204,| 
Magnificent Lords, 
THE orders of the executive di- 
rectory of the French republic 
oblige me to recall the attention of 
your honourable canton to the cir- 
cumstances and motives which 
dictated the declaration of the di- 
rectory, I was charged to transmit 
to you, on the 16th of Germinal 
last: ‘The answer you have made 
has not been such as was expect- 
ed. Charged with the care of the 
defence of the territory of the re- 
public, and of its glory, the exe- 
cutive directory was bound to look 
forward to events, and to render 
abortive, by denouncing to you, 
the projects of the enemies’ of 
France, and of its republican con- 
stitution. It was bound to invite 
you to take measures capabie of 
removing its apprehensions, and 
making its neutrality respected ; 
and it has demanded of you what 
were these measures. 
If the terms of its declaration 
were severe, it was because the 
object of it was serious: it was 
secause experience of the attempts 
and projects of our enemies, al- 
ready more than once denounced, 
gave it reason to conccive inquie- 
tude and suspicion. lt was be- 
cause positive reports announced 
that these projects were about to 
be renewed. It was because it 
was then necessary to be certain, 
as to the more than equivocal sen- 
timents of many of the Helvetiev 
states, some of whom had not 
dreaded to throw a doubt. on the 
existence of the French republic, 
by refusing to pronounce on the 
‘acceptance of the credentials of its 
ambassador, and deferring the 
epoch of their determination by 
insulting and ridiculous delays. 
Vhena eae pea sO power- 
ful as thet of the French» republic _ 
"ANNUAL REGISTER, 
‘be misundersteod, 
‘tions of kindness 
1796. 
is thus unacknowledged; wh 
this neglect is founded on the re- 
gard which is thought due to cri- 
minal fugitives, whose whole pro. 
ceedings tend anly to harass thei 
country, against which they ar 
in a permanent conspiracy, whil 
their measures tend only to involy 
in their fall the states blind enoug 
to be misled by them ; when th 
Swiss Cantons, the ancient allies 
of France, dare to hold a conduc 
so reprehensible, it is very surpris- 
ing that the executive director 
should, for a moment, withhold 
the aspect of kindiress, to assum 
towards you that of inquictude ? 
There are still other considerations, 
on which I believe | need not en 
large here. ‘They are, doubtless, 
painful, and belong to the guaran. 
tee, that the French republic ex- 
pects to find in the sentiments and 
affections of the governments ap. 
people of neutral states. 
Such are the views which have 
animated and still animate the 
executive directory. They expect 
from you, with the least delay, a 
frank and amicable explanation, 
capable of dissipating the doubts 
and reviving in our government 
the sentiments of good will. It 
has given me orders for my. ulti- 
mate conduct, in case that your an- 
swer shoud not fulfil this end. 
Oo 
i 
Answer of the Canton of Basle to M. 
Barthelemy, Ambassador of the 
French» Republic, May 11, 1796. 
WE see with real pain, by your 
excellency’s letter of the 20th Flo. 
real, that our sentiments seem to 
and that we 
have reason to apprehend the exe- 
cutive: directory of the French res 
public may suspend their disposi- 
towards us. 
When the war commenced, we de~ 
clared 
