196] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



up in the Cisalpine republic for 

 political opinions. Whatever might 

 he the answer from Vienna, neither 

 of the two armies were to attack 

 the other without ten days previous 

 notice. 



The last article of this treaty was 

 of very great military importance. 

 It provided that, during the sus- 

 pension of arms, neither of the ar- 

 mies should send detachments into 

 Germany. The proposal for the 

 armistice was first made, as will he 

 readily supposed, by genei-al Melas. 

 Buonaparte's answer to the Aus- 

 trian general's message, respecting 

 terms, was remarkably laconic as 

 well as dignified : dignified not by 

 pride and loftiness, but moderation. 

 " The Austrian army shall imme- 

 diately retire within the line which 

 it should occupy, according to the 

 treaty of Campo-Forniio." He im- 

 mediately dispatched a messenger 

 with an offer of a general peace to 

 the emperor, on the same basis. 



While the treaty for an armistice 

 was drawn up, Buonaparte pre- 

 pared to return to Milan, in order 

 to re-organize the Cisalpine repub- 

 lic. Before he set off, he sent ge- 

 neral Melas a present of a Turkish 

 sabre, brought from Egypt, Ge- 

 neral Melas said to the aide-de- 

 camp who delivered it to him — 

 " I am sorry peace is so long de- 

 layed : I shall contribute my efforts 

 to obtain it, that I may go and see 

 Buonaparte at Paris. I would 

 even go to see him in Egypt." 



The prisoners made by the Aus- 

 trians were restored on the sixteenth 

 of June. And immediately there- 

 after the chief consul, escorted by a 

 body of chasseurs, hastened to Mi- 

 lan, where he recognized and de- 

 clared the Cisalpine republic to be 

 a free and independent nation. He 



established a provisional administra- 

 tion, and a consulto for preparing- 

 for the republic a constitution and 

 legislature. He gave orders for re- 

 specting religion, and the property 

 of all citizens without distinction. — 

 Citizens, who had fled from their 

 country, were invited to return ; 

 with the exception of such as had 

 taken arms against the Cisalpine re- 

 public, after the treaty of Campo- 

 Formio. All sequestrations were 

 taken off, whether placed upon 

 property possessed either under the 

 title of ancient property, or in 

 virtue of legal acquisition under 

 whatever pretext ; and on what- 

 ever occasion the said sequestrations 

 might have been ordered. The 

 citadel of Milan having agreed to 

 surrender, the garrison, to the num- 

 ber of four thousand, marched out 

 with the honours of war. The fuU 

 half of these being French and 

 Piedmontese, came over to the 

 French with arms and baggage, and 

 colours flying. A magnificent Te 

 Deum was celebrated in the cathe- 

 dral of Milan, in gratitude for the 

 success of the French anns, and 

 particularly the triumphs of Buona- 

 parte, the great patron and protec- 

 tor of religion. A t this solemnity, 

 amidst an immense number of peo- 

 ple, the chief consul, general Ber- 

 thier, and all his chief staff, were 

 present. 



Buonaparte, in a conference he 

 had with the clergy at Milan, ad- 

 vised them to preach and practise 

 the morality of Jesus Christ. 



When the victory of Marengo had 

 put the fate of Italy in the hands of 

 Buonaparte, the first idea that 

 occurred to his mind was, how it 

 was to be settled. Though natu- 

 rally and habitually reserved and 

 taciturn, he discovered, on this 



