100] 
resolute and hardy race of men, but 
extremely attached to the family of 
Austria: of whom they had for 
centuries continued the faithful and 
affectionate subjeéts. 
Buonaparte did not, however, de- 
spair to make an impression upon 
them in his favour, through the me- 
dium of those addresses, of which he 
had experienced the efficacy on 
other occasions. On the fourteenth 
of June he published a manifesto, 
wherein he informed them, that he 
intended to march through their 
country, in order to force the em- 
peror to come into terms of peace 
with the French, who desired a 
termination of the war, not only 
for themselves, but for the benefit 
of all Europe, so long harassed and 
desolated through the ambition of 
the Imperial family ; for which alone 
the people of its dominions were 
involved in the horrors of war, as 
well as the people of France. The 
French, he told them, bore no hatred 
to the inhabitants of Germany, but 
solely to their ambitious sovereigns, 
and felt the sincerest sentiments of 
good will and fraternity for their 
oppressed subjeéts. He invited them, 
therefore, in the name of the French, 
to receive their army with hospi- 
tality and abstain from all hostili- 
ties ; promising the striétest honour 
and punctuality, in all dealings 
and transactions with them, but ad- 
monishing them, at the same time, 
that if compelled to have recourse 
to their arms, the French would, 
however unwillingly, prove as ter- 
rible to them, as they had unvaria- 
bly done to all their other enemies. 
But while he was preparing to 
follow up this manifesto, by march- 
ihg his army into the Tyrol, he was 
called away by the indispensible ne- 
cessity of providing for the security 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1796. 
of his conquests; menaced by a 
variety of unfavourable circumstan- 
ces, against which vigorous exer- 
tions were required without delay. 
The distance at which the forces — 
of the French were at this time, 
from several distriéts, known by the 
name of Imperial Fiefs, and situated 
on the borders of Piedmont, Genoa, 
and Tuscany, had emboldened the 
people there, who were in the in- 
terest of the emperor, to aét a very 
hostile part against the French; they 
attacked their convoys, intercepted 
the communication with Buona- 
parte’s army, and killed his couriers, 
Such were the complaints and repre- 
sentations of the French. In order 
to put a stop to those proceedings, 
which were secretly countenanced 
by those numerous enemies of the 
French, who did not dare to avow 
themselves, Buonaparte was obliged — 
to dispatch large detachments from 
“\ 
the main body of bis forces, to re= 
pressthem. This was the very end 
proposed by those insurrections, but 
the celerity with which he acted, © 
quickly effected their suppression ; 
the insurgents were compelled to 
submit, and deliver up their arms 
and hostages for their obedience. 
Heavy fines were imposed upon 
them, and ordinances issued 5 a re- 
fusal to comply with which, was | 
made punishable with military exe. 
cution, 
The motive that led to this se- 
verity, waS the determination to © 
proceed, without the danger of be- 
ing recalled by new commotions, 
in the plan ofextending, through the - 
most distant parts of Italy, an un- 
resisting subjugation to the dictates 
of France. Rome and Naples were 
the two states against which Buona- 
parte was intending to act. The 
enmity of both to the French was — 
undeniable. 
