ST. ATE) PoA PERS: 
to give the only example of the most 
inviolable respect for the law of 
Nations, which constitutes. the 
pledge and security of their civili- 
sation, But after having long to- 
lerated the offence of this Machia- 
velian system of policy, she at 
length finds herself compelled, by : 
the most urgent motives, to have 
recourse to reprisals against Eng- 
land. 
The executive directory, there- 
fore, orders all the political agents 
of the French republic to intorm 
the different governments, that the 
squadrons and privateers of the re- 
public will aé against the ships of 
every country, in the same manner 
in which those governments suffer 
the English to aét against them. 
This measure ought not to sur- 
prise them, since it would be very 
easy to demonstrate that it is im- 
periously prescribed by necessity, 
and is only the effe&t of a lawiul 
defence. If these powers had 
known how to make their com. 
merce respected by the English, 
we shouid have had no occasion to 
have recourse to this afflicting ex- 
tremity. an 
They will recolle@, that the 
French republic, ever generous, 
proposed io all the belligereni 
powers to respect commerce ; but 
that this proposition, honourable 
to the government which made it, 
and ditiated by a most _ perfect 
philanthropy, was rejected with 
pride, by a government accustomed 
to treat with contempt the most 
sacred laws of humanity, &c. 
20th Termidor ( August 7). 
Proclamation of the General in Chief 
of the Army of Italy. 
Head-quarters at Castigliona, 19 
Thermidor ( August 6), fourth 
Year. 
[249 
SOLDIERS, 
YOU have conquered Jtaly a se- 
cond time! In fivé days you have 
gained two pitched battles, and 
five inferior uétions; you have 
taken fifteen thousand prisoners, 
three generals, eighty pieces of 
cannon, two hundred waggons, 
and ‘six stand of colours. ‘hose 
fierce Hungarians, triumphant last 
year on the Rhine, are now in 
your chains, or fly before you. 
You have crushed in an instant 
the principal enemy of the republic. 
So many high exploits ought not to 
make you proud, but to inspire 
you with confidence; they ought 
to teach you never to count your 
enemies, however numerous they 
may be. The conquerors of Lodi, 
ot Lonado, of Castigliona, ought 
to attack and destroy them. You 
renew the boasted examples of 
Marathon and Platea; like the 
brave Greek phalanxes, the bri- 
gades of the army of Italy shall 
be immortal, 
Receive then, soldiers, the mark 
of the satisfaction of your general ; 
it only precedes that of the whole 
country, and of rising posterity. — 
Brave soldiers, be always impe. 
tuous in combats, and vigilant on 
your posts. Death shrinks trem. 
bling from the agile and resolutely 
brave: how often have yeu march. 
ed to meet it, how otten have you 
scen it fly before you and enter the 
hostile ranks! It often overtakes 
the dastard, but never strikes the 
brave till his hour is come. 
» (Signed) BuonaParre, 
Address transmitted bythe French Am. 
bassador at the Hague to the Dutch 
Convention, tke 20th Thermidor, 
(th August), 
BurGHERs 
