244] 
as necessary to Europe, as it is to 
the subjects of the emperor. The 
cause I am about to defend is your 
own. You have been long vexed 
and fatigued by the horrors of a 
“war, undertaken not for the in- 
terest of the people of Germany, 
but for that of a single family. 
The French army respeéts and 
loves all nations, more especially 
the simple and virtuous inhabitants 
of the mountains. Your religion, 
your customs will be every where 
respected. Our troops will main- 
tain a severe discipline ; and no- 
thing will be taken in the country 
without being paid for in money. 
You will receive us with hospi- 
tality, and we will treat you with 
fraternity and friendship. 
But should there be any so little 
acquainted with their true interests 
as to take up arms, and treat us as © 
enemies, we will be as terrible as 
the fire from heaven: we will burn 
‘the houses, and Jay waste the terri- 
‘tories of the villages which shall 
take a part in a war which is fo- 
reign to them. 
Do not suffer yourselves to be 
Jed into an crror by the agents of 
Austria, Secure your country, 
already harassed by five years of 
war, from new miseries, In a lit- 
‘tle time the court of Vienna, forced 
to a peace, will restore to the na- 
tives their privileges which it has 
usurped, and to Kurope the tran- 
quillity it has disturbed. 
The commandcr in chief, 
(Signed) Buonaparte. 
Buonaparte, Commander in Chicf of 
the Army.cf Italy, ta the Grand 
Duke of Tuscany. 
Head-quarters at Piitoja,— 
Sune 26. 
- "THE flag of the French repub- 
“ite j is constantly insuited in the port 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1796. 
of Leghorn. The property of the 
French merchants is violated there ; 
every day is marked by some at- 
tempt against France, as contrary 
to the interests of the republic as to 
he law of the nations. The exe- 
cutive directory have repeatedly 
preferred their complaints to the 
minister of your royal highness at 
Parts, who has been obliged to avow 
that it is impossitle for your royal 
highness to repress the English, and 
to maintain a neutrality in the port 
of Leghorn. 
This confession immediately con- 
viaced the executive directory, that 
it was their duty to repel force by 
force, to make their commerce re- 
spected, and Aoi ordered me to 
send a division of the army under 
my command to take posszssion of 
Leghorn. 
I have the honour to inform 
your royal highness, that on the 7th 
inst. ( 
army entered Leghorn: their con- 
dué there will be conformable te 
those principles of neutrality which 
they have been sent to maintain, 
The flag, the garrison, the pro- 
perty, and your royal highness and 
your people, shall be scrupulously 
respected, 
Iam, moreover, instro€icd to as- 
sure your roval highness of. the de. 
sire of the French government, to 
witness a continuation of the friend. 
ship which unites ihe two states, 
and of their convittion that your 
royal highness, conscious of the 
excesses daily committed by the 
English ships, which you cannot 
prevent, will appland the just, 
useful, and necessary ineasures 
adopted by the executive directory. 
[ am, ‘ 
With esteem and dagniitetation, 
Your Royalbighness’s, &c. 
BvuONAPARTE, 
Answes 
25th june) a division.of the 
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