible. 
(Signed) Buonaparre,the Mar~ 
quis D1 Gato, Louis 
Compte CoBeEenzEL, 
the Compt De Mer- 
veLpT, General Major; 
and the Barcn De De- 
GELMANN. 
The Executive Directory decrees 
and figns the prefent treaty of peace 
made with his Majefty the Emperor, 
King of Hungary and Bohernia, ne- 
gotiated in the name of the French 
Republic by the Citizen Buonaparte, 
Commander in Chief of the army 
of Italy, provided with powers by 
the Executive Directory, and charg- 
ed with their inftruétions for this 
purpofe. 
Refeript addreffed to his Excellency 
M. de Fahenborg, Direétorial Mini- 
ter of Auftria at Ratifbon, on the Part 
. of his Mayefty the Emperor and King, 
dated Feb. '7, 1797. 
IS Majefty the Emperor and 
King, in beholding the prodi- 
gious efforts of an enemy who, ac- 
cording to bis irreligious and artful 
fyftem, permits himfelf all poffible 
means to enfure fuccefs, and con- 
fidering the hazards attending the 
fate of arms, has always endeavour- 
ed to make the ftates underftand 
how impoffible it would be for him, 
without the moft efficacious affift- 
ance of the whole empire, to refift 
alone. the, danger which threatens 
‘the conftitution of the Germanic 
body with its ruin, and the indivi- 
dual members of the empire with 
the-entire lofs of their pofleffions. 
. The exiftence of this impending 
R‘E GIS BER§: 1797. 
danger had plainly enough mani- 
fefted itfelf, when one of the moft 
powerful ftates of the empire aban- 
doned the common caufe, to con- 
clude with the enemy a peace which, 
as it is conjectured, contains fecret 
conventions that cannot but be far 
from favourable to the integrity of 
the Germanic empire. 
Thefe apprehenfions and alarms 
gained an additional weight when 
feveral Proteftant princes and ftates 
of the empire, following the afore- 
faid example, and, in the midft of 
a war deliberated by one common 
accord, did not hefitate to ceafe co- 
operating in the defence of the Ger- 
manic empire, their country, by 
acknowledging and admitting the 
line of demareation and neutrality. 
The danger becoming greater every 
day, his Majefty feveral times ap- 
prifed the ftates of the empire of it, 
and above all the ecclefiaftical ftates : 
he ftrove to perfuade them, that 
their farther exiftence was threaten- 
ed; that there were forging fecret- 
ly plans of fecularization; and that, 
according to appearances, it was in- 
tended not to affign any fort of in- 
demnity to the ecclefiaftical ftates, 
and to force the Germanic empire, 
divided and incapable of defending 
itfelf, to accept this facrifice as the 
principal bafis of the conditions of 
peace, with the concurrence of the 
French forces, united with the Pro- 
teftant power dependent on Pruffia. 
Notwithftanding the accuracy of 
thefe reprefentations on the part 
of his Majefty, they did not how- 
ever wifh to own and be convinced 
of them till now; and bya miftaken 
ceconomy they would not recur to 
the only means of falvation propof- 
ed by his Majefty, which were to 
oppofe the enemy with all the pofii- 
ble forces of the flate. At prefent, 
fince 
